Semaprochilodus identification?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
David R

David R

Blue Tier VIP
MFK Member
Apr 26, 2005
5,055
256
346
44
New Zealand
Last time we got "flag tails" here I did some googling and found a site that described the differences between species (particularly S. insignis and S. laticeps) but alas I can't seem to find the website any more and I'm interested to know if the fish I'm thinking of buying is going to grow to 27cm or 44cm (sized according to fishbase anyway). Can anyone tell me what the distinguishing features between the two species are?
 
Isn't it something to do with the black markings down their flanks? I think insignis lose them or they fade as they mature.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
Actually ive never heard of laticeps. I was talking about the differences between insignis and taeniurus

Sent from my GT-I9300 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
David R said:
I remember something about black markings, but thought it was on the fins they differed. I just got the names off fishbase.org so you might be right there.

Sent from my HTC Desire HD A9191 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
Click to expand...

No you are right. There is also a laticeps. Id just not heard of it. A couple of sites I looked at mentioned the markings. If you google insignis and taeniurus you will see adult pics, some have spots still but some are just silver. They are both very striking fish. Im not sure which mine eill turn out to be.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
I'm not familiar with laticeps. Insignis (click) is more silvery with a redder tail, taeniurus (click) has more spots and has a more colorful tail with red and yellow.
 
Semaprochilodus taeniurus also typically have more colorful dorsal fins than S. insignis.

But to confuse things further, there are also naturally occurring hybrids between the two species.
 
How about the max size of those species? According to fishbase laticeps gets considerably bigger than the other two (though it wouldn't be the first time their max sized were a bit off). A friend had one from the last lot that got bloody huge, 14-15" easy.
http://youtu.be/OBzVN2cIJsI
 
David R said:
How about the max size of those species? According to fishbase laticeps gets considerably bigger than the other two (though it wouldn't be the first time their max sized were a bit off). A friend had one from the last lot that got bloody huge, 14-15" easy.
http://youtu.be/OBzVN2cIJsI
Click to expand...

Most sites around the internet claim that S. insignis grow to 14-15" while S. taeniurus don't get larger than 8-12", but fishbase says that S. taeniurus grow to 12" and S. insignis grow to only 10", so I'm not really sure.

I have a flagtail that I currently believe to be S. taeniurus (could be a hybrid) that is around the 12" mark right now. I bought mine in 2011 at about 9" long, so it has only grown about 3" in 2 years.

Here are links to a couple old threads about mine, though I don't know how much help they'll be to you:
2011 Picture thread: http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?434881-New-Flagtail&highlight=
ID thread: http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?466986-Flagtail-ID
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom