# What fish?



## peanutpiranha (Dec 7, 2005)

?


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## rhomkeeper (Mar 31, 2008)

it looks to be a rhom but a side pic of him IN the water would hel. his fins are kinda folded in the first pic and it makes it a bit hard to be sure


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## peanutpiranha (Dec 7, 2005)

rhomkeeper said:


> it looks to be a rhom but a side pic of him IN the water would hel. his fins are kinda folded in the first pic and it makes it a bit hard to be sure


Thanks for the reply, i think his fin may have got damaged when we netted him.

I will take some more pics tomorrow as its hard to get good pics when he is in the tank.

He has got red/orange eyes, with a humeral spot and red gills? So do you think it could be a diamond rhom then?


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## rhomkeeper (Mar 31, 2008)

if you want to put the "diamond " name on him sure, he looks the partbut a rhom is a rhom, and he looks like a rhom

the "diamond" is used to differenciate the "normal" grey to black fish we know as rhoms, when compared to fish like your that have shiny gold scales and a lighter than average body color.

nich fish by the way


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## peanutpiranha (Dec 7, 2005)

rhomkeeper said:


> if you want to put the "diamond " name on him sure, he looks the partbut a rhom is a rhom, and he looks like a rhom
> 
> the "diamond" is used to differenciate the "normal" grey to black fish we know as rhoms, when compared to fish like your that have shiny gold scales and a lighter than average body color.
> 
> nich fish by the way


thanks, but i cant make sense of it, as a rhom has many forms as we know 
so these names like diamond etc give it different variations 
and this fish definately wouldnt grow into what we know as a black rhom or blue diamond
and not as big as blacks get,
what do you think?

but im sure its a compressus


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## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

Looks like a rhom to me. Nice one too. It has that Brasilian look when its in the water, right RK.


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## rhomkeeper (Mar 31, 2008)

peanutpiranha said:


> Looks like a rhom to me. Nice one too. It has that Brasilian look when its in the water, right RK.


yes it does, but it also looks like that odd compressus that i have, wish i could see that marginal band on the tail better. the pic of him from above is tough too he looks thin enough to be a compressus thats well fed, or an under fed rhom


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## Demon Darko (Jan 28, 2007)

Doesn't look like a rhom to me. I'm not sure about this one, but for some reason that second pic doesn't make it seem like a rhom.


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## peanutpiranha (Dec 7, 2005)

Slytooth13 said:


> Doesn't look like a rhom to me. I'm not sure about this one, but for some reason that second pic doesn't make it seem like a rhom.


thanks for the replies, i just wish i knew what it was. Why is it so hard to tell a compressus to a rhom? What are the clear differences btw the two fish??? It's hard to get a good pic as he dosent just sit there in the tank very much when im watching him.

I have got a video if that would help??

I will go and take a few more pics now and try and get some decent ones? Im not fussed what it is, would be nice to have a rhom tho.

I've never had a rhom before and always find that this is the fish that causes the most confusion when it's young. The arguments about different types of rhom's (true blacks, s niger etc)

Post again soon.


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## rhomkeeper (Mar 31, 2008)

peanutpiranha said:


> Doesn't look like a rhom to me. I'm not sure about this one, but for some reason that second pic doesn't make it seem like a rhom.


thanks for the replies, i just wish i knew what it was. Why is it so hard to tell a compressus to a rhom? What are the clear differences btw the two fish??? It's hard to get a good pic as he dosent just sit there in the tank very much when im watching him.

I have got a video if that would help??

I will go and take a few more pics now and try and get some decent ones? Im not fussed what it is, would be nice to have a rhom tho.

I've never had a rhom before and always find that this is the fish that causes the most confusion when it's young. The arguments about different types of rhom's (true blacks, s niger etc)

Post again soon.
[/quote]
the differances are suttel. rhoms have circular spots, where as compressus have more ovular blotches that almost form"bars"
compressus are more compresed, (hence the name) than rhoms. they don't get as big, usualy 8" but i have heard over 10" and they grow faster than rhoms
they have a more elongated snout and a thinner terminal band than rhoms

i still think your fish is a rhom though, just not 100% sure


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## rhomkeeper (Mar 31, 2008)

here are some pics to compare. first fish is a rhom, second is compressus


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

a nice pic of him in the tank would help, but looks like a rhom to me. I am no expert though.


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## peanutpiranha (Dec 7, 2005)

maknwar said:


> a nice pic of him in the tank would help, but looks like a rhom to me. I am no expert though.


