My blue dolphin (Cytocara moori)

[cichlidgirl]

Here are a couple pics of my little blue dolphin. I have noticed it has wonderful dark blue coloration but seems to be growing very slow compared to the fronts i got at the same time. It is approx 3 inches now and I have had it for a year.

These pics were taken during the day with the flash (have to use flash for daytime pics since i have a dark tank with the painted backgrounds etc..) even with the flash making it seem lighter you can still see what wonderful colors it has. When no flash is on it is actually a metallic navy blue, very dark blue color . Its whole body is the shade of blue seen around the head area in the bottom pic (the dark patches of blue on head )

 

[ikevi]

They do grow very slow. The darker blue will leave when it gets older/more dominate.

 

[cichlidgirl]

Oh, thats too bad that it will lose the dark blue. That was one of my favorite things about this fish LOL.

 

[ikevi]

Well you will still see some blue, but time goes on things will change. Here is an idea of just how important dominance is with this fish and the dark blue.

Not to steal your thread or anything but this is over 2 years of growth... And I can hardly tell any size change, though you can see what his coloring does as he gets more dominant. I tried to go oldest to newest. IE less dominate to most dominate.

 

[cichlidgirl]

Wow, thanks for the info. He is the only dolphin, but i do have a similar fish (some type of blue sand sifting hap or dolphin hybrid) that it displays spawning activity with . Otherwise its in with some fronts and pair of red empress and their babies in a 265 gallon tank.

 

[mike dunagan]

It is a male too!!! My female stays dark often too...

 

[cichlidgirl]

How can you tell mine is a male with out venting ? I thought they were monomorphic. I had not even tried to vent yet LOL

 

[jhutch]

Nice pics both of you. Love the hump on it's head.

 

[JamesRiggs]

Man, Dolphins are so sweet! I love your Dolphins cichlidgirl!

 

[mike dunagan]

well pretty simple... females will not have a hump of that nature at 3 inches... My female is much larger with really no hump signs...