Cyprichromis locallity and stores...

[NewETown]

So I was quite tempted to not post this, but I feel it's sort of necessary to talk about.

A while back I had ordered some Cyp. leptosoma "Utinta" from Cichlid Exchange through my LFS. It's about the only feasible way for me to get fish.

They came in, looked great, but I only got 5 when I had ordered 9. To make a long story short I read that the "Utinta" variety was the blue body/yellow dorsal locality, which was what I wanted. As my fish have grown up and are starting to mature I see the color on my males. They are CLEARLY not the yellow dorsal fin variety. That being said, damn are they gorgeous! They are going to have a solid blue body with a pastel/chalky blue dorsal and ventral fin.

Now here's what I'm wondering... I have been trying to get more of the "Utinta" variety but I have had no luck in finding them, they've been off the list for at least 4 or 5 months. However a new variety showed up, the "Blue flash". I thought, ok, knowing what my fish actually look like now...they appear to be more of a "blue flash" than a "Utinta". So I ordered some "Blue Flash" which came in today. Again, they look fine (they're quite small, but that's expected), but guess what? Yep, they're the yellow dorsal fin variety. I can already see the yellow in their dorsal and I'm kind of irritated. Cichlid Exchange is usually pretty good about labeling their stock, but apparently these were either labeled wrong, or they just flat out didn't bother to check what types where what. On the other hand, I could be completely wrong and have my types mixed up, but I'd be surprised.

So my question to everyone is, should I just say f-it and keep them all (because I love Cyprichromis)? Does it really matter? They are both C. leptosoma, they are just different localities.

Here is the main reason I ask, I came to Cichlids from Dart Frogs. There was a specific dart (thumbnail species) that's called Dendrobates pumilio "Bastimentos". These frogs all have spotted backs, and range from a green to red to dusty colored body. In the wild they're all the same frog, and they all interbreed. In the hobby people would collect and try to breed through to always get certain colors from their frogs but would usually wind up with a mix (it's natural). I'm wondering if I should treat the offspring I may or may not get from my group of mixed Cyps as hybrids or just a mix of some sort. Obviously the genes will cross but I don't really know how it's viewed in the fish community.

Thanks for reading my long post, I'm just trying to figure out how to go about the breeding of all of my stock.

-Everett

 

[johnny_1993]

They would be classed as hybrids.keep the different ones seperated if your going to sell the fry. or jsut sell them as leptos and say you dont know the variety LOL.
haha

 

[tydus]

Agreed, you don't want hybrid cyps going around, if you keep them together, and they breed, just keep the fry to yourself and don't distribute them, it'll be fine as long as you are responsible with the hybrid fry. You're not supposed to mix different variants with eachother, but it's your fish, just be responsible. Good luck.

 

[mike dunagan]

The blue flash is the common name of the blue and yellow body! So that order was correct. Cyprichromis leptosoma (Mpulungu)-Certainly one of the more popular Cyps in the hobby, this geographical variant is known by several nicknames: Blue Flash, Blue Neon, and Neon Head. The Blue Flash is the holotype for the species Cyprichromis leptosoma. It is found at the southern most end of the lake, from Kasanga, Tanzania to Mpulungu, Zambia. Specimens are collected at several locations, including Kasanga, Kambwimba, Isanga, Chituta Bay, and Mpulungu. Like all Cyprichromis leptosoma, it is found in 2 distinct color morphs: blue-tailed males and yellow-tailed males. It differs from the other 4 leptosoma in the following manner: Males are not as blue-bodied, but are primarily grayish-brown with a strong blue highlight on the head (hence the name Neonhead). Blue-tailed males have a light-blue anal and dorsal fins. The dorsal fin is speckled throughout with small, dark spots. Yellow-tailed males have a blue dorsal fin with a black band running along its base. The anal fin is also blue and may or may not be streaked with black markings.

Cyprichromis leptosoma (Utinta)-The most common of the leptosoma kept in the hobby, the Neonback has become a staple Tanganyikan aquarium fish. It has the largest distribution in the wild, from Utinta Bay to Samazi, Tanzania. This includes many collecting spots: Utinta Bay, Ulwile, Kapemba, Nkondwe, Namansi Reef, Fulwe Rocks, and Samazi. Like all Cyprichromis leptosoma, it is found in 2 distinct color morphs: blue-tailed males and yellow-tailed males. It differs from the other 4 leptosoma in the following manner: Blue-tailed males are solid blue except for the tips of their ventral fins which have the characteristic light-yellow blotch. Some blue-tailed males may sport a single dark blue ocellus at the posterior tip of the dorsal fin. Yellow-tailed males have a blue body, light-blue anal fin and a blue dorsal fin. The signature mark of the yellow-tailed male is a bold yellow ocellus at the posterior tip of the dorsal fin. Some males may even have two ocelli, one yellow and the second dark blue.

Read carefully and you will see the differences. The yellow tail and Blue tails can be the same type... good luck! Remember females are non colored

 

[NewETown]

Wow Mike was that from memory or copy/paste? I can't really get good pictures of my fish because they're not fully colored (and quite fast hah), but here's what I'm 99% sure they're going to look like:

Then the ones I'm picking up today I believe will look something like:

However, I can already see a yellow dorsal fin on them. My current ones were sold to me as "Utinta" and are looking like the first picture, then the new ones were "Blue Flash", and I believe they'll look like the second picture with a yellow dorsal.... It's really hard not knowing what specific reef they come from .

 

[mike dunagan]

little of both, but I think they are maybe the Utinta blue tail on the first, and the second is correctly blue flashes are Mpulungu.

 

[NewETown]

OK, so should I just disregard the yellow dorsal? I really like ALL of the cyprichromis, but I don't want to be making hybrids. I suppose it's not a huge deal, not like I'm going to be selling the fry or anything and I might wind up with cool looking offspring, who knows.

I definitely have 4 of the blue tailed "Utinta" though, 2 males 2 females. I'm curious to see how my new ones turn out.

 

[mike dunagan]

Since they are not from the same area breeding would not be good, now, if you got a yellow and blue tail from the same area breeding them would be fine in my book.