Identifying a pelvicachromis teaniatus variant

[Aquafan]

Need some assistance figuring out what varkento4t these are?

[graye]

If they're taeniatus, we're looking at two main types in my area - the red and green varieties.

If we're dealing with Pelvicachromis kribensis, as opposed to the hobby's pulcher, then it's tough to say - the fish seem too stressed for their identifying features to be visible.

[infold]

I came across an article in TFH that mentioned even experts have a hard time identifying Pelvicachromis. Guess that's not much help.

[graye]

People here may know this, but Dr Anton Lamboj's research on Pelvicachromis a few years ago revealed that the taeniatus in Cameroon were actually P. kribensis. The hobby krib, as we've known for a while, is actually P. pulcher - a naming mistake from early in the last century that stuck.

P. taeniatus refers to the less popular Niger Delta ones, and the popular red ones might be a line-bred, unnatural form. I was breeding "taeniatus" back then, and when I started using the correct name, kribensis, sales dropped because people thought I was selling common pulcher. That was frustrating.

Other species include P. silviae, P. sacrimontis, which come in yellow and red, as well as roloffi and subocellatus. The larger, more aggressive ones from the north never seemed like Pelvicachromis to me, and they've been classified as Wallaceochromis.

It's a complex situation, and as we learn more, we need to adapt. However, many aquarists are slow to adapt to these changes.

[Aquafan]

If they're taeniatus, we're looking at two main types in my area - the red and green varieties.

If we're dealing with Pelvicachromis kribensis, as opposed to the hobby's pulcher, then it's tough to say - the fish seem too stressed for their identifying features to be visible.

In Australia, the two most common ones are Moliwe and Bandiwanri.

[limer]

In my opinion, they seem to be the Nigeria yellow variant of P. taeniatus.

[infold]

If they're taeniatus, we're looking at two main types in my area - the red and green varieties.

If we're dealing with Pelvicachromis kribensis, as opposed to the hobby's pulcher, then it's tough to say - the fish seem too stressed for their identifying features to be visible.

I just read that same article in TFH, and it seems like I'm not the only one. Another thing that caught my attention, if I recall correctly, is that not all Pelvicachromis species are from soft, acidic waters. I think some of them are actually from hard, alkaline waters. They're from a pretty big geographic area, which probably contributes to the diversity.