Growth time?

[pakash]

The max size is 3 inches and they don't have to be that big to start coloring and spawning. If you have a spare tank choose the one that is biggest and/or has the brightest blue body or yellow dorsal and separate him. If he colors, he is male. You may have to keep doing that until you have a small enough number of males in your tank for one to color with the rest of the population.

Thank you, but to catch a fish in my tank it is almost imposible, since it is really big and with lots of hiding spots, could you help me out, the easiest way to get gim out, and see if his a male.

 

[DJRansome]

Thank you, but to catch a fish in my tank it is almost imposible, since it is really big and with lots of hiding spots, could you help me out, the easiest way to get gim out, and see if his a male.

The ability to net fish when required is important. It feels like it will be a lot of work, but it seems worse than it is...resign yourself and allow 2 hours.

Do a PWC so 50% of the water is out. No extra effort so far, you do this weekly.

Divide the tank into 3rds with a barrier. Shoo the fish you want to catch to the smallest section. Remove all rocks. Net fish with 2 large nets.

 

[pakash]

The ability to net fish when required is important. It feels like it will be a lot of work, but it seems worse than it is...resign yourself and allow 2 hours.

Do a PWC so 50% of the water is out. No extra effort so far, you do this weekly.

Divide the tank into 3rds with a barrier. Shoo the fish you want to catch to the smallest section. Remove all rocks. Net fish with 2 large nets.

Thank you, ill show you my fish already 2.5" and maybe getting some color for the males

 

[pakash]

He is the bully and i think it is male, what do you think guys, to small yet to get that blue and really dark lines over his body, im not sure if he is a cynotilapia afra zebroides. Please a little help.

 

[Milingu]

Strange colours but not wrong for a jalo reef. Just not enough.
His cheeks look like they are slowly colouring up. I would just wait a few more weeks

 

[xenacanth9]

+1

 

[pakash]

Strange colours but not wrong for a jalo reef. Just not enough.
His cheeks look like they are slowly colouring up. I would just wait a few more weeks

So, and do you think it is a Jalo reef or could be some hybrid?

 

[Milingu]

So, and do you think it is a Jalo reef or could be some hybrid?

I am not sure. Thats why I didn't say anything in that direction.
It is easy to label everything you don't know as hybrid. I have seen this quite some times. Not as often as people call hybrids as a proper species but it happens.

I can't spot anything that I could directly assign it to another species though there are some things that might be suspicious.
The pattern of the stripes looks a bit odd but broken bars and other anomalities in stripes can occure in aquarium strains that are far away from f0.
There is also more yellow than you would expect but not enough to call it a hybrid.
The most irritating thing is actually the lack of black or dark blue in the anal fin.

 

[pakash]

I am not sure. Thats why I didn't say anything in that direction.
It is easy to label everything you don't know as hybrid. I have seen this quite some times. Not as often as people call hybrids as a proper species but it happens.

I can't spot anything that I could directly assign it to another species though there are some things that might be suspicious.
The pattern of the stripes looks a bit odd but broken bars and other anomalities in stripes can occure in aquarium strains that are far away from f0.
There is also more yellow than you would expect but not enough to call it a hybrid.
The most irritating thing is actually the lack of black or dark blue in the anal fin.

Thanks for your honesty, I guess i will have to wait more time or months, that if the bully male changes to its real coloration. I hope so, that i dont have any hibryds when i bought them, cuz they all were juveniles 1.5" or maybe smaller. But i hope he does with time, and the water quality, cuz i do once a week 30% water changes, and feed them with NLS THERA A, and Hikary gold pellets. If anyone could have more answers, i will be very grateful. I would like to thank everyone, for your help, every time i need it.

 

[Deadeye]

One possibility is that if it’s an aquarium strain it may have had lots of the color lost due to inbreeding. I had a eureka red peacock (very different species) that never got colored.