92 replies to this topic

[humbug]

Based on the shots I've found, the fish I have are far too elongate to be "golden blueface".  I think my photo is just from a poor angle. 

Take a look at the photo in Konings 4th edition, page 334, of "silver torpedo".  The fish I have appear to correspond to that photo relatively well, although mine are not fully mature, and the dark band on the dorsal fin worries me  The description on page 332 says "Breeding males of O. sp. "silver torpedo" are yellow-blue with metallic blue head and have egg spots on the anal fin." 

I suggest the Cichlidenstadl shot may well be a different fish.  Some of the fish I'm seeing on international forums being sold as WC "silver torpedo" appear different again. 

I'll do some more digging.

Edited by humbug, 03 April 2015 - 06:53 AM.

[Mattia]

Can you take a few more pictures of your fish so we don't see it in a poor angle?
Maybe we are just mistaking it, but from the picture I swear it does not look like a torpedo

[humbug]

I will do as soon as I can.  Lights are out here at the moment!

[Chopstick_mike]

Your fish are ridiculously good


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[-Rob-]

Fantastic shots of the haps, I've really enjoyed the thread. This is my opinion of the silver torpedo situation below.

 

I believe I have seen all 3 different types in the past 5 years.

 

The first one I kept about 5 years ago was a true silver torpedo. He is pictured below. You will note that he has quite a blunt face and not as gold coloured. The side barring was prominent. I remember a gold coloured glow in the dorsal aswell. But the head shape is what was most obviously different.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I dont think they are around any more.

 

The second type I have kept I think are the torpedo blue. I cold only find a single female and its the only one I have ever seen about 4 years ago. It wasn't labelled at the time and was the only one in the shop.

 

Here are some photos of it, you will see its a lot different, more elongated and a much blunter face.

 

 

 

 

 

I would be surprised to see either of those around in Oz any more.

 

The newest one that was called silver torpedo was on the scene a couple of years ago. I got a few at the time but realized they were different to the others I had before. Below is a pic of one.

 

It could be golden blue face, it answers a lot of questions about the species for me. Here is the pic of the one, you can see it doesn't quite get as elongated as those first ones I kept and the face shape is different.

 

 

Mattia, did your torpedos look like the one in my second pic? e.g. the very blunt face and do you think they would still be around?

 

Regards, Rob

[Mattia]

Hi Rob!
So, i think the first picture is a Otopharynx Sp. silver torpedo, the body in not as thin and head less pointy than the second picture. This should grow no more than 15-18cm

The second one is actually a Mylochromis sp. torpedo blue "Tanzania", was an Otopharynx before, but it has been reclassified for some strange reason in the mylochromis... And that's the wild ones I had.

Beautiful fish, I loved them... Females didn't like each other and always in small fights. But never hurt each other
The male was calm and not territorial at all, just fought with the Taeniochromis sometimes. They grow over 22cm

These first two are quite similar, the second one is thinner and with a pointier face/mouth... Also color is different.
First one has a golden-yellow face with a silver body, the second one is all blue with very orange anal fin.




The third picture is (for me) what we call in Europe Otopharynx sp Golden Blue face "ikombe", totally a different body shape and head

[-Rob-]

Great fish you had there, I particularly like the torpedo blue, probably the best of the torpedos. The other nice one being mylochromis ensatus which was more recently discovered, looks similar to the blue and grows larger. I think that one is available in the hobby now aswell.

 

Yes, the torpedos are not very assertive in the aquarium. Would have been a great tank you had with the torpedo blues and Taeniochromis, they are an awesome species aswell.

[Buccal]

I agree with Robs comparisons, Mattias to.
Otopharynx species are a funny one,,, because their appearances differentiate a lot, not seeming to have any conformed appearance except for a few. (different shapes, sizes and features).
Last bloke I new of doing torpedo blues was a bloke called Lance in Queensland that sold fish food online roughly 2 years ago.

Rob you were calling a blunt face but I think you were meaning a pointyer face.
Blunt to me means less pointy.

Silver torpedo. Moderate pointy face.
Blue torpedo. Very pointy face.
Golden blue face. Blunt face.

[LexAgate]

The C rhoadesii are from German imports.  They are still only small, but the parents are lovely.   

I do ship, but for the time being pretty much everything I'm breeding is spoken for. I have very limited tank space, so am only raising limited numbers of fry at the moment.  Plans are underway for another fish room.  I'm hoping that in 6 months or so I might be able to start getting some of my fish over to one of the shops in Perth. 

yes please we need it Perth is slowly loosing some nice stock, keep up this work Humbug I love your work, you should come over to Perth try to get some boys to start up a fish room over here so getting stuff to us is easier I'm sure someone would love to set up a room for your fish to be shipped! Or just move here


Yes I'm young, but I'm smarter than you think!

[humbug]

I haven’t taken any shots of my fish for quite a while, but this fella was showing off to the girls yesterday so I pulled the camera out. 
Pseudotropheus sp “Williamsii North” Mokonde

 

 

[dicky7]

Bit of a stunner isn't he

[humbug]

This guy was a sub-dominant male in the colony who was being beaten up by his tankmates.  I pulled him out and put him in my quietest tank with my red capped Lethrinops.  The Lethrinops are the softest of fish, but this guy still gets pushed around by them, despite them being a fraction of his size.  They might look mean, but they are as soft as butter.  This guy is probably my favourite individual fish at the moment.  He hides away in his cave at the back of the tank all day, but as soon as I walk into the fishroom he's at the front of the glass begging for food with his big sad Labrador eyes. 

No one can accuse him of being weak chinned

[Redevilz]

haha what a sook, doesn't look like a fish that would take orders from lethrinops but he's just a big softie! Nice photos and beautiful fish!

Edited by Redevilz, 15 December 2015 - 10:41 PM.