# Cyprichromis



## BioG (Oct 12, 2008)

We've been talking about it in other forums a lot lately and I thought I'd just ask. Who really likes cyps? It's a broad question so let me clarify. IMO, you pay so much for one or two fish to color up and you pay the same amount for females which are drab. I know I'm focussing on the colors rather than the behavior but even their behavior is not as extravagant as some other Tangs. Enants and feather fins have one colorful male to however many females but the females aren't "drab" they're bright etc. I also have not observed much true schooling behavior in the ones I've had (Utinta and Blue Flash) as they periodically break off into groups of 3 or 4 instead of schooling and turning in unison like a shoal.

I don't mean to tear the genus apart but I'm just curious as to wether we like these guys and what we pay for them, or if we have been conditioned to like Tanganyika's "Upper water column" inhabitant. That's the other thing, they don't occupy the upper water column. They hang out mid water about a foot from the substrate IME.

That all being said I've seen some cyps that are stunning and mouthbrooding in open water is very cool. I also admit I've never kept more than 12 together at once and so I may be underestimating their schooling behaviors in larger groups. I have just noticed that every time I talk about them in a forum they're wildly supported and come very reccomended. However, every time I speak with a tang fan in person they have the exact same complaints as I do. Anyone else?

PS. Please don't perceive my complaints as anything other than light hearted banter.


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## Charlutz (Mar 13, 2006)

I love my cyp utinta. I currently have 9 males to 4 females so the drab females don't bother me. And as for paying just as much for them as the males, well, without the females I would not have paid for my group 6 times over.


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

I find my females from Chituta Bay are colorful and active enough to draw attention to the tank. Without them, my stocking density per tank would be much lower. They use the full water column in all the tanks I've kept them in. I like my cyps because they draw other fish out in to the open, and because they are some of the easiest to show guests what I mean by mouthbrooding. I sell 1.5" fry for ~$5 ea or less, and I have paid for my WC school many many times over. Cost hasn't been an issue.


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## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

I love the cyps as well. I currently have 18 cyp. micro's and have kept in the past utinta and jumbo blue orchids. I am officially sick of trying to raise and sell fry and so I don't care about having females. The last group I had (before my micro's) were the blue orchids and they went from 30 fry, to 14 males in a 6' 210g. They were all coloured up constantly and there was zero aggresion. Also, I keep furcifers in my tank which makes the cyps stay in the top third of the tank (even though they come down whenever they feel like it). I don't think I will ever not have cyps of some form.


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## BioG (Oct 12, 2008)

anyone have pictures? (Especially of "Blue Orchids")


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

Not of blue orchids, but non-jumbos from Chituta Bay (Mpulungu type)


















*6 holding females using the whole water column.... what's not to l**ove!?* opcorn: =D>


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## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

Cyp. Jumbo blue orchid "Moliro"



















Cyp. leptosoma "Utinta"


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## BioG (Oct 12, 2008)

are you teasing with that failed blue orchid
pic that's not there?


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## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

The first two pics that I posted are blue orchids.


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## Darkside (Feb 6, 2008)

noddy said:


> The first two pics that I posted are blue orchids.


Post some pics if your micros boss!


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## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

This is the best I could come up with, they are very hard to get a deccent photo of and they are still growing and colouring. I hope I get at least one of the black variety out of the group.



















This photo is not mine but of the parents (Ihope Mark doesn't mind me putting it up)


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## Multies (Mar 9, 2007)

lol Mike, There's the Flavipinnis parents! 
Purdy fish Noddy, how big do they get?


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## Darkside (Feb 6, 2008)

Starting to look pretty good! Looks like you got a shot of WC xenos that my f1s came from (Mark). lol


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## BioG (Oct 12, 2008)

Hah, I just realized those pics weren't showing up because of some net nanny software I had running! I get it fixed, I'm dying to check out those fish.

(Yes it's true we use Net Nanny to stop me from drooling over other peoples fish all day! :lol: )


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## BioG (Oct 12, 2008)

Whoa! Blue Orchids are awesome.


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## remm (Apr 6, 2009)

I love my cyps (Thank you Charlutz). Everytime they see me they go crazy in the front of the tank. While they may not always be the most colorful aquarium fish I have found them to be very entertaining to watch and well worth every penny.

Find a hobbyist near you and you should never have to pay retail prices.


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## Tshethar (Jul 20, 2009)

Quick question re. most desirable varieties, as I've decided to do some cyps in the 120 setup I'm working on.

I've noticed some recommendations in various threads for the "utinta" variety, which, from what I can tell, seem to have consistently nice color that run the length of the male, with deep, purplish hues. One concern: right now, the only source I'm finding for this variety is an individual breeder on aquabid who includes two 2007 photos of his breeder males, one with a yellow tail and one with a blue tail. I haven't written the guy with a question about this, but is this a red flag, or is variation in the tail color normal for cyp. leptosoma "utinta"?

