My PetSmart Curviceps

straitjacket

straitjacket

Large Fish
#1
Mar 21, 2004
495
2
0
Los Angeles, CA
www.freewebs.com
#1
...turned out to be L. dorsigera!
Some of you may remember a couple of these pics and I'm interested to hear some feedback from those of you who've picked up these PetSmart "curviceps as well.

They all generally looked like this when I bought them:
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y2... America/Laetacara dorsigera/8-26-06351-L.jpg

This was the dominant male after some good food and a growth spurt


After moving into the 80


The subdom, feeling good


Showin off his pretty face


I liked the idea of curviceps, they would have been the second sp. of Laetacara I've kept, but I can't complain about having dorsigers again.
 

straitjacket

straitjacket

Large Fish
#5
Mar 21, 2004
495
2
0
Los Angeles, CA
www.freewebs.com
#5
Thanks all :D

Matt, what's the delay! Do it...DO It...DO IT... *laughingc
My first dorsigeras were from Dave Soares. I was never so in love with a fish before that. Their cute pucker and huge eyes...oh man, that's just something you have experience for yourself.
I set those up in a 10 at first. I thought they could stay in there! I had to move the pair to a 20 long and they did a lot better in there.
His dorsiger's colors came in when they were quite a bit smaller than these guys. The red came in strong too, stayed red pretty much all the time, but the color on the body wasn't quite as nice as these.
These have a cool always-there blue sheen but the red/purple on the chin fades a lot.

BV, in person I can't really tell who looks better. It depends on the day...or the mood they're in specifically. Some days the dominant male's showin off his sexy, sometimes the subdom wins an argument and feels victoriously sexier. :p
You should see them when they put on a "I'm way hotter than you" show. lol
 

Orion

Orion

Ultimate Fish
Moderator
#7
Feb 10, 2003
5,803
3
38
Kentucky
www.thefishcave.net
#7
I got some of the petsmart curviceps. Mine do share some similarites, but don't exactly look like yours. One main point of interest is the pair of spots on the base of the dorsal fin. Mine share the same spot as yours in the photo's. However mine have a much more pronounced red coloring on the top of the dorsal fin, and much darker lateral line stripe.

Even if mine are dorsigeras, I still love the little fella's! Even the smaller females who are lucky to push 1.5" aren't shy to puch around the much larger heros when it comes to food. :)
 

straitjacket

straitjacket

Large Fish
#8
Mar 21, 2004
495
2
0
Los Angeles, CA
www.freewebs.com
#8
Thanks TheFighterFish :D

Orion, thanks for the feedback. :)
The spots on the base of the dorsal fin can vary from fish to fish and even from location of origin.
I'd love to see some pics of your guys. :D
Easiest ID factors are that curviceps don't get the wine colored throat and outer most edes of the dorsal fin is white and not yellow/orange.
I've also noticed that L. dorsigera has a red rim to the outer edge of the caudal fin. While L. curviceps might have a red edging to the upper edge of the caudal fin it doe not outline the entire caudal edge as it does in L. dorsigera.
 

jessey

jessey

Large Fish
#15
Dec 25, 2006
548
0
0
37
Tampa, FL
#15
gorgeous pics!! straitjacket, your last picture of him facing the camera is my fav :D and whether they were what you thought you were buying or not.. still a good petsmart find!!

i love your pics too orion. they show off the colors so well!
 

straitjacket

straitjacket

Large Fish
#16
Mar 21, 2004
495
2
0
Los Angeles, CA
www.freewebs.com
#16
Orion, definitely dorsigera. And a gorgeous one! Very very nice spots on that guy! :cool:

Matt, you know you want to. We're just helping you along with a gentle shove. :D

Jeff, they do just fine with tetras. Don't really notice them even being there for the most part lol. It's when they're spawning and a few get to close that they chase, but they never chase for too long...or far. :)

jessey, I agree on all points! *SUNSMILE*
 

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