IDs, and Breeding Question.

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Piranha
MFK Member
Feb 24, 2011
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Phoenix
Got it from a pet store, not sure what he/she is.

376171_258833230843319_100001499320701_754993_1510842884_n.jpg


OH and I got told this was a Malawi Golden, but its not looking much like any I find online.. is that ID right?

377261_258833400843302_100001499320701_754994_1383424242_n.jpg


And finally, these two have been tank mates for a little while now, since I got them basically.. and now the OB Zebra has a mouth full of eggs! Is it possible for them to breed together? Or no?
385103_258833160843326_100001499320701_754991_1478658056_n.jpg


Any info or incite will be appreciated!!
 
I'm pretty sure the fish in the top pictures is a Pseudotropheus socolofi. The second fish looks similar to Melanochromis auratus, but more looks like a hybrid. I have never heard it called Malawi gold, but auratus is what I found when I googled that term. It may just be a juvenile still, but the horizontal black bands are just really faint - causing me to think it might be a hybrid with auratus.

As for the "auratus" and the OB zebra possibly breeding. It would be unlikely, but not impossible - assuming the auratus is a male. Most mbuna species can, and will, interbreed if species groups are not kept with a good ratio (usually 1M:3F). It is not as usual for fish from different genera to interbreed, but does happen from time to time. The only problem with assuming the auratus is the father is that the fish is very yellow, which would lead me to guess it is a female because female auratus are more yellow while males are more black. This could be due to the hybridization though. Are there any other possible male fish in the tank? In fact the socolofi may be the culprit. That species is monomorphic (males and females look very similar) and the body shape of the socolofi and OB zebra are more similar - making it more likely for them to interbreed than the auratus.
 
I'm not so sure about the yellow one being a chilumba. You could be right, but the juvenile chilumbas I've seen don't have the horizontal bands like that, sometimes they have faint vertical bars though. I still think it is likely a hybrid with auratus mixed with something(s) else.

OP, where did you get your fish?
 
wrslrcichlid said:
I'm pretty sure the fish in the top pictures is a Pseudotropheus socolofi. The second fish looks similar to Melanochromis auratus, but more looks like a hybrid. I have never heard it called Malawi gold, but auratus is what I found when I googled that term. It may just be a juvenile still, but the horizontal black bands are just really faint - causing me to think it might be a hybrid with auratus.

As for the "auratus" and the OB zebra possibly breeding. It would be unlikely, but not impossible - assuming the auratus is a male. Most mbuna species can, and will, interbreed if species groups are not kept with a good ratio (usually 1M:3F). It is not as usual for fish from different genera to interbreed, but does happen from time to time. The only problem with assuming the auratus is the father is that the fish is very yellow, which would lead me to guess it is a female because female auratus are more yellow while males are more black. This could be due to the hybridization though. Are there any other possible male fish in the tank? In fact the socolofi may be the culprit. That species is monomorphic (males and females look very similar) and the body shape of the socolofi and OB zebra are more similar - making it more likely for them to interbreed than the auratus.
Click to expand...

Thats what I was thinking it was to young to breed, its very small still nothing near the size youd think it would need to be to breed.. unless it is a hybrid, which is possible I guess.
These two fish were housed together for well over 2 months, and the day before I noticed the eggs I got the blue fish. Could he have bred with her in that short amount of time and her produced eggs that soon?
So someone had to have bred her for her to produce eggs though? She cant just have a false "pregnancy" if you will?

wrslrcichlid said:
I'm not so sure about the yellow one being a chilumba. You could be right, but the juvenile chilumbas I've seen don't have the horizontal bands like that, sometimes they have faint vertical bars though. I still think it is likely a hybrid with auratus mixed with something(s) else.

OP, where did you get your fish?
Click to expand...


To me it doesnt look like the chilumba but what do I know lol

I got the two that might have interbred at a fish shop called Ocean Floor, and the socolofi from Petsmart I believe. They were all in a Misc. Cichlid tank..


malcolm1 said:
horizontal bands are coloring up to be males which is an indication that their bodies are morphing to become blue. females remain yellow. someone can correct me on this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdm6CHFOc6A

this is not mine. props to the original uploader...
Click to expand...


I doubt it, this fish has had the bands since day one. If anything its gotten a tiny bit darker in the bands and after a good diet the yellow has become much brighter.

james99 said:
the yellow ones look like melanochromis johannii females
Click to expand...

This does look much close IMO. Its just so much of a darker bar, but the head shape is spot on in some of the Google pictures.
 
Females can have eggs without males and hold them... Eggs are produced by the female the male produces milt which has the sperm that will fertilize the eggs. No males are needed to have the eggs.
 
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