# Labeotropheus fuelleborni V.S. Labeotropheus trewavasae



## SpeedFreak (Mar 14, 2008)

Whats the real difference between these two species. They both seem to be very similar. Can someone thats had both break down some differences between them helping me decide which one I'd like to go with.
Thanks,
Shawn


----------



## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)

_Labeotropheus fuelleborni_ have a deeper body (from belly to dorsal) than the Lab. trewavasae species.

From my experience, _Lab. trewavasae_ are more aggressive towards conspecifics and contraspeciifics. _Lab. fuelleborni_ are a bit more gentle, but can still get rambunctious.


----------



## SpeedFreak (Mar 14, 2008)

why_spyder said:


> _Labeotropheus fuelleborni_ have a deeper body (from belly to dorsal) than the Lab. trewavasae species.
> 
> From my experience, _Lab. trewavasae_ are more aggressive towards conspecifics and contraspeciifics. _Lab. fuelleborni_ are a bit more gentle, but can still get rambunctious.


As far as looks go the males have the blue bodies with the orange dorsal fin and the females are easy to get in OB correct? I just want the orange to add another color to the tank. I would like to add some red but I don't know what I could add that couldn't possibly breed with my yellow labs to give me hybrids. I was told the red zebras are out of the question. :roll:


----------



## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)

SpeedFreak said:


> As far as looks go the males have the blue bodies with the orange dorsal fin and the females are easy to get in OB correct?


That is just one of the many geographical variant color combinations. Zimbawe Rocks location has that combination, but so does a couple others. There is also all blue males, blue/orange body males, orange/blue body males, etc., etc.


----------



## bulldogg7 (Mar 3, 2003)

fuelleborni males also come in OB


----------



## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I've had the same experience as why_spyder with these. My trewavasae males were terrors, my fuelleborni males weren't so bad.


----------



## SpeedFreak (Mar 14, 2008)

Smaller is better since it will most likely be the dominant fish in the tank Let me know if you can help or if you know anyone...lol

in the last week i've been to every major fish store in my area and none of them have them.


----------



## kingdave (Mar 9, 2007)

If you are willing to travel to Northern Virginia, I know where you can get some Trewavasae.


----------



## Dave (Feb 9, 2003)

Please keep the trade/sale offers to PMs.


----------



## CichlidMan81 (Oct 24, 2006)

I have a 4.2 ratio in my 120 with other adult mbunas and my Mpanga Red males get along fine and there adults too. Been in the tank together for almost 3 months now.


----------



## SpeedFreak (Mar 14, 2008)

CichlidMan81 said:


> I have a 4.2 ratio in my 120 with other adult mbunas and my Mpanga Red males get along fine and there adults too. Been in the tank together for almost 3 months now.


whats the 4.2 ratio mean?


----------



## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

It probably means 4 females and 2 males.

But beware...2 males of a species generally don't work as well as 1 or 3...


----------



## SpeedFreak (Mar 14, 2008)

cichlidaholic said:


> It probably means 4 females and 2 males.
> 
> But beware...2 males of a species generally don't work as well as 1 or 3...


ok i'll keep that in mind. one or a group of them like demasoni


----------



## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

You'd need a really big tank for a large group of fuelleborni or trewavasae. They are one of the more aggressive mbuna, and can get quite large.

I've had best luck keeping them 1 male to 3-4 females. :thumb:


----------



## SpeedFreak (Mar 14, 2008)

yeah thats what i've been told. I read that the OB males don't mate as well is that true in a fish tank? I was also worried if I got a blue male with some of the dark barring if the demasoni would possibly mess with it since it would look similar


----------



## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

My OB male was quite busy with 3 females, and we had so many fry from them that we wound up allowing most to be released in the main tank, so I don't believe there is any truth to what you were told.

I really can't see demasoni having an issue with a barred male fuelleborni, they don't look anything alike in person.

Just keep in mind that they can easily take over a tank with their aggression. I've kept fuelleborni and trewavasae, and males can really be a pain.


----------



## Justin1982 (May 28, 2008)

"Just keep in mind that they can easily take over a tank with their aggression. I've kept fuelleborni and trewavasae, and males can really be a pain"[/quote]

My barred male Fuelleborni is without a Doubt the king of my tank. He keeps everyone in check. He was extremely aggressive about 2 years ago but now he only becomes aggressive when spawning. He is a great fish to have as leader of the tank. He does a good job of keeping everyone in line and he also likes to butt in on fights between other fish and chase away the aggressor. Which is useful, he is like a babysitter. Unless a male from another species provokes him (rarely) for the most part he wont bother them, again I say "for the most part". He is also the only one that can get away with pushing around my 7 inch Synodontis Eupterus around without getting chomped. None of the other males in the tank can even get that Synodontis to budge. Come to think of it I need to take him out of the tank. At night he can be really annoying to the fish that are trying to sleep. Plus I think he is finding more fry than I would like.


----------



## CichlidMan81 (Oct 24, 2006)

4.2 means 4 males 2 females. The males don't bother each other at all , they just go about there business. It's been 3 months now that they been together.


----------



## SpeedFreak (Mar 14, 2008)

cichlidaholic said:


> My OB male was quite busy with 3 females, and we had so many fry from them that we wound up allowing most to be released in the main tank, so I don't believe there is any truth to what you were told.
> 
> I really can't see demasoni having an issue with a barred male fuelleborni, they don't look anything alike in person.
> 
> Just keep in mind that they can easily take over a tank with their aggression. I've kept fuelleborni and trewavasae, and males can really be a pain.


