Notho sp Melela River

[erikthur]

I hatched eggs 5 months ago and can collect 5-10 eggs each week.
That is not very much compared to other Nothos.
The group currently consists of a beautiful larger full-colored male, 3 fish with paler colors and the smallest one that looks like a regular notho female.
My recollection is that I read somewhere (probably in the Aquabid offer) that females of this species can get some coloration. However since the egg production is low I suspect the 3 weeker-colored ones are males.
Before doing any experimenting with separation or such I would like some more information on this species from those with experience.

[Nothos2005]

Hi,
I keep some populations of this fish collected in Northern Mozambique.
In my experience the females do only in a few individuals show narrow black stripes on the body.
The bad coloured males might be opperssed by the strong alpha male.
The best way to find out is to take out the strongest male out of the tank and see if the second strongest is colouring out.
As a Info I found at collecting place MZHL-2005-10 Bilibiza some males with no colour at all only some black markings in the anal and dorsal fin and a blue shine on the body , I first thought that this is due to bad water conditions and age of the specimen. But I had some males with no colour (Blue morph???) in my F1 as well.
Hope this helps

Holger

[erikthur]

I am considering to do so partly because the large male recently got swim bladder problem. So may-be nature has it's on solution to the problem.
Another idea was to remove the small female and see if I could get eggs still.
Or isolate the 3 paler ones and check out what will happen.

[Scott_sg]

Hi Erik,

I think there is a lot of growing evidence showing that Nothobranchius sp. will disguise themselves as females, in Biology there is a correlation between aggresion and males taking of female characteristics. It makes sense, essentially it is better to look female and hopefully you won't be beaten up. "Prison rules".
I just saw something similar with some Nothobranchius guentheri and i think there was another thread here with N. rachovii.

I don't think they change sex as such like some marine fish, rather i am guessing more at some kind of neoteny, essentially males only enter adult hood when it is safe to do so. Although that is a guess, and at this stage there is much unknown.

When i saw your post i thought Holger is the person to ask, and he has answered And Holger stop tempting me!

And while I am here and before i get to sleep, a big thanks to Ronnie, I won't email or message you as I doubt you will answer But thanks for the other day, if i owe you a few bucks let me know and i will settle next time i catch up with you.

Night everyone,

Scott.

[TyroneGenade]

I had 7 female with 2 males. the 2nd male was dull and only began to colour up later in life. OF all the female, none had colour. I suspect the coloured fish are males. Seperate them, and see if they colour up. I suggest you condition the female (on earthworms) and set her up to spawn with the nicest male you have. These guys can be very productive, but seem to invest a lot of energy into size rather than eggs.

Keep well