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My LFS is selling what they are calling an Apistogramma Cacautoides. It's coloring is not like any pics I've seen on the web. Light yellow(really washed out) with a black stripe down the side. Some in the tank even have "marbled" look with alot a splochy black markings. The dorsal is similiar the rams. Their bodies are a little longer than the rams though, but like I said there are no visible colors on their bodies other than black. I've been looking for this species for some time, but I don't want to buy something if it's not what I want. Will these guys color up once they have some room to swim? The LFS has had them for a couple of weeks and admits they aren't sure either. I'll try and get a pic next time I'm in there.

look at the dorsal spike and the shape of the fish. should tell ya if its a A. cacatuedous or not. personally i would search the web forsome to buy rather then a LFS. quality would be alot better.

check aquabid.com, if not to buy then for the pics.

I actually will have two red's and two orange pairs. I will only be keeping 2 but I just ordered several and can get you into contact with several guys selling very great specimens. All three guys have sold me large orders of fish all fish are healthy and alive. PM me if you want the information.

Thanks mrwizerd, check you pm. I went back the LFS on friday to take another look at the so called "Cacautoides" I changed my mind and didn't get them. If they were cacautoides then they weren't very good specimens. I did, however see and bought a single koi angel. It's the only one I've seen at the LFS in my area. I really would have rather waited until I had put my cacautoides in first, but it was the last one and they get them from a local breeder and didn't know when they would get anymore.

I dunno if it helps, but the blotchy cacs are most likely males while the yelow ones are females.
I wouldn't be too quick to judge the LFS fish, simply because of the price of ordering from the internet or breeder. I personally had a bolivian ram who colored up really nicely after looking drab as heck in the store.

I am kind of with djtj. It is really amazing how much fish change when you give them a stable environment. Most fish in the LFS have been moved around quite a bit in shipping then into the store then maybe into a new tank in the store and the tank in the store will not be set up for the fish to be in its best color. They are more just a storage place until you take them home.

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