# Firemouth X Ellioti Hybrids



## joegriggs (Jul 31, 2016)

Hi,

My female Firemouth decided to lay with my male Ellioti. I didn't think much of it as previously the Firemouth had tried it with the Tibar, twice, but although the eggs seem fertile they disappeared after a few days with no sign of fry. This time though the eggs have hatched and the fry are now around a month and reaching an inch, although there is still not much colouration.

Has this happened before? I did a search online but I couldn't find any regarding those two species. I've seperated them from the main tank now, which their mum and dad managed to successfully control and protect the fry in.

Let me know if you want to see some pictures. I appreciate any interest or help! :thumb:


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## BC in SK (Aug 11, 2012)

joegriggs said:


> Has this happened before?


Some where, at some time, more then likely. Any CA can crossbreed with another CA, though not all crosses have been documented on line. 
The only ellioti cross I have seen on line is with salvini. Ellioti is not that commonly kept, so of coarse there are less hybrids out there compared to the more common species. Also, I suspect Thorichthys are some what less inclined to hybridize then some of the very common CA (such as Texas, jag ect.). I think most people avoid keeping more then one species of Thorichthys in a tank, at least in part, to try and avoid hybridisation.
Ellioti is still used as a common name, though the correct valid scientific name for this fish is _Thorichthys maculippinis_.

I think it is important not to distribute 'ad hoc' hybrids in the hobby. I think it is even more important not to distribute hybrids of very closely related species of the same genus, as it is likely going to be more then difficult to distinguish them. If you keep them for yourself, really should be no problem. As a curiosity, it can be interesting to see what a hybrid will turn out to be.


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## mbargas (Apr 19, 2009)

> I think it is even more important not to distribute hybrids of very closely related species of the same genus, as it is likely going to be more then difficult to distinguish them.


I think that has already happened with some species: H carpintis X H cyanoguttatus. It seems to me that there is considerable variability in terms of the size of the blue spots which could be the result of hybridization between the two. Probably also with all of the jewel cichlids, where there seems to be a lot of confusion as to which species is which.


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## BC in SK (Aug 11, 2012)

mbargas said:


> I think that has already happened with some species: H carpintis X H cyanoguttatus.


No doubt, it has happened with a number of cichlids; Texas cichlid one of many. RD/Midas probably the best known.


mbargas said:


> Probably also with all of the jewel cichlids, where there seems to be a lot of confusion as to which species is which.


Maybe. That one seems considerably less likely as other types of jewels are recent importations and not common in the hobby at all. The confusion over names stems from the use of the name _Hemichromis bimaculatus_ for the common jewel and the continued usage of this name (actually a very rare fish in the hobby), even though it is well known that the common jewel is _Hemichromis guttatus _.


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