# Possible male red empress?



## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

I found this little guy today with the assorted cichlids. Looks like a male with the pointed anal/dorsal fins and his anal fin is turning red. I am correct in thinking this is a small(1.25") male?
Possible red empress?


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## brinkles (Jan 30, 2011)

Nice find!
I'm guessing male protomelas, but my red empress have two longitudinal stripes.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

brinkles said:


> Nice find!
> I'm guessing male protomelas, but my red empress have two longitudinal stripes.


It has been a nightmare finding males. I also found a 1/2" peacock with no coloring at all but it also has long and pointed anal/dorsal fins. The others in the tank had shorter rounded fins.

What kind of protomelas if you had to guess? I know its hard to tell right now but any kind of a guess would be cool to think of the possibilities.

PS....the front of the head of this fish and some of his tankmates looked like they were turning a bit yellow if that helps at all.


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## nmcichlid-aholic (Mar 23, 2011)

My P. taeniolatus (Red Empress) also has 2 horizontal black stripes on each side. In the last 2 photos it looks like there is some blue and green starting to show up, and if it is getting a yellow blaze on it's head it could be P. spilonotus Mara Rocks (Sulfur Head). What do you think?:http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1359


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

nmcichlid-aholic said:


> My P. taeniolatus (Red Empress) also has 2 horizontal black stripes on each side. In the last 2 photos it looks like there is some blue and green starting to show up, and if it is getting a yellow blaze on it's head it could be P. spilonotus Mara Rocks (Sulfur Head). What do you think?:http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1359


It is possible. I just hope more than anything right now it is a male. I am still stressing over a red fin borleyi that I hope is a male. I had one that I purchased when it was smaller....raised it....turned out to be a female. I am having a hard time find males so I jump at any chance I get to find a fish with pointed anal and dorsal fins and is starting to show a bit of color.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

After doing some research I believe it to be a sulfur head hap. I can't wait for it to start to get big as it eats like a pig.


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## theyangman (Nov 5, 2011)

The red empress will get a blue-ish head, not yellow. My red empress also has two stripes not one.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

This fish turns out to be a female. 

Fish is now 2.5" and as soon as I put it in the display tank my strawberry peacock started shimmying slowly around this fishes mouth with his anal fin. Fish was following males anal fin with its mouth. Fish is not carrying eggs but certainly displaying the behavior. Have you guys ever seen a male fish follow another males anal fin in circles while the male is shimmying? I started another thread but wanted to ask here as well because I posted the above pics a few weeks ago.


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## GVSailor (Aug 17, 2010)

I have had that happen a few times. My 2 male lab. Chismulae will occasionally do that, as well as a few others.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

GVSailor said:


> I have had that happen a few times. My 2 male lab. Chismulae will occasionally do that, as well as a few others.


You have had a male confuse another male(not colored yet) for a female? If so has the male(not colored male) followed the obvious males anal fin with its mouth like a holding female would?

I pray the answer to the above questions is a big fat YES! I so hope this fish is a male. I have had a **** of a time with hormoned fish.


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## GVSailor (Aug 17, 2010)

I have actually had two fully colored males do that. Earlier today My male Blue Dolphin was doing that with a Syno Catfish! It's weird that they do that, but it's happened a few times to me.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

GVSailor said:


> I have actually had two fully colored males do that. Earlier today My male Blue Dolphin was doing that with a Syno Catfish! It's weird that they do that, but it's happened a few times to me.


That is great news!! Man...you made my night! I have had that happen with another fish I assumed was a female and took back to the LFS. I posted another thread then with no responses so I assumed that it had not happened to anybody else. I am so glad to hear that a male will act that way with another male!!!

Big hug!!! :dancing: :dancing: :dancing: :dancing: :dancing: :dancing: :dancing:


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Here a some pics of this fish now....about 2.5" or maybe a bit less.

This to me looks like a male that has just not fully colored yet. Thoughts?

Click on the pic twice to get a enlarged view.





































Male sulfur head hap?


