Geo identification needed

[Bassholio]

this fish was labeled as a heckeli, which I know it isn’t. I had an 8” one that died yesterday and this is not the same fish.

He looks Geophaginae, has similar reflective patterning on all his rims, the vertical black bar through his eyes and the black first few spines of his dorsal when he’s content, but he also has black along his lateral line and has a yellowish tint. Any ideas? He’s about a 4” juvenile. I have a second one that’s sligbtly smaller but doesn’t display the same coloring, at least yet.

I’m thinking iporangensis.....????

 

[tlindsey]

this fish was labeled as a heckeli, which I know it isn’t. I had an 8” one that died yesterday and this is not the same fish.

He looks Geophaginae, has similar reflective patterning on all his rims, the vertical black bar through his eyes and the black first few spines of his dorsal when he’s content, but he also has black along his lateral line and has a yellowish tint. Any ideas? He’s about a 4” juvenile. I have a second one that’s sligbtly smaller but doesn’t display the same coloring, at least yet.

I’m thinking iporangensis.....????

View attachment 1343696 View attachment 1343697 View attachment 1343698

Geo Brasiliensis

 

[kno4te]

I would lean toward Surinamensis.

 

[duanes]

I agree with Tom, looks like one of the braziliensus complex, there are about half dozen species and/or location variants, either recognized, or in the process of recocognition as separate species.
Below is G iporanguensis.

Another less probable option may be one of the Gymnogeophadus rhabdotus group, close cousins, and look alikes.

 

[Bassholio]

What has me confused is the horizontal black line under his lateral lime that runs straight back to his tail, through his single side spot from his eye. He looks like he has a cross through his eye. His eye vertical bars also make it almost all the way to the top of his forehead. Haven’t found anything like it.

 

[Bassholio]

You can see the second one in the background, not as harsh markings but the same species.

 

[duanes]

Gymnogeophagus australis, Gym species "formosa" and Gym setequedas can at times show a longitudinal line, especially the females, although it comes and goes.

 

[neutrino]

A gymnogeo doesn't seem so far fetched to me based on your photos. Is the lateral marking present most of the time or is it a recent development?

Might be a case of needing to let him mature and develop more to get a better ID, see what his head turns into, etc.

 

[duanes]

If you find out they are Gymnogeophagus, you may want to consider a non-tropical tank. I found mine showed best colors and had best health in tanks allow to cool down, and without heaters.

Gymnogeophagus sp Paso Pache above,
Quilero (loc rio Yerbalito below)

When I tried to keep them at constant tropical temps they seemed prone to infections, fungus and did rather poorly
Sp formosa is from Argentina, others from Uruguay where temps are temperate.
Even if its from the braziliensus group, found in southern Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, temps can be cooler than most people keep aquariums.
I didn't use heaters in my brazilensus complex tanks, and had the normal G brazilienus spawn in an outdoor pond in Milwaukee where night water temps were only in the mid 60s F
Below Gymnogeophagus rio yerblito in the out door pond.

 

[ryansmith83]

Some of the brasiliensis complex do have a horizontal black band from the eye to the tail. It fades with age and if the fish are comfortable in their surroundings.