johns Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 Hi All Came across these fish the other day male is blue with black bars and females are blotched will get some pics up soon, any information on these as I am looking at getting them. They are with a very reputable cichlid keeper of over 20yrs who says they breed true. Cheers John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattrox Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 I have never heard of that variety. However, with a name like that, it sounds like a German or european "trade name". Could be a tank bred variety of a certain colour variety?? *EDIT- scratch that refer to next post. More investigation needed, but if you like them and they breed true get them. Any pics? Could help with a closer ID. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattrox Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 or are they these? http://www.bigskycichlids.com/Mslim_compact.htm http://www.malawi-dream.info/Maylandia_sp_zebra_slim.htm Also found this reference. http://www.webcityof.com/miffIdx10look.php...=Pseudotropheus Pseudotropheus 'Zebra Mbamba Bay Kompakt' See Pseudotropheus sp 'Zebra Slim' Note that the taxonomy is not according to Ad Konings "Malawi Cichlids in their natural habitat", 4th ed but by the looks of the references are all the same fish. Just need to know for sure if "yours" is the same as this. Which highlights the need to keep up-to-date with current taxonomy and recording accurate names. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johns Posted November 16, 2010 Author Share Posted November 16, 2010 or are they these? http://www.bigskycichlids.com/Mslim_compact.htm http://www.malawi-dream.info/Maylandia_sp_zebra_slim.htm Also found this reference. http://www.webcityof.com/miffIdx10look.php...=Pseudotropheus Pseudotropheus 'Zebra Mbamba Bay Kompakt' See Pseudotropheus sp 'Zebra Slim' Note that the taxonomy is not according to Ad Konings "Malawi Cichlids in their natural habitat", 4th ed but by the looks of the references are all the same fish. Just need to know for sure if "yours" is the same as this. Which highlights the need to keep up-to-date with current taxonomy and recording accurate names. Hi Mattrox Thank you very much for the help these are exactly what they look like based on this I have ordered a trio will upload some pics shortly. Males are blue and females are OB. Its good to know we have another variety available to us in the hobby. Will look forward to seeing the fry. Cheers John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattrox Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 Make sure they are the same, try to find out how he got the name "elongatus". It's best to be using their correct name as it makes it simpler to know what the fish actually is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobaltcraig Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 Hi John I have seen them some time ago in a retail store here in Sydney Nice fish Cheers Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanned_guru Posted November 18, 2010 Share Posted November 18, 2010 I'd be keen to see photos. There were a few 'kompakts' floating around a couple of years ago but weren't as slim/elongate as you would expect. Hard to say if they were hybrids or just typical australian stock. I probably should point out for those not familar with this fish, males can be either BB or OB (roughly 1 in 10 males will be OB) and females can be either OB or O (with OB being typical, probably 99 out of every 100 girls.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattrox Posted November 19, 2010 Share Posted November 19, 2010 I'd be keen to see photos. There were a few 'kompakts' floating around a couple of years ago but weren't as slim/elongate as you would expect. Probably because they are neither Pseudotropheus or "elongatus". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mbuna Posted November 19, 2010 Share Posted November 19, 2010 i would say they are the M. zebra 'Kompact' or 'Slim' these have been around for ages and fit the description. Kanned_guru is right, the males can also be OB (Marmelade cat). correct me if im wrong but i dont think there is an OB elongatus type? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattrox Posted November 19, 2010 Share Posted November 19, 2010 I hate when they get names wrong! It puts me of buying what could be spectacular fish, but I am not familiar with and don't want to buy something if I am not 100% sure about what it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanned_guru Posted November 19, 2010 Share Posted November 19, 2010 Probably because they are neither Pseudotropheus or "elongatus". I wasn't the one who mislabelled them as either Pseudotropheus or elongatus if that is what you were getting at. If you are familiar with the fish you would see my point; they are typically a very slim and elongated fish, much more so than any Pseudotropheus elongatus. The ones I have seen in Australia in the past have had a much more typical mbuna shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattrox Posted November 19, 2010 Share Posted November 19, 2010 No, I know you didn't mislabel them. I just stated I hate it when I come across it because there is always that doubt about what they are. In this series of pics the 1st male (and females) are slim, but the next male fish is rounder. Maybe they fill out as they mature? Maybe it is individual difference within the species? http://www.malawi-dream.info/Maylandia_sp_zebra_slim.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanned_guru Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 The ones I have seen have been the shape of Metriclima callanois or estherae, although I am tempted to put that down to the limited gene pool that was originally available here. They were beautiful fish, but trying to convince anyone that they weren't a 20c OB zebra was totally impossible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattrox Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 Ad Konings (2007) Malawi Cichlids in Their Natural Habitat, p56. "It is possible to argue that that geographical variation between M. zebra populations is acceptable, and this may include variation in morphology, such as the "Zebra Slim" would become another geographical variatan of M. zebra. But for the time being it is treated as a distinct species that is characterised by a slender body." I guess if it doesn't have a slender body it would be hard to convice anyone that it is different than a 20c Zebra. