# Brevis Deformity?



## timbo6684 (Aug 29, 2010)

A few days ago I received a trio of sunspot brevis. Now that the 2 smaller females have literally come out of their shells I've noticed a considerable difference in their head shapes vs the larger male. Is this something the smaller brevis will grow out of or is this in fact a deformity?


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## ACC in NC (Dec 27, 2003)

Here is a picture of a breeding pair I had a few years back. I always thought my females looked a little funny.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Looks like a deformity to me. I've seen that snubbed nose deformity in other species.


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## ACC in NC (Dec 27, 2003)

DJRansome said:


> Looks like a deformity to me. I've seen that snubbed nose deformity in other species.


Looks like a deformity to me as well. Just call them Parrott Brevis and sell them for a premium! Just kidding!


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Deformity, I wouldn't use them as breeding stock.


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

There certainly are genes that produce bull dog faces in fish. There are cichlids with patches of dark pigment that are congenital and rarely genetic. But this might not be one of either one of those. It could be diet or environment. An iodine deficiency is possible because fish do require some iodine to be available. An area in the fish equivalent to a thyroid will enlarge in order to compensate for a lack of trace iodine. A notch where the skull ends suggests this is a possible cause. If it becomes too severe, the fish can no longer swallow and starves.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/b ... f_fish.php

Krill and other fish foods of ocean origin, if the fish eat them, will address the dietary deficiency. If all the trace iodine is being stripped from the water, using water conditioning dechlorinators more conservatively and limiting the use of activated carbon should help. In breeding Tropheus fry, and with breeders producing eggs, I have used a reef iodine supplement following the directions for adding to a reef aquarium. This was suggested to me by the director of public aquarium about thirty years ago and it has worked famously with the fry of Malawi and especially Tanganyikan cichlids, and Tanganyikan killifish as well.

It is a minority opinion, but I think a lot of problems we run into are attributed to inbreeding or defective genes, when it is really the less than optimal habitat we provide the fish. We test the pH, redox, alkalinity, salinity, but there are lots of other things we don't even think to test for or to provide. We can try to visually duplicate an environment, but even with all our tests coming back great, it may be darker, more stagnant, too turbulent, or too bright, or any of a myriad of possible missing parts of the natural environment. Many of those will remain mysterious, at least until all the new biology doctorates are no longer for literature searches changing the scientific names of fish, plants, and fossils. But when I see a notch behind the skull of a fish, it at least suggests the possibility that adding an iodine supplement to the water and/or diet may be helpful.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I did not mean to imply the deformity was genetic. I have also seen fish raised in high nitrates with deformities and/or abnormally slow growth.


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## Cyphound (Oct 20, 2014)

This is why I use cichlid lake salts and not the home made version anymore. There are too many things that are lacking in or water sources that are needed by cichlids and especially Tanganyikans. Not only that but we tend to take advice from forums and rum with it when in fact we all have different water sources so what works for one might not work for others. In this way I feel assured I'm doing what's needed to the best of my abilities.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I also didn't mean to imply I've seen fish with this deformity raised in water that was missing something available in cichlid lake salt mixes. My experience has been with water containing well-known toxins...specifically nitrates.

Cyphound I know your experience is different, but I've never added anything to my water and I've never had a deformity like this. My deformities have all been purchased.


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## Cyphound (Oct 20, 2014)

I just mentioned it because since I got back in to breeding it was one of the things I do now so I know any issues are not related to water deficiencies. I used to breed quite successfully with out anything but cichlid lake recipe. I got a screaming deal on seachem cichlid salts and buffer. Enough for 3+ years of WC on my 4 tanks a 40% weekly for $120 Canadian roughly. I want to see if it makes a difference and it is an experiment that has a very small cash outlay.
Mike


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## ACC in NC (Dec 27, 2003)

Cyphound said:


> This is why I use cichlid lake salts and not the home made version anymore. There are too many things that are lacking in or water sources that are needed by cichlids and especially Tanganyikans. Not only that but we tend to take advice from forums and rum with it when in fact we all have different water sources so what works for one might not work for others. In this way I feel assured I'm doing what's needed to the best of my abilities.


I've kept Malawi and Tanganyikan Cichlids for years and have never used any commercially available salts and buffers and have had great success! I can get the raw products for pennies on the dollar. Just check your raw water coming out of the tap and make the adjustments you need. I check pH, calcium hardness, and total alkalinity. Deficiencies usually come from improper diet.


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## Tanganyika (Apr 4, 2015)

Several years back. I bred pearly occelatus and alot of the babies were like that. Some were normal. Always wondered what went wrong. Thought I didnt give them something!!


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

It sure looks like enlarged thyroid (goiter) but I suppose it could be something else. I have not seen any fish like that in my tanks since Jim Langhammer suggested using reef iodine in my Tanganyikan and Central American tanks.


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## spitfires (Jun 21, 2014)

I have one pair of sunspot brevis. The female is breeding now.But I can't tell the little difference between the spawn and unspawn.In my opinion after spawn the genital papilla will get darker yellow.


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