Donny Brasco Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 Ok so story goes, i have collected a few different blood lines of descent quality red empress several months ago and had great success with 3 of the larger boys putting on a show, but there was always this one boy who looked a little different.I had always assumed because he wasnt one of the more dominate males and i didnt mind cause he looked pretty cool.Anyway as time went on i noticed his markings didnt change much in fact he more so intensified his looks instead of looking more red in the body.I came to the conclusion that he may have been a hybrid crossed with something so i separated him from the colony as i didnt want to get rid of him he looked cool.Today at my usual breeders place picking up some new fish i see a photo on his wall of this exact fish and i got into the convo of him and he said its actually a mizinzi reef and is pretty hard to find.After a bit of googling i cant make up my mind, what have i got here a hybrid or is it a Protomelas taeniolatus mizinzi reef Like i said when his getting all up in mo fo's "gills" his color intensifies as in the under fins got deep black, his head brighter blue, his body a nice shimmering blue/red, but does not take colors like a typical red empress with a red/orange body Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjoconr Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 He sure is a nice looking fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny Brasco Posted August 22, 2015 Author Share Posted August 22, 2015 oh and before you say looks like a young emp coming into color, nope his about 15cm thats his full color Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny Brasco Posted August 22, 2015 Author Share Posted August 22, 2015 yeah he is mjoconr, you should see him around a couple of females as well, i have to try snap a pic next time his in my randoms holding tank at the moment which is a tank full of odd balls im not sure what do to with yet, ill snap a pic next time his flared up he looks shmick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny Brasco Posted August 22, 2015 Author Share Posted August 22, 2015 here is a pic of a developed male mazinzi reef i pulled off an american site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simy696 Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 well if it is one of those you certainly got lucky can you find him a few gfs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjoconr Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 That's going to be the problem if there rare, would love to breed them myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brucem Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 You have to think back to where you originally got your fish from, and whether any of these breeders kept this fish. If they did, then you may have scored one. You might also have to think whether any of your females are this fish too. If it's incredibly rare and these breeders don't keep this fish, then you're likely to have a hybrid, I'd reckon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craigo Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 I have seen Protomelas taeniolatus 'mazinzi reef' advertised fo resale this year I just can't think where now…. was deffinatley in australia but whether they are true or not I have no idea…. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LithoMan Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 hia few thingswho was the breeder and does he still have his colony.what is your concern in regards to it not being a red empress ?? is it the black markings ? some red empress do get itin australia for years they have been mixed meaning ...nmanje island - bodzulu and so on... just lately a few people have exact location empress.some have more blue from head into body..and some have blue heads and then just go red.manzini reef are floating around and a few people saying they have it / breeding it.i am sure the person / breeder that somehow got them here would know and pump out manzini reef.. and buyers will be paying overs compared to aquarium strain red empress.now how many did you get from the person ...the male you have is one thing the females are the problem you have that are now mixed.either start fresh and find good red emp ... or get rid of all females and keep males as display because now is when they will become hybrid...IF THEY ARE MANZINI REEF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny Brasco Posted August 23, 2015 Author Share Posted August 23, 2015 OK so I had 3 separate places I got them from, I got a big male and 3 females from a breeder in malvern all great quality, I bought a young male from my usual breeder (who also has mizinzi reef) and I got another 3 males and about 8 females from another young bloke in rye.I know it wasn't the 4 from malvern it could have been in the colony I got from rye but the one I got from my usual breeder I had in my display tank prior to this and he was just your typical red empress so I'm starting to think he came from this young bloke in rye.I actually moved on my colony several weeks ago but hang onto the 3 best looking females incase I wanted to breed them again with my big male.I'll be happy to keep this bloke cause I like the look of him I was just curious if he was in fact a mazinzi reef Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LithoMan Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 CoolBut being unsure and maybe breeding him with the 3 best looking girls may = Since they could be all mixed but your choice i would stick to display male Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny Brasco Posted August 23, 2015 Author Share Posted August 23, 2015 Na the 3 females I kept are much bigger than the ones I got from rye I should be right and this boy is in a separate tank so they won't breed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ged Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Intern (John) was looking for them at one stage but I don't thinks he was able to find the even though he looked right across the country. I have to agree with Edwin, one fish doesn't make a breeding colony. You would still have to find definite females and if you did you might as well source a male as well.Keeping him as a display male is sensible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny Brasco Posted August 23, 2015 Author Share Posted August 23, 2015 Yeah not really planing on breeding him, he will go into my big display soon enough Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LithoMan Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Intern found some but growing up to see if real deal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coari Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Hey, Yes it looks like a mazanzi reef. can please put a picture up of the female fish?I will be able to tell you if they are Mazanzi reef or Red empressI breed Both species, Mazanzis are being breed in australia already for a while. They are a very nice fish.Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny Brasco Posted August 26, 2015 Author Share Posted August 26, 2015 I'll take a pic of the only 3 females I kept later today Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
intern1 Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 I have some i am growing out which are manzini reef growing them out to see how they turn currently 6cm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny Brasco Posted August 29, 2015 Author Share Posted August 29, 2015 I may be keen on getting a couple of girls off you once they are ready mate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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