# Cyathopharynx variant confirmation



## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

Sold to me as Cyathopharynx foai 'Sibwesa'. Yes or no, and why? After reading Konings 'Natural Habitat' I thought the gold head's, light unpaired fins, and lack of marbling in the body were all furcifer, but now not so sure. I know there's some debate. Sometimes there's a blue sheen in the body not shown in pics. I thought I read somewhere that both foai and furcifer were found at Sibwesa. So , could it be that this is C. furcifer 'Sibwesa'? This fish doesn't look anything like the majority of pics out there of C. foai 'Sibwesa'. Any thoughts?


----------



## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

Beautiful fish Tim and great pics!! The more I see these guys the more I would love one.

Russ


----------



## Furcifer158 (Feb 16, 2008)

It's a furcifer not foai and is in fact I believe its from mbita.

Also gold on the head or face do not mean its a furcifer, take mbita foai and furcifer for instance they both have gold on the head IMO, but like you said there is much debate on this


----------



## Furcifer158 (Feb 16, 2008)

its too bad so many people label any Cyathopharynx species "Foai Sibwesa" just to make so extra $$

Prov here's a link to a pick of furcifer mbita
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=1920

Also foai from mbita
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=1485


----------



## jrf (Nov 10, 2009)

Can't help with the ID. But whatever they are, they're stunning - nice camera work too btw.


----------



## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

Looks a lot like my Furcifer Kigoma (sold to me as Karilani copper Foai).
As said, yellow/orange on the face/forehead, means Furcifer.


----------



## Furcifer158 (Feb 16, 2008)

noddy said:


> Looks a lot like my Furcifer Kigoma (sold to me as Karilani copper Foai).
> As said, yellow/orange on the face/forehead, means Furcifer.


There are a few species with yellow/orange on the face/forehead
Like I said earlier Mbita furcifer and foai from here have it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dbp6UCI1 ... r_embedded


----------



## Furcifer158 (Feb 16, 2008)

The only reason I do not think it is Kigoma is that if you look at the tail of the OP's the black markings start at the base of the tail like Mbita while Kigoma have more black at the end of the tail.

Photo of Kigoma
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=1487


----------



## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

> Beautiful fish Tim and great pics!! The more I see these guys the more I would love one.
> 
> Russ


I've got about 6 males too many you can have.  That's the bad luck. I believe I ended up with 7m/4f.



> It's a furcifer not foai and is in fact I believe its from mbita.


That was one of my guesses too, but wasn't a perfect match. Look at the ventral fins.



> Can't help with the ID. But whatever they are, they're stunning - nice camera work too btw.


Thanks, and thanks again to fmueller for showing me how to get a good pic.



> The only reason I do not think it is Kigoma is that if you look at the tail of the OP's the black markings start at the base of the tail like Mbita while Kigoma have more black at the end of the tail.


You're right, and kigoma has the dark anal fin, mine does not.



> There are a few species with yellow/orange on the face/forehead
> Like I said earlier Mbita furcifer and foai from here have it


You're right, but the one in the video also has the charactistic marbling of foai, mine doesn't.

I really think mine's a furcifer, and not just because of the gold, but also the lack of marbling and the clear fins.

Look at this thread. Scroll down to the pics of Cyathopharynx furcifer "Kantalamba" and Cyathopharynx furcifer "Kasakalawe". These were taken at location. They look more similar than any I've seen.

Regardless, now I have a fish whose location is unknown. Really decreases the value. I can maybe satisfy myself with a guess, but no way I can label this fish without a way to confirm that label through more than pics. And I bought these from a guy who you'd think would do a better job of ID'ing his fish. I don't even know for sure if this fish is foai or furcifer. I just know it's not what it was sold to me as. Maybe I can label it Cyathopharynx 'not' foai 'sibwesa'  .



> its too bad so many people label any Cyathopharynx species "Foai Sibwesa" just to make so extra $$


Interesting comment because I've since seen him demonstrate that it's all about the $$. He'll say anything to sell a fish. I've warned everybody that asks.

Thanks for all the input, btw.


----------



## borohands8593 (Apr 15, 2009)

id love to take a stunning male like that, but they wouldnt color up without females would they?


----------



## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

Don't know, but going to find out. I just emptied a tank of all but a few gobies. I'm going to move the extra males over and see what they do.


----------



## Furcifer158 (Feb 16, 2008)

prov356 said:


> Don't know, but going to find out. I just emptied a tank of all but a few gobies. I'm going to move the extra males over and see what they do.


Keep us updated on this :thumb:


----------



## Creepy85 (Aug 26, 2009)

you can ask the german Featherfinspecialist S. Loose on http://www.fadenmaulbrueter.de/frame_big.htm


----------



## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

Creepy85 said:


> you can ask the german Featherfinspecialist S. Loose on http://www.fadenmaulbrueter.de/frame_big.htm


I think I will try that, thank you.


----------



## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

Furcifer158 said:


> noddy said:
> 
> 
> > Looks a lot like my Furcifer Kigoma (sold to me as Karilani copper Foai).
> ...


Yes, sorry, meant to say forehead, I know there are a few with yellow under their chins. 
Good point about the lack of black in the anal fin also (I didn't notice it at the time). I know when I went through all this trying to I.D my Kigomas, it took a long time and a lot of forums and opinions to come up with a positive I.D. Good luck Tim.


----------



## BioG (Oct 12, 2008)

Did no one say Ruziba? I gotta get my eyes checked. I'm no Cyatho expert anyway


----------



## Furcifer158 (Feb 16, 2008)

BioG said:


> Did no one say Ruziba? I gotta get my eyes checked. I'm no Cyatho expert anyway


No way its Ruziba


----------



## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

No response from the German source, but did have an update. I removed the extra males (7), and put them in their own tank. Two have built pits and are colored up and clueless that there are no females in the tank. They just spend their day pushing the other males around.

Back in the main tank I have 1m/3f. The day after removing the extra males I have a female holding.

Now what to do with 7 unidentified males.


----------



## sapir7 (Apr 21, 2010)

this furcifer looks identical to your fish

http://www.youtube.com/user/cora1312#p/u/64/yum9Sczsy90

also here is the website of the user who posted the video above

http://xenotilapia.npage.de/cyathophary ... 38782.html


----------



## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

Dead ringer except for the color on the edge of the anal fin. I've never seen that in mine.

The only thing I really feel confident about calling it is c. furcifer.


----------



## tangs4me (Jun 5, 2009)

definatly mibita blue furcifer. still looks pretty young though.he will get deeper in colour as he grows .nice species have the same in one of my tanks


----------



## Guest (Apr 28, 2012)

theres a green sibwesa and a blue variant i think


----------



## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Sorry to ask a related question.
Do you guys think the Cyathopharynx foai Sibwesa Ã‚Â£65.00ea W
http://www.riftvalleycichlids.com/tanganyikanstock.html
No 8 click to see the photo. Is it right?
Kind of thinking of buying some.

All the best James


----------



## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

tangs4me said:


> definatly mibita blue furcifer. still looks pretty young though.he will get deeper in colour as he grows .nice species have the same in one of my tanks


These guys ended up in the new Cleveland Aquarium, so regardless of what they are, they've got a good home.


----------



## Furcifer (Aug 31, 2003)

It's more like a Furcifer kigoma but i can tell it's not a foai. Kigoma has gold patches on head. You can take some pics with flash maybe


----------

