# Do cynotilapia take a long time to color up?



## gaqua (Apr 11, 2008)

About 3 weeks ago I bought some juvenile fish that were labeled as "Cynotilapia Afra Lion's Cove" from a fairly reputable cichlid place that's nearby. I'm not sure if these are Cynotilaphia sp. Lion or Afra "Lion's Cove"

The picture she had on the tank was this one from the "Cynotilapia sp. Lion 'Lion's Cove'" on the profiles:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/i ... =698&pic=1

The problem is, I bought 5 of them, roughly 2" long at this point, and there is no color to any of them. They're all grey. One of them, I assume a male, has staked out a spot in a cave and decided that it's his. He gets much darker, a dark charcoal color, when he's down there under the rocks. This happens literally in seconds. If he comes out into the light he lightens up significantly.

So I guess my question is: should I just be patient and they will end up getting more color as time goes on? They've just gotten bigger and grown egg spots since I bought them - but they're the same dull grey color.

How long does it take Cynotilapia to color up? I'm much more familiar with Pseudotropheus species at this point.

Thanks.


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## thevein (May 10, 2006)

are you able to post pics of your fish? I just ordered a group of these and been looking at them for about a year or so.


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## gaqua (Apr 11, 2008)

thevein said:


> are you able to post pics of your fish? I just ordered a group of these and been looking at them for about a year or so.


This is the best pic I have. The fins look blue-ish but that's because of the actinic lighting on the top of the tank. When I use the regular lighting it's just grey/white.

I have no idea what these guys are.

Dominant male not pictured, he's hiding right now.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

What else is in the tank with them?

This can also be a factor on when and if they colour up properly.

At 2 inches, you should be able to pick out your dominant male, unless he's very stressed or just doesn't exist!

Kim


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## gaqua (Apr 11, 2008)

Tankmates are:
Ps. Demasoni
Ps. Zebra Albino
Ps. Acei
Rustys

A few synodontis catfish and 2 bristlenose plecos.

The dominant male in the tank is a Demasoni of course, but he seems to leave these guys alone, he really only chases other Demasoni around, and that's only when they get near his little corner.

There's a dominant male Cynotilapia, for sure, one of them is darker than the rest and slightly larger. But none of them have any gold/orange/yellow coloring like they're supposed to. Nor do they have any blue coloring really. It's just grey/silver with darker stripes.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

It may be the mere aggression level coming from the demasoni that is keeping the Cynotilapia from colouring up the way they should. I had a very hard time housing other dwarf mbuna with demasoni and still getting the colour I wanted out of all species.

Kim


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## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)

Those are not Cyno. lion Lion's Cove - the body shape alone is all wrong. At 2", any males should be fully colored as this species is full grown at approx. 3.5" - 4".


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## gaqua (Apr 11, 2008)

why_spyder said:


> Those are not Cyno. lion Lion's Cove - the body shape alone is all wrong. At 2", any males should be fully colored as this species is full grown at approx. 3.5" - 4".


Is there a Cyno Afra "Lion's Cove"?

What the **** are these guys?


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## CichlidWhisperer (Apr 12, 2008)

I am wondering if instead of a Cyno Afra - Lion's Cove, you could have a Cyno Mbamba - Lion's Cove? Although It is mostly black with a bluish dorsal fin, but maybe with very agressive tankmates it would be gray with a whiter dorsal? The eyes don't look right though....

Otherwise, could it be some sort of hybrid with one parent Cyno Afra and so they sold it as such?

You can try and call the store you got it from and see if someone there will give you the name of the distributer they got it from... I did that to find out what I had and it sorta worked.. I did find out what the fish was...

Please keep us updated if you find out what it might be...


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## gaqua (Apr 11, 2008)

According to the website for the store:
http://www.neptuneaquatics.com

it's "Cynotilapia afra Lion Cove"

They also have: "Cynotilapia afra Yellow/Black Mora Band" and "Cynotilapia afra Blue Reef" though, so who knows.

The ones I bought were labeled as Afra Lion Cove, which I can't seem to find on any profiles anywhere.


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## gaqua (Apr 11, 2008)

I don't think they look like these guys, either:
http://www.malawimayhem.com/profile_show.php?id=161


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

There is a "species" available in many LFS deemed as Cynotilapia afra Lion's Cove. I'm not sure whether they are a true species or not. This is what I assumed the OP was talking about. Hopefully, the confusion over the "afra" will be resolved over the next few years.

The Cynotilapia sp. Lion's Cove have a more torpedo shaped body, and do not look like the fish above at all.

Kim


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## Cichlid Power (Oct 11, 2006)

I'd return them to the store and get the blue reef afra's instead. :fish:


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## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)

I could see those as _possibly _being the *sp. mbamba Lion's Cove *- as the body shape is more like them.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

why_spyder said:


> I could see those as _possibly _being the *sp. mbamba Lion's Cove *- as the body shape is more like them.


I agree...But at this point, it's impossible to say for sure.

Kim


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## gaqua (Apr 11, 2008)

Cichlid Power said:


> I'd return them to the store and get the blue reef afra's instead. :fish:


Heh, my problem is that I already have too much blue/purple in the tank with the Demasoni and the Acei, so I was hoping for something that turned yellow/gold.

I decided to put them in my 46G for a while last night, thinking maybe the Demasoni were hassling them. I stopped by that fish store last night and bought 6 juvenile (1") Msobo Deep, they're bright yellow/orange like labs but not as common. Hopefully a couple of them will be male, can't tell at this stage.

I also re-arranged the rockwork so there are lots more hiding places. 2 of my Demasoni are carrying and I don't have a fry tank so I'm hoping the new rockwork will give some of the fry a fighting chance by giving them places to hide.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I've had more aggression problems from my Msobo females than I have my male, so be aware and keep an eye on them!

Kim


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## cerissa (Mar 18, 2008)

Hey....I just read this post and got me worried.

I'm so sorry to hear that you're not sure if these fish are the Lions cove. If you're not satisfied with the fish, you can definitely bring them back or trade them in for others.

These fish are from the previous owners of Neptune and I cannot for sure say if they really are what they said they are. They were the only fish in the tank at the time we purchased the store and it was labeled as such. I have no clue where they got this fish from nor do I know where they got it from and from which distributor...

Please do let me know how I can make up for this. I will have to take them off my stocklist until I can better identify these Juvies...however, at this age, it might be hard for me to find out.

Please keep me posted on what you would like to do. I'd hate to lose a customer over something like this. Thank you much.


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## gaqua (Apr 11, 2008)

cerissa said:


> Hey....I just read this post and got me worried.
> 
> I'm so sorry to hear that you're not sure if these fish are the Lions cove. If you're not satisfied with the fish, you can definitely bring them back or trade them in for others.
> 
> ...


Oh I know you guys are good for it. I may bring them in sometime, I may not. I kind of like them regardless of how dully colored they are. They are friendly and not too aggressive.

You guys have always been very honest and forthcoming about your level of knowledge - learning is part of the hobby, even for shops.

But I like your store a lot and you guys are great and have very reasonable prices.


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## copasetic (Nov 26, 2007)

wow if only i had a store like that in ontario.. Our stores dont even let you return extra males....


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## cerissa (Mar 18, 2008)

Oh, thank you much for your kind words! Much appreciated! 8) 
Take care!


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