Nannacara: anomala or aureocephalus?

**benny** · 2nd Jan 2008, 09:42

Hi guys,

Got some of these fishes and they were labeled as Nannacara aureocephalus. However, I'm not too sure about that and thought it might be Nannacara anomala, which was available from the same shipment, albeit at a cheaper price.

Here are some quick grab shots of the pair.

Pardon the picture quality and the stressed out coloration as the fishes were just placed into the tank.

Anyone keeping these species previously have any comments?

Cheers,

**benny** · 2nd Jan 2008, 20:28

These are really aggressive fishes!

I put in 15 Neon Tetras with them yesterday and today, only 8 is left! I see the cichlids attacking the tetras!!

Cheers,

**trident** · 2nd Jan 2008, 21:28

Benny,
They are from LFS or you import them?
They looks a bit weary from their trip.
Sure am look forward to their pictures when they have settled down.
If they are what you say they are, we are in for a treat.

**Crazy Dragon** · 2nd Jan 2008, 22:37

Hi Benny,

Saw a pair at C328 this evening. Referring to Dat2 South american Dwarf Cichlids, it looks like Nannacara anomala.

Nannacara aureocephalus has a longer dorsal fin.

regards

**benny** · 2nd Jan 2008, 22:57

Oh...these are from C328. I just happened to be there when the shipment came it. So took most of the stuff I wanted out of the bag bring them home first before I had time to think. The pair above has more prominant markings despite being stressed. The other pair looks fairly normal, like Nannacara anomala.

The dorsal and to a lesser extend, the caudal fins, are not in good shape. A dose of Melafix over 2 weeks should fix that!

The males should have a pointed dorsal fin that can extend to the tip of it's tail. The metalic sheen also appears during mating season. This fish may not have great coloration normally, but it's really a chameleon during mating and brood care periods. Very aggressive character but also very protective of it's fry till a very late stage.

However, there don't seem to be a lot of literature to diffentiate between Nannacara anomala and Nannacara aureocephalus. So I cannot tell if this is another just species/variant of Nannacara anomala.

Cheers,

**wiki** · 2nd Jan 2008, 23:06

Benny, the fishes in your picture are likely to be a Nannacara anomala male and female. Pardon me but it seems the male's body is a little oddly shaped. Possibly caused by extensive in-breeding.

**benny** · 3rd Jan 2008, 01:27

Thanks wiki. To be honest, I suspected so too, but am trying to find some information for justification, hence raising this thread. Very likely to be Nannacara anomala as you said.

As for the body shape, even wild forms do have shorter body variants. But these are definitely farm bred, so in breeding could be likely. I recall seeing W. Staeck's Nannacara anomala picture on the Datz (pg 11

and the second picture also shows a specimen distinctively shorter in body that the other 4 pictured.

Let's see what other information I can dig up and hopefully we can have something more to work with.

Cheers,

**blueblue** · 3rd Jan 2008, 13:15

Hi Benny: They are the domestic form of Nannacara anomala that we could easily find in the market even though this kind of "Nannacara anomala" may not be the real defined species "Nannacara anomala"

**benetay** · 3rd Jan 2008, 15:04

Welcome back blueblue! Glad to have you back in AQ. Didn't get to meet you the other time!

**benny** · 3rd Jan 2008, 15:08

Originally Posted by blueblue

Hi Benny: They are the domestic form of Nannacara anomala that we could easily find in the market even though this kind of "Nannacara anomala" may not be the real defined species "Nannacara anomala"

Thanks blueblue! Glad to see you here again!

I did read about that in Datz and it's interesting to note that what we label Nannacara anomala may actually be an undescribed species.

Here's a close up of one of the two female, which colored up quite quickly after being introduced to the tank.

Cheers,

**blueblue** · 3rd Jan 2008, 16:47

Dear Benetay and Benny

Thanks for your kind words; well, i have disappeared for quite some time owing to the birth of the little baby blueblue

For Nannacara anomala, i have some special feeling now as i saw a very beautiful male specimen (just arrived) in Aquarium World Hong Kong last week (trust me, he is really beautiful with very well-extended dorsal fin and perfect body shape!! That specimen is the only Nannacara anomala that attracts me for more than 5 minutes...) while after chatting with the store owner and buying several newly published books, i left the store without buying him ...
After a short while, i went back while he was JUST purchased by somebody

... sighed...