Aequidens metae and/or diadema

Mythic Figment

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A. metae are substraight spawners.

I just got off the phone with Jeff and ordered 4 Sp. Jenera Herrera. Should arrive tomarrow. So we'll see how it goes. The mapping study is interesting and pretty much what you would suspect to see.

Pat, if you wouldn't mind please stop making threads you're costing me a fortune...............;)
LMAO I was just thinking "this guy keeps buying everything I think about!"

Well I love forward to updates on the diadema 'Jenera Herrera' as they grow.....and the metae. LOL :)


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darth pike

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The sp. Jenera Herrera is the prettiest of these four super similar species, so if you have to the chance to grab them I would. They are rarely available. In general, A. diadema is a silver, A. metae a blue and A. sp. Jenera Herrera a green, but aquarium lighting can skew these. In general, A. diadema has a cheek spot, A. metae a full line and A. sp. Jenera Herrera a 3/4 line, but this isn't always 100%. I've seen A. diadema with an elongated spot into a line as well as sp. metae having only a spot. The main way to tell sp. Jenera Herrera is the midlateral blotch extends into the dorsal fin (it doesn't on the other 3 species) as well as full orange pectoral fins. I've tried to fin each of them on google, but it's hard given they are misidentified all the time. (all pics from google, not mine)

A. diadema:


A. metae:


A. cf. metae:


A. sp. Jenera Herrera:
 

Mythic Figment

Feeder Fish
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Jul 27, 2012
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The sp. Jenera Herrera is the prettiest of these four super similar species, so if you have to the chance to grab them I would. They are rarely available. In general, A. diadema is a silver, A. metae a blue and A. sp. Jenera Herrera a green, but aquarium lighting can skew these. In general, A. diadema has a cheek spot, A. metae a full line and A. sp. Jenera Herrera a 3/4 line, but this isn't always 100%. I've seen A. diadema with an elongated spot into a line as well as sp. metae having only a spot. The main way to tell sp. Jenera Herrera is the midlateral blotch extends into the dorsal fin (it doesn't on the other 3 species) as well as full orange pectoral fins. I've tried to fin each of them on google, but it's hard given they are misidentified all the time. (all pics from google, not mine)

A. diadema:


A. metae:


A. cf. metae:


A. sp. Jenera Herrera:
How shy do you think the Aequidens sp. 'Jenaro Herrera' would be since they are wild? I have had this issue with wild acaras in the past is why I ask. I wouldn't want to have a bunch of fish I never see.

Also, do the metae look that washed out often? A lot of the pictures I see show them with bright, vibrant orange colors. Is this lighting, natural, breeding dress or photoshopped?


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darth pike

Peacock Bass
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The only one I've seen in person was in the front wall of a dentist office in a mall in Victoria. It was a two way tank, and he was always out in the open with no proper dithers in the tank. But seeing I've only seen one in person, I can't say if that was the norm or not.

The flash tends to wash out the colors on all these acaras from what I've seen.
 

Mythic Figment

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Well I want two of the three species (stalsbergi, metae and Jenaro Herrera). I only have a 55 and a 75 for two breeding pairs (one in each tank). The metae would be the only ones who could fit in the 55, so the choice boils down to metae and either stalsbergi or 'JH' in the 75. I would get all three, but that would mean getting another 75+ tank and likely end with my girlfriend leaving me. LOL

So which would be better to breed and sell?


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ryansmith83

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A. stalsbergi is going to be a problem aggression-wise in those size tanks, IMO. Even as a pair you may have to divide them to keep them both alive.
 

Mythic Figment

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A. stalsbergi is going to be a problem aggression-wise in those size tanks, IMO. Even as a pair you may have to divide them to keep them both alive.
I had heard GTs could be pretty rough from time to time, but that pair bonding is usually pretty strong, but it is something I will prepare myself for if I get them by building an extra sturdy divider.

