My former Burundi male lived to 10+ year and had developed the most impressive hump , yet it tuned solid black at old age. My former Mpimbwe started out intensely blue but turned darker with age and I sold them. I noticed my juvenile Fronts were blue but as they age, the dark bands get wider and wider and eventually fill out the body turning into black angels. Are there variants out there that keep the juvenile blue at old age.
What variant of Frontosa don't turn dark
- Thread starter tiger15
- Start date
I don't think you have seen or kept old Burundi or Mpimbwe to old age. Old males turn nearly all black with little white stripes left. It has nothing to do with stress as juvenile Fronts stay light even under stress. I have seen Burundi colony in public aquarium where old alpha males are solid black with humongous hump. I am wondering if other variants of Fronts stay light and blue at old age.
I believe it can go both ways. I have a pretty old moba alpha who just decided to turn black one day and that was that...he's been really dark for a couple years now.
However, my kitumba alpha was a very nice blue with great purples until I switched their tank and he turned extremely dark immediately (almost pitch black) in the new tank and hasn't changed in the 1 1/2 years they've been in the new tank.
Taking pictures...Stresses the heck out of my groups for some reason and a few of my males turn black (every time) but usually switch back after a couple hours.
I've seen many older fronts/gibbs turn very dark but I've also seen many older fronts that still have their nice blues so imo it depends on the fish and their environment.
Age, stress, environment, variant, ect are all factors imo. I don't think there's a solid answer on this one.
Just my 2 cents.
However, my kitumba alpha was a very nice blue with great purples until I switched their tank and he turned extremely dark immediately (almost pitch black) in the new tank and hasn't changed in the 1 1/2 years they've been in the new tank.
Taking pictures...Stresses the heck out of my groups for some reason and a few of my males turn black (every time) but usually switch back after a couple hours.
I've seen many older fronts/gibbs turn very dark but I've also seen many older fronts that still have their nice blues so imo it depends on the fish and their environment.
Age, stress, environment, variant, ect are all factors imo. I don't think there's a solid answer on this one.
Just my 2 cents.
When I had my Mpimbwe, I recall that they switch back and forth with dark phase depending on mood. I never raised them old enough to see if the dark phase became permanent. Currently, I am raising Zaire Tembwe and Samazi to 4 to 5" size. They remain blueish and have never turned dark, and hope that they will retain the brightness to old age. But I notice that the white bands on my larger Samazi have started to narrow. So from the replies I sensed that no matter what variant it is, old Front can potentially turned into black angel. It's not a misnomer because the silhouette of old males have long trailers and slow motion that resemble black angels. But I much prefer blue to black angel if I have way to keep it.
