Based on the new info that became available in this thread that was SO graciously shared by MFK member beelzs:
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?548086-ATF-Article
And in specific, this chart:
We have a surefire way to tell the difference between a Hydrocynus tanzaniae and a Hydrocynus vittatus. VATF will have two scales between the pelvic fin insertion point and TATF have three or four rows.
Today, MFK member MonsterFang posted several new pictures of his exceptional looking 9" Big Eye ATF. As many of you know, there has been a rather lengthy debate on the exact ID of the Big Eyes based on their colors. I originally ID'd them last October as TATF based on their lateral line scale count and anal fin ray count. Recently, some members rightfully questioned my diagnosis of the ID of these fish and to be completely honest, I was thinking that I had gotten it wrong as well.
The main doubt that I was having was the simple fact that several of these little fish started out looking just like the ATF that we see in fishing pictures, For example:
A bunch of these little guys that I thought were TATF that were coming in were dark grey, had subdued stripes, very little color on the tail and fins, and had that blue adipose fin (Am I losing it? The published Key to Species states they have a black or dark grey adipose fin, but that looks blue to me. Does that adipose look blue to you guys or am I losing my mind?!) and in general just looked just like the big ones.
However, nearly every specimen that I tagged as a TATF later grew up to look just like a VATF. For example, this fish who belongs to MKF member addisonlee25. Note the characteristic underbite, big head and white tipped ventral fins.
As a baby-
View attachment 932852
Same fish, as an adult-
View attachment 932851
There are several other notable examples as well, but thanks to the outstanding quality of those photos, they best illustrate the point.
Well, as mentioned above, today MonsterFang posted a new picture of his Big Eye that we watched grow from a 4" baby that was too small to properly ID...
Into this world class, beautiful, stunning, subadult ATF:
View attachment 932854
Well, I IMMEDIATELY noticed this:
Lemme clarify that:
That's right, the big eyes have THREE rows of scales between the pelvic fin insertion and the lateral line! Turns out that the Big Eye ATF are in fact Hydrocynus tanzaniae after all!
After this revelation, I went back and looked at the fish that belongs to addisonlee25 and took a really close look at it; three scale rows also!
Folks, we have our answer and can write this one off as academic.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?548086-ATF-Article
And in specific, this chart:
We have a surefire way to tell the difference between a Hydrocynus tanzaniae and a Hydrocynus vittatus. VATF will have two scales between the pelvic fin insertion point and TATF have three or four rows.
Today, MFK member MonsterFang posted several new pictures of his exceptional looking 9" Big Eye ATF. As many of you know, there has been a rather lengthy debate on the exact ID of the Big Eyes based on their colors. I originally ID'd them last October as TATF based on their lateral line scale count and anal fin ray count. Recently, some members rightfully questioned my diagnosis of the ID of these fish and to be completely honest, I was thinking that I had gotten it wrong as well.
The main doubt that I was having was the simple fact that several of these little fish started out looking just like the ATF that we see in fishing pictures, For example:
A bunch of these little guys that I thought were TATF that were coming in were dark grey, had subdued stripes, very little color on the tail and fins, and had that blue adipose fin (Am I losing it? The published Key to Species states they have a black or dark grey adipose fin, but that looks blue to me. Does that adipose look blue to you guys or am I losing my mind?!) and in general just looked just like the big ones.
However, nearly every specimen that I tagged as a TATF later grew up to look just like a VATF. For example, this fish who belongs to MKF member addisonlee25. Note the characteristic underbite, big head and white tipped ventral fins.
As a baby-
View attachment 932852
Same fish, as an adult-
View attachment 932851
There are several other notable examples as well, but thanks to the outstanding quality of those photos, they best illustrate the point.
Well, as mentioned above, today MonsterFang posted a new picture of his Big Eye that we watched grow from a 4" baby that was too small to properly ID...
Into this world class, beautiful, stunning, subadult ATF:
View attachment 932854
Well, I IMMEDIATELY noticed this:
Lemme clarify that:
That's right, the big eyes have THREE rows of scales between the pelvic fin insertion and the lateral line! Turns out that the Big Eye ATF are in fact Hydrocynus tanzaniae after all!
After this revelation, I went back and looked at the fish that belongs to addisonlee25 and took a really close look at it; three scale rows also!
Folks, we have our answer and can write this one off as academic.
