# was sold as Pseudotropheus sp. 'kingsizei'... what is it?



## Chris-Indy (Jan 21, 2009)

I won an auction at a local club a few weeks ago and no one was interested in this bag so I got it fairly cheap. It was labeled Pseudotropheus sp. 'kingsizei'. I'm about 99% positive that its not what it said it was. Any ideas as to what it is? Oh yeah, please look past the water spots. I forgot to wipe the tank off. Opps


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Dunno but guess you are right it is no Pseudotropheus sp. 'kingsizei'. More modern name Cynotilapia pulpican.
Prob just a random hybrid.
Take it back I think.


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## Chris-Indy (Jan 21, 2009)

I would, but it was at a club auction.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Ah then prob bred and passed on as bought. Arg we all suffer this stuff.
I would try and get hold of the breeder/seller and let my feelings show. Or if you want the best outcome be nice and say I do not think this cichlid is not as I thought it should be. Please can you take it back at the price you sold it as.

To be honest a seller using the name Pseudotropheus sp. 'kingsizei' would have rung big alarm bells for me.

Saying that it looks like a good small Malawi Mbuna. If you do not care what type it is.

All the best James


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Looks a lot like Metriaclima aurora.


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## Jason S (Feb 7, 2003)

Certainly not Met. pulpican aka "kingsizei likoma blue frost" but there is another it may be, Pseudotropheus (Metriaclima) sp. "kingsizei lupingo"; females are drab to dirty yellow in color, males are a more vibrant yellow, often with iridescent blue in the body and dorsal. Probably a bit too early to tell on these exactly what they are though.


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

Don't know but look up fish that were once had "kingsizei" as part of the trade name, like compare to the Metriaclima sciasma on this page from link below... part of the Aurora group
http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=3699

These may be good fish. See what happens to the male as he matures.


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## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)

Are you sure it isn't the 'Kingsizei' from Lupingu? Not sure how likely it is, but they are around....


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## Chris-Indy (Jan 21, 2009)

They are in fact Metriaclima pulpican Pseudotropheus sp. 'kingsizei' collected from Lupingu. I wasn't aware of the collection spot. I contacted the seller.


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## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)

Chris-Indy said:


> Metriaclima pulpican Pseudotropheus sp. 'kingsizei' collected from Lupingu


Drop the extra words and go with _Metriaclima _sp. "Kingsizei Lupingu" Lupingu. All the extra names is confusing.... :thumb:

Grab yourself Ad Koning's 4th Edition and read up on them on p. 181... :lol: Be aware that males from this locale can actually have a wide variance in coloration as well....


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## Jason S (Feb 7, 2003)

Agreed. M. pulpican specifically refers to the fish formerly "kingsizei likoma"; the "kingsizei lupingo" is a completely different fish perhaps a different variant or even a different species. Referring to it as Met. "kingsizei lupingo" will avoid others being confused as you were.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Jason S said:


> Agreed. M. pulpican specifically refers to the fish formerly "kingsizei likoma"; the "kingsizei lupingo" is a completely different fish perhaps a different variant or even a different species. Referring to it as Met. "kingsizei lupingo" will avoid others being confused as you were.


And me. :wink: 
Looks like you lucked in on this one and have a good small pure Mbuna. 8)


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