Rusty or not?

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LunarValkyrie

LunarValkyrie

Exodon
MFK Member
Jan 5, 2015
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United States
Hi folks, I had given up several years ago on Africans, but still wanted to try them and see if I could breed or at least raise some. I have mostly done Central Am. like Sajica or Severums for big fish and many many small FW fish over the last 2 decades. My LFS had these fish on sale as "assorted" and they had a lot of them at a dropped price to move them. They breed some of their own. So...I decided to give it a go. They are private owned and the employee didn't know much at all. A guy in the store said most were Rusty females, but I tried to pick the one with the most color for a male and wondered if I even have Rusty's or not. What do you think? And tell me....is that last pic my female holding?? These were taken not long after I got them. I don't really see points on those fins, but I thought I might still ask.

If they are not Rusty's, what do you folks think they are?? And genders. They are both about 2 in long. The odd thing on both is that dot at the base of each side fin on both. I don't really see that in pix I have looked up. But again, I am a rookie and you experts might know better.

I am no photographer so forgive the shots. They were darting around in the new tank. It's just the 2 of them.

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Sadly, and I do mean Sadly most fish store africans are most likely pond raised hybrids from florida. I personally will never buy an african from a LFS because I want to know what I have and all these hybrids just destroy what africans are imo. I was in a LFS that actually sells africans and everything is kept separate and labeled as specific species but even they sell hybrids unknowingly (an example would be Pseudotropheus cyaneorhabdos with OB fish in the tank...)So unless you know the source as a reliable source you can only assume hybrid, it could literally be any mbuna cross.
 
Thanks folks! I just bought these to test my ability. I just happened to grab that female holding by chance. I watched her hide for more than 30 mins and the girl working there allowed me to catch her in order to be super gentle. She has taken up a spot in a pot on its side with plants on each side and stayed there most of the time since I got her. The other is all over the tank.

I have a Marina Breeder box, with the constant flow of tank water in/out, already attached just in case she carries them and they are fertile. I know they like a harem, so I may look around and see if anyone else local has a male. That would give me a trio maybe to see if I can do this and then perhaps if they survive, I can trade them in later on and buy a good harem for this tank.

Thank you for all the info. :)
 
Well, looks like I moved her just in time last night. This morning, I have 11 healthy babies. They seem huge, but she still had 4 in her mouth, so I stripped her to get all 11 out and then put her back in the tank. They all are and seem to be doing great.

Trial by fire here, I guess. I fed the babies newly hatched brine and have some First Bites and frozen baby brine. Will those be ok for them to grow on? I also have some Spectrum Fry Starter, but it is so small.

Thanks for any and all info .

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Since they did not spawn your tank, I would assume they are hybrids and wait for the next batch. If you want to raise them, maybe keep them instead of trading them in.
 
Do those look like rusty babies? I am pretty sure at this point the adults are both female as no purple is showing on either. And no elongated fins. I will keep a watch out for a nice male maybe on Aquabid or maybe anyone in here that might sell them. Thank you for the info. The babies are looking healthy and eating nicely. So,maybe I will finally get to do Africans lol. :)
 
I am not sure the adults or babies look like rusties. But I've never raised them. I would buy a new group with full scientific name and collection point from an extremely reputable vendor if you want to start a fry operation.
 
Can't go wrong with Dave's.
 
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