# Other Aquarium Forums > Freshwater Fauna > Characins >  Hyphessobrycon metae

## Quixotic

Anyone has good pictures of _Hyphessobrycon metae_?

A tankful of them at Ben's but fright coloration. Googled images are no good.

Thanks.

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## hwchoy

could be something similar to this, it is very hard to be sure of the exact species even with reference to books like G&#233;ry. The old description are typically without good colour plates.

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## mickthefish

choy is that a recent pic of the fish?if it is it's one of the ones that we have been getting they class them as a cf metae, the real metae is similar to the one you posted but the clouration is more intense, the dorsal profile is deep brown the wedge is black and it does'nt have the yellow flashes on the peduncle, dorsal, anal and ventral fins have a white trim.
will try to find a pic of them.
mick

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## hwchoy

mick, this is a very old pix of a fish found as a contaminant. in a long discussion over at petfrd we more or less establish this is most likely a female form of a species which as strong sexual dimorphism in body colours, and best described as _Hy._ cf. _metae_, but frankly of the myriad of undescribed tetra species, we should just call it _Hy._ sp. xxx or something.

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## mickthefish

i agree with you, characins are confusing enough as it is, there was a small shipment of the real metae come in last year but it meant traveling over 200 miles to get them, one of my many friends who keep fish imported his own 4 yrs ago, he still has a small shoal of them, and beautiful they are.
mick

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## hwchoy

worst thing being, characins is a nightmare to photograph because their colours changes drastically under different light, especially flash. I suspect it is because there are reflective structures under their scales surface so that when flash is used (which is strongly penetrative) they reflect colours very different compared to ambient condition.

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## benny

> worst thing being, characins is a nightmare to photograph because their colours changes drastically under different light, especially flash. I suspect it is because there are reflective structures under their scales surface so that when flash is used (which is strongly penetrative) they reflect colours very different compared to ambient condition.



Use a soft box. Read up under photography for reflective jewellery.

Cheers,

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## benny

> Anyone has good pictures of _Hyphessobrycon metae_?
> 
> A tankful of them at Ben's but fright coloration. Googled images are no good.
> 
> Thanks.


Welcome to AQ!!

Are you refering to Ben's at Tiong Bahru? If so, I might go down and get some.

Cheers,

p.s. pardon for asking as I'm not sure if you are based in Singapore.

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## mickthefish

choy, being new to photography, ive only taken a few pix of characins, i can imagine especially the reflective fish like neons, and cardinals it's a nightmare to get a good shot of them,
mick

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## hwchoy

> Use a soft box. Read up under photography for reflective jewellery.
> 
> Cheers,



yes we can do all that, what I meant is comparative to other families. it will also happen when viewed under sunlight.

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## hwchoy

> choy, being new to photography, ive only taken a few pix of characins, i can imagine especially the reflective fish like neons, and cardinals it's a nightmare to get a good shot of them,
> mick



actually it is also a very good way to explore your fish in minute details which you will not otherwise. when doing a close-up shoot of these fishes, you can appreciate their finer structure which the flash light will penetrate and reveal to you.

some other fishes, such as loaches, have typically opaque scales/skin but you will appreciate the intricate texture.

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## hwchoy

> Use a soft box. Read up under photography for reflective jewellery.
> 
> Cheers,



actually I think this particular pix is taken with white paper cover as the scales are not reflecting nor deeply penetrated. really need to go get an omnibounce.

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## benny

> yes we can do all that, what I meant is comparative to other families. it will also happen when viewed under sunlight.


I had so much trouble shooting the green neon tetra. It's only green when view at 45 degrees from from or back. Give up. Anyway, all the books show them as blue.

Cheers,

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## benny

> actually it is also a very good way to explore your fish in minute details which you will not otherwise. when doing a close-up shoot of these fishes, you can to appreciate their finer structure which the flash light will penetrate an reveal to you.
> 
> some other fishes, such as loaches, have typically opaque scales/skin but you will appreciate the intricate texture.


I totally agree!! It really amazing what kind of details you can see and take the appreciation to another level.

Cheers,

p.s. when you are far way in distant lands, you can also call up your picture and enjoy your pets too!  :Grin:

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## hwchoy

> I had so much trouble shooting the green neon tetra. It's only green when view at 45 degrees from from or back. Give up. Anyway, all the books show them as blue.
> 
> Cheers,



that's true, when I flashed my congo tetras they came out blue! the one cyrprinid I could think of that has a similar problem (i.e. beyond being just simply reflective) is the _Sundadanio axelrodi_. when flashed you can actually see golden flecks.

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## Nannostomuss

where is ben's place located any landmark? :Smile:

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## benny

> _Sundadanio axelrodi_... when flashed you can actually see golden flecks.


Pretty isn't it!? Too bad you can only appreciate these finer details through photography and not your naked eyes.

Cheers,

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## hwchoy

> Pretty isn't it!? Too bad you can only appreciate these finer details through photography and not your naked eyes.
> 
> Cheers,



maybe if you tank is sun lit?

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## hwchoy

> where is ben's place located any landmark?


next to the old TB market, near the 4D place.

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## Quixotic

> could be something similar to this, it is very hard to be sure of the exact species even with reference to books like Géry. The old description are typically without good colour plates.


Thanks. From Googled pictures, as mentioned by mick, the coloration seems more intense. Sadly, no side profile and not any clearer.



from http://aquarich.jp/tsuhan/fish_p.html



from http://www.jjphoto.dk/fish_archive/a...ycon_metae.htm

Cheers.

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## Quixotic

> Welcome to AQ!!
> 
> Are you refering to Ben's at Tiong Bahru? If so, I might go down and get some.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> p.s. pardon for asking as I'm not sure if you are based in Singapore.


Thanks Benny. Not exactly new, been lurking for a while. Does my updated location provide the answer to your question?

Do get some and give us some good photographs! Haha...

Cheers.

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## Quixotic

> where is ben's place located any landmark?


To be exact, Blk 71 Seng Poh Road...

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## benny

> Thanks Benny. Not exactly new, been lurking for a while. Does my updated location provide the answer to your question?
> 
> Do get some and give us some good photographs! Haha...
> 
> Cheers.


Well! So you aren't exactly a new bird here then! Good of you to join in our discussions.

I might pop by to Ben if I have time next week as I'm going off this week. Hopefully he still have some and I'll get some pictures.

Cheers,

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## Quixotic

> I might pop by to Ben if I have time next week as I'm going off this week. Hopefully he still have some and I'll get some pictures.


Cue for Choy to pick up some of these?

Perhaps I'll pick up some myself as well.

Cheers.

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## hwchoy

> Cue for Choy to pick up some of these?
> 
> Perhaps I'll pick up some myself as well.
> 
> Cheers.



already painted some bullseye on them  :Razz:

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## hwchoy

I picked up a couple of this fish. I don't think it is a metae at all. the whole body black black one leh.

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## Quixotic

When saw it the first time in fright coloration, thought it look like really faded _Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi_, almost all white.

Alamaks, so not the real thing eh? Identifiable? Anyway, do let us have some pictures... haha...

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## hwchoy

will be doing that. so far can't really place the species yet.

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## hwchoy

the saga continues here http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...d.php?p=153858

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