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattrox Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 Hi Mattrox Thank you very much for the help these are exactly what they look like based on this I have ordered a trio will upload some pics shortly. Males are blue and females are OB. Its good to know we have another variety available to us in the hobby. Will look forward to seeing the fry. Cheers John Keep us posted would be really good to see your fish! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquatic_Dreams Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 Any updates? Would really love to see some pics of this species. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johns Posted December 13, 2010 Author Share Posted December 13, 2010 Hi All Finally got the male to a size to photograph (about actual size) Females still small and he keeps them up the back of the tank will try to get a pic of them later John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattrox Posted December 13, 2010 Share Posted December 13, 2010 I like the irridescent blue of the dorsal fin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dobbin4 Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 Nice ,, but bet he looks so much better in the flesh!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YAL05T Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 They sound like Metriaclima sp. "Zebra Blue". Also known as "Blueberry Kompact", I sold off quite a number after having them confirmed on a few different websites, including my breeders when I got out of Africans. They ended up being spread around the Central Coast, Newcastle and Sydney. I have a few pics about, I will see what I can turn up. Mine also originally came from a low profile reputable keeper of cichlids with a lot of years in the hobby too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattrox Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 They sound like Metriaclima sp. "Zebra Blue". Also known as "Blueberry Kompact", I sold off quite a number after having them confirmed on a few different websites, including my breeders when I got out of Africans. They ended up being spread around the Central Coast, Newcastle and Sydney. I have a few pics about, I will see what I can turn up. Mine also originally came from a low profile reputable keeper of cichlids with a lot of years in the hobby too. Except that "sp zebra blue' isn't striped in the non OB form. Perhaps a misidentification? http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1464 "Comments: M. sp. "Zebra Blue" has 2 color forms. The normal male color is a solid pale blue, lacking any vertical bars. Females are a dark beige color with very faint vertical bars. The OB males can vary dramatically. Some remnants of vertical bars may be visible, but these are blue-blotched. What distinguishes this OB male from those of other zebra types is the absolute lack of black pigment. Their body exhibits an overall peach sheen (not blue as in other zebra type OB males) and the dark blue and purple blotches are distributed over the entire body, including the fins. OB males occur with a frequency of 1:100 in captivity and are quite rare. OB males can only be produced from OB parents. OB females are orange and beige blothced. Again, there is a lack of black pigment. Juveniles have the normal female coloration until sexually mature. OB males and females do not aquire the botches until at least 3 months old." http://www.malawi-dream.info/Maylandia_sp_...leri_Island.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattrox Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Also found this http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtop...a81fcd72998cf3c Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbunamad Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 I had a colony of these which i sold recently. I bought them as 5 cm juvies from a breeder who sold them as Metriaclima Kompact. He also called them blueberry. They were more typical mbuna shape than slim. Males were either blue with dark blue vertical barring or blotched. Females were blotched. About 6 years ago MikeW was selling them as Kompacts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattrox Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 We don't have these in SA as far as I am aware as they just aren't available. That is why I am so interested in these fish. From my research into the old names there is only one fish that has been called "Kompakt", "compact" or "Kompact" and that has now been referred to as M. "zebra slim" by Ad Konings. And "Blueberry" seems to be a descriptive name for OB males with a blue sheen. I might just add I hate common names as they cause so much confusion... Don't even start me on "Flameback" LOL I'm now on the look out for breeders who would ship to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johns Posted March 24, 2011 Author Share Posted March 24, 2011 We don't have these in SA as far as I am aware as they just aren't available. That is why I am so interested in these fish. From my research into the old names there is only one fish that has been called "Kompakt", "compact" or "Kompact" and that has now been referred to as M. "zebra slim" by Ad Konings. And "Blueberry" seems to be a descriptive name for OB males with a blue sheen. I might just add I hate common names as they cause so much confusion... Don't even start me on "Flameback" LOL I'm now on the look out for breeders who would ship to me. Hi Mattrox Thanks for all the research mine have started to breed but girls not holding full term yet. If you do find any for sale let me know as i would like to increase the colony as have 1m 5f for now. cheers john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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