ViS Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 I've seen some discussion on these fish and it seems that people are a bit confused as to what fish is what (me included). For those who keep these, can I get some feedback (and some nice clear pics of your actual fish)? Here are the species floating around and their names (photo credits A. Konings and P. Burnel) Metriaclima sp. "Black Dorsal Heteropictus" Pseudotropheus heteropictus Chizumulu Maylandia sp "Msobo Heteropictus" And then there's this: http://malawicichlids.com/mw09007e.htm From what I've read of Konings stuff, the "Pseudotropheus heteropictus" only inhabits Thumbi West, or Chizumulu in particular (to be more precise). The others can be found in the local area too, which is why there is a naming confusion so it seems. I think we need to 100% positively confirm the species locality we have here, or else not name a specific locality if we are unsure, as it will lead to confusion down the track if another heteropictus is introduced to Australia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViS Posted January 17, 2006 Author Share Posted January 17, 2006 See according to Mike, this fish is the "Pseudotropheus heteropictus Chizumulu" but looks more like the msobo heteropictus. The Pseudotropheus heteropictus Chizumulu does not have the dark line on the dorsal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViS Posted January 17, 2006 Author Share Posted January 17, 2006 However if you look up pics of the msobo heteropictus on the net it looks different again: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeWs Fish Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 They are all 3 seperate species.. heteropictus means 'different paints' in latin You can get males that look like my photo, you can get males that look like the book, i have both.. i like the look of the male in the photo better. You can get females that start yellow and then turn blue with age. You can even get females that are blue from a very young age. I guess the latin really is a good description of them. I have never seen a yellow male though. They were sold to me as Pseudotropheus heteropictus from a source that I trust. So I assume thats what they are. I must admit I even got confusued when first trying to find information on the web because there are 3 species which share a similar name, as you have mentioned above. I think that was evident when i called them msobo heteropictus when first posting pictures of them, although I was quickly corrected. Andy, as for them looking like a different species... they might... but I have not seen any irregularity of fry across males and the male that you showed doesnt seem to prefer any particular females and spawns with all the females. It might be helpful to not that they grow to 8cm max.. I think some of the other species u mentioned might get a tad bigger like (like up to 12cm) HTH Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gav Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 there is some good pics on this forum, not sure if i am meant to link it but here goes. hetero pics shows a male in canada to good effect Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducksta Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Metriaclima sp. "Black Dorsal Heteropictus" Looks like a white dorsal to me?? The dorsal is still the top fin right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViS Posted January 17, 2006 Author Share Posted January 17, 2006 I was mainly asking how the locality was named, as I believe you said there was no locality when they came in, just "Pseudotropheus heteropictus". I'm trying to work out if there is more than one locality for starters, and if I can find any more pics of males that have the dorsal line. From the pic Gav posted, you most likely have the "Pseudotropheus heteropictus" (although yours shows a lot more black in the dorsal) but we need to identify it's locality if it has one. And ducksta, you should know by now how bad the names match with some fish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeWs Fish Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 I was told by a second source before I bought them that they are from Chizumulu. The person who I bought them off didn't put a location on them. I think that Chizumulu is the only place these particlar fish exist anyways. HTH Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gav Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 one thing i know for sure is if Norm Halliwell has a location he puts it on the fish. everything i have ever seen at riverside has a location if he knows it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ged Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Mike is right when he said that it is endemic to Chizumulu Island. The name was mistakenly given to Metriaclima sp. "black dorsal heteropictus" which is found at Thumbi West Island and this is where the confusion started. Metriaclima sp. "black dorsal heteropictus" was traded at one stage as Pseudotropheus heteropictus but not here Australia as far as I can tell. If Pseudotropheus heteropictus is found only at Chizumulu Island is there a need to provide the location? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducksta Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Not if it is indeed the correct species name (which I assume it is?) I personally laugh when I see Ps. demasoni "Pombo Rocks" for the very same reason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViS Posted January 17, 2006 Author Share Posted January 17, 2006 I personally laugh when I see Ps. demasoni "Pombo Rocks" for the very same reason But isn't there another demasoni variant? Just trying to drag that bit of info from the depths of my brain, but I vaguely remember seeing a less vibrant demaoni variant. Will look for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViS Posted January 17, 2006 Author Share Posted January 17, 2006 Work is blocking me getting to it, but dragged this from Google: He was just probably confused because what most people see are Pombo Rocks demasoni, Not the Mozambique variant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViS Posted January 17, 2006 Author Share Posted January 17, 2006 Aha! I knew I'd seen it before: http://www.cichlidlovers.com/p_demasoni_moz.htm http://www.ohiexchange.com/armke/images/ps..._mozambique.jpg I get duckstas point, as we only have the one variant here as far as I know, but it's still a good idea to get into the habit of naming it's locality, because it may not be the only variant here forever Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducksta Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 As far as I knew, that was a bit of a trade name tacked onto something new they found? I am probably wrong/outdated on that point though and it may now be classified as a demasoni? Either way I don't think anything entered the country with a locality, and it is equally possible that the fish were collected at neighbouring "Ndumbi" since the population allegedly has a large spread across several key collection areas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sooty Posted January 22, 2006 Share Posted January 22, 2006 They are all originally mine, all of em! Norm can call them "breast enlargements" for all I care as he got my heterpictus leftovers! They are Chizumulu Island, anything else will misname em and ruin our Australian line! Happy thinking!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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