Wow there are a few differences then, you can't really tell tho in a picture. Havent managed to get any decent pic of him yet.

Can i post a video of him or would i have to post it in the pics and videos discussion?

I will try and get sum decent pics, i might get him out but don't want to damage him, what do you think?


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

you could put anything (video, pics) in this thread, as it pertains to the identification of the fish. Just different views and some clear shot will help the experts here.


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## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

Those new pics to me dont change my mind based on the snout and tail. Looks like a rhom to me. And at that size the barring would be obvious and to me it is not. So i have to say it is not compressus.


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## rhomkeeper (Mar 31, 2008)

peanutpiranha said:


> a nice pic of him in the tank would help, but looks like a rhom to me. I am no expert though.


Wow there are a few differences then, you can't really tell tho in a picture. Havent managed to get any decent pic of him yet.

Can i post a video of him or would i have to post it in the pics and videos discussion?

I will try and get sum decent pics, i might get him out but don't want to damage him, what do you think?
[/quote]
don't take it out of the tank, its not worth the stress and fin damage that may occure. a vidoe should be good as it can be paused when its in a good possition to make a better id.


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## Piranha Guru (Nov 24, 2005)

Dr. Giggles said:


> Those new pics to me dont change my mind based on the snout and tail. Looks like a rhom to me. And at that size the barring would be obvious and to me it is not. So i have to say it is not compressus.


I don't think he posted new pics Doc...those last ones were put up by rhomkeeper, not peanut.


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## peanutpiranha (Dec 7, 2005)

some more pics


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## rhomkeeper (Mar 31, 2008)

well your first assumption was right that is a compressus, looks totaly differnt in the water. looks just like my compressus too


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## peanutpiranha (Dec 7, 2005)

some more look at the first pic and the spots they don't go near the lateral line
the scutes by the anal fin look like the pictures you posted of the rhom's


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## rhomkeeper (Mar 31, 2008)

as compressus age the spots start to fade away, there is also the possability that it could be altuvei, but the only way to know for sure is to know exactly where it was collected or to wait for it to get 7"-8" and see if it gets real high backed. for now i would say compressus


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## peanutpiranha (Dec 7, 2005)

rhomkeeper said:


> as compressus age the spots start to fade away, there is also the possability that it could be altuvei, but the only way to know for sure is to know exactly where it was collected or to wait for it to get 7"-8" and see if it gets real high backed. for now i would say compressus


Ahh thanks for looking for me, im glad we have finally come to a conclusion about this fish, i want a rhom now tho


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## rhomkeeper (Mar 31, 2008)

peanutpiranha said:


> as compressus age the spots start to fade away, there is also the possability that it could be altuvei, but the only way to know for sure is to know exactly where it was collected or to wait for it to get 7"-8" and see if it gets real high backed. for now i would say compressus


Ahh thanks for looking for me, im glad we have finally come to a conclusion about this fish, i want a rhom now tho :laugh:
[/quote]
did you buy the fish as a rhom?


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## peanutpiranha (Dec 7, 2005)

rhomkeeper said:


> as compressus age the spots start to fade away, there is also the possability that it could be altuvei, but the only way to know for sure is to know exactly where it was collected or to wait for it to get 7"-8" and see if it gets real high backed. for now i would say compressus


Ahh thanks for looking for me, im glad we have finally come to a conclusion about this fish, i want a rhom now tho :laugh:
[/quote]
did you buy the fish as a rhom?
[/quote]

no i brouht the fish off someone saying it was a compressus 
or spilopleura but knew it wasnt a spilo 
just confused as to if it is 100% compressus
but my boyfriend brough it and has given it to me now


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## rhomkeeper (Mar 31, 2008)

peanutpiranha said:


> as compressus age the spots start to fade away, there is also the possability that it could be altuvei, but the only way to know for sure is to know exactly where it was collected or to wait for it to get 7"-8" and see if it gets real high backed. for now i would say compressus


Ahh thanks for looking for me, im glad we have finally come to a conclusion about this fish, i want a rhom now tho :laugh:
[/quote]
did you buy the fish as a rhom?
[/quote]

no i brouht the fish off someone saying it was a compressus 
or spilopleura but knew it wasnt a spilo 
just confused as to if it is 100% compressus
but my boyfriend brough it and has given it to me now
[/quote]
well you have yourself a beautiful compressus, they realy are great piranhas, kind of like a mini rhom, not as crazy as rhoms but they grow rather fast and look amazing when they get to adult size


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## Piranha Guru (Nov 24, 2005)

I'm not convinced it is a compressus...I see well spaced, small, round spots and no signs of barring. It could also be the camera angles, but it seems a little on the thick side for a comp. Most likely a rhom...let it grow out and see if there are any changes.

