Got burned by Cichlids of the Americas

[ehh]

The one on the left looks more labiatus don't you think so?

Should you be saying someone screwed you over based on what you think?
They both look like midevils to me. But they both could be Red Devils. Or they both could be Midas.
There is so much variation in their appearances that it makes it pretty tough to eyeball what species they are.

 

[dan518]

It looks a bit different, but when buying amphilophus alot of the time you can only go of the reputation of the vendor because alot of them are impossible to tell apart with out a catch location

 

[Dog8groomer9]

Should you be saying someone screwed you over based on what you think?
They both look like midevils to me. But they both could be Red Devils. Or they both could be Midas.
There is so much variation in their appearances that it makes it pretty tough to eyeball what species they are.

I honestly feel that way. The lips on the left one are 3x bigger then the one on the right . More slender then the one on the right , the lips looked more v shaped from looking at the top. Aren't those strong characteristics of labiatus?

 

[jam05pr]

So hard to definitively tell just based on looks alone. Not sure bashing a vendor, simply based on what you think may or may not be, is the appropriate way to go. Now for customer service, I'd be curious as to how you approached it with COA. His site clearly states the conditions of sale.

I have dealt with both and don't have anything negative to say granted I don't speak for everyone.

 

[jam05pr]

For Amphilophus citrinellus, COA sates "Lake Arenal, Costa Rica strain" for those that were wondering

 

[Tyler_Wentworth_150]

I would be more gentle with my words personally, I've had nothing but great interaction with Dan at CotA. He has been friendly, polite and professional, along with providing VERY high quality stock. At the top of this section there is a sticky titled potential case of f1 midevil. Defending the possibility of this occurring in the wild. Furthermore, my own female midas looks the same as yours and absolutely is not a midevil. Just please do some more research and be mindful of the way you choose to approach one of the most well liked vendors by members of this site. You will find people who were mad when a person sells in the kind of volume that Dan does.

 

[duanes]

In any Amphilophus spawn there will be many variations. I have had barred Amphilphus spawn, and end up with individual fry that were pink, yellow and unbarred, spotted and mottled, some with black spots, and pointed snouts, some not.
And when you consider that many older non-fry specimens bodies can be influenced by the hierarchal status of their current situation, and even that shape type might change when put in a different situation, or age.
Individuals from around the islands of the Solentiname, may be quite different in appearance from those almost 80 miles to the north in lake NIcaragua, near Zapotera island.
So if a specimen you have, may be from Lago Arenal in Costa Rica, it could be light years apart from one if from Nicaragua.

 

[ragin_cajun]

"If you claim that the fish is not the species you requested, a DNA work up showing conclusive results must be provided by you of the fish to be eligible
for a refund consideration."

He'll give you a refund if DNA analysis of the fish proves it's a mixed breed. I personally wouldn't waste my time with though. If Rapps or Dan at CoA say it's a Midas, then it's a Midas. Midas are too easy to breed, and they have too much to lose, by pawning off mixed breed fish.

What I'd do if I were you, I'd get 6-8 Midas and breed them. Then you grow them out, and 6 months later, you get a whole batch to choose from--you can pick exactly what you want. Or, you could go to the vendor's site and look at them before you buy them.

Midas vary A LOT within species, and what looks weak today can grow into a beast. It's like watching 10 year olds play baseball. You can't tell which one will play in high school or college from what you're seeing on the field in Bronco.

 

[Frank Castle]

i'm on the fence......I kind of agree with everyone, which also includes the fish on the left looking like Labiatus. It IS hard to tell by looking at them, nd since there's so many locales, I don't think anyone can say whether it is or not except the people who caught/bred it. On the other hand, if I bought that as a Midas i'd be pissed too, cuz that looks nothing like a Midas to me, I would have bought a Red Devil if I wanted a fish that looked like that. Rapps's fish is much more appealing to me and looks how a Midas is supposed to look - looks how mine looked.

ugh, playing Devil's Advocate again

 

[cichlidfish]

In any Amphilophus spawn there will be many variations. I have had barred Amphilphus spawn, and end up with individual fry that were pink, yellow and unbarred, spotted and mottled, some with black spots, and pointed snouts, some not.
And when you consider that many older non-fry specimens bodies can be influenced by the hierarchal status of their current situation, and even that shape type might change when put in a different situation, or age.
Individuals from around the islands of the Solentiname, may be quite different in appearance from those almost 80 miles to the north in lake NIcaragua, near Zapotera island.
So if a specimen you have, may be from Lago Arenal in Costa Rica, it could be light years apart from one if from Nicaragua.

I agree w/ this.

I would trust those vendors 100%.