ive had an african cichlid tank for about 3 months now, and its thriving quite nicely, but today i noticed that one of my female cichlids color had changed. i BELIEVE she is a Pseudotropheus, although i cant be more specific than that (the pet store was poorly labeled). she was a light purple with dark purple tiger style stripes, and is now becoming yellow. the change is most noticable around the head and dorsal fin, with a light shading coming in around the scales.
the water conditions are fine, i have tested everything, and she is behaving normally and eating just fine....is this a normal thing for cichlids to do?
2007-07-18 18:12:44 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Fish
As Jackp1ne suggested you've probably got a kenyi (which is actually a metriaclima lombardoi, and not a pseudotropheus species).
Many african cichlids are dimorphic (that is to say the males are a different color pattern than the females). Dimorphic cichlids start out all the same color ('juvenile' color scheme) but the males undergo a color transformation as they mature while the females retain the original pattern. No 'change in gender' ever occurs with these type of fish.
Kenyi start out blue-ish with dark stripes and males become solid yellowish (sometimes with dark stripes). When this is completed expect an increased level of aggression from this fish.
Some of the previous posters which suggested you have a saulosi are inaccurate; saulosi colors are opposite of kenyi, meaning they all start out yellow-orange and males become blue with dark stripes.
2007-07-19 03:05:33 · answer #1 · answered by Kay B 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
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RE:
rapid african cichlid color change?
ive had an african cichlid tank for about 3 months now, and its thriving quite nicely, but today i noticed that one of my female cichlids color had changed. i BELIEVE she is a Pseudotropheus, although i cant be more specific than that (the pet store was poorly labeled). she was a light purple with...
2015-08-05 21:49:46 · answer #4 · answered by Tomasa 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
african cichlids will often change colors. Some species such as apaurtus will change from yellow in females to a blue in males. When they are in a single sexed environment, and they need to breed, the dominate female will turn into a male. This happens in some species of wrasses in saltwater, and some african cichlid species.
pseudos are zebra cichlids, and they do come in a wide range of colorations, but color changes are never a sign to worry. fish do it all of the time.
2007-07-18 18:20:06 · answer #5 · answered by Coral Reef Forum 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
African cichlids change color all the time.
2007-07-19 07:53:07 · answer #6 · answered by Beatle fanatic 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Look up a fish called Pseudotropheus Saulosi. It this it? If so, it's because males are blue while females are yellow. If not, check out Pseudotropheus Lombardoi. Is this it? If so, it's because females stay blue and males turn yellow.
These fish don't 'turn' into the opposite sex, they're born how they are and all start off one color until they mature - but subdominent males can keep female colors to avoid attention from dominent males.
2007-07-19 01:08:47 · answer #7 · answered by Ghapy 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Could it be a kenyi cichlid,the males change colors as they age to yellow from purple.The females are purple all there lives.Here are some pictures and information on them:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=798
http://www.malawimayhem.com/profile_show.php?id=399
Some one else also mentioned this one that changes color:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1
http://www.malawimayhem.com/profile_show.php?id=276
2007-07-19 01:53:54 · answer #8 · answered by Jackp1ne 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