TropheusQueen Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 I have always loved this map. I first saw it on Jessica's site a long time ago Having a look at it again I now have variants from all main compass points as well as a few in between . Aline Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wormboy Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 As an ecologist, I've always wondered about that map. If you roughly divide the lake into south and north you will notice that there are twice as many variants in the south than in the north (44 vs 22 by that map). Is it some natural phenomenon or is it a bias caused by greater research and catching in the south? Any suggesstions from those who know more than I? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Posted November 8, 2005 Author Share Posted November 8, 2005 I wonder if its because there is more food available for them in the southern part of the lake. What ever the reason its an interesting question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoliroMan Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 Wormboy...u have really fallen for the Tropheus bait, worm, hook and sinker!!!! We would luv it if u could do research into the reason for this uneven distribution of tropheus - u may find that what u are suggesting is correct. But i guess Nigel's suggestion makes sense as well. Also if u don't mind, in your travels on google, please post all the picks of tropheus variants u can find so we can all have a look as well!! Us tropheus freaks will really appreciate this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ged Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 I wonder if the distribution pattern has less to do with the availability of food and more to do with the availability of the correct habitat for them to occupy. Tropheus as Aufwuchs-feeding cichlids are reliant on the rocky habitat and a sandy stretch may become a barrier to movement. With the variation in water levels in the lake over a long period tropheus species would have became isolated and developed into the varieties that we have today. I agree that food plays a role in the processes as it is this rocky habitat the aufwuchs grows on. Looking at Jessica's map it would indicate that the southern end of the lake has more rock outcrops than the north. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wormboy Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 Food source is a good speciation factor but that tends to affect morphology of the mouth and feeding apparatus also they all eat exactly the same thing. What we have here are almost identifcal fish (within each species) with the the only difference being colouration. To me this points more towards sexual selection coupled with some habitat partitioning perhaps. Looking at Jessica's map it would indicate that the southern end of the lake has more rock outcrops than the north. Or many but more osolated outcroppings leading to more morphs. Conversely, fewer but larger, continuous reefs may mean fewer but more widely distributed morphs in the north. Wormboy...u have really fallen for the Tropheus bait, worm, hook and sinker!!!! says you you tropheus maniac either that or I like procrastinating Oh and dont you mean spirulina flake, hook and sinker Also if u don't mind, in your travels on google, please post all the picks of tropheus variants u can find so we can all have a look as well!! Us tropheus freaks will really appreciate this! will do, (also a great procrastination tool) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoliroMan Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 Ged, your explanation makes the most sense. It sounds so familar, i have heard it somewhere before....i think it was in the Tropheus Aqualog book. Great book i might add. Wormboy....one of the rules of the Tropheus Club is: There should not be any procrastination but to make your dreams reality! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wormboy Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 I actually meant that tropheus was the means by which I was procrastinating my other real work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parrdog Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 Far out man , this thread is goin' freakin' nuts! I am lovin' it . The thought of all these Tropheus variants becoming available is making my head spin. I think my empty 5 footer ( with cab, hood, light and canister) in the garage is going to start talking to me in my sleep . Thanks for the great read guys , Jamie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anchar Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 the southern end of the lake has more rock outcrops than the north. Spot on Ged. Food and habitat are the two limiting factors for species distribution/variation. In the south there are many more rocky outcrops, coves and (if I remember correctly) depth variation. These geographical/geological features promote habitat diversification (through zonation), which in turn increases the number of ecological niches. Therefore, this means more species types etc. etc. Andrea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anchar Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 I just noticed that the T type I like doesn't appear on the list/map....typical! Just my luck Andrea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoliroMan Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 Jamie...u need to take that 5 footer out and use it! Think of the good u can do for the hobbie and the many hours of joy u will bring people who buy your fry! Andrea...u must take the plunge and go for some serious tropheus! They will really like your sandstone/limestone rock habitats and your Tangyanika replica rock backgrounds! And u can use the Val infested mini-reef to keep the water pristine and nitrate-free! