gianniz Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Can some tell me what type of alto this is. I don't think its gold as I have had them before and I don't think its gold head either. I was told it was Mbita but I can't seem to find any info or pics PS it doesn't matter what they are I still like them, but I am a aquarist so I think its my responsibility to know exactly what I have Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chevguy Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I'm definitely no expert on Alto's, but possibly Redfins? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gianniz Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 previously i've had firefins, goldhead, gold, sumbu, yellow and black calvus. they kinda look cross between gold and goldhead. Problem is that my previous calvus didn't have this brown colouration at all... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma2938 Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 how old are they? Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gianniz Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 i am guessing 6months. I got them when it was 2-3cm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chorrylan Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 they look like a mbita to me... but.... it really shouldn't be an excercise of trying to "pick a species" for your fish. If you're uncertain of what species/locality of fish you're buying the appropriate time to clarify this is before buying them. Whom did you buy them from? Are they sure they're mbita (if not why did you buy them?) Why did they believe they were Mbita?, Do their parents look like Mbita? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gianniz Posted January 3, 2009 Author Share Posted January 3, 2009 great question Laurie but I trust my seller why cause his Grant lol he did told me he bought them as mbita but he doubts it himself. He think its more gold head but again I am asking as he wasn't sure himself and from my previous experience it didn't look like the typical gold head. I bought them because they were still stunning fish and I was confident someone here will be able to clarify things clearly for me as the fish matures. I have never heard of mbita or can even find any info on the net about them, so I was hoping someone on this forum can shine some light on this Thanks, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattnshez Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Hi gianniz i keep mbita and i do have doubts about the colouring on yours i do agree with laurie they are very similar but i think there is a possibility of a cross somewhere along the line have a squiz here it might shed some light for you http://www.cichlidforum.com/profiles/species.php?id=2280 cheers matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma2938 Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Hi Gianniz, Altos can be difficult to describe. They are very slow growing to start with, They change colour to their surrounds. and there are quite a few varieties that look similar. So I think you may have what you bought them as. But you wont be able to be sure until you are sure you have adult fish (even then it may not be totally evident). The link Matt posted about Mbita was a dwarf variety, in which case they will not grow as much as other Alto's. I agree totally with Laurie, you cant try and guess or give your fish a locality! Or there will be people buying one fish and then selling them as others which will certainly leed to hybrids. Even the experts struggle to correctly Id certain fish, If grant said they were Mbita then you have Mbita. Did he have the adults? If not where did he get them? Like I said wait till they grow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gianniz Posted January 3, 2009 Author Share Posted January 3, 2009 Grant did have the parents but he wasn't 100% convince Regarding colour, you are right, these fish change colour in an instant. sometimes goldish other time brownish. I guess time will tell for sure regarding that link, thats sumbu and as far as I was told mbita and sumbu are different. heres my sumbu i got off fins long time ago along with gold. notice the colour difference between my previous gold and my current mbita? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gianniz Posted January 3, 2009 Author Share Posted January 3, 2009 i found a pic of mbita found it on http://nswcs-illawarra.com/ mine looks like the top 2 but not the one in the shell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma2938 Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 I thought sumbus looked like this. Check this post out. As I said in my previous post, even the pros get confused. http://www.cichlidae.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2090 http://www.destin-tanganyika.com/Galerie/p...Sumbu-shell.htm Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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