Yeah I read that info in Ad Konings 3rd edition Malawai Cichlids book. That was probably in the wild where other non-marmalade males were. Thats what i'd guess


----------



## SpeedFreak (Mar 14, 2008)

cichlidaholic said:


> My OB male was quite busy with 3 females, and we had so many fry from them that we wound up allowing most to be released in the main tank, so I don't believe there is any truth to what you were told.
> 
> I really can't see demasoni having an issue with a barred male fuelleborni, they don't look anything alike in person.
> 
> Just keep in mind that they can easily take over a tank with their aggression. I've kept fuelleborni and trewavasae, and males can really be a pain.


Yeah I read that info in Ad Konings 3rd edition Malawai Cichlids book. That was probably in the wild where other non-marmalade males were. Thats what i'd guess


----------



## SpeedFreak (Mar 14, 2008)

cichlidaholic said:


> My OB male was quite busy with 3 females, and we had so many fry from them that we wound up allowing most to be released in the main tank, so I don't believe there is any truth to what you were told.
> 
> I really can't see demasoni having an issue with a barred male fuelleborni, they don't look anything alike in person.
> 
> Just keep in mind that they can easily take over a tank with their aggression. I've kept fuelleborni and trewavasae, and males can really be a pain.


Yeah I read that info in Ad Konings 3rd edition Malawai Cichlids book. That was probably in the wild where other non-marmalade males were. Thats what i'd guess.


----------



## SpeedFreak (Mar 14, 2008)

Justin1982 said:


> "Just keep in mind that they can easily take over a tank with their aggression. I've kept fuelleborni and trewavasae, and males can really be a pain"


My barred male Fuelleborni is without a Doubt the king of my tank. He keeps everyone in check. He was extremely aggressive about 2 years ago but now he only becomes aggressive when spawning. He is a great fish to have as leader of the tank. He does a good job of keeping everyone in line and he also likes to butt in on fights between other fish and chase away the aggressor. Which is useful, he is like a babysitter. Unless a male from another species provokes him (rarely) for the most part he wont bother them, again I say "for the most part". He is also the only one that can get away with pushing around my 7 inch Synodontis Eupterus around without getting chomped. None of the other males in the tank can even get that Synodontis to budge. Come to think of it I need to take him out of the tank. At night he can be really annoying to the fish that are trying to sleep. Plus I think he is finding more fry than I would like.[/quote]

hmmm yeah i really want them. they sound like a really nice fish with lots of personality. i'm just trying to find them and cant find anything. none of the local petstores have them and theres one person on aqua bid with some fry but thats it. where did you get yours. I'm thinking i'll probablyhave to go online but i havent had any luck anywhere...


----------



## Justin1982 (May 28, 2008)

hmmm yeah i really want them. they sound like a really nice fish with lots of personality. i'm just trying to find them and cant find anything. none of the local petstores have them and theres one person on aqua bid with some fry but thats it. where did you get yours. I'm thinking i'll probablyhave to go online but i havent had any luck anywhere...[/quote]

This one fish has tons of personality. I have been keeping this species for a few years now, and there a great fish. But I think this one male Fuelleborni is a one in a thousand and may even have a human brain. Small example. When he is looking to spawn there will sometimes be five out of the seven females already holding. He will ignore those five and try his luck with the other two. He will spend about 5 minutes trying to court each of them and if he has no luck he stops harrasing them waits a little while and will try again. With my last male Fuelleborni in this type of situation he would chase all seven around even though five would be holding and nearly killing the other two. 
I get all of my fish at a place called Zoo Creatures in plaistow NH. This place has has a huge selection of Malawi and Tanganyika cichlids. I love to go there sometimes just to look at the 5000 gal. tanks they have and wish they were mine. Plus the owner is there all the time and he has an incredible amout of knowlege when it come to any cichlid on earth. If you had any question he would stop what he was doing and help you out. Any others pet shops around here and the owner is either in the office away from the customers or down in miami.


----------



## SpeedFreak (Mar 14, 2008)

Justin1982 said:


> hmmm yeah i really want them. they sound like a really nice fish with lots of personality. i'm just trying to find them and cant find anything. none of the local petstores have them and theres one person on aqua bid with some fry but thats it. where did you get yours. I'm thinking i'll probablyhave to go online but i havent had any luck anywhere...


This one fish has tons of personality. I have been keeping this species for a few years now, and there a great fish. But I think this one male Fuelleborni is a one in a thousand and may even have a human brain. Small example. When he is looking to spawn there will sometimes be five out of the seven females already holding. He will ignore those five and try his luck with the other two. He will spend about 5 minutes trying to court each of them and if he has no luck he stops harrasing them waits a little while and will try again. With my last male Fuelleborni in this type of situation he would chase all seven around even though five would be holding and nearly killing the other two. 
I get all of my fish at a place called Zoo Creatures in plaistow NH. This place has has a huge selection of Malawi and Tanganyika cichlids. I love to go there sometimes just to look at the 5000 gal. tanks they have and wish they were mine. Plus the owner is there all the time and he has an incredible amout of knowlege when it come to any cichlid on earth. If you had any question he would stop what he was doing and help you out. Any others pet shops around here and the owner is either in the office away from the customers or down in miami.[/quote]

wow sounds nice. do they have an online store or anything? what type of females do you have? OB or O. I would like both. If you have a lot of fry is there anyway i could buy some from you? i have to go pick up my g.f from work but i'll send you a pm later. I cant find good ones anywhere...


----------

