Boom Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 (edited) Hey all, I thought this fish was a male Ps. elongatus, but she ain't! How do I know it's a girl? 'Cause she's holding! The female Ps. elongatus is described as drab brown, which this fish aint! What is she? another pic, same fish. I'm gonna have to remove her as she's in my all male tank. Ha ha, that'll be fun! Here is the daddy, *edit* I'm quite sure now that this guy is a Cyn afra "jalo reef". Thanks callie. Thanks for the help. Boom :boom: Edited January 10, 2009 by Boom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie Posted January 6, 2009 Report Share Posted January 6, 2009 definitely not a hongi. 2 reason females dont look like that and neither do the male hongis I think that it may be Yellow Top Mbamba but your females bars are not very thick my other strong thought is cynotilapia afra jalo reef http://images.google.ca/images?gbv=2&h...G=Search+Images Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie Posted January 6, 2009 Report Share Posted January 6, 2009 OOOPS I means males bars arent very thick. heres a another pic of a "jalo reef" http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http...l%3Den%26sa%3DG I would agree the female PS. Elong. are brownish with a few bars on thier back. There should be a photo of a female in the link above Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boom Posted January 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2009 Hey Callie, thanks very much. I think the second fish, the male, is definitely a Cyn afra "jalo reef" I compared my pics with multiple pics you provided and I would say thats definitely the fish for sure! But what about the first fish? My "female"? I looked again last night and now I'm not even 100% sure that "she" is holding. But the fish's mouth looks big in the chin area and it looks like she's moving it or "tumbling". And it was also the only fish that the Cyn afra "jalo reef" was letting near his cave, and he was doing the shimmy shake in front of "her". I don't know, I'm confused. I've seen holding fish enough times before but in this tank with so many fish it just seems harder to tell. Maybe I'll just give it some time. But the only fish I can find that looks like it is this: Ps. elongatus especially the second picture in the drop down. But it is only listed as an "adult"...??? Boom :boom: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted January 6, 2009 Report Share Posted January 6, 2009 I too think she looks like a Ps. elongatus. The problem with elongatus is that it's a pretty comlex group of (sub)species, so it's very hard to get a positive ID. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie Posted January 6, 2009 Report Share Posted January 6, 2009 I wouldnt be surprised to know that these two spawned considering they are so similar in markings. You can also tell if she is holding if she does not eat, and I also sometime catch them to check and see. I use those dental floss sticks that are made for kids after I pull the fish out and hock her bottom lip and look in. I will see what I can find out today about your female Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boom Posted January 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2009 (edited) Thanks very much guys. I tried to see last night if she was eating but it's such a frenzy with 50+ fish in that tank at feeding time, that I lost track of her and couldn't tell. I will definitely be keeping an eye to be sure over the next little while. Have either of you seen a Ps. elongatus female colored up like that ever? I've been reading as much as Ican find and everything says they stay brown / grey. Thats why I'm thinking either we're mistaken about the species all together, or I'm mistaken about "her" holding, and it is indeed a male. And another option is it may be a hybrid! I'll keep an eye out and update. Thanks again! Boom :boom: Edited January 6, 2009 by Boom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnaw Posted January 6, 2009 Report Share Posted January 6, 2009 What a beautiful fish! I love those colours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted January 6, 2009 Report Share Posted January 6, 2009 I've never seen a blue female P. elongatus.... If it is an hybrid, it's a very nice one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mmamnstr Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 I have a 4" Pseudotropheus elongatus "Mpanga" Female, at least thinking thats her that I got from here as a breeding pair and the boy died.. so she has held.... She is blue! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 I didnt have much time so I couldnt find anything new about your possible girl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boom Posted January 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 Well I am now VERY sure that this is a holding female. In the past few days her buccal cavity has gotten noticeably bigger. I can see her tumbling the eggs, and food has dropped right in front of her face on several occasions, and she doesn't touch it! I can't believe the color of this fish! I've NEVER seen a female mbuna like this! So what to do? I'm keeping her, and keeping her in the 180 with "the boys". No damage is being done to her, and once she spits, I'm guessing that all the fry will be eaten by, well, probably most of the other fish. Let nature take it's coarse. Still would like to know what she is, but I guess I may never know. Boom :boom: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boom Posted January 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 I posted this on CF as well. Looks like I may have got my answer! The female, likely a hybrid, takes on the strong coloration of a male to avoid being overly harasseD in an all male tank. Wierd, considering some of the males I have won't color up and look more like females in the same tank! Anyway, the male Cyno. afra "jalo reef" may also be a hybrid. That's fine by me as he's an awesome looking fish none-the-less. The fost from the other forum is HERE for your perusal. Thanks for all the help. Boom :boom: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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