Vieja ID and sexing help

Gokul2787

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Aug 12, 2019
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Picked this Vieja from LFS, which was labelled as a Synspilus.

Can someone help confirm the ID please? It is about 4inches now.

Also, the finnage and forehead looks like a female. But, it's eyes have a bluish hue which I read is normally a male trait. If someone can figure the gender, that'll be great :thumbsup:20190921_203018.jpg20190921_203244.jpg20190921_203321.jpg
 

duanes

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looks like melanurum AKA (synspillum)
The name was changed to melanura when DNA tests showed they were both, (melanura and synspilla) were color variants of the same species, and the name melanura was chosen because that name was used when it was first officially described in 1862, before it was also described by another scientist in another part of the world as synspilla in 1907.
Here is one I had, about the same size.
 

Gokul2787

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Aug 12, 2019
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looks like melanurum AKA (synspillum)
The name was changed to melanura when DNA tests showed they were both, (melanura and synspilla) were color variants of the same species, and the name melanura was chosen because that name was used when it was first officially described in 1862, before it was also described by another scientist in another part of the world as synspilla in 1907.
Here is one I had, about the same size.
Thank you!!!
Any clue on the gender?
 

duanes

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For me, its too young to guess gender, when mature males have a slightly steeper, and squared off profile, similar to this male Vieja breihori.

note how the female below is much less square.

This trait is common in all Vieja, and many other cichlids, but can be influenced by hierarchal status in the tank, and age, .
 

Milingu

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looks like melanurum AKA (synspillum)
The name was changed to melanura when DNA tests showed they were both, (melanura and synspilla) were color variants of the same species, and the name melanura was chosen because that name was used when it was first officially described in 1862, before it was also described by another scientist in another part of the world as synspilla in 1907.
[...]
Correct.
But melanurus (black tail) is an undeclinable noun. Its ending is not changed with the genus. So melanurus is correct and not melanura.
 

Sac39051

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For what it’s worth, my male only started displaying male traits at about 5”. Started with more pearlescent fins and then head shape and bolder colors and blue eyes kind of happened quickly. At your size I could not differentiate him from the females. Give it a bit more time, could go either way at this point.
 
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Gokul2787

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Just a status update.. did not know these fellows are such voracious eaters. This lil fella eats more than my adult Oscar :WHOA:
 

Gokul2787

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EFFECTS-1.jpg

6 month update, this is how this fellow looks now. More than doubled in size. Happily posing with his rival (and beaten up) Salvini.
Any better idea about the gender and species this time? :-D
 
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