Nanochromis sp. Tschuapa

[Nebraska_cichlids]

Can you guys ID the fish that Toyin put up for sale on Aquabid as N. sp. Tschuapa? He says it might be N. sabinae, but I'm not sure. I have three pairs of N. sabinae waiting for me with a friend in Kansas City, just waiting for me to drive down there to pick them up. I don't want to buy additional pairs of sabinae from Toyin, but if the fish for sale happened to be a different species...

 

[aquaticclarity]

Nebraska_cichlids,

I saw Toyin’s post this afternoon and did a little digging around. I’m with you, I don’t want to purchase what might be just a nicely colored N. sabinea in hopes of getting a different fish…at least not at $40.00/pair! When I compared Toyin’s photo with that of N. sp. “Genema†(now N. sabinea) in Linke and Staeck’s on page 95 of the Westie book I’d say they are a VERY close match. I’m basing my comparision on the amount of red present in the upper half of the caudel in both photos. It seems that every other photo of a male Nanochromis lacks more then a small amount of red in the upper most portion of the caudal. Of course we’re only seeing one photo each of two fish. I’ll dig through me Cichlid News magazines for some more photos. I think I remember an article on some of the Nanochromis not to long ago. I don’t think it was limited to only N. dimidiatus. Anyone know which issue of hand?

Jeff

 

[Randall]

Nanochromis sp. "Tschuapa"

Hello,

The Tschuapa is a tributary of the Congo River in the DR Congo. From the single photo (of a male) that I've seen of the form offered as Nanochromis sp. "Tschuapa," it is identical to N. sabinae.

All the best,

Randall Kohn

 

[Randall]

Nanochromis in "Cichlid News"

Nebraska_cichlids,
I’ll dig through me Cichlid News magazines for some more photos. I think I remember an article on some of the Nanochromis not to long ago. I don’t think it was limited to only N. dimidiatus. Anyone know which issue of hand?

Hello Jeff,

You can have a look at the photos of Nanochromis sabinae in the July 2006 issue of "Cichlid News."

Good luck!

All the best,

Randall Kohn

 

[retro_gk]

hmm, the pic posted by Toyin; http://www.aquabid.com/uploads/fwcichlidso1155275618.jpg looks like what is listed as Nanochromis dimidiatus/Sp. Leza on Blackwaterfish; http://www.blackwaterfish.com/dimidiatus4.jpg

 

[Randall]

Nanochromis dimidiatus "Leza/Lesias"

Hello Rahul,

Although Nanochromis dimidiatus and N. sabinae are both N. dimidiatus species-group forms, there are two visible points of distinction that hobbyists can use differentiate the two. Unlike female N. dimidiatus, female N. sabinae exhibit a small patch of silvery scales around the genital papilla; and in both sexes, the midlateral stripe on N. sabinae does not extend onto the caudal fin, like on N. dimidiatus.

I hope this helps to clear things up a bit.

Thanks!

All the best,

Randall Kohn

 

[retro_gk]

That clarifies things a bit. Thanks, Randall!