ID/Sexing?

[Sailingsprout]

These were sold to me as geophagus serinimensis, but I'm not too trusting of fish stores these days... Any help/thoughts would be appreciated!!



Thank you!!


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[mikem691]

It looks about right but they look too small to be sure yet. How big are they? Look about 2". Also I highly recommend you switch to sand if you plan on keeping them in that tank. They will sift sand all day long and blow some out their gills. If they try with that gravel it could damage their gills.

 

[Sailingsprout]

Thank you for responding!

One of them is about 4", ones about 2.5, ones about 2. We are absolutely planning on switching to cichlid sand, but I'm scared of the switch! I don't know how to do it and not muck up the tank :/
They're ultimately going to be moved to a giant tank, but not for a few months at least.


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[mikem691]

I would ditch the cichlid sand if you are talking about the African cichlid sand it will raise your ph and the geo's prefer a lower ph. I would use regular aquarium sand or pool filter sand. They should start to show their color and develop the streamers around 5 or 6" and usualy max out around 10. Def need a large tank for them. I tried keeping geos and heckelii's in a ph of 8 but they just kept getting fin rot and never seemed to settle in so I gave up. The geos are one of my favorite fish. I hope they work out for you.

 

[Freakgecko91]

10000% sure they are not geophagus Surinamensis. True Surinamensis are very rarely imported due to restrictions in their limited home range. What you have is more than likely altifrons or abalios. Those two species are very commonly called Surinamensis.


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[Freakgecko91]

Could also be g. dicrozoster, winemilleri, branchybranchus, the list goes on. They were all originally called surinamensis, but have since been found to be different species, thus the confusion sets in. Doesn't help that all of these species look very similar.

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[Sailingsprout]

That's what I was wondering...it's so strange that it's so normal to sell things that aren't what they say they are!

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[mikem691]

Freakgecko knows more than I do so go on what he says. I do know when small they are hard to tell but I didn't know the Surinamensis were rare.

 

[Sailingsprout]

Where is the best place to ask about changing substrate? I don't know how this forum works, are we allowed to change topic?


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[Freakgecko91]

Not just rare, they're like the unicorn of geos. French Suriname doesn't export fish really, which is why true guianacara geayi are extremely rare as well, and species like stergiosi and sphenozona are labelled as geayi


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[mikem691]

Where is the best place to ask about changing substrate? I don't know how this forum works, are we allowed to change topic?


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Here is a thread on changing
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f24/switching-gravel-to-sand-310424.html
I don't recommend the blasting sand they talk about but that's my opinion.

 

[Freakgecko91]

When I did a substrate switch on my first tank, I put an empty 20 gallon aside, filled it, transferred my decorations, and then moved my fish into it as well. I threw my filter on it and kept it running. I then drained the tank, keeping as much of the water in buckets as possible. Then I removed the gravel I had using a cup, and then poured the sand in after having cleaned it. I put a pie tin on the sand bed after and poured water only on that (keeps the sediment from getting into the water column and making the tank cloudy). Worked well for me


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[Freakgecko91]

Freakgecko knows more than I do so go on what he says. I do know when small they are hard to tell but I didn't know the Surinamensis were rare.

C'mon Mike, you know plenty. Don't admit defeat to a 22 year old!


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[mikem691]

Not just rare, they're like the unicorn of geos. French Suriname doesn't export fish really, which is why true guianacara geayi are extremely rare as well, and species like stergiosi and sphenozona


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Didn't CBourg have some?

 

[Freakgecko91]

Also, OP, there's a group on Facebook called The Geo Life. One of the admins on there used to frequent this forum, his name is CJ. They could give you a positive ID on which species, it may be a closed group, and if it is, let me know, I could probably add you or get you added I used to keep geophagus pindare before I moved to Maryland so that's why I got on it


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[mikem691]

C'mon Mike, you know plenty. Don't admit defeat to a 22 year old!


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Your into cichlids like I was with 60 and 70's muscle cars at your age...lol I have no problem giving credit where deserved.

 

[Freakgecko91]

Didn't CBourg have some?

Haha just mentioned him! CJ keeps a lot of species, but doesn't have true surinamensis to my knowledge. I know he's had dicrozoster, neambi, branchybranchus, pindare, tapajo II, and a few others. I have talked to him much lately, just some comments here and there on Facebook

Looking in the group, he also has steindachneri, altifrons, as well as some satanoperca species and retroculus as well I believe
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[Sailingsprout]

I love geos so much. So so much I'll go check now, thank you so much!


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[Freakgecko91]

Your into cichlids like I was with 60 and 70's muscle cars at your age...lol I have no problem giving credit where deserved.

Animals have always been my life, and I love researching. My friends all call me weird or a fish nerd, hell, even I call myself a fish nerd


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[Freakgecko91]

I love geos so much. So so much I'll go check now, thank you so much!


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No problem! Glad I can be of assistance.


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