Wackinator Posted October 4, 2010 Report Share Posted October 4, 2010 (edited) Who brought the hybrids to the auction? I am curious as I think I should update you as to what happened, As some of you saw in the auction today there were 2 bags attached to each other, one with a 4" Fish and the other with around 10 half inch Fry and the only label was Hybrids. I really liked the look of them even though I know a lot of ppl frown upon hybrids, and maybe that's why no one wanted them so I got them for a buck! When I got home I was debating as to which tank to put them in as one has electric yellows and I am not sure if the two can cross breed or not and the other has a pair of honduran red points with wrigglers, in the end I ended up quickly setting up a 24 gallon for just them. Good thing too as while I was releasing the female in the tank, she opened her mouth and out came around 30 fry!!! If the hybrids belonged to you at one point please message here as I just want to know what they are a mixture of so I can decide suitable tank mates for the big female and Ill try to post a picture here tomorrow in hope that someone can guide me as to what they are as I really really like the look of them. Still can't believe no one took the amazing fish, I now have around 45 of these amazing fish for a dollar! Lets hope the fry live! Edited October 5, 2010 by Wackinator Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanGofCalgary Posted October 4, 2010 Report Share Posted October 4, 2010 Too funny. I was a runner when that fish came up, and we were looking them over and noticed she had spit a few fry out. she was trying to get them back in her mouth from the tiny crease in the bag that she couldn't quite reach them! Typically the club has a record of who the vendor was, so you could check with the CAS at their website. It is entirely possible that whoever sold them, isn't on this website so you're probably better off contacting the CAS. Also if it wasn't a CAS member (look at the vendor number on the bag, that will tell you a lot. If it starts with a C it is a club member), they may not have a contact phone number. (not sure if they insist on a phone number or not). but they might have an email address for you. I am far far from an expert on africans, barely a novice at best, but typically my experience with mouthbrooding africans was that they are really good parents and will defend the young very well. Where you run into problems is if there are fish big enough to eat the fry, sooner or later a fry will wander a bit far from mama, or a hungry fish will make a meal run through the fry when they are out of her mouth. Keep in mind, those 24 fry are going to grow in to 4 inch fish. You'll need a fair amount of tank space, or to selll off a good amount of them at some point. At that time you should consider the postings in the recent hybrid thread and be sure to warn whoever you are selling or transferring the fish to that they are hybrids. Good luck with them! Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
werner Posted October 4, 2010 Report Share Posted October 4, 2010 What was the vendor number? We do keep a record, so you could check at next Tuesday's meeting. Anything numbered in the 200's is probably someone from the Edmonton club; lower than that would be a local seller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingin' It Posted October 4, 2010 Report Share Posted October 4, 2010 It was me...was sellig them for a friend and I couldn't ID them on the spot, so that's why I put hybrids...had no idea. Just knew they were Mbuna. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted October 4, 2010 Report Share Posted October 4, 2010 If you post a pic, we could probably help. Female mbuna are typically easier to identify than peacocks (they all look the same!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingin' It Posted October 4, 2010 Report Share Posted October 4, 2010 I personally think they resembled an Elongatus type, but ya, if you can post a pic it'll definately help when cross-referencing with online material. Someone at the auction did buy the father and another male at the auction for like $6 I think, so if they're on the forum here, maybe they'll sell you the male? lol Just a thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wackinator Posted October 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2010 Thanks everyone! Dan I noticed the couple of fry in the same bag as her a couple of times when just wandering and looking at the tables in the back but I can't believe I didnt piece the two together as my friend kept on mentioning how the fish's mouth look odd, a bit puffy according to her >.> but no regrets as I really really like that fish and along with some of the bigger fry that were in the other tank I will add the female to the 26 gallon with the pair of honduran red points when I remove their fry from them. I am hoping that works as I do not want to put them in with my Electric Yellows which I really want to breed but they don't seem to be cooperating. Thanks Werner and Wingin' it, and Jason I probably will be posting a picture sometime today just to get an opinion as to what the mix could have been. And no doubt I will have to find new homes for the majority of them and for sure I will let anyone interested know that they are hybrids. I don't understand a lot about hybrids as I am sure they occur in the wild, if this is a stupid question I apologize but isnt it possible for species to be formed through hybridization? Like if these hybrids kept on breeding by themselves then they might be known as a species? Thanks again everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanker Posted October 4, 2010 Report Share Posted October 4, 2010 Generally speaking the species that interbreed in an aquarium don't come from the same parts of the lake. Malawi is absolutely massive and these fish are fairly short range creatures, staying in their areas and not really migrating around. The ones who have moved areas and met new fish have then become local varieties of the species. Kind of like humans would be, if Canada didn't have transportation, or the internet. We'd hardly walk all the way over the Rockies just to "hybrid" ourselves... we'd stay close to home and do it with the locals Each area would develop even more 'regional variety' (consider a Canadian from Newfoundland vs. Vancouver). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanGofCalgary Posted October 4, 2010 Report Share Posted October 4, 2010 Generally speaking the species that interbreed in an aquarium don't come from the same parts of the lake. Malawi is absolutely massive and these fish are fairly short range creatures, staying in their areas and not really migrating around. The ones who have moved areas and met new fish have then become local varieties of the species. Kind of like humans would be, if Canada didn't have transportation, or the internet. We'd hardly walk all the way over the Rockies just to "hybrid" ourselves... we'd stay close to home and do it with the locals Each area would develop even more 'regional variety' (consider a Canadian from Newfoundland vs. Vancouver). I dunno. Alberta girls are pretty hawt. I can see some serious BC migration to 'hybridize' them. just kidding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wackinator Posted October 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2010 LOL thanks for the amazing explanation Tanker! and lmao nice one dan. I can't seem to find my camera but will keep looking as I want to put the female in my electric yellow/rusty cichlid tank if they wont fight to the death or interbreed or with my honduran red point if the first option doesnt work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvianAquatics Posted October 4, 2010 Report Share Posted October 4, 2010 Lol that funny. I was the runner and was carrying that bag. At first I thought the cichlid was eating the fries and was like ohmighosh where did the frys come from??? And then I realized she was mouth brooding and was like that was cute but didn't realize she can fit 30 of them in there >.> Let us know how they turn out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wackinator Posted October 5, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2010 Yeah I couldnt believe how many came out and they were bigger than I was expecting them to be But I managed to find the camera and take quick pictures!!! Quality and lighting is bad, and the tanks have leftover food that need to be siphoned so not really the best quality. Any input is appreciated, do you think I could put it in the electric Yellow tank without them killing each other or breeding? Also added some pictures of the fry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppygirl Posted October 5, 2010 Report Share Posted October 5, 2010 She sure had a mouthful. The fry are surprising quite big, but then again I raise cories and guppies and they start out very small. Good luck with them. :thumbs: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wackinator Posted October 5, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2010 Thanks GuppyGirl I havent had much luck with mouthbrooders, I was also surprised at how big they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvianAquatics Posted October 5, 2010 Report Share Posted October 5, 2010 Wow maybe we aren't talking about the same fish? The one I had was blue/black colored and definitely not yellow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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