Thorichthys aureum?

[Cichlidnoob]

Hey guys, Im new here. Ive been growing out these 5 thorichthys which i believe to be aureum? They were bought at about an inch each and are now between 2 to 3.5 inches I bought them from a LFS label Aureum. Are they blue, gold or red which ive heard to not be true aureum. Sometimes they look like ellioti or a mix or something else... Can anyone help me ID them. I apologize for the dirty glass. I attached a couple of pics but its hard to take a good one as they move so fast!

 

[Gourami Swami]

They do look more like aureus than maculipinnis to me. The two are pretty close in looks. But I'm used to seeing more pearling on the sides of maculipinnis/ellioti.

 

[Cichlidnoob]

They do look more like aureus than maculipinnis to me. The two are pretty close in looks. But I'm used to seeing more pearling on the sides of maculipinnis/ellioti.

Yeah thats what I was thinking! Thanks for your input. Can you tell if they are male or female at this size?

 

[Gourami Swami]

Can be difficult with these guys, from my understanding females will get a black blotch in dorsal fin. The big one on the left in your picture looks like a dominant male to me. Clear photos showing the sides of all fish in the group and dorsal fins, would be helpful.
duanes or Stanzzzz7 may be able to help further with the sex.

 

[duanes]

In the OP photos the one on the left (the largest) appears to be male, and far right female, wouldn't try to guess about the one in the background.
Males get larger, are often brighter in color, with a more pointed snout, yet steep forehead profile, and as GS stated, females can sometimes sport a dark notch in the dorsal, but these differences are at times minuscule and plastic due to mood or alpha status.
Since the larger ones snout is pointed away from the camera in the shots, or blurred, it is even more difficult to determine.

 

[Cichlidnoob]

In the OP photos the one on the left (the largest) appears to be male, and far right female, wouldn't try to guess about the one in the background.
Males get larger, are often brighter in color, with a more pointed snout, yet steep forehead profile, and as GS stated, females can sometimes sport a dark notch in the dorsal, but these differences are at times minuscule and plastic due to mood or alpha status.
Since the larger ones snout is pointed away from the camera in the shots, or blurred, it is even more difficult to determine.

I will upload more pictures soon when I get back from a trip. Hopefully I can catch them sitting still enough so I can post clear pics of them. Excited for them to grow out and hopefully get 1 pair at least.

 

[Stanzzzz7]

They are indeed Aureaus. You can tell by the pinkish hues to the stomach region. Macullipinnis are generally more reddish orange in their base colour.
It looks to me like you already have a pair. The fish at the front has a pronounced dominant head shape. The fish behind looks like it has its ovipositer protruding.
I would up the water change turn the temp up a couple of degrees and half expect your first spawn.

 

[Cichlidnoob]

They are indeed Aureaus. You can tell by the pinkish hues to the stomach region. Macullipinnis are generally more reddish orange in their base colour.
It looks to me like you already have a pair. The fish at the front has a pronounced dominant head shape. The fish behind looks like it has its ovipositer protruding.
I would up the water change turn the temp up a couple of degrees and half expect your first spawn.

Wow, i had my suspicions but thank you for confirming! Im looking forward to it! Ill post updates soon. Quick question. Can they be with the neon blue gymnogeophagus long term. I know that those guys would appreciate a "cool down" period and want to know if the aureaus could tolerate lower temps for a a month or two?

 

[Stanzzzz7]

Wow, i had my suspicions but thank you for confirming! Im looking forward to it! Ill post updates soon. Quick question. Can they be with the neon blue gymnogeophagus long term. I know that those guys would appreciate a "cool down" period and want to know if the aureaus could tolerate lower temps for a a month or two?

From my observations most people keep aureus to warm. They will be at their best at temps from 70 to 76.
They are actually short lived at higher temps. I personally found this out the hard way years ago. The oxygen content of water goes down in higher temps and aureus certainly show signs of rapid gill movement and hang higher in the water column as temps fluctuate.
Depending on the climate where you live you can successfully keep thorichthys from group 2(Thats all except meeki and pasionis) in unheated tanks.
This will provide a seasonal change in temps and mimic a more natural heat cycle.
I'm no expert on the gymno group but believe they may need to go as cool as mid 60s,this may prove a little cold for the thorichthys. If they can be brought down to 70 as an adequate cool period then things should work out fine.

Maybe duanes can shed more info on temp requirements for gymno cooling periods.

Hope this helps

 

[duanes]

I would not keep Gymnos with any Central Americans (but I am a bit anal) because of the winter cool downs.
I used to let my Gymno tanks drop into the low 60sF and even into the high 50sF.
I found that cool down did lots of good for color and health.

Took this shot below right after cool down, just as temps were brought up to around70'F
.

The photo above a grow out tank of Australoheros fry, and below a Gymnogeophagus community tank.