# What Breed of Cynotilapia Afra



## Magicafra (Apr 9, 2012)

I was wondering what type of Cynotilapia Afra this might be. The male is blue and the Female is Brown does that have anything to do with the breed or is it typical of the species?I have had them for about a half year and they are around three to three and a half inches, what I understand to be the adult size for this species. The female has just showed up for the second time with eggs in her mouth. Do different breeds have any differences other than appearance? The male and female share the tank with a Labidochromis Caeruleus and Acei in a 45 gallon, and now about eight fry from the last batch of 12.

Male Afra
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/705/img7177y.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/684/img7147o.jpg/
Female Afra
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/851/img7137w.jpg/
Fry
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/29/img7148o.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/201/img7149n.jpg/[url]


----------



## mbuna17 (Aug 1, 2011)

Looks like a cynotilapia axelrodi.


----------



## Magicafra (Apr 9, 2012)

are you sure? From What I can find on the internet the female Axelrodi look more grey whereas mine is brown with grey, greyblue stripes


----------



## mbuna17 (Aug 1, 2011)

Magicafra said:


> are you sure? From What I can find on the internet the female Axelrodi look more grey whereas mine is brown with grey, greyblue stripes


The male looks like axelrodi as for the female im not to sure of.


----------



## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Hate to disagree but looks like Cynotilapia afra (Metangula) to me.


----------



## kyboy (Oct 30, 2009)

It also looks like Cyno. Afra Likoma "White Top" http://www.malawi-dream.info/Cynotilapi ... Island.htm , just a guess.


----------



## mbuna17 (Aug 1, 2011)

24Tropheus said:


> Hate to disagree but looks like Cynotilapia afra (Metangula) to me.


+1 I take my guess back looks more like metangula :thumb:


----------



## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)

_Metriaclima pulpican/kingsizei_ (can't remember which is more current).

If it isn't that, then I wouldn't go about guessing a locale of _C. zebroide_s (afra) - it is too easy for bad things too happen by attaching a location to an unlabeled species....


----------



## nmcichlid-aholic (Mar 23, 2011)

why_spyder said:


> _Metriaclima pulpican/kingsizei_ (can't remember which is more current).
> 
> If it isn't that, then I wouldn't go about guessing a locale of _C. zebroide_s (afra) - it is too easy for bad things too happen by attaching a location to an unlabeled species....


It isn't Metriaclima pulpican - they only have 5 bars. And the head/mouth on this one is more rounded than what you would find in a Metriaclima type, I think. But, if why_spyder can't or won't positively ID a variant or collection point of a Cynotilapia, then you may as well just call it a pretty blue and black barred mbuna and move on!


----------



## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)

The number of bars will vary - compare the ones in the photos to the ones by Jason Selong. Face roundness varies as well - see here.

In any case, I wouldn't breed them - the male is passing along some pretty nasty barring genes that most hobbyists don't desire.


----------



## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

why_spyder said:


> The number of bars will vary - compare the ones in the photos to the ones by Jason Selong. Face roundness varies as well - see here.
> 
> In any case, I wouldn't breed them - the male is passing along some pretty nasty barring genes that most hobbyists don't desire.


Kind of but then WC also can have pretty dodgy bars. Are we breeding for wild type or what hobbiests seem to want?

Still think they are afra.


----------



## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)

Correct, WC do come in with bad bars - those wilds don't get bred by me. IMO, we can breed for both wild-type and what hobbyists want by just breeding the best looking ones. If hobbyists don't want to buy the stock because of bad barring, how will the species be spread around the hobby? :wink:

Breeding the best looking stock doesn't mean breeding out the wild characteristics - just means not breeding the less desirable traits.

It could be a _Cynotilapia_, but without a location attached - it is just a mystery _Cynotilapia_. Unfortunately we don't get the variety of species quite like the UK and other parts of Europe - at least not on a regular basis.....


----------



## Magicafra (Apr 9, 2012)

When bred with the other Cynotilapia that I got from the same batch all of the offspring were showing straight distinct bars, unlike the undesirable ones as you have said. Possibly it is not in the genetics and maybe injury? or else it might be recessive


----------



## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)

Likely a recessive trait rather than an injury.


----------

