ShadowStryder's Hydrocynus vittatus (VATF) growout thread

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What an unusual fish. He has characteristics of both vittatus and tanzaniae, with a tail that is colored like a goliath.

That fish should be called the Riddler because he's a damn E.nigma.

I suspect that he is actually one of the five undescribed species/subspecies that currently exist. Three of them live in the Congo basin.

I love it!

EDIT- I blew the pictures up and found that I could count the LL scales. I counted 49. Based on that and available info, he's a vittatus indeed. He's likely unusual looking because of weird color saturation from the camera and the lighting.
 
What an unusual fish. He has characteristics of both vittatus and tanzaniae, with a tail that is colored like a goliath.

That fish should be called the Riddler because he's a damn E.nigma.

I suspect that he is actually one of the five undescribed species/subspecies that currently exist. Three of them live i. n the Congo basin.

I love it!

EDIT- I blew the pictures up and found that I could count the LL scales. I counted 49. Based on that and available info, he's a vittatus indeed. He's likely unusual looking because of weird color saturation from the camera and the lighting.

Thanks Chix. If it makes a difference lighting is a single 150w halogen and pic is with my HTC One X cell.
By the way which are the LL scales? I assuming there is a different count on each identified species.

Very nice fish ... long snout and very nice color with that classic football
shape.

Thanks, I am very happy with him/her.
 
Thanks Chix. If it makes a difference lighting is a single 150w halogen and pic is with my HTC One X cell.
By the way which are the LL scales? I assuming there is a different count on each identified species.

Lateral line scales. They're the definitive diagnostic trait for identifying most species of fish. Check out the ATF ID sticky at the top of this section for much greater details.
 
I agree with chixclub definitely an interesting looking atf looks completely different than my yellowtail vatf fins and coloration.
Even the jaw structure is longer and thinner than mine
Beauty atf eitherway

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Is that how small VATF are? he's knocking on for 3 years old and only 10"?
Biggest in Captivity that I seen is 16", larger of course in wild. I just got mine back on Massivore about 2 months ago now and he has showed better color and already more growth. When I say 10" its by eye and I tend to underestimate anyways. Plus comparing him to my larger rays makes him appear smaller to the eye also.
 
A vittatus is a sexually mature adult by the time it hits 12" in the wild. 18" and four pounds or so is normal. Anything over 18" in an aquarium is quite an accomplishment, but its not unheard of.

There's been some pictures and videos of roughly two foot vittatus posted on here a few times, but I can't find them for the life of me.

Here's an enormous tank raised GATF. The last confirmed size was 27", but it looks MUCH larger in this picture than it did in the pictures from when it was 27". This fish belongs/belonged to Wu Chun who hasn't posted in years.
P1050849.jpg

Here's what he looked like at 27":
Similar angle, same tank-
7613ov2.jpg

Clear shot-
288ea5.jpg


27" BATF. This fish belonged to woodysun-Taiwan.
View attachment 928169

19" TATF. Dunno who owned this monster.
tanzaniae6.jpg

West1's old VATF. IIRC, this fish was 18".
vatf4.jpg

Unfortunately, NO ONE has a big FATF. Can't help you there. They just grow too slowly and people give up on them or they just get eaten.

P1050849.jpg

7613ov2.jpg

288ea5.jpg

tanzaniae6.jpg

vatf4.jpg
 
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