# Wild scalares finally show themselves!



## Stellaluna (May 8, 2006)

My WC scalares finally relaxed enough to be swimming around the tank while someone was in the room, lol. Thanks to some key suggestions here I think they are feeling much better. I turned on the lights to get the pics, but they definitely prefer it dimmer - I will swap out the light fixture for something less intense. You can't tell in the photos but their tails and dorsals have a tinge of maroon. They are about 2" top to bottom, not including fins.

They are in a 40g Q-tank for now with Endler's livebearers as dithers (or lunch.... :wink: ). They will eventually go into the 150g planted tank, the last pic.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

I believe you scalares are actually _Pterophyllum leopoldi_ with that spot and faint barring ... http://www.cichlidae.com/gallery.php?genus=Pterophyllum

Take a look at that leopoldi pic, it's almost a dead ringer for yours.


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## Stellaluna (May 8, 2006)

They are very much like that, and I was waiting to see how they colored up - they seemed to have stronger bars at the LFS. However, I was thinking the same thing when I was looking at this the other day:

http://finarama.com/tba/identification.htm

They do have slightly stronger barring than the pic, but I was wondering about that spot that they all have. I am not sure about the slight maroon tint to the dorsal fin and tail. The scalare Eimekei also have the faint barring, but not the spot.


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## Stellaluna (May 8, 2006)

Here is another pic where one of them is generally darker, and you can kind of see the red in the tail and dorsal. The barring is definitely fainter than most wild scalares.


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## spxsk (Mar 29, 2006)

I do not want to hijack your post, but thought I could provide a few pics of my Wild Peruvian Scalares for reference. Yours are very good looking fish and will become more so as they get older and settle in no matter what they are. Love 'em

















This one is about the age of yours I think.


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## Stellaluna (May 8, 2006)

Thanks for the pics for comparison! Your fish are awesome looking.


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## spxsk (Mar 29, 2006)

I think your tanks are fantastic! They will really love it once they figure out they are in as close to paradise as captivity can bring!


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## Jake Levi (Mar 2, 2009)

Glad they are coming around and adjusting,

give them another week to adjust and you'll see the stripes become more pronounced,

whichever they turn out to be they are beauties !


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## DiscusQueen (Jul 16, 2007)

Hi.. I agree... Whichever they turn out to be they are beautiful... and they are gonna just love being in that tank.. :thumb: :thumb: Congrats and good luck with them..Sue


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

The blue spot, as well as the elongated shape, makes them leopoldi in my experience.


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## Stellaluna (May 8, 2006)

Yep - the more pics of leopoldi I see, the more they look like what I have.


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

Nothing wrong with leopoldi. They are fairly rare, at least around here.


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## Stellaluna (May 8, 2006)

They are definitely rare around here as well. I've never seen them in "person," lol. I am thinking about going back and picking up another couple of them and try for two pairs in the 150. They will be the primary showcase fish, with schools of cardinals and the ever-present (at least for me) Endler's and guppies.

I might need to hack back the plants to make room if I plan on keeping decent-sized fish in that 150 - getting a little thick! It is amazing how small a 150 gets after you aquascape it. :wink:


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