Anyone Know What This Fish Is?

MonsterCichlids75

Gambusia
MFK Member
Feb 15, 2012
347
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Boston, MA
Im stumped. This fish is at one of the LFS and is labeled as a jack dempsey. I dont think it is, the fins and something about the body shape just dont say dempsey to me. But the guy who happened to be working there at the time thought i was crazy and said its a dempsey for sure. I think hes wrong lol but i have no idea what it is? Its like 4 inches and is 9 bucks. The owner there admitted he didnt order it, it just showed up with last weeks order and they all thought dempsey.


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newworld

Redtail Catfish
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Dec 14, 2008
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Im stumped. This fish is at one of the LFS and is labeled as a jack dempsey. I dont think it is, the fins and something about the body shape just dont say dempsey to me. But the guy who happened to be working there at the time thought i was crazy and said its a dempsey for sure. I think hes wrong lol but i have no idea what it is? Its like 4 inches and is 9 bucks. The owner there admitted he didnt order it, it just showed up with last weeks order and they all thought dempsey.


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Istlantum
 

MonsterCichlids75

Gambusia
MFK Member
Feb 15, 2012
347
0
16
Boston, MA
Istlantum
What?! No way! Ive never seen one of those in person before, thats awesome. And for 9 bucks jeez i should get it. I have zero experience with these.. Does it look like a male? Theyre pretty aggressive right? Only fish ive kept that seems to resemble the istlanum are my my old red tiger motas. Had a breeding pair for a couple years till i sold them. Hows the aggression level compared to somethin like a mota?


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duanes

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It does look like istlanum.
If I was there I'd scoop it up for that price.
It can be a fairly aggressive species, and is one of those type that if it can't fully dominate, may bloat.
 

Aquanero

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It does look like istlanum.
If I was there I'd scoop it up for that price.
It can be a fairly aggressive species, and is one of those type that if it can't fully dominate, may bloat.
+1 that's a young Istlanum, definitely not a JD.
 

spazmattik

Jack Dempsey
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Nov 28, 2012
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Agreed on the Istlanum. What size is it? Looks like a fairly decent size to have that kind of definition with the spangles. I don't see any red either so it would be an incredible deal if it were a green istlanum
 

MonsterCichlids75

Gambusia
MFK Member
Feb 15, 2012
347
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16
Boston, MA
I knew i wasnt crazy haha im gonna go back to that shop and pull up this exact thread on my phone and show the guy im not the only one who thought it wasnt a JD...(after i buy it for the JD price of course hehe). After looking through a lot of istlanum pics online, i agree with you guys. Do These guys do better alone or can they be kept in a com. of medium/large CA's?


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MonsterCichlids75

Gambusia
MFK Member
Feb 15, 2012
347
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Boston, MA
Are these guys similar to grammodes? They certainly look it, i had a grammodes a while back in my 125 with some others and he hid quite a lot, was very shy until 7-8" when he finally would come out and roam freely, then he started getting real nasty and i ended up selling him. By the end of his time with me, he was acting like a mini dovii lol


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