# red zebra fry questions



## grafxalien (Mar 26, 2008)

So I stripped my first red zebra fry today, and to my suprise, there are 2 collor variants. About 1/4 are a dark brown and the other are all a light orange like I expected them to look. I only have red zebras and Acei in this tank...is this a normal color variant or are they mixed :\ ....

thanks


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## malawimix (Oct 8, 2008)

I never heard of dark brown fry from red zebras. Could they possibly be blue? Do you know if your reds came from red X red or maybe blue X red parents?
If there is no chance of them being blue and are truly dark brown it points toward hybrids. Were the acei spawning at the same time?


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## Afishionado (Jun 6, 2006)

I've been breeding my bluexred on and off now for a few years, and the male fry might be called 'dark brown'. Here is a pic of some fry still with yolksac. You can see that the yolksacs are all orange, even on the males - is this the colour you're referring to?










This could be what happens when bluexred and redxred are mixed together. Technically the same species...


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## grafxalien (Mar 26, 2008)

thats exactly what they look like. My male is not a bright blue, he is the powder blue/light orange type. Female is bright orange


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## jbob (Jan 1, 2009)

same situation. i only had red zebras in my tank and when the mother spitted out a couple of them were brown and most of them orangy.


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## malawimix (Oct 8, 2008)

where are you getting your red X blue breeders? I have not been able to find any red X blue fry, juvies, or adults.


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## Joea (May 25, 2004)

grafxalien said:


> thats exactly what they look like. My male is not a bright blue, he is the powder blue/light orange type. Female is bright orange


Powder blue/light orange doesn't quite sound right to me.

Blue males are blue, no orange at all. Orange males are orange with a sheen of blue, most often in the fins.

Can you post a picture of the male and the fry. I would be suspicious of a cross between the _Ps_. sp. "acei" and the _M. estherae_ by your description.


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## bac3492 (Jul 25, 2008)

Just a few Q's about the blue X red strain.......

Are the temperments different at all? 
Does the blue strain breed out after a while?
Could Blue males be bred with OB females and still have blue male young?
Would they be considered hybrids? They are both metriaclima esterethae...different collection points i imagine.

Are the true blue X red strains difficult to find?


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## grafxalien (Mar 26, 2008)

babies:

















Dad









Mom


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## Joea (May 25, 2004)

bac3492 said:


> Just a few Q's about the blue X red strain.......
> 
> Are the temperments different at all?
> Does the blue strain breed out after a while?
> ...


In the wild, _all _male _M. estherae_ are blue, there are a few orange ones and even fewer OB. The blue will not be bred out, males will _always _be blue. A red male would have to be bred to produce red male fry. Temperament is the same, they are the same fish, just different colours. Most if not all, _M. estherae_ sold in stores are Minos Reef variant and would not be considered hybrids if bred with the same variant, blue, red or OB.

grafxalien, your male looks fine but the dark fry are still a bit suspicious, I haven't seen two reds produce blue males but I suppose anything is possible. I would err on the side of caution for now and assume that a _Ps_. sp. "acei" may be the father. It may take some time to tell for sure.


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## malawimix (Oct 8, 2008)

bac3492 said:


> Are the true blue X red strains difficult to find?


The on-line supplier I contacted said the wild blue X red are not available anymore so he cannot get his hands on any stock.

I guess the only ones available would be tank raised and no one ever seems to have them available either.

So I would say yes, they are difficult to find. I would love some myself.


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## Afishionado (Jun 6, 2006)

Depends where & when you are looking. The availability of w/c estherae (as with many other species) is affected by regional stability/politics in Africa. It wouldn't surprise me if they have once again become problematic to import for such reasons. That being said, it only takes one or two people to get hold of some (w/c or tank raised), breed them and distribute them for them to become available in your area. Where you need to be lucky (and watchful, to the extent that you can) is in getting hold of some before the bluexred get mixed up with redxred or goodness knows what else in the aquarium trade... Always helps if you can see the breeding stock.


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## bac3492 (Jul 25, 2008)

Joea said:


> In the wild, _all _male _M. estherae_ are blue, there are a few orange ones and even fewer OB. The blue will not be bred out, males will _always _be blue. A red male would have to be bred to produce red male fry. Temperament is the same, they are the same fish, just different colours. Most if not all, _M. estherae_ sold in stores are Minos Reef variant and would not be considered hybrids if bred with the same variant, blue, red or OB.


So if i bred a blue male, with OB females, The male offspring would still be blue? Could they be OB blue? Same question as a blue male bred with a female that is red X red. Are there any natural albino's, might be interesting to keep 1 blue male, with an ob female, an albino female, and a red female.


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## Joea (May 25, 2004)

A blue male and OB females will produce blue males and possibly some OB males. There are of course natural albino's, however their survival past fry in the wild is very unlikely. I not aware of any wild caught albino cichlids from Malawi, although I could be wrong.

A blue male and red female will produce blue males and red females.


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## bac3492 (Jul 25, 2008)

well, sounds like its time for me too clear some tank space.

Goodbye kenyi


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## bac3492 (Jul 25, 2008)

Well my LFS has 2.5 inch specimens relatively cheap, plus i can just trade stuff in.

Just a few more Q's.
Could a blue male, and a OB female create red females? Will i be able to see OB babies from birth as well?

Any chance in an OB, blue male?


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## Joea (May 25, 2004)

bac3492 said:


> Just a few more Q's.
> Could a blue male, and a OB female create red females? Will i be able to see OB babies from birth as well? Any chance in an OB, blue male?


No. Your females will all be OB and males will be blue. There is the chance of an OB male as well. There is likely to be a percentage, but I wouldn't be able to tell you what it is.


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## bac3492 (Jul 25, 2008)

http://www.unclenedsfishfactory.com/Bul ... f5471f3d1f

Those are the fish.
Look alright to you?


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## wheatbackdigger (May 11, 2008)

My opinion, the mother looks suspicous, father looks right. Mother just looks off to me. Could be the picture but the shape just doesn't seem right


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## Joea (May 25, 2004)

They all look fine to me.


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## wheatbackdigger (May 11, 2008)

Joea said:


> They all look fine to me.


Including the brown fry?


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## Joea (May 25, 2004)

wheatbackdigger said:


> Joea said:
> 
> 
> > They all look fine to me.
> ...


No, I'm talking about the fish that bac3492 linked to and is thinking of purchasing.


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## grafxalien (Mar 26, 2008)

anyone know where I can find info about the genetics of these guys? Like what the difference b/w a red, (O) and (Blue) are, and what breeding results in?


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## grafxalien (Mar 26, 2008)

well i got ahold of the person I got these fish from, and she said her fry are always all orange...soo that pretty much means they are hybrids :\ !!


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## bac3492 (Jul 25, 2008)

Well she probably has a red males and females.


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## grafxalien (Mar 26, 2008)

she has the same variation, from the profile sections, (O) Red Zebras


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