Does Any One Have Cynotilapia Afra Cobwe`s?

[chishnfips]

okay back to my Cynotilapia Afra Cobwe

at what size will they start to breed?, and has anyone got a pic of a female Cynotilapia Afra Cobwe when fully mature?

Since they max out at ~3", they should start breeding around 2", maybe even 1.5-1.75". If you check out the pics (just click on the drop-down under the pic) here, you'll see a young and a fully grown female.

<a href="http/www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1371" target="_blank">http/www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1371</a>

Cracking looking fish arent they!!!

This may seem like a stupid question, but why are there lots of different colour patterns for fish, you know, like sub dominant male, young male, adult male, dominant male....etc.

Does it happen with all species or just a few?

chish

 

[australia]

okay sub-dominant male means: being chazed around by they other males in the tank becuase the dominent males dont like to share the females, for example with some fish you have 1male/3females just so u dont have a subdominant male! (any aggression)

the young male looks like this becuase it has to mature to look colourful, Adult male means fully grow mature fish and fully coloured up. done my best, someone else might come along and tell you more you want we want to know!!!!!!

 

[kribensis12]

Very nice!!!!!!!! My teacher has around Tilapia that are around a foot in a 55g bucket with no hiding places. But, they were grown from babies so no aggression. He is planing on eating them when they get even bigger. They seem to be somewhat colorful, but theese are way nicer!

 

[dthoffsett]

This may seem like a stupid question, but why are there lots of different colour patterns for fish, you know, like sub dominant male, young male, adult male, dominant male....etc.

Does it happen with all species or just a few?

chish

I think some of it has to do with hierarchy, subdominate males try to imitate female coloration in order to avoid the dominate male. The dominate male has the brightest coloration in order to attract females, females themselves tend to work out their own pecking order with the most dominate female being the brightest. In fact, IME with a lack of males, the most dominate female will take on a male's coloration in some species. Juveniles tend to be dull to blend in with their surroundings to avoid predation, and in some species, females also stay dull for the same reason. Almost all species of mbuna can lighten or darken their color depending on feeding, water chemistry, spawning, or even mood. And then just to throw you off, p.crabro is capable of almost comepletely changing their coloration, very rapidly too. Here's a great article about them.

[URL="http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/m_crabro.php"]http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/m_crabro.php[/URL]

 

[chishnfips]

cheers for the link cool thread how those fish can change colours to steel eggs from the nest.

And thanks for the info, I have learnt something today

 

[kribensis12]

That is very interesting about the color changing for egg's! I didnt know fish could do that! I also have learnt something today!

 

[dthoffsett]

It's pretty cool to see, I have a female p.crabro, (so does Ferris) and she can change colors in a matter of seconds.

 

[Ferris]

It's pretty cool to see, I have a female p.crabro, (so does Ferris) and she can change colors in a matter of seconds.

Yep - bright yellow to jet black in an instant.

 

[australia]

It's pretty cool to see, I have a female p.crabro, (so does Ferris) and she can change colors in a matter of seconds.

Yep - bright yellow to jet black in an instant.

yeah i love these fish!

 

[chishnfips]

It's pretty cool to see, I have a female p.crabro, (so does Ferris) and she can change colors in a matter of seconds.

Yep - bright yellow to jet black in an instant.

Wow, do you think I could have one of them with my set up, (if I re housed the lombardoi's) sorry for the hijack australia lol, needs must though and all that lol.

 

[dthoffsett]

It's pretty cool to see, I have a female p.crabro, (so does Ferris) and she can change colors in a matter of seconds.

Yep - bright yellow to jet black in an instant.

Wow, do you think I could have one of them with my set up, (if I re housed the lombardoi's) sorry for the hijack australia lol, needs must though and all that lol.

I think a female would be great in your tank, and don't worry about the kenyi's. IME p.crabro can take care of themselves, I'm not sure about males, but with my female she doesn't pick on anyone, but no one (including the alpha male of the tank) bothers her. She goes where she pleases, when she pleases. Personally, I think anyone with a large enough tank should have at least one of them.