Hello cichlid enthusiasts, I have had my paratilapia polleni for about 9 months and I had completely forgot that there is a paratilapia bleekeri and I was wondering if anyone knew the difference.
Polleni VS. Bleekeri
- Thread starter Cfremont23
- Start date
I am not super well versed with Malagasy cichlids so I’m sure someone more versed will chime in. But from what I have been told it has been determined these are the actually the same species, just different populations/ catch locales, with one have larger spotting over the body and the other smaller
There are al least 5 recognized species of Paratilapia, but many are known by location, and species status is in review
P polleni Bleeker 1868
P typus location East Coast 1878
P sp betsleo
P sp Ambalvao
P andapa
and there may be more, and although they all may seem to look similar, when looked at in detail they are not
I have kept at least two, the obvious differences are in size, arrangement and colors of spots.
There are many photos of mine in this Madagascar section.
I acquired my first Paratilapia back in the late 80s
The reason i say at least two, is because the difference in species was not noted back in the 80s when they first arrive on the scene, and inadvertently cross bred, producing aquarium strain hybrids.
P polleni Bleeker 1868
P typus location East Coast 1878
P sp betsleo
P sp Ambalvao
P andapa
and there may be more, and although they all may seem to look similar, when looked at in detail they are not
I have kept at least two, the obvious differences are in size, arrangement and colors of spots.
There are many photos of mine in this Madagascar section.
I acquired my first Paratilapia back in the late 80s
The reason i say at least two, is because the difference in species was not noted back in the 80s when they first arrive on the scene, and inadvertently cross bred, producing aquarium strain hybrids.
here is Paratilpia andapa.
now P. polleni sp small spot
Obviously quite different
now P. polleni sp small spot
Obviously quite different