I'm looking at purchasing this fish but I just wanted to make sure it is what they think it is. It's listed as synspilum.. This is the sellers pic.. I haven't seen the fish in person yet. It's 3-4 inches..
Vieja ID?
- Thread starter Raine
- Start date
Terrible photo and most young Vieja types look similar, but if I had to guess I'd say it looks more like a black belt, Vieja maculicauda.
I agree it's a bad picture and would be hard enough to tell if aquamojo took the pic. However, it might just be a lighting trick but there appears to be some red on the dorsal and I haven't seen that with black belt juvis personally. I could easily be wrong through. The caudal peduncle spot also looks pretty big and the "belt" part looks like it could be stress bars. Like I said, I don't know what it is.
Didnt wanna give it a guess cuz the pic was so bad. But blackbelt was also the first thing that popped in my head. like modest man said young Vieja look very similar.
Seller sold it already. 
That's what I get for researching first. lol Honestly if it was a blackbelt it probably wouldn't have worked in my tank anyway. Thanks for help with the ID though.
That's what I get for researching first. lol Honestly if it was a blackbelt it probably wouldn't have worked in my tank anyway. Thanks for help with the ID though.
Not a maculicauda. Blk belts don't have multiple bars only one and a spot on the tail, they do share similar coloration w/synspila but quetzals develop more color than mac. At that size a synspila should have a prominent horizontal stripe from caudel to half way down the body. I wouldn't want to guess at that size or with that quality of pic either.
I live in Waterford.. near Brantford. Other than Big Al's in Hamilton and Tropical fish room in Brantford there is nowhere near me to get fish.