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This fish was sold to me as a Royal Farlowella, and I was hoping that I might be able to get a better ID.

It's not twiggy enough to be a true Farlowella.
Have a look at the profile for to start with.

Cheers,
Paul

PS I should add there are several similar Sturisoma species so have a look at the others too.

I'd say , S. panamense is not a species exported for the trade.

Jools

Thank you, I'm going to have a look now.

I think you got it spot on with Sturisoma aureum. The pictures are a dead ringer for my fish, and the size is spot on too. I forgot to include that in my OP, this fish is just about 7" tl, so 5.9" sl sounds about right with the caudal filaments. Are care requirements similar to those of the Farlowella? As you can see, it likes zucchini quite a bit. It also likes sinking pellets, and is quite active foraging surfaces for algae.

Edit: After a little more searching and reading, I think that mine might be Sturisomatichthys leightoni instead.The picture that seems to most closely match my fish is the one under the listing for Sturisoma sp. but that would include all Sturisoma types, the given picture could be of any of them, right?

I was able to get some good pics of a ventral view (that seems awkwardly worded), I was hoping that this might help, or perhaps even help to sex this fish. I only have one, I'm not trying to breed, but out of curiosity I wouldn't mind having an idea of sex. The pics ar'e nearly identical, but I didn't know if there might be some small detail revealed in one of them but not the others.

Hi,

your fish is not Sturisomatichthys leightoni, the rostrum and fins are too long and the pattern doesn't match.
I think Sturisoma aureum (which by the way are or will be transfered to Sturisomatichthys) is a good call.

If you want to sex them have a look if they show cheek odontodes (males) or not (females).
Your pictures show a female.

Cheers,

Thank you very much. So it is properly called a whiptail rather than a farlowella?