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## GVSailor (Aug 17, 2010)

I think it's still on the small side to tell for sure. But to me at least the fins look like they are starting to become pointed like a males would. It also looks like the blaze is coming in in the last picture.

If it is congrats. They are a beautiful fish. Mine is one of my favorites... now to find him some girls.. :fish:


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Yes I think a possible red empress. But then most of these in shops are hybrid.
If you want pure fish to breed then even with common ones like this I would go to a better sourse that can sell you pure fish at a fare price.

Not that it is still not pos to pick up pure guys at LFSs but it is far from a good way of getting stuff to breed from.
You kind of want not only pure_ Protomelas taeniolatus_ but a known variant to sell.
Not that a it is not a good pick up from a LFS but hoping folk to give an Id (species and variant) is impossible as it is prob not pure anything.

All the best James


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## gverde (Mar 3, 2010)

It does kind of look like a sulfur head hap. I have a juvenile that looks similar. I also have a 10" full colored Fossochromis Rostratus that always harasses and tries to mate with my 8" fully colored Stigmatochromis Spilostictus. I had to separate the fossi and now is in a separate tank.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Well...here he is 5 months later....the top o his head has been turning yellow for a few months now and just over the last few weeks has really started to slowly color. I think in another 6 months he should be fully colored. His dorsal fin is turning a bright white....


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## nudge (Aug 1, 2011)

wow, nicefish, helooks awesome, is that an alto i see in the mix as well? if so how is it going in there with ya haps and peacocks?


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

nudge said:


> wow, nicefish, helooks awesome, is that an alto i see in the mix as well? if so how is it going in there with ya haps and peacocks?


Yes and to my surprise he is doing VERY well. He swims back and forth with the peacocks and behaves very normal. His lips are starting to turn blue and he is darkening a bit. He eats like a pig.


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## nmcichlid-aholic (Mar 23, 2011)

I'm not sure - it could still be a female... Ha! He looks great already and with the way that dorsal fin is coloring, he's going to be amazing in a few more months. I'm happy that he turned out so nice for you - I go through the same **** trying to find juvie males for my tank. It can be so frustrating when you look for all the right markers that a fish is male, only to come home one day 6 months later and find that fish with a mouthful of eggs!


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

nmcichlid-aholic said:


> I'm not sure - it could still be a female... Ha! He looks great already and with the way that dorsal fin is coloring, he's going to be amazing in a few more months. I'm happy that he turned out so nice for you - I go through the same #%$& trying to find juvie males for my tank. It can be so frustrating when you look for all the right markers that a fish is male, only to come home one day 6 months later and find that fish with a mouthful of eggs!


Ain't that the truth! The amazing thing about this fish is the colors he is developing on the head especially towards the mouth. My camera has a hard time picking it up, need a DSLR camera but don't have the $$, but it is blue and green. I still can't believe I found this little guy at petco.


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## ws812 (Apr 17, 2009)

It does have pointed fins and a little color coming in. Large haps like Protomelas types can go to around 4"+ before you can even be sure they are male. Give it time and you'll know for sure. It took my Tangerine Tiger until it was that size to be sure it was male.


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## ws812 (Apr 17, 2009)

ws812 said:


> It does have pointed fins and a little color coming in. Large haps like Protomelas types can go to around 4"+ before you can even be sure they are male. Give it time and you'll know for sure. It took my Tangerine Tiger until it was that size to be sure it was male.


What was that? Maybe it's too late to be typing.


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## sprtsfrk (Oct 3, 2011)

Looks to me like a maylandi sulpher head.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

sprtsfrk said:


> Looks to me like a maylandi sulpher head.


Yeah...it is a sulfur head hap...definitely not a aulonocara. I knew it was a hap of some sort when I purchased it thinking it was a protomelas of some sort...hoping red empress but turned out for the better with this fish. My brother gave me his red empress so all is well!

He is really coloring now. Even more than the most recent pictures I posted. His head now is not only blue but has green also that really pops off the yellow blaze. He is gorgeous....


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