A. panduro and A. juruensis

[Noddy65]

Hi all
Am going to pick up these two species this afternoon from the local fish shop.

Anything I should look out for?

Mike

[parkap]

Haven't kept them Mike, but I've always liked the look of the juruensis. Where'd you manage to source them from, I thought you were apisto starved over there?

p.

[Th0mas]

Hi all
Am going to pick up these two species this afternoon from the local fish shop.

Anything I should look out for?

Mike

Mike,

Are they F0 (wild caught) or tank bred fish?

If tank bred, look out for deformities (I've seen some bad panduro going around lately). If F0, go for the bigger ones as the thin one maybe weaker and find it difficult to acclimatise.

Thomas.

[kevkoi]

A.juruensis is a tricky one.... my suspicion is that the fish being sold as A.juruensis in Australia is actually A.cf.juruensis "Black Chin".

These "Black Chin" are fairly common around the traps in Singapore and fairly inexpensive (thanks to a farm in Malaysia that breeds these regularly! ) but note that these should be labelled as "Black Chin" so as not to confuse it with the REAL juruensis (which may just show up in Australia some day). The REAL A.juruensis is a really rare fish to find in the trade. Even when I have a look at the German list, it is always the "Black Chin" that is available.. I've only ever noted that the REAL juruensis has landed in Hongkong and Taiwan and to a few selected hobbyist in Singapore that got their fish from HK.

Noddy, i suggest that when u get your fish, check on Apistogramma.com or Aquatic Quotient to make sure if my haunch is correct and indeed the A.cf. juruensis 'Black chin" is what u got. Then in future, if you do breed these, please note the fish as "black chin" so we don't get hybrids should the REAL juruensis show up.

*note cf. in taxonomy means to an extent this species has not been fully studied and it "looks like" the species labeled (but may be a completely new species or just a variant.... not sure yet.)

[Noddy65]

Thanks everyone
1. Note sure of the source, just phoned up one of the LFS (Im having lunch with my wife and the LFS is just down the road so I thought Id give them a call today). Ill make some enduires when I get there.

2. There is only one 'pair' of panduros. Im suspicious, are they the only ones left and are there becuase theyre defromed/small/thin etc?. Ill leave them alone if I dont like the look of them. There are around 10 juruensis. I might try and grab 6 or so if they look ok.

3. Thanks Kev. Ive had a look at the relationship with the true juruensis and the black chin type this am. Once theyve coloured up Ill be able to tell more.

Mike

[steph]

A. panduro's can be fairly aggressive for their size. If you do get them make sure you give them lots of room, hiding spots and some one else to pick on.

Cheers

Steph

[kevkoi]

We use white cloud minnows and lots of java moss with panduro.

[bennyng]

Nannostomus spp. might be better dither fishes for South American Dwarf Cichlids as they are not as fast as White Cloud Minnows.

Cheers,

[Noddy65]

Well...Ive picked up the fish
Not sure about the panduros, one very male male and teh other Im not sure about. It doesnt ahve the dark facial patches etc but is a very different looking fish to teh other one. I grabbed them both anyway.
Juruensis, grabbed two pairs. Nice looking fish.

Interestingly none of the fish were really small, they were around 6 cm long. Im used to just seeing uncoloured/unsexable Apistos in the LFS in Perth.

And another good point. I dont use any dither fish. I think Ill have to go and get some considering the tanks are all 2'.

Any good cheap suggestions guys. Also how many fish per tank (ie dither fish) is the best.

Mike
ps. Ill post a pic when the fish have settled in.

[kevkoi]

Nanastomus beckfordi (Beckford's pencilfish) are relatively cheap when available in the LFS. The other types of Nanastomus u'll be hard pressed to find them in most LFS.

If you don't find the pencilfish, try using the white cloud minnows like I do. They're a cheap alternative. 2ft tank, a group of 6 pencils or white clouds sould be enough.

Waiting to have a look at those Juruensis. Take a pic especially of the chin area..