Rapps Vieja Melanuras Trio

[FishKing5]

I just saw a picture of your melanuras and boy you're right, yours looks way different! Mine looks more like the standard synsp/melanura while yours is different, in a very good way. Interesting to see what they look like later.

I purchased the same "orange/gold/blue 'Laguna Yaxha, Guatemala' race".

Ya yours look more like his red heads but only time will tell. Mine are much smaller so maybe they will change a lot once they get a few more inches but from what I can tell mine seem to have quite a bit of yellow orange in them with the blue and not any red.

 

[midasman714]

Here's a quick shot of all 3 together.

I'm thinking the biggest one (bottom left) is a male, and the other two are females. He's a gentle mini-giant... gets pushed around by the other two.

The one on the right is the most aggressive and looks different than the other two. She has more dark patches and not as red on the head and orange on the back as the other two.

 

[dan518]

Look good together

 

[ragin_cajun]

Melanurus are one of the very few CA Cichlids that look good their entire lives. At 3 inches, they have cool colors. Most Vieja are gray until they're 6-8 inches, so you have to wait to see what you have.

Yeah, I'd bet that bottom one is Male.

 

[midasman714]

These guys seem to be very quick growers, already double their size in less than 2 months. So looks like I'll be in the market for a bigger tank sooner than expected. Planning on getting something around a 180-240. Really shooting for a 240 so i can squeeze more viejas in.

 

[tiger15]

I have both Rapps orange melanura and red head synspillum. Even though both are now classified melanura, they look like two different species to me. In addition to difference in color pattern, the orange one has elongated body, while the red head has football shape body. The orange one color can be moody, and at time can turn almost solid black. I believe the red head can develop a bigger hump and larger size than the orange one, but not sure if it is universal. They are peaceful but shy fish, and the shyness seems to stay or worsen with age.

 

[midasman714]

I purchased mine as "melanura" however 2 of the 3 look like red head synsiplum.

Either way I'm happy with the way these guys are turning out. Eating well, active (although on the shy side), and looking good at this size already.

 

[midasman714]

A slight tangent to this thread. I just purchased some really nice looking vieja. It looks to be bifasciatus, not sure exactly. Either way, they are stunning (photo didn't do them justice) so I just had to have them. I'll update their progress on this thread as well.

 

[tiger15]

They are bifas, based on the red dots that distinct it from the solid color of melanura/synspillum. Yours have good color quality. How large are yours? Mine don' t color up until 4 to 5 inch, much later than melanura. See pcs of my juvies and adults
https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/...liari-10-nj-md-pa-pickup.678051/#post-7624763
Your melanura don't look synspillum based on the body shape and early coloring. The dark patches are variable and moody, sometime turns up to fill the entire body and this is why it is named melanomas. It's strange that dominant fish is darker and less colorful.

 

[dan518]

They are bifas, based on the red dots that distinct it from the solid color of melanura/synspillum. Yours have good color quality. How large are yours? Mine don' t color up until 4 to 5 inch, much later than melanura. See pcs of my juvies and adults
https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/...liari-10-nj-md-pa-pickup.678051/#post-7624763
Your melanura don't look synspillum based on the body shape and early coloring. The dark patches are variable and moody, sometime turns up to fill the entire body and this is why it is named melanomas. It's strange that dominant fish is darker and less colorful.

What catch location are your bifasciatus