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Cynotilapia afra


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I was checking out different profiles and noticed this group. They look really interesting and dont appear to be a very difficult group to keep.

Any one know if they are available, or know what they are like to keep, easy/hard etc.

Cheers

Tim.

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I keep the Cobwe variant, and they are just about the best fish I've kept. Never any aggression, beautiful colour, small size. They tolerate other males fine (but only one or two will show full colour). Females have a nice light blue sheen to the bodies as well, and can even show some yellow on the head.

Great breeders, they start breeding at 5cm or so as well.

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Its Cobue, its the name of the collection point. Here is a link to all the fish found at Cobue Click Click Also here is a link to an awesome interactive map of some of the collection points around lake malawi. Lake map(click click) HTH Cheers Andy

PS Better stay on topic, Ive got Afra Cobue too and there an awesome fish! yes.gif Id go some Cobue`s just for a little extra colour as opposed to normal afras.

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Actually it's Cobwe. The latest and best reference is Konings Malcich 3 and it lists the species AND the location on the map as Cobwe. If you do a search of the location, you will see that they are currently bringing out stamps from the region with Cobwe printed on them. Not sure when it changed, but it has. We've had this conversation on the forum before and it was determined back then wink.gif I even emailed Ad Konings personally and he confirmed it's "Cobwe". smile.gif

Paparossco, A 3ft tank would be fine for a small colony, or even a 2x2x2 cube.

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Hey Andy,

Fair enough mate, id always thought it was Cobwe too untill i saw this post and thought id do some reading on it, the above info was from Cichlid Press. dntknw.gifthumb.gif Anyways il take ya word on it wink.gif Cheers Andy

*edit* Down the bottom of the webpages i have linked too say "All maps and photos are copyrighted by Ad Konings and Cichlid Press." dntknw.gif

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Yeah it's still a grey area, but it has changed. Just email Ad if you want confirmation. That's the only way I was totally convinced.

This is from cichlidpress:

http://www.cichlidpress.com/safari/travelguide.htm

And an passage from it:

There are two proper immigration stations at the Mozambique border along the lake, at Cobwe and Metangula; entering the country at other places depends on local arrangements.
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Tim, they get on well with just about any other similar sized fish.

I wouldn't put them in with any other fish that looks similar (with black barring) as they'll probably try to crossbreed.

In with yellows, msobo or something without the barring and that isn't light blue should be ok. You don't need another species with them though. A few males and a bunch of females in a 4 footer would look nice.

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A 3ft tank would be fine for a small colony, or even a 2x2x2 cube.

Thanks for that so I assume a 2x18x18 is too small. It is just that I have 12 of them in my fish room smile.gif . I was only planning to use most of them as shellie tanks and grow out tanks, but you never know

Cheers

Rosco

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I'd say too small, but as long as you have another option if things go badly, then you could try it I suppose.

I've always had mine on their own in a 4x2, and it looks a bit bare as they are quite small compared to other mbuna, but they seem perfectly happy.

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Hi Guys -

We've had the Cobwe vs Cobue debate - and while I find some of Ad's taxonomic findings (this isnt taxonomy, I know) a bit "rushed", Cobwe appears to be correct. On a recent trip to Malawi by the NSWCS there was confirmation that 'Cobwe' is indeed the spelling of the place - despite a different spelling in most atlas's etc.

I've no problem with what it is called but we need to be consistent. If we've C. afra 'Cobwe' then we also should be Aulonocara stuartgranti 'Cobwe'. It seems weird to me that one spelling is adopted for one fish while the other is frequently tagged with the other.

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Hi guys,

with regard to the "Cubue V's Cobwe" issue...I was under the impression that a concensus had been reached, where to save confussion we would refer to the Aulonocara as "Cobue" and the afra as "Cobwe"?!

Maybe I had it all wrong. dry.gif

But, seeing as it is mostly us fish geeks making the destinction and we know(occasionally) what we are talking about when it comes to this particular location...would that be too hard? dntknw.gifzipit.gifthumbsupsmileyanim.gif

In answer to the topic question...I agree with Andy completely, they are one of my favorite species and deffinately my favorite Mbuna(that I have anyway). Their size and colouration makes them popular with everyone who looks at the tank.

I think that, for the long term, 3x2x15 would be the smallest tank that a good sized group(12) of these guys would be happy in but if you get a large group of fry to select from & choose the less aggressive males to have in you final group you may be able to use the 2x18x18...I just do not think there is enough length in that sized tank. I have found that there are nasty individuals among the C.afra(Cobwe) that I have had, for example the dom male I have ATM will not let any other male Cobwe colour in the tank...where as another male I had, before, was still boss but let 1 other male show his colour.

I have found the same thing with my polit & elongatus, different Genus I know but still relevent.

If you are only allowed to have one tank, I have a thumb-print on my head too LOL.gif , you would be better of getting a bigger one, 4x2x2 maybe?? Then I would suggest other mbuna to share the tank with them but if you are sticking em in a small tank I would not add other fish.

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Hi Maz -

Its a location wink.gif. We cant change its name to suit our convenience. If its to be spelt "Cobwe" then we should apply the same name to all fish from this locality.

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If your talking Maz I dont mind how you spell it LOL! and neither, I suggest, will the person you are talking to.

If we are writing, however, the use of the two names implies two localities. Its confusing and unnecessary. Especially when we already have a good way to tell them apart: one being Aulonocara stuartgranti 'Cobwe' and the other being Cynotilapia afra 'Cobwe' LOL.gif.

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Sweet with me, I would hardly use anything less that the full scientific name if I was asking a question about any particular fish...but if ya happen to be chatting with me(in text format, Mr Smarty YeW tongue.gif ) and I say something about "Cobue", rest assured I am not talking about afra. dry.gifbigsmile.gifLOL.gif

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well i keep lions cove and i think they are nice and mainly the gold colour of the cobwe head but all over and blue in the fins mine havent coloured yet but are displaying a bit so i hope to have a decent colony out of the 13 i have

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laugh.gif Maz i was told the same thing recently that they were both spelt diffrent! Its a location though how can it be spelt diffrently?Thats why when i saw the second or 3rd post down where they wernt sure on the "w" or the "u" i thought id try and clear it up but by the looks of it cichlid press release conflicting information so im happy to take Andys & NSWCS word for it. thumb.gif Cheers Andy

PS we should let this post get back on topic... Questions about Afras, not us trying to clear up localities! laugh.gif

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This is a little offtopic but here goes anyway

Thanks Maz and Andy for the afra keeping info.

I will have to revert to plan B for keeping them I think. Plan B is get a new rack made up to house my 6x2's so they are on the same rack, replace my standard 4' tank with a new 6x2 display tank for the house Move one of 6x2 from the fish room into the house and the new one on the 6x2 rack into the house as I wll get it drilled the ame side as tank staying in the fish room. Where the old 6x2 was in the fish room replace it with 2 3x2's and it will be sweet.

If you are confused I am not surprised this is the explaination that I gave to my wife so she would not understand what I want to do so she would not care what I did LOL.gif Sure it will cost me thousands but won't it be worth it thumbsupsmileyanim.gif

cheers

Rosco

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