Frontosa's

[dave_oddballs]

hi, after quite some time thinking about ti, i just ordered some frontosa's, well five of them.
they are coming in at 3" which is ok. the whole saler has said they are f1, but doesn't know what variation they are.
is there any way of telling? say if i was to put some pictures up, would someone be able to tell me which variation they are?
i don't suppose it is overly important but i always like to know exactly what i have!!
cheers, Dave

 

[minxfishy]

If you throw up some pics Im sure someone can id them for ya.

Pssst....you might wanna post this (or get a mod to move it) to the African section though

 

[dave_oddballs]

oh crap, cheers i've asked for it to be moved, don't know why i did that!
anyway,i've been told they are difficult to id properly until at least 5" when they start showing more colour so maybe i will have to wait a while!
will still put pics up when they are here to see what people think!!

cheers, Dave

 

[ChilliPepper]

Yeah, I was gonna say, aren't Frontosa African

 

[star4]

I have this useless map lol

http/frontosahome.tripod.com/main/id5.html

Tells you the different vairiations and where they are but not much help with id I am afraid as they are all the same shape. lol

 

[dave_oddballs]

well at least when they start colouring up i could look at that map and narrow it down depending on the colour.
i hope they are one of the ones with the more blue, they look more stunning! i like them all though so wouldn't be too bothered!

 

[lalo99]

You can ID local based on the eye stripe. Also does the fish have 6 stripes or seven stripes on each side?




Front ID

 

[star4]

Wow that site is fantastic!, id is easy explained like that lol cheers.

 

[dave_oddballs]

well thanks for that but i can't answer your question as i haven't got or even seen the fish yet, my lfs has ordered them from his wholesaler for me. will definitely have a look when i get them, see if i can narrow down the possibilities if not find out which one they are!
i will have them on tuesday afternoon (picking them up at 5pm on tuesday) and will try and get pictures that night or if not on wednesday day time so you can help me decide which they are

thanks! Dave

 

[dave_oddballs]

well i like them all but a couple, im not too keen on the zaire gibberosa or zambian gibberosa looking at them but any of the rest look nice (so are gibberosa frontosas, like a different variation, or just a differens species of cyphotilapia all together?)
from what i can work out the burundi are the most common??? so im just assuming it would be them, but id like it if they were the ones with the most blue on, like the zaire frontosa! will have to wait and see what i can work out!!

 

[lalo99]

Fronts are being split into at least two different species. C. Frontosa is only the 7 Stripe front from Kigoma. C. Gibberosa are the southern populations. Then there is C. sp North. These are the Northern Species. They tend to have larger head bumps than their southern cousins.

If your LFS is ordering them from a wholesaler, the wholesaler should know exactly what is being sent. Press the LFS for more info. You are not buying cheap fish. The blue fronts (zaire) cost a lot more money that the burundis. If they have any clue of what they are doing, they won't confuse the two. I would bet on Burundis. If they refuse to let you know the local. I would get them from someplace else. I'll bet there are plenty of good Front Breeders not far from you. I would also recommend getting 10. As long as their juvies. You can weed out extra males as they grow. They are colony fish. Good luck.

 

[dave_oddballs]

there is none near me, i know there is 3 8"+ ones at maidenhead aquatics not too far from me and they are £45 each. i will probably just add to the group as i go along and as they come along. im still going to get them even if he doesn't know which they are, even if they are burundi £12 for a 3" fish from what i've seen is a good price.
as i said i will take a few pictures and do some comparing on the link you sent and work it out for myself.

 

[dave_oddballs]

well i got them, there some pictures of them in the members aquarium pictures section in my 7 foot 1000 litre thread. they are settling in nicely and eating like pigs!!
they are a good 3" so a decent size for the price really.

Dave

 

[lalo99]

Any Idea what local they are?