Jump to content

So lets id this fish?


maxib

Recommended Posts

Sorry if im beating a dead horse...but this is the point of a forum.

First pic is a male (vented) so I know that for sure. Ive been told its a variety of metriaclima zebra but another source says maylandia zebra variety.

20150301_082310_zps0jom5ic4.jpg

the next pic is of a holding female I picked up yesterday. Im suprised she didnt swallow or spit eggs through transport and relocation. The breeder has confirmed she was in a mixed species tank and could have possibly crossbred with a variety of hongi. Im not concerned so will let her spit fry in tank and see what what happens.

20150301_082749_zpsn9bt7imy.jpg

Can anyone confirm an id. There is very little sexual dimorphism. The male in first pic is housed with saulosi and maingano. He has been doing his thing on his own and has shown little interest in his tankmates. When I added the female in the second pic yesterday he was instantly attracted to her. He has been by her side constantly now and is starting to show aggression towards the saulosi and maingano if they come near her. Its as if he realises that she is his 'type'. Then maingano fight with each other, the saulosi fight with each other but both have pretty much segregated themselves, all in all acting peacfully. The breeder is good with nice fish. These fish where originally bred in species only tanks and have only been mixed as juveniles. Please and thankyou.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The point of a forum isn't to go around a around in circles. People have given there thoughts on the first fish. I don't know why they would waste their time doing it again.

If the breed says the second fish could possibly be a hybrid, then that is what it should be considered. With out genetic testing you will never know the truth.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No the second fish isnt a hybrid its offspring might be. It was from species only tank. Im not going around in circles cause no one can positively id this fish. Genetic testing shouldnt be necassary. I was of the opinion that people who have spent a long time in the hobby would have a good idea by viewing this fish. Obviously not. Consider the fact that the taxonomy of this speices is largely through physical differences so look at the fish and id it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

At the end of the day we have to understand a forum is place for people to share information and get information, there's no need to turn it into a wee wEEing contest, but healthy discussion should be welcomed. This debate in itself is a 'horses for courses' example.

on the topic of hybrids, if you aren't looking at selling them on without informing the buyer And are ideally looking at just keeping them, then go for it!! Some can look great if you're into keeping them.

However the cichlid hobby itself as about to hit troubled waters (excuse the pun) and the last thing a purist fishkeeper needs is a fish that is sold as true to locale ending up being a hybrid. Especially with species with numbers that dwindle in the wild. Saulosi are a great example of a pure and true strain that is hard to find.

it was mentioned that we'd need genetic mapping in order to confirm differences but sadly that isn't available.

Hybrids can and do happen in the wild, but understand that this is a rarity and on top of that the odds of survival for the lineage of the hybrid are low.

At the end of the day fishkeeping is something you should enjoy not argue trivially online.

Just my 2 cents..

Cheers,

Dennis

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I get that 100%. Like you said if I wanted to pass the fish on or sell them I would like to be able to say with a high degree of certainty what they are. So I guess my main point is in the wild is there a fish that looks like this? If so what it is.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The high degree of certainty is "possibly a hybrid",,,,,, What happens if your buyer breeds them and sells them, and they are hybrid.

There is no big money lost.

Some species a good breeder buys to breed and sell from, can easily ID some fish and be confident,,,, but with mbuna and alounocara and similars,,,,, then a good breeder will always buy from a ruputable seller for a close to guarantee of purity.

To post and keep questioning, obviously shows your not sure yourself.

So better safe than sorry comes into practice.

At one point you spoke of comparing the questioned fish to a msobo,,,,, the original pic showed yellow females of whatever which gave the impression they came together,,,,, the solousi impurity issues are the crossing of interuptus or msobo and your females are of a interuptus female look.

Clarity and correct description is what's needed in future posts, also dont modify topic pictures after discussions have taken place about it,,,, post the new pic after discussion and change the discussion direction.

Responses are to be used as useful information for yourself.

Debates on fish never end well.

Debates on dry goods isn't so bad,,,,, well I think.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well im new to cichlids and am unsure. There is alot of information to take in and alot of uncertainty among hobbyists. I dont like if I come across arrogant or trying to be a know it all. Thats not the way I am. I can see people are getting frustrated with me but if the blood lines are to remain pure like many hobbyists want them to then it would seem like more certainty is needed otherwise at the end of the day maybe nobody knows what their going to get.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pseudotropheus, Metriclima, Maylandia are the various Genera of what was once all Pseudotropheus

but they have been revised in their Genera and the nomenclature has been revised, this makes it even

more confusing when trying to get a grasp of Latin names

things that make it more confusing is the lack of recording what species people have and then guessing when

it comes time to sell them or the progeny if they breed

even then they may have bought from someone else that has fish incorrectly identified and so it goes along

Zebra's in the OB/BB morph don't normally exhibit yellow in the base colour just varied shades of orange

it also could be just the pics not showing correct colour of the fish

my guess is they were traded as Blueberry or Blueberry compacts ?

this is why I dislike using trade names, most of which are made up by people that look at pictures to help sell fish

and have no idea what the Genera - Species and possibly type local are so they use what they can under the

theme if it looks close enough that's good enough

as far as keeping the fry that she is holding that is your option

as far as passing on any fry once again your option, ethically if the fish is a hybrid then advise that

culling is part of this hobby but some are too soft hearted to do this hence you have the increase in hybrids

in the hobby threatening what genetic material we have in Australia and feral populations of aquarium fish in

local waterways which does the hobby no favours with the import list

your dilemma is something that is all too common with people new hobby and seems to be increasing because

of lack of information at point of sale be it LFS or backyard seller or just a spur of the moment purchase

the only posative way to ID is key the fish out and compare to species type

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...