# otopharynx lithobates



## Buckingham U (Apr 8, 2014)

Below are a couple of pics of the dominant lithobates in my tank that was described by the LFS as "Zimbabwe Rock". He is the tank boss and has some really nice, vibrant orange coloring on his body, what I am wondering is will this go away in time? The blaze on his head is just starting to appear, you can't see it very well. When I google the species I have not seen many pics showing this type of color on the flanks. Had him a year and was probably about 1" when I got him. He is about 3" now, and obviously not full grown. Saw one just like him in a breeders fish room and he said it was not a Zrock, he was not sure the variant. He looks awesome now and I'm wondering if this is just his teenage coloration. Sorry the crappy pics, my droid camera stinks.
Thanks, Bucky


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## Mschn99 (Dec 24, 2012)

pure z-rock vary color a lot, but they should not have any color other than blue or the base silver skin pigment. They color up and down a lot with situation but should not show this coloration.


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## Buckingham U (Apr 8, 2014)

Thanks. Anyone have an idea of the variant, or might this be a hybrid? Females / sub doms are a dirty brown with the typical spots, they do look similar to some of the pics I have seen in the library.


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## Chester B (Dec 28, 2012)

Great looking fish, but not a Z rock. That yellow body is just not right. Did the fish ever have the characteristic spots when younger?


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## Hapguy63 (Feb 8, 2014)

Looks like a zrock Taiwan Reef mix.


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## workharddieproud (Nov 7, 2013)

Maybe a ngara flametail, does not look at all like my zrock.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

workharddieproud said:


> Maybe a ngara flametail, does not look at all like my zrock.


Not a flametail either.. just a hybrid. A very pretty fish though.

Reminds me a big of some of the colouration of the Nyassachromis I've kept in the past...


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## Buckingham U (Apr 8, 2014)

Here are pics of one of the females and sub dom male...


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## Buckingham U (Apr 8, 2014)

/Update... 4 months or so gone by and now one of the other males is coloring up, He is still sub dom, actually #3 in the tank pecking order but he has much more vibrant orange on his forehead crest. The dom is white on his crest. Does this look more like a true lithobates?


Here he is next to the other male:


Might just have to re home the lighter colored dominant and see how the orange male ends up. Have a 3rd male too that is barely showing.

Any thoughts?

Thanks


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## Ten Tonne Tomahawk (Apr 24, 2015)

I like the new boy more than the old. I don't know what happened there, but something went offline with him.


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## Buckingham U (Apr 8, 2014)

I agree, gonna take out the old boy the next chance I get at put him in another tank to see what happens to new boy. There is a third male staring to color up too. Perhaps he might be the best one of all, we'll see.


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