# Identifying Fire Fin Comps



## philjo1 (Jan 16, 2007)

Hi All

Just wondering if anyone can tell me how you can identify the difference between fire fins and gold comps.

Cheers 
Phil


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## danielratti (Feb 17, 2008)

Its kinda self explanatory fire fins are gunna have red fins while gold head's will have a gold head with a darker body. If you look at the profiles of both of them you can figure it out.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

My feeling it is more complicated than that.
Number of variants that are commonly called firefins/red fins and a number that are called gold comps.
Best get a variant with a location label.
This may help?
http://fishland.co.kr/zero/zboard.php?i ... c=asc&no=2
But I would love to find a more complete map so as to avoid line bred guys that could be a mix of variants.
Wish more sellers would use a variant (location) label rather than a descriptive one that is hard to place?


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## daniel4832 (May 8, 2004)

24Tropheus, thanks for the map!
The "Firefin" is a very rare color mutation, in which all the fins are bright red. The problem is that fish with a little red (or sometimes no red at all) are being sold as "Firefins". If you see a real "Firefin" you won't mistake it for any other fish, they truely look like their name.
Thanks,
Daniel


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

So a Firefin is not a variant but a rare mutation and thus a selected line bred aquarium only type?


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## daniel4832 (May 8, 2004)

So far as I know, the "Firefin" has not been successfully line bred, I believe it is a naturally occurring color mutation in the lake. I have been trying to get a pair for years, to find out for myself what percentage of the fry develop all red fins.
Thanks,
Daniel


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## Longstocking (Aug 26, 2003)

I agree with EVERYTHING daniel said.

Most of the time people are getting ripped off. Same as Julidochromis midnights. Most are not....


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## philjo1 (Jan 16, 2007)

Thanks All

Why I ask is I have 12 'firefins' none show any red in their fins. As far as I can see there doesn't seem to be much difference between them and the gold comp.

Cheers
Phil


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## danielratti (Feb 17, 2008)

post a pic they could just be red fin comps like what mine are. I have a single one that shows a lot of red in its fins and all the others its lighter red.


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## daniel4832 (May 8, 2004)

Longstocking said:


> I agree with EVERYTHING daniel said.
> 
> Most of the time people are getting ripped off. Same as Julidochromis midnights. Most are not....


Sarah,
You are making me blush!!!  
Thanks,
Daniel


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## Longstocking (Aug 26, 2003)

well, It's something that irritates me. I don't like seeing people fall for some of the marketing schemes.


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## daniel4832 (May 8, 2004)

Longstocking said:


> well, It's something that irritates me. I don't like seeing people fall for some of the marketing schemes.


Well said!!!
Thanks,
Daniel


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## famikert (Feb 20, 2003)

I have been told by a dedicated importer and breeder of many calvus and compressiceps, that the Fire Fin compressicep is found in the same location as the Orange Chaitika, and it hasnt been documented that this is a new species, but more likely a morph of the orange chaitika, however naturaly occuring in the lake, it is very likely that you could get 1 nice looking fire fin out of every 500 caught, this is one of my W/C Males, I am colorblind but it does not look cherry red as some do, so I evidently have one of the 499 http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9dc2 ... /ry%3D400/


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## danielratti (Feb 17, 2008)

Looks like you might its alot darker than any of the orange chaitika's i have seen. My LFS has a couple for a pretty reasonable price. They have a F-1 that like 25 bucks im thinking about getting it.


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## swim lil fishy swim (Jan 17, 2009)

Daniel, can you link me to a picture of a firefin that's fins are all bright red? I did what I thought was a pretty extensive research on them before I decided to get some. I never found a picture of a firefin whose fins were all solid bright red, another note the best looking pictures were of the fish in hand. I agree with pretty much everything you said, but if it's a natural color mutation, wouldn't it be reasonable to expect some variance? The WC Firefin that I got doesn't have solid red fins, but definitely has red in the fins mostly towards the back, which was also what all the pictures I found of what I consider to be actual firefins had. I personally think that to find one with all red fins would not just be a real firefin but the ultimate firefin. Personally, I believe there is definitely variance in the "naturally occuring mutation" and if the fish obviously has red in the fins, it is in fact a firefin. If there is no red at all, I think that's self explanatory. I would love to see a pic of a firefin whose fins are completely solid bright red tho, it would be a site to behold... I also hope you find this fish someday... just not before I do


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## daniel4832 (May 8, 2004)

I don't have any pictures of a true "Firefin". I do remember that Sarah posted a picture of true "Firefins" about two years ago, she may still have the picture.
Does anyone have pictures, if so please post them.
Thanks,
Daniel


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## Longstocking (Aug 26, 2003)

I didn't save the shot....

They were brought in by Atlantis and the pair went for some crazy amount.... like 350 or something.


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## Longstocking (Aug 26, 2003)

Ha !! I found it... this picture is a fire fin comp.... picture belongs to Atlantis :


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## Drowned (Mar 16, 2009)

:drooling:

A pair! I would love to see their fry...


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## daniel4832 (May 8, 2004)

Thanks Sarah, I knew I could count on you!!!  
If it doesn't have the fire red fins like the pictures, it isn't a "Firefin", and I wish you would stop calling other fish "Firefins" (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!) just to make an extra buck!
They sold for more then $350 because that was my last bid,and I lost.
Thanks,
Daniel


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## swim lil fishy swim (Jan 17, 2009)

I need to pull mine out of the water and take pictures, but based on those pictures I'm gonna say mine is a fire fin. All of the fins on those fish definitely aren't all totally red, there is red in all the fins. I'd like to see what those guys looked like under water, even in my underwater pic you can still see the color difference, and that's with a cheap camera. I've yet to see a pic under the water that showed the blood red fins, I believe that's why they always take the pictures out of the water.