What do you think the chances are of it being an altispinis Giggles?


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## rhomkeeper (Mar 31, 2008)

BioTeAcH said:


> I'm not convinced it is a compressus...I see well spaced, small, round spots and no signs of barring. It could also be the camera angles, but it seems a little on the thick side for a comp. Most likely a rhom...let it grow out and see if there are any changes.
> 
> What do you think the chances are of it being an altispinis Giggles?


now that i am home and can look realy good at the pics( my work pc sucks ass) i'm not sure its compressus, i'm not sure its a rhom either. my compressus has small round spots too, what few it has left anyway

i looked at giggles altipinsis pics he posted yesterday and they look kinda close,it has that snount pointed up look to it, but when i looked at the ones on opefe, they look different(and a few of those pics are the good dr.'s altipinsis) it looks like in some pics it has a black terminal band, and some it doesn't, could be just an age thing. i have a mac that had a black terminal band all the way to the end of the tail when it was younger, that now it doesn't have.

any way i'm now unsure about what this fish is, still leaning towards compressus, but hey i'm not frank so my opinion is just that, my opinion


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## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

BioTeAcH said:


> I'm not convinced it is a compressus...I see well spaced, small, round spots and no signs of barring. It could also be the camera angles, but it seems a little on the thick side for a comp. Most likely a rhom...let it grow out and see if there are any changes.
> 
> *What do you think the chances are of it being an altispinis Giggles?
> *


None, based on the tail. Altispinis at that size will have a black V where the flesh is with a hyaline edge. When Altispinis gets older the hyaline edge turns black. Another way to confirm would be the scutes. I have several shots in the pics forum that when the pic is enlarged to its maximum size the serrae are definitive. Unfortunately with these pics the scutes are not perfectly clear. Just think, it took me 5 years to get pics of his serrae that good. I couldnt do it when Frank asked for them, reason I sent him a video. My fish was id'd as compressus for years until the vid proved otherwise.









Im basing my guesstimate on the Rhom id on the pic out of the water with the shiny scales.


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## Demon Darko (Jan 28, 2007)

I'm thinking Altuvei for some reason.


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## peanutpiranha (Dec 7, 2005)

I thought wed already got to the bottom of this! ha ha !
heres a video... vid is the wrong way round at the start but changes half way through


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## peanutpiranha (Dec 7, 2005)

peanutpiranha said:


> I thought wed already got to the bottom of this! ha ha !
> heres a video... vid is the wrong way round at the start but changes half way through


Sorry about the video being the wrong way round, ill do another one and make sure it's the right way up!

when i watched it on nokia multimedia player it was the right way up!

Is there anyway you can edit it on youtube so that it is the right way????


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## rhomkeeper (Mar 31, 2008)

peanutpiranha said:


> I thought wed already got to the bottom of this! ha ha !
> heres a video... vid is the wrong way round at the start but changes half way through


yes some times its not that simple. like giggles said it took years to id his altipinsis. i have had the same thing with my compressus, over the last 2 years frank has id him 3 times and we finaly setteled on compressus because it fit the scientific discription the best. 2 years don the road it may indeed tun out to be somthing else. id from pics isn't always 100%


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## Lifer374 (Dec 5, 2003)

Wow....
I don't know. This is a good one.

From that video it appears like the head/snout is a little too sharp to be a rhombeus. However, the body seems a little too elongated to be a compressus.


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## peanutpiranha (Dec 7, 2005)

ill take some more pics and another video and hopefully someone will come to a conclusion about this fish, whatever it is it's a lovely little piranha


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## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

Tango374 said:


> Wow....
> I don't know. This is a good one.
> 
> From that video it appears like the head/snout is a little too sharp to be a rhombeus. However, the body seems a little too elongated to be a compressus.


I was thinking the same thing, another reason why i go back to the pic out of the water :laugh: For some funny reason i have a feeling Frank is going to pop out of nowhere soon.


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## Piranha Guru (Nov 24, 2005)

In all the pictures that I can see spots, the spot are small and round, not oval or bar-like. Some shots the eye appears reddish, and in others it doesn't. Those last pictures make me think rhom or adult sanchezi...that would explain the thickness and lack of bars or oval spots.


