# Red top Afra or yellow top Afra



## ozzybear (Jun 26, 2011)

Guys
How can I tell the difference between a red top Afra or a yellow top? I bought one and remember the LFS telling me the one I had was the brighter coloured of the two. I can't however remember which one that was? All the pics on google look ver similar
Thank you
Xxx


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

The inherent problem with trade names... they often describe a dozen or more fish.

Yours could be a number of variants with a yellow/orange dorsal.

Unless you can get an accurate collection point from the seller, or post a picture here, I'm afraid you may not know exactly what fish it is.

Even when a good pic is posted there is not all that much difference between some of the afra variants
and LFSs seem to label em up, well lets say not consistantly.

Many (maybe all) bred red top afra and yellow top afra, sadly can not be considered pure variants.

So yep its very hard to say.

All the best James


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

"Red Top" is rather exaggerated anyway, not always all that red. Males can vary alot, even with what is supposed to be a pure race. Yellowish, to orangeish, maybe some reddish-orange.


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## nick a (Apr 9, 2004)

Trade names are meant to be descriptive...yellow-top is more accurate but red-top seems to be more common---I have NEVER seen any Cyno that actually has red in any part of it's coloration. 'Orangy' is as far as it ever gets.

"Many (maybe all) bred red top afra and yellow top afra, sadly can not be considered pure variants. "

24Tropheus, I have no idea what you mean by this broad statement and what reasoning/data you have to justify making such a statement?

C. afra Likoma AKA by trade names like afra RED-TOP









C. sp mbamba Lundu AKA mbamba RED-TOP









Pictures aren't that great but the colors are accurately represented--yellow/not red


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## ozzybear (Jun 26, 2011)

Thanks nick a. Thats our guy! Almost identical
X


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

That would be a good LFS then. Sadly here folk are not often so lucky.
To me that should have been labeled C. afra Likoma if a Likoma and not some trade name.
Sadly that meens going to specialist dealers and paying a lot for your fish.
If yours looks like that then it may or may not be a Likoma and you are guessing when you buy more you are not getting a different variant and thus maybe making a variant cross.

It may well be where you are good shops stick to describing only Likoma as red top afra. It sure is not that way here.
For sure those from Puulu can be called red top too
http://www.cichlids.com/pictures/pic/Cy ... _Wild.html
As can those from Londo

The list of variants sometimes called orange top or yellow top is far longer and the lists are not exclusive of each other variant wise.

Sure its a sweeping statement but never the less true. As your own post confirms.

I disagree 'that trade names were invented to describe fish'. They were invented to sell fish.
Often where the true location/variant data is lost, obscure or its a variant cross (or line bred variant) being sold.

All the best James


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## ozzybear (Jun 26, 2011)

James, I noticed you are in the uk too? Can you reccomend anywhere that has a good stock of Malawi? We have a couple of reasonable shops near Cambridge, but always like an excuse for a trip out. As you say, often the fish are labelled with the trade names, it would be good to find somewhere that has a more extended knowledge of what they are selling rather than guessing
Thanks, Claire


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Yep I will send a PM. Sorry not alowed to recommend shops on the forum.
I hope Stevenage (Herts) is not too far for you :thumb: 
Maybe join that forum I mention, real pitty I do not keep many Malawi cichlids any more as I understand they offer members a discount and are far better than we are used to down South. Newish shop.

Sadly I do not get to vissit the Cambridge shops often anymore since I stopped working at Addenbrooke's Hospital.

All the best James


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