# Paratilapia identification (Madagascar)



## Catfish Dan (Apr 12, 2011)

We came home last night with an impulse buy, 3 juveniles labeled as 'Paratilapia bleekeri'. I know these guys are pretty rare in the aquarium hobby and I'm thinking they may be 'Paratialpia polleni'. The largest of the 3 (at 2") we are hoping is a male; his anal and dorsal fins are pointy and he's pretty colored up. The smaller 2 (at ~1") have shadows of their future speckling and a distinct black spot on their back, mid-way down the dorsal fin. Is this indicative of P. polleni?

We're hoping for a pair, at which point the 3rd will be returned to our LFS. Worst case scenario, if they can't get along, we'll end up housing just one. If a pair they'll go into a 125, solo we'd hope to house in a 75.

Apart from ID, does anyone have experience with these fish?

Many thanks, Debbie


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