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## peanutpiranha (Dec 7, 2005)

yeah the spots are small and round. Do rhom's have white eyes and then they turn orange then red or just red. This fish's eyes are orange at the moment?

I'll put some pics on today definatley, i was out all day yesterday and didnt have chance to get any on.

I'd love it if it turned out to be a rhom and in 10 years it will be a monster but some how I doubt it, oh well, im definately going to get a rhom not anyway probably about 8" + if i can get one as they are hard to get in the uk.

People don't seem to like exporting them here.

Post later


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## peanutpiranha (Dec 7, 2005)

Just tired to get some more decent pics of him but when i put the light on he goes nuts and bangs against the glass at his reflection!

Its hopeless, ive got a video on youtube but again it's the wrong way around and ive taken it with the light off, you can see the colours better but it a bit of a crappy vid.

My digital camera is playing up keeps taking blurry pics as well.

I'll post the vid aplogies in advance for the crap quality! I might learn how to take a video the correct way one day!









Does anyone know if you can turn the video around on youtube, just been looking and it's not very clear what you have to do!

Anyway here goes


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## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

I hate to add more confusion, but after seeing that vid I am really closely convinced that you have an Altispinis. A perfect clear shot of the belly & anal serrae is all I need to see to confirm. Compare to this pic


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## peanutpiranha (Dec 7, 2005)

Wow, that's great! I will take some pictures and try my best to get some good pictures of the serras. I also thought it could be this fish as I was watching your vid of yours and it looks very similar..

I havent even heard of this fish before until I seen yours, there isnt a profile on this fish either on the site or is there?

When I put the light on in the tank he dosent really stay still enough to get a good picture so ill have to try and get a good one in natural daylight without the flash.

That video was taken with no light on it brings the colours out more. Again apologies as it is the wrong way up.

I'll go and take another vid now the correct way up so you can see better!

Thanks for the reply Dr


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## Piranha Guru (Nov 24, 2005)

Dr. Giggles said:


> I hate to add more confusion, but after seeing that vid I am really closely convinced that you have an Altispinis. A perfect clear shot of the belly & anal serrae is all I need to see to confirm.


So the chances have improved...I crossed that off of my list of possibilities after you shot me down.


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

[Dr. Giggles] Maybe, locality would help.


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## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

peanutpiranha said:


> [Dr. Giggles] Maybe, locality would help.


Nice to see you making spot appearances again sir. Not to sound







but you have been missed around the Forums.


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## peanutpiranha (Dec 7, 2005)

I have no idea of the locality as the person i brought it from got it from a local pet shop and he wasnt sure what it was either.

Sorry i havent posted any pics or vids had lots to do lately and havent had chance but will put some on tmrow.

How common are Altispinis?

I havent heard of this fish before I came on the forum. How big do they grow etc?

Thanks again for your replies and help


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

> How common are Altispinis?
> 
> I havent heard of this fish before I came on the forum. How big do they grow etc?


http://www.opefe.com/altispinis.html


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## peanutpiranha (Dec 7, 2005)

As promised here are some more pics I have tried my best to get as close to the serras as possible for a positive id.

I have also put a vid on youtube but for some reason it is saying it is unavailable so im going to see whats going on with it and put it on asap.

Here is the link to the video,

i know that pictures i just posted arent very good quality sorry about that but thats the best i could get. I'll try and get some more now. I thought they would have turned out better on the computer.


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## Big Roc (May 4, 2006)

peanutpiranha said:


> As promised here are some more pics I have tried my best to get as close to the serras as possible for a positive id.
> 
> I have also put a vid on youtube but for some reason it is saying it is unavailable so im going to see whats going on with it and put it on asap.
> 
> ...


I always thought that I had a BIG Sanchezi, but after reading that link from OPEFE about the Altispinis... I'm convinced thats what my "Dirty" is Heres a pic for you who havn't seen it


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## peanutpiranha (Dec 7, 2005)

I've taken some more pics as the last one's were rubbish "apologies" im sh*t with a camera lol

And it takes ages can't get him to stay still long enough with the light on.

Anyway these should be better.

Also got another video with the light on so this is also better.


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## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

Sorry Peanut but those last pics are horrible :laugh: The vid to me does look like Altispinis as in the earlier ones, but the red in the eye is throwing me off. The last time i looked at mine the orbit was clear. Never really noticed if the color changes. Might not be a big thing anyways.


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