# "OB"... a little more detail, please?



## hisplaceresort1 (Mar 10, 2014)

I read the article here on the forum about OB Peacocks... as far as describing how they are created, the article only states,



> "The "OB Peacock" is not found in Lake Malawi but rather is a man-made cichlid species. It was engineered by crossing a male Aulonocara species with an OB female mbuna, at least initially."


Well... I had an OB peacock that I had to rehome... always thought it looked like an mbuna, now I know why. So that does explain some...

But I have "OB mbuna". they're not peacocks at all, I don't think. and two of them don't have any orange... one is blue blotchy and one is gold blotchy. and what about piebald fish? are those some kind of an OB, too?

I'd just like a link to an article that goes into more detail about how they came to be, how do you get mbuna OB's if they're supposed to be part peacocks, should they be called something else if they have no orange, as in Orange Blotch? you know, that kind of stuff...

anyone got a link to a more in-depth article? just curious about them... Thanks!


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Check out This article, it's brief but it appears that more study is needed.

I'm guessing OB stands for 'orange blotch' morph or phenotype and it's not necessarily an orange blotched fish. I've previously seen a couple good articles but don't remember where I saw them.

Also check out This link and see the comments that Kanorin posted regarding an explanation near the bottom of page 1.


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

Originally the name "orange blotched" referred to the natural mutation of scattered dark random pigmentation against an orangy background, which can be various shades. Metriaclima callainos OB actually has a white background. Male OBs get blue color when they mature, which can cover up orange color.

The "OB" mutation is a natural random mutation, but usually this mutation does not survive to breed successfully. In Lake Malawi, the blotches actually may have helped camouflage the cichlids living among the rocks, or at least didn't hurt them. Since males are not very picky about breeding they will breed with the blotched females, so blotched female genes became established in the breeding population. Males rarely have the OB mutation dominant, since they need to show their adult male colors to breed successfully, the females choose which males they want to breed with, and they prefer the normal colored non OB males. So the OB gene usually only shows up in the females in nature. Line breeding can result in dominant OB genes in males.

Mbuna with OB genes are...
both Labeotropheus species.
Metriaclima zebra and some related species in the complex. The Red Zebra also has an all orange no blotch morph, as well as an OB morph, the "normal" female color has disappeared from the Minos Reef population which is why this is an unique cichlid.
Tropheops, at least one species but not most.
G. mento, a scale/ fin biter which is not usually seen in the hobby because they are probably a pain

also at least one Victorian Hap species, usually called a Piebald.

To make an OB "Peacock", they must have breed the OB genes into Aulonocara and Haps, then line breed them to make the OB mutation dominant. Unknown what actual or how many different fish are mixed into these hybrids.


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## hisplaceresort1 (Mar 10, 2014)

Deeda an noki!
Thank you! That's just the kind of info I was curious about... I love learning this stuff!  Thanks again


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