Armatus ID? Still Black (Hydrolycus wallacei)

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
All this armatus talk lately just about has me ready to get another one....but I must resist the urge.
It is certainly an interesting looking fish that I would like to have.I would go with it being a regional variant but if that were the case there should be more black ones seen in the hobby.
My point why it's unlikely, unless it's just starting to come in the hobby, the shape difference I think might be a sexual difference there's another thread where I commented in the possibility of him having different gendered armatuses because there were some distinct body differences that popped out, of those the shape, he had one fish more elongated like your lighter one, and one more stubby like your darker one. It could be he feels threatened still so has a little man act and is aggressive, which can cause stress and keeps him turning dark. To many variable and possibilities to tell right now imo, but keep it in a dark tank so it stays black and remains unique, could be like max the gatf thing.check that out if you get a chance, and check out black gatf to see the fuss and where the ideas started. Worth reading Imo I liked it.
 
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I remember the threads on the black tigerfish from a few months ago and a few years ago there was a member who was really after one.
 
I had two Armies go dark on me in a black background and black sand tank back in 2010. I have to admit though mine always kept the bronze coloration while the OP's seems to have gotten darker in a uniform color losing the bronze. So I can't say it's the same thing happened to me happening to the OP's Army.

In my case the color change was strictly due to the environment. Mine where about 5-6 inches at the time but returned to a normal coloration when introduced to a tank with a white sand substrate. Unfortunately my camera skills back then where less then stellar so please forgive the quality. First 2 are over black sand and last is the same Army over white sand.
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I,aging after years of keeping it like that, it'll probably turn pitch black like the gatf! Would be real cool.
 
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