Female Apistogramma cacatuoides

[benny]

Hi guys,

A close up shot of a female Apistogramma cacatuoides.

Look at the holes in the head. I wonder what they are? So evenly spread out.

Cheers,

[Wackytpt]

You really impress me with the pictures you take. The female looks ready to breed. Just a question, have you try taking a picture of the male? Maybe it also have holes on its head.

[Ibn]

Don't know, but now that you mention it, I went back and took another look at a female from another species and even from an angle the holes are there.

[mickthefish]

it's just a guess but they look like some kind of sensory organ, what do you think?.
mick

[ranmasatome]

you mean you guys never noticed it??
those are sensory organs.. mostly chemical but also some that we dont know about..
i've seen this on other fishes.. but i have forgotten all my fish stuff..haha..

[hwchoy]

I thought these are the opening to the sensory system linked to the lateral line? Heok Hee once explained it with some technical terms, many fishes has it, just that it is very hard to see without a close-up picture.

[Cacatuoides]

Last time when i saw the holes in the fish, I was scared that they are having the disease called holes in the head or something......could anyone explain further?

cheers!