[Chris Murphy]

I bought 11 in total,all from a very reputable dealer.As soon as I could tell which were male I started to get rid of them one at a time.I ended up with this fella,he shares a tank with 5 females.All the other the males have yellow tails.As this guy got older I noticed his tail was multi-coloured.My fear is he is a hybrid,has anyone ever seen this before?

 

[TorontoRaptorsFan]

That's definitely not a Utinta!

Could be a Cyprichromis Speckleback or Kitumba.

 

[Chris Murphy]

Yes,I suspected that.I forgot to mention that all of the other males I got rid of were definitely Utinta's.

Thanks for your reply.

 

[Reel North]

having a 1m to 1f ratio or better is ok with cyps - makes the tank colourful and active. Sell him and get those utintas baby!!!! :thumb:

 

[noddy]

I agree with reelnorth. I have 18 - 20 jumbo moliro. ALL MALES. They sure look better than a tank full of females.

 

[Fogelhund]

How are you certain some of the females aren't the same as this male?

 

[Chris Murphy]

Thats the thing,Im not certain.All I (and most of us) can go on is the fact I got the fish from a good source.Unfortunately we all make mistakes and I suspect a mistake was made here,by the wholesaler.

What are your thoughts on the male Fogelhund?

Thanks for your replies.

 

[Number6]

if a mistake was made on a male, why would you hope that no mistake was made on the females?
To my mind, pure strain Cyps are a license to make money... hybrids are probably nearly unsellable. In your shoes, I'd scrap this bunch and buy a new group of 12.
Hope that helps

 

[Fogelhund]

In your shoes, I'd scrap this bunch and buy a new group of 12.
Hope that helps

Unfortunately, that would be my course of action as well. When you have one contaminant, in a fish that looks so similar, there is no other option for me.

 

[Chris Murphy]

So you are saying 100% unequivacably that he is a hybrid and the females are most likely to be also.Ill scrap them so.Thanks for the great advice guys. :thumb:

 

[Fogelhund]

So you are saying 100% unequivacably that he is a hybrid and the females are most likely to be also.Ill scrap them so.Thanks for the great advice guys. :thumb:

No, not saying that at all. What I am saying is that male isn't a Utinta. Who knows what the females are. They are probably all pure (but pure what?), but then there is no way of knowing what the fry will be, and there is a risk the fry will be hybrids. If you want a nice colourful colony, but don't raise fry, than it doesn't matter. If your plan was breeding, I would look to move these.

 

[Chris Murphy]

Apparently there could have been Utinta and Kitumba in the same tank I bought mine from?They were all around 2" and not fully coloured.

I suppose size will tell eventually!!

Thanks for comments.

 

[Number6]

All I (and most of us) can go on is the fact I got the fish from a good source.

Good sources do NOT mix variants and then sell small fry with a disregard for the wishes of their buyers... man, that seller/source needs a boot to the head!

Hope your next purchase runs more smoothly than this. I know I'd be furious in your shoes!

 

[Fogelhund]

I suppose size will tell eventually!!

Hopefully :thumb:

 

[Chris Murphy]

I managed to see a copy of the fish manifest and 4 x Utinta and 7 x Leptosma Jumbo Kitumba were ordered and mixed in the same tank.

Luckily I identified the 4 Utintas (all were male) and was left with the remaining Kitumbas.Score!!!!!

Here is a similar looking Kitumba to mine:

http://images.google.ie/imgres?imgurl=h ... 0%26sa%3DN