Sarah, you saw pic's of mine on the CCA forum, I remember you asked if they were newly imported and if the color has faded. From what you could see, would you consider it a firefin? Please consider that I've never found one picture of a fire fin in the water where it looked blood red and my pic's are of the fish in the tank.

I also think these photo's prove there is definitely variance in the amount of red coloration.


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## Longstocking (Aug 26, 2003)

Many years ago... there was another picture....

In the water.. they looked even better.

Honestly Mike... I don't think yours are fire fins.


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## swim lil fishy swim (Jan 17, 2009)

What other comp has red coloration in the fins? The pictures of Red fin comp's that I've seen don't look like mine at all, not to mention I haven't seen a pic of them that have red fins where mine do.

Not sure what mine would be if it weren't a fire fin. Body color is the same, the only difference is the red doesn't come as far forward towards the head in the dorsal and anal fins. If I had a decent camera I'd go thru the trouble of pulling him out and taking a pic in hand to compare apples to apples.


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## swim lil fishy swim (Jan 17, 2009)

Here's an old thread that was one of many that I read before I bought mine. Not only is the text good, but there are good pic's as well. If you look at the pic's that Carsten (Thorleifdk) posted, mine is comparable to the top picture except the red comes back a little farther towards the head in my fish, but not as far as Furcifer's fish.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=180156&highlight=fire+fin+comp


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## daniel4832 (May 8, 2004)

slfs,
Post your pictures, I would very much like to see them.
I have a male "Firefin" (Not as nice as the pictures posted by Sarah - from Atlantis) and you can see the bright red in the tank. I can't take pictures to save my life but maybe I can talk Sarah into coming over and take some pictures.
Thanks,
Daniel


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## swim lil fishy swim (Jan 17, 2009)

They're on here in a couple threads, I can't take pictures either... and I'm using a $79 camera to boot. I can't figure out how to get the pictures to look like what I see in the tank, the colors aren't the same. Maybe after sarah gets done photo'ing your fish, she can swing by here too, it's not that far of a drive :lol: In the picture of mine, where the fins appear darker is where the red is at. When the male is trying to court a female his body colors lighten up and the red shows in the tank, if he's not showing off it's not as noticeable as he is a darker color. I'm with Fogelhund, I think there are different degrees of fire fins, some are nicer than others. a quick search will pull up my thread.


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## daniel4832 (May 8, 2004)

slfs,
I found your tread and saw your picture, while a very nice fish, Sarah is correct it is not a "Firefin".
Thanks,
Daniel


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## swim lil fishy swim (Jan 17, 2009)

What might it be then?


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## daniel4832 (May 8, 2004)

There are a number of "gold" and "yellow" comps from different areas of the lake, without knowing where they were collected from I would only be guessing, and my guess would be that they may have come from Chaitika. A very nice comp! :thumb: 
Thanks,
Daniel


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## swim lil fishy swim (Jan 17, 2009)

It does look like the Chaitika's that I've seen pictures of, with the exception of the red finnage that mine has. I guess I'll call him a Chaitika with a slight color mutation.

I'll be lookin forward to seeing a pic of yours :thumb:


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## daniel4832 (May 8, 2004)

That depends on me being able to con, I mean, talk Sarah in coming over. :lol: 
Thanks,
Daniel


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## Longstocking (Aug 26, 2003)

lololol

We'll see... you know I'm pretty busy in the summer. Luckily the boat is in florida for a few more weeks.


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## daniel4832 (May 8, 2004)

Sarah,
You know you want to see the "Firefin", and some real Julidochromis midnights, and Petros, can't forget the Petros!!!
You want to come over, you want to come over, you want to come over... :zz: 
Did it work? :lol: 
Pretty please!
Thanks,
Daniel


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## poypoyking (Aug 10, 2005)

daniel4832 said:


> and some real Julidochromis midnights


Yeah, are these real and just hard to get or are they just a rare mutation? I have been keeping my eye out for these but have never seen them.

Back on topic, I am waiting for my firefins to color up as well. Right now they have a hint of red on them, though I suspect a darker substrate would help a lot too.


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## daniel4832 (May 8, 2004)

They are real, and hopefully I can get Sarah to take some pictures to post here.
If you have to wait to see the red it's doubtful they are "Firefins", when you see a true "Firefin" you won't have to guess, it will be apparent.
Daniel


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## philjo1 (Jan 16, 2007)

Thanks All

I've taken some photos (not great) to show what I have.
Comments welcome









Male









Female









Female

What do you think?

Cheers
Phil


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## daniel4832 (May 8, 2004)

Phil,
They look like Gold Chaitika, definately not "Firefins"
Thanks,
Daniel


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## Charlutz (Mar 13, 2006)

I was at Daniel's and remembered this thread so took a poor camera phone picture of his male firefin.


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## swim lil fishy swim (Jan 17, 2009)

Nice fish. Appears to me the red is in the back parts of the dorsal, anal, and tail fins while the front of the dorsal and anal fins are "normal" colored. Is that the case?


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## HenrikG (Jun 8, 2009)

it look like it's the case... mine are colored that way... by the way.. really nice fish!! :thumb:


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## daniel4832 (May 8, 2004)

Thank you, I have had much better "Fire-fins" years ago, but this is the only one I have had in quite a while. I lost his female before successfully breeding them.  
Thanks,
Daniel


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