Apistogramma hybrid 'Steel Blue'

[ahaetulla]

Saw benny's photo and did some reading up on the steel blue hybrid. So far:

- The hybrid is suspected to be a cross between A. caetei and A. resticulosa and/or other short-bodied apisto species, though its exact origins are unknown
- The hybrid is purported to have originated in Singapore
- Females are rare but can be found
- They don't yield many fry (<30)
- Deformities are often present in the fish because of commercial inbreeding (!)
- They are unusually aggressive, and this is presumably a trait of apisto hybrids

Can anyone confirm the info on aggressiveness in hybrids? Can't seem to find much info on it. Is aggressiveness a common cichlid hybrid trait, and why?

Also, does anyone know anything about their adult size?

I know about the whole hybrid debate/ethics thing, but I'm curious about these apistos and would like to find out more. Thanks.

[benny]

I've link the images in so that other hobbyists may have a visual impression of this HYBRID species.

As for agressiveness, it's not a characteristic exclusive to HYBRID species. A lot of naturally occuring species of cichlid and catfishes also exhibit this characteristic.

Very occasionally, female specimens do slip into the trade. It's hard to find them due to their "unattractiveness" as they are less colorful than their male counterparts. Also, breeders would prefer not to release females to the hobbyists to prevent the species from being home bred and thus affecting their supply.

From what I understand, mature specimens can at best only reach 8 cm.

Cheers,

[ahaetulla]

Thanks benny for the info and adding the pics!

I've read about the conspiracy theories regarding the sale of females. Apparently fish farms do this for other species too eg. the chocolate gourami (Sphaerichthys osphromenoides). Another suspicion is that the deformity rate for females is high, hence resulting in fewer of them available for sale. However, some hobbyists have managed to obtain females and breed this hybrid.

Yes but specimens of this hybrid are supposed to be unusually aggressive ie. more than one would reasonably expect for an Apistogramma fish. Does anyone know the reason for increased aggression in hybrids?

[Quixotic]

Haven't kept this fish before, but I have mixed feelings. I believe that the unusually aggressive behaviour is something reported by aquarists?

I have no doubts that cichlids can be aggressive in nature. From what I have read, killing other similar tank mates and eating smaller fishes can be normal for Apistogramma spp.

Playing the devil's advocate, so how exactly, unusually more aggressive can these fishes get? Any specifics?

There are scientific papers that mention captive environments can promote the development of aggressive behaviour, but this is for Ameca splendens. Haven't seen any regarding cichlids or in relation to hybrids though.

[Jungle-mania]

I read somewhere in Practical Fishkeeping that fish bred in tanks tend to be more aggressive than those caught in the wild, mainly because of the confined space that they are kept in and since they have far more contact with each other than in the wild, it makes them more agitated. Additionally, they do not need to worry about food, predators or change in their environment, making their aggression worst, since they have nothing else to burn their energy on. The article came about when they wanted to breed some species of fish to be released in the wild, but due to their aggression, they refrained from doing so. Typing this out, made me realise I could have very well be talking about us as urban dwellers.

[ahaetulla]

The information on how captivity promotes aggression is interesting, thanks Jungle-mania for pointing that out. Perhaps it's tied to boredom, like how puffers (eg. Carinotetraodon sp.) can sometimes be observed swimming up and down the tank glass.. Doesn't explain the hybrid aggression in particular though.

Quixotic, unfortunately I can't answer your question, as I don't have any firsthand knowledge of this hybrid's behaviour either!

http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ad.php?t=29755
http://www.forum.apistogramma.com/showthread.php?t=1479
http://www.petfrd.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1011
etc

Some hobbyist accounts which point to the aggressiveness of this hybrid. All Apisto cichlids can of course be aggressive in their own right, as you mentioned, but these accounts seem to point to a higher relative level of aggression.

[Quixotic]

No worries, my questions are actually opened up for discussion, not necessary directing it at you. Thanks for the links.

Unfortunately, my doubts remain. It isn't mentioned in those discussions how exactly are they overly aggressive. Sorry for the curious cat in me... haha.

Let's say, a valid Apistogramma sp. can kill another Apistogramma sp. in the same tank. That is considerd as aggressive right? But just how much more unsually aggressive is the Apistogramma hybrid 'Steel Blue'? In what way?

The article came about when they wanted to breed some species of fish to be released in the wild, but due to their aggression, they refrained from doing so.

Haha.. I think the article is about the scientific paper on Ameca splendens that I mentioned.

Kelley, JL, AE Magurran & CM García , 2006
Captive breeding promotes aggression in an endangered Mexican fish. Biological Conservation
Volume 133, Issue 2, November 2006, Pages 169-177
Abstract

[traveling]

This pics are very beautiful.