# Copadichromis Chrysonotus White Blaze



## Mudkicker (Apr 2, 2003)

I have a pic request, would like to see other members specimens. :thumb:


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

It is hard to find pics because the males are pretty shy about holding color. Also, the name "Chrysonatus" has often been used for other fish and hybrids, so it's confusing.

All C. chrysonatus have a white blaze, maybe some part of the lake has fish with a more distinct white top?

Not as showy a male compared to the Mloto type, but the true Chrysonatus is an unique Malawi cichlid. They are probably the most peaceful/meekest Malawi cichlid I've ever had.

This pics from http://www.davesfish.com/ shows males


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## Mudkicker (Apr 2, 2003)

Noki,
My male is huge, at least 6 inches and almost never holds his color despite the fact that he's has three females with him. Only a handful of times have the three black dots faded. I was expecting a darker shade of blue, but at best he is a light blue. He is even more peaceful than my Tetrastigma.


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## Sinister-Kisses (Jul 19, 2013)

Yep, mine will not take on colour AT ALL. He's barely even got a blue shimmer at this point, he's just a silver fish.


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## Mudkicker (Apr 2, 2003)

In that second pic, like mine, it's more of a turquoise color. As much as he is shy, he never takes **** from others, has never had any frayed fins.


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## Sinister-Kisses (Jul 19, 2013)

No, mine is the same. Pretty much minds his own business and the others tend to leave him alone because of it. Not that my tank is high in aggression, there's rarely any frayed fins on any of them, but it does happen occasionally to the others and I do see a few of the others quarrelling and chasing. This guy just does his own thing lol.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I had one once in an all male and he was dark blue with a dark green sheen...beautiful! My current group are just starting to color up and were shy tonight.


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## rsb513 (Oct 13, 2014)




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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

That last one doesn't seem like a real Chrysonatus, seems too royal blue and has yellow color.

Males go from a sooty black lower fins and fades from blackish to blue black to light blue as you go up vertically and the forehead and dorsal are light blue almost whitish. The Chrysonatus males that I've seen rarely ever get dark breeding color, usually just silvery with a blue tint. They are not supposed to have a permanent territory in nature.


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## Sinister-Kisses (Jul 19, 2013)

I agree, the other male posted doesn't look like a pure chrysonotus? Colouring is all wrong. Pretty fish though.

Well, if "usually just silvery with a blue tint", then I guess my guy is right on par with the norm! There goes any hope I had of him ever colouring up lol. Too bad, they're quite stunning when they do.


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## Mudkicker (Apr 2, 2003)

There really is not much info out there on this fish. All I can say is that my females are nasty and chase each other relentlessly, it's quite annoying. And the dominant female of the group becomes dark silver and the tri-spot pattern totally disappears.


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## rsb513 (Oct 13, 2014)

noki said:


> That last one doesn't seem like a real Chrysonatus, seems too royal blue and has yellow color.
> 
> Males go from a sooty black lower fins and fades from blackish to blue black to light blue as you go up vertically and the forehead and dorsal are light blue almost whitish. The Chrysonatus males that I've seen rarely ever get dark breeding color, usually just silvery with a blue tint. They are not supposed to have a permanent territory in nature.


Pics are all of the same fish. Do you think he's some sort of hybrid then?


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## Sinister-Kisses (Jul 19, 2013)

I think noki just meant the last male, not your last photo of your male.

Perhaps just a different Copadichromis? He looks quite a bit like this guy:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=2309


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

The ones in Ad Konings book look solid dark or royal blue with green sheen. The female has a yellow sheen. Could be just the lighting, but mine did look like the ones in his book.


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## Mudkicker (Apr 2, 2003)

DJRansome said:


> The ones in Ad Konings book look solid dark or royal blue with green sheen. The female has a yellow sheen. Could be just the lighting, but mine did look like the ones in his book.


Can you post a pic from the book?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

LOL, I went on Cichlidae and tried to copy pics, but when pasted you get a cartoon fish...take that for trying to steal pics, LOL. Here is the description if this helps:

Females are silvery with sometimes a greenish sheen on the upper body; two of the three blotches on the body are always visible while the third, the supra-anal spot, is sometimes invisible.

The male breeding colors obscure the spots and have a sparkling blue upper body fading to black on the lower half of the flank.


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