need help with i.d.

[sick_lid]

i for the life of me cannot figure out which geophagus it is that i have...
i'm looking at pictures of altimaras, altifrons, abalios, ALL OF THEM! they all look the same! i really don't see a major difference between 30 of the 40 or so types there are ha. maybe someone who has a little better knowledge of these guys can help me out about. would be much appreciated..

 

[Hawkfish3.0]

surinamensis, I think

 

[japes]

Hard to tell, certain species will only show differences under certain circumstances.

G. abalios, G. surinamensis complex (including G. brachybranchus), or G. dicrozoster would be my guesses. It's definitely not an altifrons.

Abalios and Dicrozoster are very similiar, with dicro's getting a y band between the lateral spot and their tail under certain circumstances. Surinamensis would be the most likely candidate for ID'ing your fish though as there are many basically unidentified species within the Surinamensis complex that bare little to no visual differences. Brachybranchus is essentially a Surinamensis that can display a dark patch underneath the throat under certain circumstances.

Either way, it's a beautiful fish and you're obviously on top of taking care of Eartheaters. I'd be quite confident that it's a Geophagus surinamensis.

 

[sick_lid]

thanks guys, i'll go with that. it's just crazy how many types are out there..

Either way, it's a beautiful fish and you're obviously on top of taking care of Eartheaters. I'd be quite confident that it's a Geophagus surinamensis.

thanks. yeah i love him. the only s.a. in an african set-up. slow grower but great to watch. thanks again guys.

 

[darth pike]

Just remember true G. surinamensis haven't been commerically exported yet. Though a few German aquarists have gone to French Surinam and returned to Germany. So while it's possible it'd be F1 or F2 from Germany, odds are it's one of the many lookalikes, several yet undescribed. French Surinam hasn't allowed commerical exporting like Guyana and Surinam has.

With my love of geo's, you think I'd track down that new eartheater book to try and track down some of these lookalikes. Regardless, it is an amazing fish.