"Red shoulder" often a synonym for roktkeil. I count 8 bars, a common trait of rotkeil. I've raised a lot of them, the red develops gradually, at smaller sizes they look similar to common green sevs.
sev ID - rotkeil?
- Thread starter Jamie H
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@ neutrino Are you counting the black spot near the base of the tail as a bar? I'm just curious is why I ask.
The black spot on the caudal peduncle is always counted as the last bar. The one through the eye is the first bar. These are 8 bar fish, and the most common 8 barred Heros are rotkeil, Inirida, and misbarred severus.
They’re likely rotkeil if that’s what they’re sold as. The red won’t start to come in until 3.5 - 4” and it does so gradually as spots that eventually connect and spread.
They’re likely rotkeil if that’s what they’re sold as. The red won’t start to come in until 3.5 - 4” and it does so gradually as spots that eventually connect and spread.
Interesting, thank you. I picked up a few F1 Rotkeils from Rapps last October that we're about the same size of the ones the OP posted. They are now in the size range you mentioned and the colors have really developed nicely. The red shoulders have not yet emerged, but the fish have the most amazing, blaze orange coloration in their belly and anal fin areas. One fish has dark bars across it's entire length, the other's bars start about midway and continue to the tail. I'll post a picture later today.
Yes. It's common practice to count them. How much they look like a bar rather than a spot or vertical dash, or how much you see them at all, can depend on age, mood, species, etc.
...Sevs, like other barred fish can get odd bars, extras, more on one side than the other, etc, but all my rotkeil had 8 bars and all my fry bred true with 8 (with the occasional forked bar, which also happens).
They should keep getting better with time. It can take nearly 2 years to show max color and, compared to some Heros types, female rotkeils get good color also ime.
I rarely recommend foods, but mine looked especially nice on NLS. After a LOT of food testing years ago I used both NLS and certain Omega One products, until they cheapened their formula recently, so I was essentially comparing these products for years. I concluded some species looked better on one, some on the other, and some little difference-- the rotkeils looked good on either one, but especially nice on NLS, maybe even better on NLS Thera A, which mine liked.
I rarely recommend foods, but mine looked especially nice on NLS. After a LOT of food testing years ago I used both NLS and certain Omega One products, until they cheapened their formula recently, so I was essentially comparing these products for years. I concluded some species looked better on one, some on the other, and some little difference-- the rotkeils looked good on either one, but especially nice on NLS, maybe even better on NLS Thera A, which mine liked.
I guess I'm on the right track with feeding. I rotate between NLS TheraA, Omega One color flake, Xtreme cichlid pellet, and Hikari Vibra Bites. I also give frozen bloodworms as a weekly treat, as well as chopped up market shrimp when I have some. They seem to be doing great.
I've been trying to figure out their sex, but am not totally sure. My guess is the fish in the first pic is male because I'm starting to see the pattern developing in the face. The second I'm learning towards female because it has almost no facial markings.
Apologies to
Jamie H
My intention wasn't to hijack your thread
I've been trying to figure out their sex, but am not totally sure. My guess is the fish in the first pic is male because I'm starting to see the pattern developing in the face. The second I'm learning towards female because it has almost no facial markings.
Apologies to
Jamie H
My intention wasn't to hijack your thread