Midas, Red Devil or Hybrid - Opinions please

[TrikkyMakk]

better picture..? If its from petsmart its a hybrid but still mostly midas. Heres mine, he's 2.5 years..

Mine is a petsmart fish so I guess mix? Does anyone know why petsmart doesn't offer pure Midas? Everywhere I have read about Midas they mention that Petsmart is always hybrid.

 

[Modest_Man]

It's not just PetsMart. It's 90% of retailers. Not too many places do offer pure cits or labs, they've just been hybridized for so long.

 

[cchhcc]

IT'S no big deal but i will have to call BS on the being able to tell the fish speicies by body shape on the 2 types in question here any how.

Granted, no big deal, but the difference in body shape is obvious (even without the lip differences). Midas are much more robust than the much more slender and laterally compressed Red Devils.

Here are two wild RD's (labiatus). The first was imported at a large size and shows the enlarged lips common to wild fish. The second was imported as a very small specimen (fry) and had not yet begun the feeding pattern that develops the swollen lips. Even so, you can clearly make out the elongated and laterally compressed body shape.

Now for a comparison shot. The fish in the back is a wild RD, the one in the front is an F-1 Midas (citrinellus). Obviously, the Midas is a much more robust animal with simple lips and a steep forehead profile (irrespective of the nuchal hump he's sporting at the moment). Don't worry, these fish are together for photo purposes only...... No carnage resulted from their meeting!

..... and regarding the "only Midas have a white color form" misconception. Here's a nice pair of pure RD's....... (they look white to me!):

 

[fishfreak317]

very nice pics and descriptions

 

[TrikkyMakk]

It's not just PetsMart. It's 90% of retailers. Not too many places do offer pure cits or labs, they've just been hybridized for so long.

Thanks for the info.

 

[cookiemonster]

You cannot tell visually the genetic makeup of a midas or red devil. Unless you're God. But I guess he's dead.

Barred devil!

I've wanted one ever since I found out they existed!

 

[ksfishguy]

Nice lips!!!

 

[FSM]

Lol it likes kind of ridiculous with those lips.

 

[scubasteve06]

Its an Angelina Jolie fish...lol jk

 

[ksfishguy]

I keep coming back to look at the fish with the lips, incredible!