Hemmichromis sp "Moanda"

[Xanathos]

Hi,

There is a new "species" circulating in my LFC. From what I gathered, a guy imported a few pair of what he calls "Moanda" jewels. I know it's going to sound stupid but they all look like a regular lifallili or bimaculatus. I never heard of any "Moanda" species before, so I was wondering if someone might have a bit more information about them.

Any help would be appreciated

Thanks a lot
Phil

 

[tjudy]

The fish that has been imported as H. sp. 'Moanda' is closer looking to a H. stellifer type than a H. lifallili type to me, so it is possible that whoever got them in your club has them misidentified. The H. sp. 'Moanda' is also reported to be less aggressive and rather shy.. though I have not kept the fish. I first saw the fish on Toyin's lists (www.rehobothaquatics.com) a couple years ago.

When Randall chimes in we will get the scoop!

 

[Nebraska_cichlids]

I'm keeping a small group of five H. sp. Moanda that I brought home from recent trip to San Francisco. The fish are not yet fully grown, but so far have been proven very peaceful. Right now I keep them in sort of a grow-out tank with some juvenile Tilapia bythobates and Benitochromis nigrodorsalis.

Janos

 

[Randall]

Hemichromis sp. "Moanda/Muanda"

Hello friends,

As Ted states, Hemichromis sp. "Monada" made its way into the U.S. from the DR Congo a couple of years ago. It bears a superficial resemblence to H. stellifer, with which it is sympatric, only the coloration is reversed. While H. stellifer exhibits orange-beige coloration dorsally and reddish coloration ventrally, H. sp. "Moanda" exhibits reddish coloration dorsally and orange-beige coloration ventrally. Both species exhibit irridescent-blue scale edges on the body, males more so than females.

Matt Clarke wrote a brief article about this form for the "Practical Fishkeeping" web site.

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/show_article.php?article_id=115

Remarkably pretty jewel fish.

All the best,

Randall Kohn