# Help ID my lil tropheus - 1" purple head, morping w/spo



## livinluxuriously (Nov 16, 2008)

Whatcha think? He she was purchased from a reputable LFS and listed as soley "tropheus moori" with three others that he/she was beating the **** out of. At first she had a few black spots near her tail - and has since developed a bunch more. She varies between very light to almost black with redish and purple tints and light-colored verticle bars























































He/she is no bigger than 1"

Help!


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

It's going to be impossible to identify this Tropheus at this point. You'll have to wait for her/him to reach full adult colouring.

I can tell you this, though...Those black spots aren't normal. It may indicate too much spirulina in the diet, or it could be stress related. It may even be parasitic.

She/he isn't going to do well in the tank with mbuna.


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## livinluxuriously (Nov 16, 2008)

^^^^ Hmm... well, he/she is actually the dominant fish of my tank - he/she chases my biggest fish, a long fin blue zebra (apx 5") :fish:


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

As all your fish mature, this little Tropheus will become very stressed out. Tropheus are prone to bloat, and stress will induce it faster than anything. They are also a bit of a "prima donna" fish as far as water quality and dietary needs go.

I have yet to see a single Tropheus work out _long term_ in a mainly mbuna tank, but I suppose there is always a first time. :wink:

I just think you should be aware of the potential problems you may encounter.


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## livinluxuriously (Nov 16, 2008)

^^^ really? I see tropheus all the time in mixed tanks. I also have a 6 bar lamp in there. It's a very, very mixed tank - but I treat my fish like family. They're fed 4 different foods. I feed veggies first so the tropheus can fill up on his veggies before the protein comes so that he'll be full. I use spirulina flakes and my home made food (boiled spinach and chopped carrots cooked with garlic that I freeze in ice cube trays and then cut into cubes once frozen, then place into baggies in the freezer and de-thaw a cube a day as their first meal) as their first course, then use a mixture of pre-soaked tropical flakes and sinking protein pellets for the other guys. Water changes are done at least 3 times a week, and the cave structures are made of previously live rock that I dried out and put through a boil-scrub-boil-scrub cycle, as well as miscellaneous shells and small conches and hollowed-out flower pots. The bottom substrate is a combination of small rocks and fine-grain sand, so that the sand and shell dwellers can construct their own dwellings. The top left is covered with a fake gathered vine-plant to provide shade to the left side of the tank - and the back and one side are covered to prevent visual disturbances from things outside of the tank (per Ad Konings)


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## livinluxuriously (Nov 16, 2008)

Some xmas pics with my new camera


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## GaFishMan1181 (Dec 17, 2008)

this looks like the same tropheus they sell at petsmart for $30 , i cannot remember the second part of the name but i dont think there is a profile for the one that i saw, but it does look alot like that one. If i remeber correctly the second word started with a D. I will go look today and let you know the name.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

I dunno for sure but I would bet this guy has lucked in with that tank and those companion fish.
Keep it clean no none Tropheus food etc.
Hate to disagree with a mod but I think it could go from strength to strength in this tank. And may even grow to become a pain for your other fish. A great state for any Tropheus. :lol: 
Sorry no real idea about the ID it could be lots and may never show sines that ID it as a pure species or regional type.
I would bet on a Sp "Red" of some sort (most common are Moliro I guess but lots of sp Red are very attractive in the hobby and hard to tell apart esp when young) with an outside chance of moorii or rainbow (Kasanga or alike) so far.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Anythings possible! Some things just aren't probable... :wink:

If you think this little one isn't eating any of those "protein pellets" you're feeding, you just might be fooled. Fish don't know what's good for them and what isn't...They are opportunistic feeders, and will eat anything they stumble across.

What size tank is this, by the way?

What size are the mbuna that you have in there?


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## GaFishMan1181 (Dec 17, 2008)

petsmart has fish that look just like yours but they are labled dubasio or something like that


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Not a duboisi...As juveniles, they are black with white polka dots - once they mature they are a blackish purple with a yellow band that goes around their body right behind the facial region.


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