Aul Sunshine or?

[Overawed]

I've had this supposed Sunshine for 6 months now, when I bought him/her it was a juvie with brilliant coloration. Since then the coloration has gone away. I am wondering if this fish was exosed to hormone dripping for good coloration. I am also wondering if the fish might be a Female. Her dorsal fins are rounded. But, there are faint egg spots on the anal fin.

I will try to get a pic up soon.

[tom]

OA,

Just something I witnessed, not with an Aulonocara sp. but with another hap species and which might be of some help:

A couple of years ago, a local hobbyist picked up several (at least a dozen) S. fryeri juveniles (~2 months), all of which were brilliant blue. Upon seeing them, I suggested foul play (he had no idea of what the normal coloration of juveniles was). He kept the fish, and I followed up on them a few times over the course of several months. I didn't keep notes, but from what I recall: About half lost nearly all their sheen after what seemed like just a couple of weeks. The others maintained the adult coloring, mostly where males begin to color up naturally, for maybe three months, at which point a couple began flashing the body-wide distinctive metallic blue. But that lasted maybe a month. The last time I saw them was when they were about a year old, and none was fully colored (which, as you know, can happen anyway with several males sharing a tank), and only one had the coloring consistent with the female fryeri I've kept.

(They never spawned, by the way, at least not to my knowledge.)

While I'm not trying to impose any valid inferences about the effects of the probable juicing from my singular observation, I'd nevertheless bet your Aulonocara's coloring was also manipulated.

[Overawed]

Yes, I agree, I am starting to think that is what happened. The owner of this particular LFS is always keen to have colored up cichlids. As we know, that ain't always that easy.

I have also fell for a colored up Ahli, and then found out it was a Cop. Ovatus. He's the fish I spoke with you about. He still has color though. I have another mystery Aulonacara which was proclaimed as being a MacClear. I found out later that most Jacobfriebergis come from MacClear and that I was duped. I plan on keeping both, because they are mine and I like them and to remind me to be more aware at the LFSs.

[tom]

Now that you mention the C. ovatus again, but this time in reference to color (although you may have mentioned the color, and I missed that), it's not the C. azureus, is it? Still a new critter to me.

[Overawed]

I am pretty sure that this will be another mystery fish. I have checked back with LFS and all of theirs still have the same Ovatus/Azureus coloring. Mine has gone completely yellow even with a yellow blaza atop its dorsal. It is even starting to get the Jacobfreibergi type hump. So the jury is out on this one, like 2 others I have. I did buy him as an Chys. Ovatus.

BTT: The Sunshine (if that is what he/she is) is in a new tank and is still very brown :?