Little vid update of my shoal of SDs consisting 6 Metynnis Fasciatus, 3 Sp. Blackberry and 3 spotted that I was hoping were Lippincotti but am leaning towards Metynnis Maculatus as of now. All still in grow out.
Largest Tigers are two females pushing 5" with 2 males a little smaller and 2 more females a little smaller than that. But they won't go with the rays, gonna try to breed them plus they wont get large enough, 6" tops. The rays already killed two the first time I tried them.
The Blackberries will go with the rays once large enough as they will reach at least 10".
I thought they were lippincotti when they were given to me but they hadn't started to develop any black edging on the tail like pics I have
seen. So I assumed that they were Maculatus. What traits confirm them as Lippincotti to you?
I thought they were lippincotti when they were given to me but they hadn't started to develop any black edging on the tail like pics I have
seen. So I assumed that they were Maculatus. What traits confirm them as Lippincotti to you?
These vary greatly in color/intensity. They are found in many parts of South America and tend to have different colorings/small variations depending on locales, just like cichla. Some may differ in color/shading even within the same batch. Also, as they mature, they develop more coloring and/or markings. To add to that, breeding colors may look different. And to add to that these are being bred in Asia. These will max out at about 5"s or so. One of the smallest species of silver dollars I have kept. As far as identifying without getting into the whole fin ray counts, measurements, etc, Metynnis lippincottianus's body is elongated compared to M. maculatus's rounder body, have a totally different snout/head shape than M. maculatus, and M. lippincottianus will always have the red & black spot on the cheek -- although I have seen some farm bred M. lippincottianus at Pet smart that had very washed out colors to the point you could barely tell.... but the markings are there if you look closely.
Let me dig up a picture of an adult M. maculatus so we can compare.
Check these out -- in my tank. Both M. lippincottianus!! One is "normal" & the other one has black buttoned eyes with an "albino" body. You can even see some of its internal organs. Void of almost all silvery color.
