# a BLUE red zebra



## elgu3ro88 (Dec 16, 2008)

i was reading somewhere how there are some rare male red zebras that are actually blue. whats ur guys experience with them, have u ever had/seen any?


----------



## Super Turtleman (May 21, 2007)

It's rare, but they do exist. I believe I had one, but unfortunately he got sucked up in my filter and died. He was a beautiful color though...I'd buy another in a heartbeat if I found one again...


----------



## trigger (Sep 6, 2002)

I assume you mean the Metriaclima estherae? I have some blue males and one orange.


----------



## iplaywithemotions (Dec 18, 2008)

My blue zebra male had just spawned with a pink/reddish female zebra. I wonder what the fry will look like.

And I agree, its a beautiful fish. Very deep blue/purple tone which becomes even more vibrant when he's excited.


----------



## elgu3ro88 (Dec 16, 2008)

howd u guys go about obtaining this fish, lfs, online, a breeder?


----------



## iplaywithemotions (Dec 18, 2008)

elgu3ro88 said:


> howd u guys go about obtaining this fish, lfs, online, a breeder?


online is too expensive for me, with the shipping costs and all..

I find mines at LFS's. Google "pet fish san francisco" and google should find a lot of local pet stores for you besides just the chain pet stores.


----------



## nipzie (Nov 24, 2008)

I though it was a specific breed, males were blue and females were orange, hence the red x red designation for the common red zebra (red x red meaning both sexes were red) I thought Met. Callainos was the species but they are both blue. anyone know what I'm talking about?


----------



## xantar (Jan 10, 2009)

Check this out. It's very interesting.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/met_estherae.php


----------



## trigger (Sep 6, 2002)

You can see both males colors, the OB and the female here:
http://www.malawicichlids.com/mw09008g.htm


----------



## trigger (Sep 6, 2002)

Not the best picture, but these are a blue and an orange brother


----------



## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

nipzie said:


> I though it was a specific breed, males were blue and females were orange, hence the red x red designation for the common red zebra (red x red meaning both sexes were red) I thought Met. Callainos was the species but they are both blue. anyone know what I'm talking about?


It's really important NOT to confuse M. callainos with M. estherae. The males look similar, but not identical. (The blue male estherae looks much like the callainos when in spawning mode.)

The blue/red variant of estherae isn't _that_ uncommon. They are from Minos Reef.

Callainos males and females are blue.

If you aren't 100% certain that what you have is a blue estherae male, you shouldn't distribute fry from them. I wouldn't trust any of them that didn't come from a reputable breeder or a VERY knowledgable and trustworthy LFS. :thumb:

I really think alot of people are crossing male callainos with estherae and thinking they have both estherae. I've seen too many people post callainos pics as "blue zebras". They _are_ "blue zebras", but they _aren't_ the blue/red estherae.


----------



## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

The blue male estherae is rare in the mainstream HOBBY, but it is normal in the lake where they come from. They are rarer because Callainos cobalts are a more consisitant blue color and easier to sell and market. So stores will have a tank of all blue Cobalt Zebras (Metriaclima callainos) and a tank of all orange Red Zebra (Metriaclima estherae).

As said, beware of people who are confused and breed a blue Callainos to a female estherae.


----------



## Joea (May 25, 2004)

To further noki's comment, ALL variants of male _Metriaclima estherae_ in the wild are blue; it is the orange and OB ones that are extremely rare.


----------



## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Joea said:


> To further noki's comment, ALL variants of male _Metriaclima estherae_ in the wild are blue; it is the orange and OB ones that are extremely rare.


Not ALL are estherae are blue in the wild, but a huge number are.


----------



## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

noki said:


> So stores will have a tank of all blue Cobalt Zebras (Metriaclima callainos) and a tank of all orange Red Zebra (Metriaclima estherae).
> 
> As said, beware of people who are confused and breed a blue Callainos to a female estherae.


Can I stress stores _*should*_ have a tank of all blue Cobalt zebras (Metriaclima callainos) and a tank of all orange red zebras (Metriaclima estherae)?


----------



## trigger (Sep 6, 2002)

Joea said:


> To further noki's comment, ALL variants of male _Metriaclima estherae_ in the wild are blue; it is the orange and OB ones that are extremely rare.


Ok, this is going to look like "let's p-off joe-eeehh", but the ob's are not THAT rare, like not ALL males are blue 

This is a shot from an OB is actually at minos reef:

And if I can find them and take pictures of them, thay can not be rare


----------



## nipzie (Nov 24, 2008)

As usual, everyone has come through with the information. Well done. To clarify, I was not suggesting cross breeding, though I'm sure that happens between the two species, but that is the info that I have read in the past. The blue x red zebra. Awesome stuff.


----------



## iplaywithemotions (Dec 18, 2008)

Since we're on topic, is this the blue variant that you were referring to?



















Also, I have a red zebra, who is more pink than red. I was told by one of the mods, that it was a male red zebra, as males tend to be more of a pink shade.

However, The blue zebra pictured above, had just spawned with the pink zebra, who is now holding.

This is the pink female, previously thought to be a male.



















Notice the more traditional colored 'red' zebra in the background, and how different their colors are.

So could someone confirm which type of zebras these two are? And will their fry be hybrids?


----------



## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

iplaywithemotions - sorry, can't really confirm anything about the female.


----------



## Joea (May 25, 2004)

I think my point has been missed. There are no variants of _M. estherae_ in the wild that commonly produce orange males. OB _males _are certainly more common but not nearly as much as the blue males. trigger, I of course meant OB _males_, the fish in your picture could very well be a female. Female OB are very abundant.

I was simply trying to make a point that in the hobby, orange males are common and blue males are not and that in the wild, it's the reverse. It's an interesting paradox. But thanks for suckin' the fun out of it.


----------



## iplaywithemotions (Dec 18, 2008)

Fogelhund said:


> iplaywithemotions - sorry, can't really confirm anything about the female.


No worries. Is the male in-fact a blue zebra though?


----------



## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

iplaywithemotions said:


> Fogelhund said:
> 
> 
> > iplaywithemotions - sorry, can't really confirm anything about the female.
> ...


Again, it is a blue zebra type, yes. Which species??????????? If you don't know what it is when you buy it, I wouldn't use it as a breeder.


----------



## StructureGuy (Jul 27, 2002)

Here's my blue male M. estherae;










He is actually more of a light blue-gray color but the camera makes it look a bit more blue than in person. See below in a different light.










Kevin


----------



## non_compliance (Dec 4, 2008)

StructureGuy said:


> Here's my blue male M. estherae;
> 
> 
> 
> ...


that's such a sweet fish... I want to get one of those... and a polit too.. I like the single color they have... cool looking.

I'm totally an "Ooooooo purdy" fish buyer... I need to knock it off... heh...


----------



## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Here is one of my males.


----------



## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

It's easy to see from Kevin and Fogelhund's pics how they get confused with the callainos!


----------



## congo1040 (May 4, 2008)




----------



## congo1040 (May 4, 2008)




----------



## Amp (Dec 12, 2003)

my blue males have a bit of orange on the tips of the fins similar to what you see in the first pic StructureGuy posted. I don't think the Callainos have that. Is that not a good way to tell them apart?

iplaywithemotions I have a pink female as well. She's the biggest and most dominant of the group of 4 I have.


----------



## xantar (Jan 10, 2009)

Do the blue males ever show stripes when they flare up? I have a fish that looks a lot like these, but has more orange on the edges of the fins and shows dark bars only when flared up.


----------

