Synspilum Pics: Then and now.

[Modest_Man]

I'm sorry, but I've got to say that neither one of those looks like a pure synspilum.

Call them whatever you want, but if they were to breed please don't try to distribute the fry as synspilum.

 

[Mystus Redtail]

I don't want to offend anyone at the ACA with my junkyard fish, I'll be sure to feed any spawn to my pure blood Jag's.

 

[soupy1977]

I'd say that the second fish looks like a cross between a syn and a Festae. BTW it is a beauty!!

 

[Mystus Redtail]

Some other "synspilums" from around the site. Some have marking similar to my fish's.

misplacedsooner's

Greenterra's

polomax24's

carg r's

alaskan_aquaristJW's

chirohorn's

bluekiller82's

It's easy to say that they're not all synspilum and that they're all hybrids, is yours F0? Is it color alone, that makes you think they're not synspilum, I like to learn the difference.

 

[Modest_Man]

I had a big long reply all typed up and managed to delete it.

bluekiller82's has a much too defined lateral bar, alaskan_aquaristJW's is definitely not a synspilum (just look at it compared to others), Greenterra's has way too much black (could just be the photo, or could be a melanarus or melanarus mix), and misplacedsooner's looks like what is called a "shine spot" synspilum that is from selective breeding. Am I saying they're all hybrids? No. I cannot tell genetics from a photo. I'm simply saying they do not look like a classic synspilum.

chirohorn's, carg r's, and polomax24's are what I would look at as typical synspilums.

Pulling random synspilum photos off the web is no way to try and identify a fish. So many are hybrids or misidentified.

My fish is not wild, but it is from a long time ACA member Harry Tolen who has been breeding them for longer than I've been alive. My fish is siblings to Aquamojo's synspilum.

 

[Mystus Redtail]

I would have liked to read the long reply, I've done the same thing myself, and I know how frustrating that is. I got all the pics from a thread I created last year when I first got the fish, all those pics were added to that thread to demonstrate what they might turn out as.

I realize that I've been fairly defensive at times throughout this thread and I appreciate your continued posting. I am interested in learning more about these breeds and ultimately ID'ing what my fish are. It's a little tough though when so many threads turn into big arguments over what kind of fish people have. The odds are that these are not pure blood synspilums, at least that's what I gather from what you've told me.

I sometimes get the feeling that some people only think fish are nice if you bought them from an expensive breeder or as F0. I'm sure that's not what you think. Sometimes on here, fish that are bought at a pet store get automatically labeled as hybrids or as lesser quality just because they weren't bought at an ACA auction or as wild caught. (I'm just trying to explain why I'm so defensive of these fish.)

 

[Mystus Redtail]

That being said, I would say the two that most closely resemble mine are Alaska_aquarist becuase mine have a quite defined lateral bar, and misplacedsooner's male because of all the speckeling.

 

[reallybigfish]

I would have liked to read the long reply, I've done the same thing myself, and I know how frustrating that is. I got all the pics from a thread I created last year when I first got the fish, all those pics were added to that thread to demonstrate what they might turn out as.

I realize that I've been fairly defensive at times throughout this thread and I appreciate your continued posting. I am interested in learning more about these breeds and ultimately ID'ing what my fish are. It's a little tough though when so many threads turn into big arguments over what kind of fish people have. The odds are that these are not pure blood synspilums, at least that's what I gather from what you've told me.

I sometimes get the feeling that some people only think fish are nice if you bought them from an expensive breeder or as F0. I'm sure that's not what you think. Sometimes on here, fish that are bought at a pet store get automatically labeled as hybrids or as lesser quality just because they weren't bought at an ACA auction or as wild caught. (I'm just trying to explain why I'm so defensive of these fish.)

It's always worth it to spend that extra dollar if there is a particular fish you really want. I always recommend buying from a reputable source unless you know what you are buying.

I have had my share of bad "Synspilums". There's just a lot of "low quality" Synspilum locally (or fish trying to be passed as a Synspilum). I try to always consider the amount of hands the fish have passed through and analyze all the options when I see a fish that is labeled for $4. With Veijas, your better off getting from a reputable source or as an adult, because the variations and changes they go through are very dramatic. You just won't be able to tell which is which with a baby fish.

This is a strain I have been breeding. They show colors at 2.5". The best colored ones have a fully maroon head by 3", but the patterns still look the same. At 4-5" they all catch up. The photos are fish from the same brood. Even at 2.5" I wouldn't put my money on it unless I knew where it came from. But at 4", you can't loose.

2.5" - maroon head apparent as well as spangles

4"- full young adult colors

6" - starting to develop bulk

 

[Mystus Redtail]

It's always worth it to spend that extra dollar if there is a particular fish you really want. I always recommend buying from a reputable source unless you know what you are buying.

I have had my share of bad "Synspilums". There's just a lot of "low quality" Synspilum locally (or fish trying to be passed as a Synspilum). I try to always consider the amount of hands the fish have passed through and analyze all the options when I see a fish that is labeled for $4. With Veijas, your better off getting from a reputable source or as an adult, because the variations and changes they go through are very dramatic. You just won't be able to tell which is which with a baby fish.

This is a strain I have been breeding. They show colors at 2.5". The best colored ones have a fully maroon head by 3", but the patterns still look the same. At 4-5" they all catch up. The photos are fish from the same brood. Even at 2.5" I wouldn't put my money on it unless I knew where it came from. But at 4", you can't loose.

Ah, I see. That makes a lot of sense. Thank you.