The other option I've been considering has been to order the "Kerenge Island" edition from one of the site sponsors, which this reputable breeder describes on his website as "easily the most beautiful small leptosoma found to date." (The collection site is said to be near Kipili, FWIW). Do any of you keep this variety, and if so, do you tend to agree?

Thanks in advance for advice and opinions.


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## Tshethar (Jul 20, 2009)

oops...  ... I may have just figured out the answer to my first question by looking at triscuit's pics again on page one. Is it the case that the utinta _females_ have blue color but without a yellow tail? I was assuming that cyp females wouldn't have any color, but it looks like that's not entirely so....


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

Many (or most) of the cyp varieties have two color morphs: males can either be blue-tailed or yellow-tailed. My females show some color, but not nearly as brilliant as the males.


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## Charlutz (Mar 13, 2006)

Tshethar said:


> oops...  ... I may have just figured out the answer to my first question by looking at triscuit's pics again on page one. Is it the case that the utinta _females_ have blue color but without a yellow tail? I was assuming that cyp females wouldn't have any color, but it looks like that's not entirely so....


Male cyps come in two color morphs as Triscuit said. The cyps article in the forum library is a good read.


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## tigger27 (Apr 14, 2009)

I think the schooling behavior can only be observed in very large tanks. The link i pasted shows cyps schools like sardines, but i'm not really sure where it is on the video. Lake Tanganyika is like an inland sea and our tanks, at the most is 30 inches deep, inhibit the schooling behavior because they don't feel threatened.

I have some speckled-backs, male purple and yellow; micros that hopefully will turn jet black and some kitumbas. Gotta love them cyps!


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## goldoccie21 (Jun 15, 2008)

be careful when purchasing utinta as a lot of people post variants of blue flash as utinta. a utinta variant should not have black at all. unless its a blue tailed male and then only the egg spots on the dorsal should either be a mixture of blue and black.
and the females will color up a tiny bit like blue tips on the pelvic fins for my utinta, and a mustard yellow hue on the dorsal fins. the chititua females get black veins in there dorsal when breeding. thants mine anyway. another dead give away is the pelvic fins on a utinta variant will be yellow or cream. if they are black tipped with yellow avoid.

and those are my pics on there and they are not from 2007. they are from march. batteries.
And anybody in the area is more than welcome to check out my awesome utinta cyps in person.

Christian


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## cholile (Oct 28, 2007)

just trying to take all this in as i've thought about getting a dozen cyps for my tank but had some of the same concerns bioG expressed.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I do keep the Kerenge Island. They have nice color, but look comparable or maybe a tiny bit nicer than other cyps pictured here.

"Easily the most beautiful" might be more marketing than gospel, but I'd choose them again. I think I got mine from that same vendor, I saw his adult breeders when I picked them up.


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

I have the same Blue Flash Leptosoma as Triscuit. I have a yellow tail male, although the person I got them from had both the blue and yellow tail males. Only 1m, 3 F though. I'm really working on a bigger number. I have 3 fry right now.. Its a start. I'd like 12, mostly male for my 55 gallon. These guys really look awesome when they are colored up!


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## BioG (Oct 12, 2008)

I cannot argue that open water mouthbrooding isn't cool cause it's really cool! Also, some of the colors are fantastic. It must just be me, everytime a buy 8-12 cyps I end up selling or trading them. I Guess it's because I'm comparing their beauty to other fish in the lake (IE. Calvus, Stappersi, Leleupi, Julis, Brichardi, Enant, etc.) I wish I was sold, I'm just not.

Although I am very impatient and easily bored. For example I'll probably sell off my Enant colony at some point because I want them all to be colored up. I Know I know...

I read a thread once where someone posted in response to someone like me I assume when they said, "Looks like someone likes pretty colors more than pretty interesting!" :wink: 
I thought that was too funny although I love "pretty interesting" I just also love pretty.

Maybe I'll just go hollywood and give all my fish color implants!


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Go mbuna, LOL.


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

Mbuna was my thought too. :lol: Thats why I'll never get rid of my 1 mbuna tank! It really grabs people's attention, when they walk into my livingroom!


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## vaypourus (May 20, 2008)

I have 11 Kerenge Islands in my tank. They are just starting to show color. Oddly enough, two of the 11 are showing black on the fins. I am interested to see what they do as they age.

They may be my favorite fish. They are boisterous and are the first to come to the tank when i walk near. They remind me of little torpedoes with big eyes.

I'm going to purchase some micros soon, as the ones I have seen are just absolutely stunning.


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## punman (Oct 24, 2003)

With some Malawi cichlids you get drab females and the males can be drab except the dominant one or two.
With cyprichromis, yes, the females are drab, but you could have say 9 males and all have color and they don't kill each other off.


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

Excellent point, punman!


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