Apistogramma sp. “Steel Blue”

Apistogramma sp. “Steel Blue” is one of the most commonly available Apistos in many pet stores. Unfortunately, it’s one of the biggest Apisto mysteries of all time. The problem is that no one’s ever taken credit for discovering the species and no one has ever reported collecting a similar species anywhere in South America. This leads to the assumption that they are a hybrid species created in a hatchery.

A. sp. “Steel Blue” are unlike any known species

Why is Apistogramma. sp. “Steel Blue” unlike other species?

• A. sp. “Steel Blue” markings and characteristics don’t align with any of the known Apistogramma species groups.
• The original imports all came from Asia and none from the wild.
• Almost all of the initial imports were males.
• The fry from all early spawnings suffered the lack of vigor and poor survival that is typical of many hybrids.

These factors combine to support the assumption that this is an artificially created species resulting from the mixing of two or more different species.

So, if these are a “manufactured” species, what are they made up of? There’s been a lot of speculation about this and it seems generally accepted that they are at least partially Apistogramma resticulosa, which, it is speculated, have been crossed with either Apistogramma borellii or A. caetei. Since no females were available, it’s been reported that the Eastern Europeans who first succeeded in spawning this species crossed “Steel Blue” males with A. caetei females which apparently resulted in viable spawns. I suspect they took females from these spawns and back-crossed them to the original “Steel Blues” males.

Apistogramma sp. “Steel Blue” in the fishkeeping hobby

Apistogramma sp. “Steel Blue” was first imported into Germany from Singapore in late 1994 and by mid-1995 large numbers of them were available from wholesalers. They are a very striking fish and there was great interest in determining their origin. Unfortunately, despite intensive efforts, no one was ever able to pinpoint the source of these fish.

They quickly became available in the rest of the world and many hobbyists purchased these Apistos. by the mid-2000s they almost became a staple in the tanks of shops that rarely carried dwarf cichlids. Their wide distribution made it obvious they were commonly offered by distributors.

Almost all imports remained exclusively male with a very rare report of a possible female. Finally, there began to be a few reports of successful spawning. Today it appears that they are firmly established in a number of commercial Apistogramma hatcheries and I understand that they are routinely offered by distributors in Eastern Europe.

A fish with many names

Apistogramma sp. “Steel Blue” has been sold under a lot of different names including “Blue Head”, “Blue Steel”, “Blaukopf”, “Bali”, “New Blue”, and “Blue Face”. Unfortunately, they are commonly sold in pet stores as A. agassizii or A. borellii. While any experienced Apisto keeper knows they are not one of these species, most are sold in pet stores with no specialized knowledge and it’s usually an innocent mistake. However, the online forums are full of people looking for info on the weird-looking agassizii or borellii they just picked up.

Keeping and breeding A. sp. “Steel Blue”

Although females are not as rare today as when this fish first appeared, it’s often very hard to select a pair. This is because there is not much difference in appearance between males and non-breeding females. As with most Apistos, female “Steel Blues” get an unmistakable yellow color during breeding. However, when not sexually active they look remarkably like males. Darrell Watts of Wiltshire, UK has put together a photo guide to identifying female “Steel Blue”. Darrell has generously allowed us to put it on the site so be sure to check out his Guide to sexing Apistogramma sp. “Steel Blue”.

If you can acquire a pair, keeping and breeding A. “Steel Blue” is a straightforward undertaking. They are hardy fish that are easy to care for. They are undemanding of water conditions but it’s best to avoid hard alkaline water. They can be an aggressive species so be sure to offer them a habitat that provides lots of cover and complexity. If you are uncertain how to set up the tank or maintain the fish read Apistogramma and Dwarf Cichlid Aquarium Care and/or Breeding Apistogrammas and Other Dwarf Cichlids.

Apistogramma sp. “Steel Blue” is a very attractive fish that is often widely available. Although it’s likely a hybrid, there remains the possibility that they are a natural species. They should provide you with much enjoyment, so don’t hesitate to add them to your tank as they are definitely worth keeping.

Essential Articles About Apistogrammas
The Genus Apistogramma
Apistogramma Aquarium Care
Breeding Apistogrammas
Understanding Apistogramma Classification and Identification
Live Plants in the Apistogramma Aquarium
How and Where to Buy Apistogrammas and Other Dwarf Cichlids