Any thoughts on pros and cons of stalsbergi vs Jenaro Herrera in the areas of aggression (assuming JH wins here), ease of selling fry, ease of breeding and which is just more fun to keep?


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Aquanero

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It's my understanding (I never kept them) A. stalsbergi is more aggressive then Aequidens rivulatus the common Gold Saum, all of which I have kept have been fairly mild in temperament. As you know I have 4 Aequidens diadema sp. Jenaro Herrera due to arrive today. Both stalsbergi and sp. JH are beautiful fish, I personally feel the JH to be better looking perhaps somewhat smaller and perfect for a 90 gallon set up for grow outs and then hopefully for a pair. I can't say anything about which will sell better, selling fry is always a crap shoot and I never consider salability when deciding on a breeding project because very few people are interested in the fish I like to breed. I tried like hell to push Krobia Xinguensis and despite my thinking they are arguably one the most interesting and striking acaras South America has to offer there was still little interest. It seems there are not that many aficionados of SA's most like the aggression of the bigger CA's. I just give fry away to any MFK'er that wants to come get them or end up using them as feeders, which always saddens me.

Perhaps the stalsbergi, which really has little appeal to me might sell better based on them being more well known and one of the "hot newer fish" out there (remember the Umbi, Festae craze which thankfully seems to have died out a bit). Most casual to intermediate hobbyist may not even know what a jewel the JH really is. I’m excited to be able to get them and can’t wait to see them grow out. MY .02
 

fug202

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I tried like hell to push Krobia Xinguensis and despite my thinking they are arguably one the most interesting and striking acaras South America has to offer there was still little interest. It seems there are not that many aficionados of SA's most like the aggression of the bigger CA's. I just give fry away to any MFK'er that wants to come get them or end up using them as feeders, which always saddens me.
I bought a small group of Krobia xinguensis a while back and agree with you that they are under-appreciated. They've got spunk, nice colors, are compatible with plants. I would have though fish like that would catch on, at least among cichlid enthusiasts.

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neutrino

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IMO jenaro herrera have been an under the radar fish, rarely available in the US and little info on them that's readily available, especially in English. Not many have ever kept them and from what I've seen some who get them might start a thread to try and get some information but don't get much, and then hardly anyone follows up to document much about them long term. Similar to diadema and metae in the US, only more so.

(Metae and diadema seem to be better known in Holland, Scandinavia, etc., I'm guessing some of that may be the influence of Alf Stalsberg, maybe also Sven Kullander, who seems to be known to hobbyists in that part of the world similar to how Ad Konings is here. Or maybe a simple matter that other fish have been the hot fish in our market in recent years-- red head severums, super red severums, red head geos, 'electric' this and that. There was a time when metae were better known/more popular here simply as yellow acara.)

On the other hand there's been a degree of recent buzz about stalsbergi. But I doubt stalsbergi will have same impact as gold saum green terrors. We've actually been through that cycle before and it was gold saums that took the hobby by storm, not stalsbergi-- by whatever people may have been calling them at any particular stage, whether "true rivulatus", "true green terror", etc. Not that I'm an authority, but I'd predict stalsbergi basically stay in a niche rather than being a fish in big demand. You'll get those who will prefer stalsbergi, but I just don't see the average hobbyist saying 'wow those are so much cooler than gold saums'.

Jenaro Herrera, don't know-- beautiful, but how often will they be collected, or will they ever be bred enough to make much of a splash in the market? But it's a fish I've admired and wanted quite a while, (just have to decide if this is the right time, or which way I want to go with my available tank space-- jenaro herrera, metae, winemilleri geo or something else?). But they're on my list, while stalsbergi don't excite me. I've had a lot of green terrors, gold, white, wild, domestic, even had an odd looking white edged terror years ago that may have been a stalsbergi, don't remember it well enough to say. But I don't see stalsbergi as different enough from what I've already had to get that excited about them.

Not trying to give advice what to do, just my personal take on it.
 
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