African Pike (Odoe) variants?

[mad ness]

I've always thought my odoes looked different than some of the odoes I've seen online.

below 2 have short rounded snout, but fancier longer/colorful dorsal edge wider than base

This is what mine look like, short rounded snout, notice the length of dorsal base and edge/shape to above. Don't know if it's just lighting/photography but the other two "variants" mentioned appear to have that opel shine to the scales. Mine and these posted are more pale.

Then there's these guys, long snout ends at a point, short fins.

 

[mshuangchao]

With the snouts, I think it's different for every individual. Take my Rhaphs for example, I've got 5 of them and I can tell them all apart by their snouts.
You've got an amazing specimen there, love the colors on his dorsal fin.

 

[DB junkie]

Ithought the dorsal difference was possibly a sign of the different sexes? I had one that had the longer dorsal while the other 3 had short ones.

Either way, variant or different sexes one things certain and that is there is definetly distinguishing differences.

 

[mad ness]

yea pics of top 2 fish are really nice, too bad not mine. Mine aren't pictured here, all these pics are pulled off the net. My fishes fit the second descriptions.

Yes it could just be different face for different fish within a species. or sex thing.

I've had these odoes for about 8 months, they eat like mad, but I can say they haven't grown at all. they are about 8-9" in length. Another thing I found odd, most other keepers report their odoes to be aggressive. Mine are completely well tempered.

When I was at the China LFS purchasing these fish, was debating on whether to get a larger one at the LFS around the corner. And i remember specifically thinking the larger one (about a 11") had better reflective opelescant scale color (versus paler yellow/green translucent scale) and longer snout. Just figured cos it was bigger and more mature. cheaped out and didn't buy that fish.

Will be keeping my eye out for another one like that. My guess is it's a sex or variant thing.

 

[M.Carfi]

absolutely beautiful, the nicest I've seen for sure

 

[mshuangchao]

Most likely a sexual dimorphism, like the way male phantom tetras have much more longer fins than females.

 

[tian ya ren]

bro this is a very nice african pike