Confirm Farlowella Species Please

[Farlow-Mama]

I've had great success breeding a Farlowella species and will begin selling their offspring.

Can anyone confirm the correct species? In viewing photos, I am thinking Farlowella vittata.

Please let me know if different pics would help.

Thanks!

[bekateen]

Hi Farlow-Mama. Welcome to PlanetCatfish!

Congratulations on your success breeding

Farlowella

. Not a lot of people do it, so good for you!

As for an ID for your fish,

Farlowella vittata

may well be correct, but we'll need more photographs for a proper ID. All of your pictures show abdominal views, which we can use to see 2 rows of abdominal scutes. But we need good clear photos of the lateral plates on the body sides, a good view of the caudal fin when it's flared out, and even a good side view of the head. Here's a key to all the species of Farlowella if you want to try it yourself: viewtopic.php?p=324637#p324637. Using this key and your photos, I see this: 1(B), 5(B), 23(B)... I'm guessing 27(B), since your male does not resemble the photos of

Farlowella yarigui

with the very conspicuous odontodes on the snout... and then I'm stuck at step 28 since I can't see the relevant traits clearly.

Cheers, Eric

[Captainandy]

OMG
What an adorable cat

Please make babies available down the road

[Farlow-Mama]

I am searching my photos for the other angles of the adults' bodies requested. They are in pre-spawning mode so I don't want to take photos today of them.

Here is one that shows a group of the 8 week old fry (with one from prior spawning that snuck in with a plant to graze on).

[Jools]

You're doing great making all that algae available for them.

Jools

[Farlow-Mama]

Once hatched and alive for a few hours, I have no losses. Currently raising 98 in two batches. Found a way to keep food in front of them 24/7 and the water clean. They must eat non-stop to not starve.

A few more photos. Still looking for flared tail photo!

[Farlow-Mama]

Female's face then male guarding eggs.

He has only small bristles on his snout, none on side of head.

[Farlow-Mama]

Does this help to see scales on the back?

[bekateen]

Does this help to see scales on the back?

These pictures help get us past step 27 - your fish are 27(B). But to go beyond that, will need clear, focused photos of both underside of head and top of head, to measure the distance from the tip of the snout to the mouth, and the distance between the eyes. To be reliable, both photos must be taken at an angle that is perpendicular to the glass and the fish, not taken from a skewed angle. Also, both photos must show enough of the body (e.g., to the start of the pectoral fin) to be able to give a relative reference. Unfortunately, for each of these photos, the measurements needed (snout-mouth length and interorbital width) cannot be viewed simultaneously, since one pic must be taken of the ventral surface and the other of the dorsal surface. As a result, if the photos aren't carefully contextualized by reference measurements visible from both angles, then the measurements can't be compared. Alternatively, you could try taking the measurements directly yourself, if you have any adult fish that are not currently spawning and thus you feel safe to pick them up and measure them. Here's the reference image for help: download/file.php?id=24596&mode=view. You need measurements "e" and "k".

Cheers, Eric

[Farlow-Mama]

Eric - does it need to be male or female?

[bekateen]

Eric - does it need to be male or female?

Sex shouldn't matter for this measurement. Thanks.

[Farlow-Mama]

You're doing great making all that algae available for them.

Jools

Thanks Jools!

I found a tip from someone that breeds shrimp that seems to help maintain good biofilm growth tor fry to graze on.

[Farlow-Mama]

I hope these photos of the adult male with measuring tape help (cm showing)... for the E and K measurements.

[bekateen]

The photos aren't ideal because of camera angle and skew, but I think we see enough to answer. A rough estimate of your snout-mouth length is 16 or 17mm. An estimate of your interorbital distance (a much less reliable estimate using this photo) is 7mm. Thus your ratio is about 17/7, roughly 2.3 - 2.4, which is much higher than the cutoff (>1.9) to confirm the ID of your fish as

Farlowella vittata

.

Cheers, Eric

[Farlow-Mama]

Thanks so much. Newest batch should be hatching in 2 or 3 days! Have 98 juvies now.

Just need them to grow up some. Oldest batch is about 2.5 inches now.