Mota feeding suggestions...

[terd ferguson]

I bought some cichlids a while ago sold as Red Tiger Motoguenses, but as they grew, they never got any red coloration. After having seen some of these pictures, I think there is a chance they are loisellis. What do you guys think? Here is a pic of one of the two I have left. Also, any guess on the sex?

That looks an awful lot like mine.

 

[lostnight]

Yeah, they look very similar. Still not sure if mine are motaguense or loiselli. But I am placing another order to TUIC the week after next, and may order some RT Motas, I have slightly more than a week left to think about and finalize the list of fish I'm getting.

 

[terd ferguson]

Yeah, they look very similar. Still not sure if mine are motaguense or loiselli. But I am placing another order to TUIC the week after next, and may order some RT Motas, I have slightly more than a week left to think about and finalize the list of fish I'm getting.

I'm pretty sure the pic you posted is not Red Tiger Motaguense. It is most likely a Loiselli. Keep in mind, I'm no expert. But just looking at the photos posted in this thread, it looks like the Loiselli. If you order a RTM from Tangled Up In Cichlids, you are prpetty much guaranteed to get what you order. The fish I posted (most likely Loiselli) was ordered as a managuense (jaguar) through my lfs.

 

[lostnight]

Oh yeah, I was already sure it's not an RT Mota, some red would have appeared by now, I just didn't know if it was a normal motaguense or loisellis, I am leaning towards them being loiselli also.

 

[terd ferguson]

Oh yeah, I was already sure it's not an RT Mota, some red would have appeared by now, I just didn't know if it was a normal motaguense or loisellis, I am leaning towards them being loiselli also.

Please show me some information on the 'normal' motaguense. I couldn't seem to find any at all when I thought the fish I posted here was a mota. No one could point me to any info about 'normal' motas either.

From information I could find Parachromis only has so many species. Parachromis dovii (the one we all know and love as top of the food chain), Parachromis managuense (jaguar), Parachromis loiselli (Loiselli), Parachromis friedrichsthalii (Freddy or friedrichsthalii), and Parachromis motaguense (Red Tiger Mota).

No mention is ever made of another kind of mota in all the Parachromis profiles I've seen, only Red Tiger Mota. But I have seen and heard numerous people talk about 'normal' or 'regular' motas. I'm beginning to think people that talk about 'normal' or 'regular' motas are really talking about either loisellis or friedrichsthaliis. I think some of the confusion may lie in the fact that fishes are mislabled by fish stores who don't know a lot about what they have and distributors who just send out any kind of Parachromis when somebody orders say a jag (as in my case).

Say you were to order a Red Tiger Mota from your lfs and it never gets red (because it's really a loiselli or friedrichsthalii). Well then, it must be the 'regular' mota I've heard so much about. Because a reputable distributor would never make such a mistake as to confuse two closely related cousins in the same family that look a lot alike (especially if the fish have just gotten off a plane from Asia and are nearly colorless from the stressful trip), right? I'm no expert, but this explanation makes as much sense as hearing 'regular' mota and not ever seeing one in a Parachromis profile.

If anyone can help clear up this confusion for me, I'd sure appreciate it. Again, I'm no expert, but I have to rely on what I've seen and read.

 

[DarthV]

Parachromis motaguense has 2 different color morphs. There's the regular (gold or yellow) motaguense (yellow/black) and the red tiger variety which are red/black for main colors. Any photos of the gold motas I've seen are definitely not loiselli (lacking the mosaic type worming patterns) nor were they friedricksthalli. Rapps has had the regular ones in many times. Just google gold motaguense and you'll find info.

The red tiger race is just more popular.

 

[lostnight]

I don't know if "normal" would be the politically correct term, that would make the Red Tiger motaguense "abnormal", lol. j/k

 

[terd ferguson]

Parachromis motaguense has 2 different color morphs. There's the regular (gold or yellow) motaguense (yellow/black) and the red tiger variety which are red/black for main colors. Any photos of the gold motas I've seen are definitely not loiselli (lacking the mosaic type worming patterns) nor were they friedricksthalli. Rapps has had the regular ones in many times. Just google gold motaguense and you'll find info.

The red tiger race is just more popular.

Thanks for clearing that up for me.

And by the way, do you think mine is a loiselli or a gold mota?