[peter-robbo]

I keep mostly Rift lake cichlids. I removed a female auratus from a tank with a few different species as she had a mouthfull of eggs. She went into a small tank until she released her young. While the rest were normal auratus this guy stood out as being completely different. At first I believed it was a baby convict cichlid that had somehow got transfered by accident. Now it has grown a bit it is definatly not a convict. It is a little over an inch and is a robust little fish. The tank it came from had the following fish Auratus (pair), Orange-top blue zebra (male), tropheus Moori (bemba), tropheus moori (Ikola). While I believe it to be a hybrid and the zebra as most likely the father it does have a body shape more like the Tropheus Moori. I keep many other fish in different tanks and none resemble this one. Any ideas welcome

Peter

 

[fishman76092]

Its definitely a tropheus hybrid. Never seen that one before.

 

[etcbrown]

Wow, that might end up being a mean sucker!

 

[Fogelhund]

Wow, that's a first for me... a Tropheus x auratus cross.. yikes

Here is the bigger part of the problem. Which of the fish that "look" like an auratus have hybrid genetics as well? You know what that means?

 

[peter-robbo]

Thanks for your imput guys. I really felt that the blue zebra would be the father due to the simple fact that it would be more closely related to the auratus. However the stripes on this fish are so better defined than those on the zebra and its body shape is so much like the tropheus. Its colouring is darker than the pictures due to the effects of the camaras flash and its quite an attractive fish. If this cross-breeding is possible then I have concerns about advice I've been given about keeping different species of tropheus together ie: red moori (kasanga's etc) won't breed with black moori (ikola,pemba etc) which would be a much shorter genetic leap. Still interested to hear your thoughts

Thanks

Peter

 

[Paul M]

Don't know any thing about those fish.
That is a nice looking fish.

 

[Number6]

If this cross-breeding is possible then I have concerns about advice I've been given about keeping different species of tropheus together ie: red moori (kasanga's etc) won't breed with black moori (ikola,pemba etc) which would be a much shorter genetic leap. Still interested to hear your thoughts

Thanks

Peter

I'd say your hunch is right on the money... the reason that some species of Tropheus can be housed together is only because they generally resist crossing and not because they can't or won't at all. For all we know the Tropheus just got a little excited and it didn't even take the female giving him the time of day!

 

[wmayes]

IF this does end up being a tropheusXauratus you have to keep this topic updated with pics so we can see the result.

 

[ziyaadb]

i cant see the pics but im sure they look great

 

[cichlidaholic]

I'm just trying to wrap my mind around the Tropheus that had the nerve to take on the male auratus to do the deed...

I'm shocked, but I agree...Definitely a Tropheus/auratus mix, as are all the fry from this group.

I'd have to keep this one long enough to see how he turns out! Curiosity...

Kim

 

[wmayes]

It looks kindof like an oddly shaped Crabro...

 

[Keeferd]

I don't think they are all tropheus/auratus mix. I find it hard to imagine that those 2 completely different fish mated. My prediction is the 2 auratus were "getting it on" and the tropheus saw the 2 mating and decided he wanted some action, so he squirted a little something in the mix while the 2 were mating and one of his sperm happened to fertalize 1 of the females eggs. that's only a guess. Either way awesome rare fish.

 

[noki]

I don't think they are all tropheus/auratus mix. I find it hard to imagine that those 2 completely different fish mated. My prediction is the 2 auratus were "getting it on" and the tropheus saw the 2 mating and decided he wanted some action, so he squirted a little something in the mix while the 2 were mating and one of his sperm happened to fertalize 1 of the females eggs. that's only a guess. Either way awesome rare fish.

That hypothesis may be possible, in that some mouthbrooder males are known to try to sneak in and try to fertilize an egg while the couple are busy. But doesnt this raise the question that every once in a while there could be one or two hybrids in a "pure" batch of fry? Does this actually happen much?

But... is there any known hybrids of Tropheus and Malawi cichlids ever known? They are all Haplochromines, but is it possible?

There is actually a Malawi Tropheops that has a similar pattern to that fish, to add the weirdness...

 

[peter-robbo]

The fish shown was the only abnormal one in a batch of about 15-20 normal auratus. I feel that if it was a tropheus that fathered it, then it was as previously mentioned an opportunistic sneaky little tropheus that joined the auratus mating session. The tropheus in the tank were 15 Ikola and 20 bemba about 2-3".
Its behaviour is more active than the auratus , more like the hyperactive tropheus. Does anyone know if there is any previous crossbreeding of an mbuna and a tropheus.
I am looking forward to seeing this fish grow and will post pictures when it does.
Thanks for your input guys

Peter

 

[straitjacketstar]

It's hard to believe but...well...the hobby's full of surprises.
Still, I'm skeptical, and I wonder if some kind of Petrochromis sp. didn't get mixed in with the auratus. A little far-fetched but not impossible I don't think.
If it does turn out to be a Tropheus x auratus then....wow. lol
I think we'll all want to keep tabs on the little guy. It's cute!

 

[cichlidaholic]

What else is in that tank besides two Tropheus colonies and the auratus?

And just out of curiosity, what size tank is it???

Kim

 

[Longstocking]

WOW.... cross lake breeding ! Not good ! (Not that you did this on purpose either)

 

[peter-robbo]

Hi Kim,
there was a lone male orange-top blue zebra, which I felt would be the logical choice to be the father. However the shape of the little fish in question is deeper in body and the behaviour more tropheus-like, wishful thinking perhaps. The tank was a 50 gal.

Peter

 

[eklikewhoa]

This is some interesting stuff!

Probably not gonna sit well with all those old school tropheus keepers since they don't subject to change well......but this is some news breaking stuff! I had a Male tropheus hold a small clutch of eggs and the old timers won't accept that it happened and now this....man someone's gonna ****e a brick.

 

[noddy]

I'm not sure who advised you to keep ikola and bemba in the same tank but, of all the combinations, that would be the worst I could imagine (as far as hybrids go). As far as the little guy goes, well that's just weird.