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wormboy Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 here are some photos I just happened to come by while procrastinating some more the line returns are a little haywire but I though it better to post links rather than photos as the download would be horrendus. Also I havn't debugged any links so let me know if any dont work. (all photos courtesy of google and there were many more out there) moba 1 mwerazi 1 2 zongwe 1 2 kapampa 1 2 mvua 1 2 Cape Kachese 1 2 Nundo head 1 2 chilanga chilanga-nkamba Linagu 1 2 nangu 1 2 chaitika 2 kaku 1 katoto 1 2 kasakalawe 1 2 mutondwe 1 mbita 1 2 golden Kalambo 1 kasanga muzi 1 kala 1 Kala yellow rainbow wampembe 1 Hinde b (young?) namansi II namansi fiery fry kisambala kipili Kapampa 1 2 mpimbwe 1 2 Lupota cant find any photos, perhaps they are slightly misspelled nsumbu, molwe, lunangwe, mamalesa, ulwili, korongwe, kabwe, karema, kalya, sibwesa you all know what they look like ilangi, ikola, bulu point, moliro, chipimbi, chimba, ndole told you I was too far gone to be saved from the tropheus bug which in turn increases the number of ecological niches. Therefore, this means more species types etc. etc. Andrea, but why does this lead to colour variation only? -Mat- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anchar Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 Mat..not sure but at a guess I'd say due to the dense number of niches, the species would have to overlap at habitat borders/boundaries. There would have to be cross breeding occuring naturally amounst the variants. For example, lets say colony A (yellow) overlaps colony B (blue)...you get colony C (green). Colony C (green) overlaps with colony A and B so you get two more variants...one bluey green and one yellowy green...and so on. The more niches that are present leads to more variation in populations because there are many more boundaries (that become blended). Boundaries are often only defined by a line of rocks or a fallen log. Once Nemo decides to swim off the reef... Usually these types of variations are formed through the necessity to survive (ie. colour variations generally occur to allow animals to camoflague into their background). That being said, I doubt that there are red, green, yellow, blue, purple, orange.....rocks in the lake. I believe that if you follow the west side of the lake down towards the bottom corner, you can see how the T. moorii "****" turn from one type into the other. At some stage there would have only been one T. moorii (red). Andrea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Posted November 8, 2005 Author Share Posted November 8, 2005 Maybe there might be some on this site. Try this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parrdog Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 Nice one Worm . Thanks for digging out the pics, good stuff mate. Jamie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jebe Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 Unknown Tropheus crazzzzzy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoliroMan Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 Wormboy...u have really made us Tropheus maniacs proud to have u join our club today! U have proven yourself worthy of being called a Tropheus freak!!! I thought i was the only one scouring the net for Tropheus pics! Keep posting mate! Here are a few choice pics i chose from your list: Moops! (go Jamie, go! - fry will be available soon, please take a number, he will call u when your lucky number is reached! ) Kasakalawe Chaitika - who said they were ugly? Chaitika Katoto - a breeding colony spotted in St George Aquarium a week ago! Katoto Golden Kalambo OB - only a mother could luv this one or maybe Josh!!! Golden Kalambo Kipili - quite stunning but aggressive! Not for the novice! Kipili Namansi fiery fry - outstanding colours as juveniles but not as good when mature. Namansi Fiery Andrea....luv your explanation of how the different variants naturally cross-breed in the wild. This in no way endorses controlled in-vitro cross-breeding experiments amongst members of the tropheus club!!! Enjoy! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoliroMan Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 Jebe...where did u find that pic? Is it some kind of golden morph Ilangi or the mythical Golden Moliro? Or have u been playing with Photoshop? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wormboy Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 Woah Dave, you may have to resize a couple of those pics (Golden Kalambo and Chaitika). I cant even get half of that Kalambo on my screen. This in no way endorses controlled in-vitro cross-breeding experiments amongst members of the tropheus club!!! I trust that it should read "This in no way endorses controlled in-vitro cross-breeding experiments amongst fish of the members of the tropheus club" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trofius Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 when you see a picture of the aqualog tropheus varient map, it fits together much better. When you see the pics in relation to there locals you can see how they gradually change. ie from north of moliro/livua they are much darker black/red, going down the coast they get progresively lighter, and more yellow appears, as in moliros, chipimbi, then Kachese, ilangi, nkonde, linangu, kuzumbas. but basically the blacks are NE, and NW reds are SW, rainbows are SE, brichardi hang abouts the middle on both sides, as do the anectanns. also in the north are assumed to be the older populatipns of tropheus, like the duboisi, and as such there are a few established colony types, while in the south this is probably till udergoing change, and refinement. more areas of divide as well in the north with quite a few large river mouths as mentioned earlier i beleive that collectability will also play a role in what is known, remembering that all the acesable areas are in the south, a more friendly country, much unlike most of the western side...congo, and all its cival wars etc. By the way love all the pics. keep em coming! ED: at 162 posts and 2813 views does this post hold any records....yet..? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Posted November 8, 2005 Author Share Posted November 8, 2005 Dave how about resizing the golden kalambo photo by the way all the photos of fish you posted I have imported over the years including the golden kalambo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jebe Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 gday dave the pic came from http://www.lille.webstore.fr/cichlidsforum/forums/uploads/ do a (Ctrl f) for "Troph-kal-2" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stagfest Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 OMG!!! That purple moops is fantastic!! Who did you say had some fry...I shall take my ticket now and wait in line to be served!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoliroMan Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 Wormboy...i think anything that refers to our Tropheus also applies to the members!!!! Pic has been resized now! Trofius....great to see our Tropheus club members have detailed knowledge of our favourite fish! Stagfest....Jamie (Parrdog) and Jim should have MOOPie fry! They are stunning fish! Jebe..still have no idea what tropheus variant that is! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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