# Nyererei Red Tops



## mbargas (Apr 19, 2009)

My Nyerereis are now about 2-3 inches and are showing orange and red coloration on top, but it is limited to the front half. They are well fed and getting astaxanthin supplements.

Should I expect the rest of their top to color up soon? How long should it take?

I will try to post a picture when I get a chance.


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## mbargas (Apr 19, 2009)




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## King Kyoga (Jan 29, 2016)

Nope because you got a hybrid


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## mbargas (Apr 19, 2009)

King Kyoga said:


> Nope because you got a hybrid


How do you know that it is a hybrid?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Was it sold with a scientific name and collection point? Not all hybrids are sold with marketing names like "Nyererei Red Top" but it's hard to be sure you are getting a pure fish if it is sold without an accurate name.


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## samaki (Oct 25, 2002)

Hi yes it's an hybrid because of the marking of the females, the morphology of the male, i will not be surprised to hear that some thick skin have been mixed in that fish(due to the female form and barring)
not make it spawn to spread this hybrid.


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## mbargas (Apr 19, 2009)

DJRansome said:


> Was it sold with a scientific name and collection point? Not all hybrids are sold with marketing names like "Nyererei Red Top" but it's hard to be sure you are getting a pure fish if it is sold without an accurate name.


I should clarify my original post. It was not sold as 'nyererei red top'. That was just my own terminology to address the characteristic redness on the dorsal side of nyerereis. I am now less concerned about the lack of redness that I noted earlier. Below is an updated picture of the fish which clearly shows a greater extension of the dorsal redness.


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## mbargas (Apr 19, 2009)




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## mbargas (Apr 19, 2009)

DJRansome said:


> Was it sold with a scientific name and collection point? Not all hybrids are sold with marketing names like "Nyererei Red Top" but it's hard to be sure you are getting a pure fish if it is sold without an accurate name.


It was sold as Pundamilia nyererei, no collection point. I suspect it is Makobe, but that's just my guess.


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## mbargas (Apr 19, 2009)

samaki said:


> Hi yes it's an hybrid because of the marking of the females, the morphology of the male, i will not be surprised to hear that some thick skin have been mixed in that fish(due to the female form and barring)
> not make it spawn to spread this hybrid.


If you mean the markings of the fish on the upper left, that's actually an immature male Pundamilia 'Red Flank', which has subsequently colored up somewhat. I agree that it looks a lot like a thick skin (sp 44)


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## mbargas (Apr 19, 2009)

Here's an updated pic of the immature red flank


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## samaki (Oct 25, 2002)

Hi yur red flank is an hybrid for sure.. if yu have no collection point about yur nyererei then.. it's useless to try to id it as many variants have been mixed in the trade..yu can have a mix of two population.. red top isn't a good indication.. yu need to know the exact collection point


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## Howzit (Jul 28, 2016)

Hybrid or not, that's a good looking fish!


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## misterted (Sep 12, 2003)

It is a good looking fish and you should enjoy them as such. But in an effort to keep the hobby clear of not naturally occurring fish please let them live out their lives in your possession and don't sell or give away any fry.


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## The Dude315 (May 19, 2015)

My Nyererei don't have the barring, but their colors change all the time. I had 4 males from the same batch. 1 went in my 75 with two females and 3 males went temporarily into my 150. The fish in the 75 looked vastly different than the ones in the 150. The 3 in the 150 took on a very deep dark red almost purple color where as the 1 in the 75 was bright bright red. The colors of the one remaining male in the 150 after I rehomed the others changed again when the two others were moved. It's color lightened, but is still no where near as vibrant as the 1 in the 75 with 2 females. Is the barring what is giving it away as a hybrid? It certainly can't he the color without knowing what it's status in the tank and what the other inhabitants consist of...


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## mbargas (Apr 19, 2009)

The Dude315 said:


> My Nyererei don't have the barring, but their colors change all the time. I had 4 males from the same batch. 1 went in my 75 with two females and 3 males went temporarily into my 150. The fish in the 75 looked vastly different than the ones in the 150. The 3 in the 150 took on a very deep dark red almost purple color where as the 1 in the 75 was bright bright red. The colors of the one remaining male in the 150 after I rehomed the others changed again when the two others were moved. It's color lightened, but is still no where near as vibrant as the 1 in the 75 with 2 females. Is the barring what is giving it away as a hybrid? It certainly can't he the color without knowing what it's status in the tank and what the other inhabitants consist of...


I have nyerereis from more than one source, and their colors do seem variable. Some are orange and others more of a true red coloration. I personally don't know how much of that is genetics, nutrition, or water quality.


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