Subj : The Mystery Almost Solved
To   : All
From : Jeff Snyder
Date : Tue Apr 28 2009 03:49 pm

Hello everyone,

Well, after spending some more time online surfing different fish sites,
googling, etc., I believe I have finally figured out with 99.9% certainty
what I purchased this past Saturday.

As it turns out, and assuming that I am correct, the people at the store
were way off-base with what they told me. What they sold me was not
Protomelas Spilonotus Tanzania, but rather either five Electric Blue
Johannis, (Melanochromis Johanni), or else five Melanochromis Cyaneorhabdos
(aka Maingano). All of the online images that I have looked at seem to
confirm that it is one of these two species.

Even trying to decide between those two is confusing, because some sites
claim that they are two different species -- with slight differences in
appearance -- while others say that Johanni and Cyaneorhabdos/Maingano are
one and the same. Some sites even call Melanochromis Cyaneorhabdos Blue
Johanni, or Electric Blue Johanni.

After looking at the images, and looking closely at my fish, I have
determined that these fish have the mouths of algae eaters, and not the
mouths of a carnivores.

Figuring out the parentage of the fish is a problem for us fish keepers here
on Guam, because all of our fish are imported; usually from the Philippines,
Taiwan or Singapore. As if that isn't bad enough, trying to find someone at
a local store who knows what they are talking about is difficult. Even the
owner of the store led me astray.

To add to that, fish breeders and sellers over here can be very
unscrupulous. They will purposely only sell the stores males, so as to
protect their stock, and their business profits.

In conclusion, if these are indeed Melanocrhomis Johanni, then I am stuck
with five males of various sizes. On the other hand, if they are
Melanochromis Cyaneorhabdos, then maybe I might possibly have a few females,
since there is little to no distinction between the males and females in the
species...at least according to online sources. :)

Comments anyone?


Jeff Snyder, SysOp - Armageddon BBS  Visit us at endtimeprophecy.org port 23
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