Nigel Posted January 15, 2005 Share Posted January 15, 2005 Anybody know what this is? As I am not good at mbuna ID I thouhgt some one might have an idea. Its supposed to be Metriaclima estherae or is it Metriaclima callainos. The problem is the bars all the Cobalt zebras I have seen dont have them. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ant Posted January 15, 2005 Share Posted January 15, 2005 looks like Metriaclima Callainos to me EDIT: I've changed my mind after looking at some pics Looks like Metriaclima Estherae with those bars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilli Powder Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 It does have the color of a cobalt blue but I have not seen any bars on them either. Could it be a cross? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Miller Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 Hi Nigel, I'm no expert on Cobalt Blues (the real expert is some guy called Cobaltcraig ) but I've got 30 Cobalts (Metriaclima callainos), developing into a nice colony, and none of them are showing any barring like the fish in your photo. Cheers, Lee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danpri Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 I can't recall ever seeing a cobalt with barring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaZ Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 None of mine have barring either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobaltcraig Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 Hi All I can say none of my breeding colony or cobalts that I have kept in the last 5yrs have had barring The fish in question could be a cross with another zebra species Thats all I can say on that cheers craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Posted January 17, 2005 Author Share Posted January 17, 2005 I agree with everyone I dont think its a Cobalt zebra either. The guy who has it thinks its a Metriaclima estherae from what I can find out about these they are still not sure this is even a species. So some of you maybe right it may be a hybrid. Does anyone know anything about this Estherae species? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danpri Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 I think it's a line bred type. Over to the experts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rol&Jas Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 I was breeding M. callanois "cobalt blue zebras" for a year and none of them had barring. The cobalt blues have also a more elongated body, compared to other zebras that have deep body. The one on the picture has a deeper body so I suspect it is a M. estherae (but I am not an expert on them). Roland Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Posted January 17, 2005 Author Share Posted January 17, 2005 Has anyone got a good clear photo of a Metriaclima callanios? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gav Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 This is a pic of one of mine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Miller Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 Hi all, Well, just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water....... I had no doubt that Metriaclima estherae was a true species (we saw them at Minos Reef and caught some for Esther Grant's loungeroom display pond). I believe the confusion here lies with the 'Pulu Point' zebras (now there's a doubtful species! ). Several breeders have claimed that the 'Pulu Point' zebras are linked/related to the estherae To clarify things in my own mind I had a look at Ad Koning's 'Malawi 3'. After all, I think it was Ad who discovered the estherae and named them after Stuart Grant's wife Esther. Well, blow me down, on page 56 Ad has a photo of a Metriaclima callainos 'Chitande Island' that looks very similar to the photo posted by Nigel. It certainly has barring Nigel's photo also looks very much like the Metriaclima estherae 'Gome Rock' shown on page 57. So, the confusion still hasn't been resolved. But I still haven't seen any barred Metriaclima callainos in Australia, and I tend to agree with the general concensus that the fish in the photo isn't a Metriaclima callainos. Cheers, Lee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Posted January 17, 2005 Author Share Posted January 17, 2005 I guess I should say that the photo is a fish someone I know in Canada has. I think I should have said that from the start. So it may very well be an estherae. The problem he has is that its in a tank with what I believe to be callainos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiTe_TiGeR Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 Hi Nigel, I would say if it is one of the fish you mentioned it would be Metriaclima estherae, i have about 100 cobalts at home at the moment and there is definatley no barring. But the fish to me looks like Metriaclima sp. "blue zebra" i have seen collected from Maleri Island I couldnt find a pic on the net Cheers Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishfreak Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 It is a metriaclima estherae i have fry at the moment at 3cm the young males have the barring while the girls are orange. The adults are at a friends house and the male looks a cobolt blue type of fish ,will look for the barring next time i am around there. There is a picture on Big Sky Cichlids showing a blue cobolt type male with light bars and red tinges (could be from colour food) named as maylandia estherae. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Posted January 17, 2005 Author Share Posted January 17, 2005 Thanks everyone for your help I think it has answered all the questions. I now know a bit more about these fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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