My "Aequidens metae", part 2

[ryansmith83]

I ordered some wild Aequidens metae and received them this morning. Can anyone tell me what's wrong?

I apologize for the terrible pictures but they are skittish. I just put them in the tank an hour ago.

Last year I ordered some A. metae and ended up with port cichlids. Now this. Maybe I'm not meant to keep this species.

What do you think these are? Am I correct that these are not metae because of the black saddle?

 

[fug202]

They look like A. diadema to me.

 

[ryansmith83]

^ That's what I was thinking. Though it's not visible in the pictures, the thin, intricate line pattern around the eyes and muzzle looked more like A. diadema than A. patricki, which also sports the saddle marking.

 

[TheSinisterSOB]

Yeah, kinda look like my A. JH diadema that were ordered form Rapps early March.

I would let them relax a bit before worrying, I'm not sure about A. metae having the saddle marks but it could be from the stress.

 

[fug202]

I bought some A. metae from Rapps a month or so ago and they look quite different than Ryan's fish. The yellowish-orange patches on the upper surfaces have always been prominent (more so now than when I first got them), and they've never sported a distinct horizontal bar along the body, even when stressed. Here are some pics I took when I first got them:

 

[TheSinisterSOB]

I bought some A. metae from Rapps a month or so ago and they look quite different than Ryan's fish. The yellowish-orange patches on the upper surfaces have always been prominent (more so now than when I first got them), and they've never sported a distinct horizontal bar along the body, even when stressed. Here are some pics I took when I first got them:

Yeah I was looking through some pics of the metae I got from Rapps with the A. JH diadema and they didn't have the saddle markings.

Really nice A. metae fug202

 

[darth pike]

If the saddle extends up into the dorsal fin, then they are the JH's ... if it does not, I'd say diadema. Check line isn't long enough from metae (from what I can see in the pic).

 

[TheSinisterSOB]

Ryan where'd you get them from?

 

[ryansmith83]

They came from Wet Spot. I heard back from them this afternoon and they conceded that the fish were mislabeled. At least they were honest and willing to work with me. I don't really expect a refund because I'm sure they'll be nice fish, just not the fish I was hoping for.

 

[fug202]

That's a bummer. TUIC still has A. metae listed if you remain interested in acquiring some (and can absorb the cost of another order).