I have kept Utintas for a number of years in my 240G together with lots of other Tanganyikans. Most people who see my Utinta ask is they are some type of jumbo Utinta, because they have never seen other Utintas that large. I think it's due to having gown up in such a large tank. I got them at just over 1". I don't get fry from these, because fry don't survive in the tank, and females are impossible to catch with all my rockwork.
About two months ago I acquired a colony of Tricolors that are now in my 125G. I am keen to breed them and they have only BN plecos and some juvenile L. similis as tankmates. The Tricolors are about the same size as my Utintas, and I was assured they have bred and are fully grown. I started with 4 males and 3 females. I lost one female that jumped out of a tiny hole in the cover where the return pipe from the filter comes in. Despite the unfavorable sex ratio, aggression does not seem to be an issue. Overall, I find the Tricolors very peaceful and similar in temperament to my Utintas. I am eagerly awaiting to see the first holding female
My understanding is that Tricolors derive their name from the three different color varieties of males that are part of each colony in the wild. For that reason I was very happy to find a colony in which all three types of males were present. I have one blue male with yellow head and yellow tail, one male with black fins, and two blue males with yellow fins. My goal in breeding them would be to maintain the natural variety.
If a colony was bred selectively for blue males with yellow head and yellow tail - probably the most stunning variety - then in my humble opinion they would cease to be true 'Tricolors', and become a man made strain.
That said, if you bought a colony that had only one type of males, but was still genetically close to the wild, then you could have fry including all three types of males, since the genetic material for the other males might still be present in the females or recessed in the males you have.
Sorry for the long posts that answered few of your questions, but I just thought I share my thoughts on Tricolors, which are currently some of my favorite fish :thumb:
About two months ago I acquired a colony of Tricolors that are now in my 125G. I am keen to breed them and they have only BN plecos and some juvenile L. similis as tankmates. The Tricolors are about the same size as my Utintas, and I was assured they have bred and are fully grown. I started with 4 males and 3 females. I lost one female that jumped out of a tiny hole in the cover where the return pipe from the filter comes in. Despite the unfavorable sex ratio, aggression does not seem to be an issue. Overall, I find the Tricolors very peaceful and similar in temperament to my Utintas. I am eagerly awaiting to see the first holding female
My understanding is that Tricolors derive their name from the three different color varieties of males that are part of each colony in the wild. For that reason I was very happy to find a colony in which all three types of males were present. I have one blue male with yellow head and yellow tail, one male with black fins, and two blue males with yellow fins. My goal in breeding them would be to maintain the natural variety.
If a colony was bred selectively for blue males with yellow head and yellow tail - probably the most stunning variety - then in my humble opinion they would cease to be true 'Tricolors', and become a man made strain.
That said, if you bought a colony that had only one type of males, but was still genetically close to the wild, then you could have fry including all three types of males, since the genetic material for the other males might still be present in the females or recessed in the males you have.
Sorry for the long posts that answered few of your questions, but I just thought I share my thoughts on Tricolors, which are currently some of my favorite fish :thumb:
