# Who is this purple beauty?



## Thisgirllovesfish (May 4, 2021)

Hes just so purple! He's very peaceful... 6 months old no idea what kind he is


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## Idech (Nov 8, 2020)

It looks like pseudotropheus acei (white tail).


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

Definitely NOT Acei, certainly not a pure Acei of any sort. Has you fish always been the same color, or has he changed?

Looks like Heteropictus male Mbuna currently called Chindongo heteropictus but formally Pseudotropheus, sometimes Metriaclima heteropictus. Very confusing info on the internets, as there are different races.

Could well be a hybrid, so it is hard since you don't know the history. I would compare to Mbuna Black Dorsal Heteropictus


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## Idech (Nov 8, 2020)

noki said:


> Definitely NOT Acei, certainly not a pure Acei of any sort. Has you fish always been the same color, or has he changed?
> 
> Looks like Heteropictus male Mbuna currently called Chindongo heteropictus but formally Pseudotropheus, sometimes Metriaclima heteropictus. Very confusing info on the internets, as there are different races.
> 
> Could well be a hybrid, so it is hard since you don't know the history. I would compare to Mbuna Black Dorsal Heteropictus


I'm curious why you are ruling out acei so categorically ?


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## Thisgirllovesfish (May 4, 2021)

Thank you for replying! Noki was asking what he looked like when he was younger - here is a photo from February 1. As you can see he changed a lot from this lighter pinkish colour.

Prior to this he was all over light grey.


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

Doesn't really look that much like an Acei Ngara to me, accounting for how fish change with mood and age.

Link below.The Mbuna in this picture has a similar mouth, similar type markings on the body and fins
http://www.fishtanklab.com/site/dbview/648/Pseudotropheus-heteropictus


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## Thisgirllovesfish (May 4, 2021)

Omg noki thank you! You are totally correct! I looked at some more pictures of what you suggested, and it's is just what he looks like - right down to the eggspots. I have attached this pic I found from the internet that looks just like him. Thanks again! This was bugging me so much, responses were much appreciated


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## Thisgirllovesfish (May 4, 2021)

Btw is he ok in a peacock tank?


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

Your Mbuna is probably tougher than "Peacocks", and may hurt their color. If you have the hybrid special man made types, they are okay. If he has done well so far, no reason to change things up now unless there is a problem.


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## Haplochromine guy (Jun 4, 2020)

I personally don't think he's a Chindongo heteropictus because of the pics on the internet. Here's a male:

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=ht ... egUIARCtAQ

Send me the link to the source of the confirmation of the purple fish please? P. Burnel*

If you simply search Purple Mbuna on the internet, you'd be surprised I think.


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

Haplochromine guy said:


> I personally don't think he's a Chindongo heteropictus because of the pics on the internet. Here's a male:
> 
> https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=ht ... egUIARCtAQ
> 
> ...


I actually think that image you linked shows the same exact male pattern as her fish, just that male is 100% colored up. Fish vary from age and mood. Also there are different collection points for related Mbuna.

If you search for Purple Mbuna, you get Melanochromis vermivoris, and a bunch of meaninglessly random hits.


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## Thisgirllovesfish (May 4, 2021)

Yea and the differentiation IMO is the yellow stripe on the dorsal fin. Mine is black though he has yellow egg spots


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## Haplochromine guy (Jun 4, 2020)

I'm still confused, but the pattern is indeed the same. There may be color morphs. Many Mbuna do display vertical strip pattern, in particular the Zebras. You know, he's 6 months or so old, so I wouldn't confirm identification because he may be displaying juvenile colors. Also, please take in mind that there has been a lot of cross-breeding in this hobby, so he probably isn't a pure fish I'd think the odds are low he is. Where exactly did the fish come from (which store)?


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## jn1981 (May 10, 2021)

If i had to guess i would say juvenile/subdominant Msobo deep. I have 2 males and one always looks like this.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

My msobo have a more broken up blue pattern as opposed to distinguishable bars. The males stay orange until the blue mottling arrives but you can ID them because their dorsal turns dark while still orange.

I would not say msobo are purple at all...more blue. But that could be individual evaluation of the colors.


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