# A. Robertsoni



## jgentry (Jul 3, 2008)

Hey everyone,

I recieved one of these guys as a throw in with an order of Rotkeil severums to my surprise.  Does anyone here keep these? I'm finding mixed information on there adult size, I've seen them listed from 7 to 11 inches?

Has anyone here kept them form several years to know there adult size?

Thanks,
jgentry


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## stuckinthemiddle (Feb 26, 2008)

I dont have any info, but I find them quite interesting since they kinda of look like a cross between a jack d. and a firemouth IMO.

Quite a nice surprise you got there!


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## RayQ (Sep 26, 2007)

The biggest ones that I have seen (none in the wild) were between 6" and 7" TL - I had a pair that were just a tad smaller about ten years ago, the fellow I got them from had had them for over two years. Hope that helps.

Ray


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

They seem to be very intolerant of others of their kind. Very beautiful fish though. Have always wanted to try them, but only recently have I ever seen them in a LFS. *TheFishGuy* has one, though he's usually very busy in the summers and doesn't post as often. I think I remember reading they are slow growers as well.


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## wmayes (Oct 22, 2007)

I just inherited a group of ten of them from a friend leaving the hobby.
The largest is around 5 inches and the smallest around an inch. 
I've had them for three days now and I'm not planning on keeping them at all. 
In my limited experience with them in my 200 I can say that though they aren't very tolerant of their own kind they aren't exactly intolerant. They seem to be more peaceful than most Amphilophus (which seems to be in line with everything I've read about them).

Another interesting note: the individual that my friend got them from (for free - he really cheated this guy...) assumed that they were Jack Dempsey/Firemouth hybrids and not worth a bucket of wet '....'! Thought I might mention that, stuckinthemiddle.

They seem to ignore both the Oscar that I also got from my friend (not sure if I'll keep it either) and my Severum.

As for their general behavior - they pick at the substrate constantly in search of food and the tank seems to be in constant recontruction because of this effort (in the three days since I've had my 200 set back up - see http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/view ... p?t=177035 - the gravel has shifted substantially from the middle to the back left corner...).


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## marge618 (Mar 12, 2006)

These fish sound interesting.

Are they out and about more than JD? My JD seems to hide most of the time. Out and about only when they are foraging in the middle of the afternoon.

Please post pictures of your fish if possible.

Later,
Marge


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## jgentry (Jul 3, 2008)

Thanks for the info everyone. It sounds like 7-8 inches for an adult male will be the max then. Mine is a male and is out and about at all times swimming with my chocolate, Geo. brasiliensis, red severum, and electric blue jack. He is not aggressive towards any of them but is also not shy. He is very active and like said above loves to pick at the gravel. It is already eating krill, bloodworms, and tetracolor pellets. He is not showing a ton of color yet but is only about 3 1/2 inches. He has really nice strong vertical bars and is showing some baby blue spotting on its fins. I'll get some pictures posted tonight. :thumb:


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

Just remember when researching, it won't be found in it's current genus. Almost everything written about it is going to be under it's old genus, _Amphilophus_.


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## wmayes (Oct 22, 2007)

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it was moved back into _Amphilophus_ from _Astatheros_.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

I haven't seen/heard anything about that, will deffinately poke around. Wouldn't make much sense to me, robertsoni are quite obviously part of the sand sifting group and not the midas/devil group. Will check around though! :thumb:


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## jgentry (Jul 3, 2008)

I thought they were in the Astatheros group as well. You can find information on the web under both names though.


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## jgentry (Jul 3, 2008)

Heres some pics of the fish. It is just starting to show some blue.


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## zoyvig (Oct 27, 2006)

check out this link!


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

My male is every bit of 9"


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## jgentry (Jul 3, 2008)

9 inches, thats a pretty darn big. How old is it? Does it have a lot of blue coloring? Mine seems to be getting more blue every week. They seem to be really nice looking fish and not very agressive. It's a shame there pretty much never seen in stores.


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## lostnight (Jun 3, 2006)

They had a tank full of nice sized ones last year at Aquarium Adventure in Columbus , Ohio. They sure had a lot of blue, looked very handsome. I didn't have room for them, but I thought about them for months afterwards. When I went back up there last month they were all gone I believe.


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