# Protomelas taeniolatus - Red Empress?



## AC (Jul 26, 2010)

Not sure which collection point these are and would like some input from the pros.

They are about 5" now...

Two sides shots of a male



















Thanks guys...


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## AC (Jul 26, 2010)

The females are just a plain silver with a black stripe.

i didn't think they would be helpful for this purpose, but if they would be, let me know and I will get a pic or two of one of them also.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Looks right for a Protomelas taeniolatus to me.
Not all are Red Empress. I dought this one is.
Saying that once location is lost its gone for good, or at least for me.

All the best James


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

You can call him a yellow empress! Very pretty.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Protomelas taeniolatus	
Protomelas taeniolatus Chilumba
Protomelas taeniolatus Chinyankwazi
Protomelas taeniolatus Ikombe
Protomelas taeniolatus Lupingu
Protomelas taeniolatus Namalenje
Protomelas taeniolatus Nkhata Bay

You could I guess look up these common collection sites here http://www.malawi-dream.info/Haplos_Aulonos.htm

And get the closest match but whos can say its not a rare collection site not listed that looks similar?
It does after all have a likewide distribution and who realy knows how many variants.

All the best James


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## AC (Jul 26, 2010)

Thanks for the input, Tropeus.

I looked over the profiles here the past couple of days and see a lot of similarity in the Red Empress young male pics.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=1369

I also see a lot of variation in the adult males of the collection point of that species....

I don't really see much of that in the others.

I don't know...

He's only 5" now, so he has a way to go to reach full maturity at around 9".

I have two pairs, the other male is about 1/2" smaller and just starting to show color.

I'm interested to see what becomes of them and the price was way right, so it's not really a biggy.


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## AC (Jul 26, 2010)

13razorbackfan said:


> You can call him a yellow empress! Very pretty.


Thanks.

:lol:


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

No worries as you say still time for em to change as they get towards full size.
Maybe post pics later?
For sure no super red line bred job or they would be red already.
Prob at breeding size already though.
Colouring up at a good 5" so so very good sine (nice and late) they have not been messed about with by hormones or colour feeding. Sadly all too common these days.

All the best James


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## AC (Jul 26, 2010)

Yes, I was told that they had already spawned a few times.

Took them off of a fish store's hands that took them off of a customer they sold them to about a year ago.

He said he had ordered them from a supplier that is a sponsor of the site here.

When he called me about them, I was kinda hoping they were the 'firecracker' brand, but I am pretty sure that is out of the question now.


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

He is not going to turn red at this point, not how it works. Not an Red Empress.

Fish called Fire Blue or Ndwie are somewhat common, or at least available. Males look almost the same as an Red Empress except orange, not red. One really nice race sold as Ndwie has juveniles with a yellowish tint, males are identical to Red Empress except orange and blue, maybe with a more greenish tint.

It's a shame that nice strains of Red Empress and Ndwie are hard to find anymore. They don't have to be line bred "firecracker", the original Red Empress is a specular (real) red and blue.


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## AC (Jul 26, 2010)

So what do you think he is?


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

AC said:


> So what do you think he is?


Unfortunetly, it is hard to guess for sure. There are low quality fish out there, there are mixes of Protomelas out there.

What does the original seller list that they sell? You could always ask them. Now, if you can trust them is another question.


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