Thoricthys ID?

[Gourami Swami]

This little guy was mislabeled in the LFS as a gymnogeophagus... definitely not. So I bought him.
I'm thinking he's an ellioti, but most of the non-meeki thoricthys look similar to me. Can anyone give a positive ID?

 

[Stanzzzz7]

I think your right looks like maculipinnis to me (formally known as elloitti)
Post another pick once it's settled and it's colours come out more.

 

[cichlidfish]

I agree, looks like t. Maculipinnis to me.

 

[Jason_S]

I'm very interested in seeing more pics. As of now I'd have to say hybrid. Unless its just camera angle, which is entirely possible, the forehead and lower jaw look wrong to be pure of any of the helleri group.

 

[Stanzzzz7]

Looks pure to me.
I Think it's a pale maculipinnis. It has the red hues to the dorsal,yellow/orange anal and pectoral fins,and the light blue spangles to the face and Gill area.As the fish settles it should get a gold/orange glow to flanks and underside.
Maculipinnis tends to have a bulkier head profile than the rest of the helleri group more in keeping with the meeki group of thorichthys.
Group 1 and 2 thorichthys are defined by habitat rather than biological characteristics.

 

[Stanzzzz7]

Ops fish would look better with some tank mates of the same species. Nothing brings out the colour of these fish more than company of their own kind.

 

[Jason_S]

Group 1 and 2 thorichthys are defined by habitat rather than biological characteristics.

That may be but there are clear physical differences between them as well, particularly the much more prominent lower jaw of meeki, affinis and pasionis.

 

[Stanzzzz7]

i

That may be but there are clear physical differences between them as well, particularly the much more prominent lower jaw of meeki, affinis and pasionis.

Yes I agree,but maculipinnis also shares the jaw profile of meeki and pasionis unlike the rest of the helleri group.Affinis is now suspected to be no more than a regional variant of meeki.

 

[cichlidfish]

i
Yes I agree,but maculipinnis also shares the jaw profile of meeki and pasionis unlike the rest of the helleri group.Affinis is now suspected to be no more than a regional variant of meeki.

I read that about affinis too.

 

[Jason_S]

i
Yes I agree,but maculipinnis also shares the jaw profile of meeki and pasionis unlike the rest of the helleri group.Affinis is now suspected to be no more than a regional variant of meeki.

Just did a Google search on tmacs and I absolutely stand corrected in regards to the jaw line.