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Hitchhiker identification.


Pepere
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I received more than a few hitchhiker quests in my initial plant orders.

I am patiently working at eliminating some, tolerating others, and actively worked to protect at least 1 during tank cycling.

I opted not to bleach dip the plants as I was hoping they would help seed nitrifying bacteria.  If I had to do it all over, I would bleach dip them before planting and buy Dr. Tims One and Only at the start.

In any event, this little fella arrives as a tiny little fry I only noticed about a week after planting…. And I had the tank dosed up with Ammonia Chloride the whole time with stubbornly slow cycling.

I immediately did a water change ad kept dosing Fritz complete and daily water changes to spare him as much as I could.

He or she has grown a fair bit.  I am guessing a feeder guppy.  I named it Nigellus.

  • NigellusNot the most popular name on the list, Nigellus is certainly original. It is often given to a boy. The name means “winning person, overcomer, conqueror,” and comes from Irish origins.

If it is a Guppy, I am hoping it is a male.

 

hoping someone can positively identify species and or sex.

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It sure is hard to get them to pose for us, isnt it?

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It is near to top of picture to right of thermostat and below drop checker.

Shipped up from Florida.

It has a fan shaped tail, doesnt show well in photo.

Developing some flecks of sparkling type coloring.

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Rounder anal fin,  also has a pair of ventral fins that are often tucked up, but displays from time to time.

 

one adipose fin, no dorsal fin.

Below is pic of female upper and male lower feeder guppies I found on web.

 

If I knew it was a male guppy I would get some male only companions, but the last thing I want is guppy babies to have to find homes for. Local chain fish store does not take babies, and I have been unable to find any independently owned fish stores near me.

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On 6/2/2022 at 6:54 AM, Pepere said:

 

Shipped up from Florida.

This helped alot. That appears to be a female golden topminnow. My SO had a professor who studied killis down in Florida. Thank the heavens I listened or I would have had a hell of a time.

 

Anyway it doesn’t surprise me that this fry snuck it’s way in and possibly more are on their way. Golden top minnows lay their eggs on the roots and lower stems of plants in late spring. And happen to be native to Florida.

 

 

On 6/2/2022 at 7:28 AM, Pepere said:

Rounder anal fin,  also has a pair of ventral fins that are often tucked up, but displays from time to time.

 

one adipose fin, no dorsal fin.

 

If you don’t mind I would like to correct your fish anatomy. It’ll make google easier to search through. The adipose fin is a small fleshy fin located just anterior of the caudal peduncle. This is a very useful fin for identification because very few teleosts have it. Having that been said, a dorsal fin can be located anywhere on a fishes dorsal surface. They are larger than an adipose fin and have musculature and fin rays.

 

 

Also welcome to the forum! 😊

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If you don’t mind I would like to correct your fish anatomy.”

I very much appreciate being corrected.  Better to know than continue incorrect…

 

shipment of plants were placed in tank April 11th. I noticed the fish about a week later.

there were two, but I havent seen the other for several weeks now.

fearing it might have been a guppy, I transferred this one to a different tank to separate them prior to sexual maturity.

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On 6/2/2022 at 9:30 AM, Pepere said:

Do you know how long it takes for it to reach full coloration?

I want to say 36 weeks to reach sexual maturity. Sorry I didn’t see this sooner. If you do have a female that is her adult coloration. The males will develop some reds and teals as well as more extravagant finnage for courtship.

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