Pseudotropheus Red Zebra

[JonZeigler]

Hay gang~
Is there anyone how can tell me the difference in the male and female Red Zebra. I have three, but they all look alike. One I have had over three years. I had the male before (I use to hold the babies in its mouth), but I didn't notice anything different from the rest. I am have trouble matching up with female/male pair. I have been looking in my local pet shop, but I can't tell. Most of the ones in the store are to small to tell. Are they the same color or not?

:?

[jonah]

Hay gang~
I had the male before (I use to hold the babies in its mouth), but I didn't notice anything different from the rest.
:confused:
:confused: :confused: :confused:
I've never heard of males holding fry before.

The males I've seen are generally one of two types, either blue like a cobalt zebra, or a lighter peach/salmon color. Other than that they look like the females to me.

I just bought a half dozen and let them sort it out. Unfortunately my cobalt blue decided he liked the females too so he killed his rival. :(

[Overawed]

Welcome to the forum Jon :D

Red Zebras, like many, are hard to tell apart until they reach adulthood. Even then, its hard to tell, because females will have fake egg spots on their anal fin. In the lake, Red Zebra males have a light blue color, like a Socolufi. The males have since lost this coloration with successive breeding in captivity. The blue males are very rare, even in the lake. From what I have noticed with my Red Zebras, the male is a pale yellow with light blue fins. The females wil hold a bright deep orange coloration if there is no inbreeding or such. With inbreeding, there will be dark splotches on the body or head and the orange will be darker.

[JonZeigler]

:( Sorry ~ The statement should read;
"I had a breeding pair, but one of the pair died (it jumped out of the holding bucket, while I was cleaning the tank. It use to hold the babies in its mouth.". Was that the male of female? I didn't notice anything different between it and the rest. "jonah", can U tell me where I can get pic's of cobalt zebra, or a lighter peach/salmon color.
"Overawed", I was told that the anal spots were the key, but U do have to wait until they grow a little to be sure. I heard about the male/female changing fin color (light blue color), but there is a debate as to whether the change will create a breeding pair. I now have the three Red Tops and another fish that looks like a Labeotropheus Trewavasae (Red Top). It is blueish/gray with dark vertical strips and it has the same color fins as the Pseudotropheus. Is it cool to have him in that tank? The last of the orginal five is the most aggressive. He/she chases all the fish in the tank. He is also the biggest (at least 4 inches). I am moving in a few months and I am going to purchase a 50 Gal (have a 20 now). Open to more suggestions.
I might have to go with "jonah"'s method. :?
Thanks gang...

[Overawed]

You can see a pic of my cobalt on my web site below.

As long as there is no bad hostility towards your Red Zebras I think your community is fine. Just be careful, Red Zebra females will breed with just about anyone.

[JonZeigler]

Hay guys! It's me again.
I was reading some of the other posts and I was wondering about proper water treatment. First, I don't change my water every week. About a 1/5 of it evaporates over a two - three week period. Around that time I will vacumn and water change about 1/4 of the tank (I have a 20 gal). I was concerned about stress; thats Y I don't change so often. Second, I keep reading about ph (suggestion is 8.0 - 8.2 ph). I have Guppies in a ten gal (the facet water is about 7.2 ph, I think, which is good for them). I never really checked ph in Cichlid tank, but is a 7.5 or 7.7 OK; and nothing is mentioned about Ammonia, which is of concern to the Guppies. My Cichlid's seem to filter the gravel by themselves. :) Thirdly, I use salt, though not all the time. I use "Seachem"'s Cichlid Lake Salt, and Live Bearer / Brackish Aquarium Salt. Should I add everytime I do a water change/add. I have the GH and KH for the hardness test, and NH 3 & 4 for the Ammonia test. I have to pick up another the ph kit. As I said before, when I move I am purchasing a 50 gal, and I want to start out on the right track. Is temperature a factor also?. I sorry about all the questions. I have been trying to get it righ for a while. All suggestions are welcome.
PS. Has anyone figured out how to tell the female from the male Red Zebra, I still looking. :o

[Woot]

Hay guys! It's me again.
I was reading some of the other posts and I was wondering about proper water treatment. First, I don't change my water every week. About a 1/5 of it evaporates over a two - three week period. Around that time I will vacumn and water change about 1/4 of the tank (I have a 20 gal). I was concerned about stress; thats Y I don't change so often. Second, I keep reading about ph (suggestion is 8.0 - 8.2 ph). I have Guppies in a ten gal (the facet water is about 7.2 ph, I think, which is good for them). I never really checked ph in Cichlid tank, but is a 7.5 or 7.7 OK; and nothing is mentioned about Ammonia, which is of concern to the Guppies. My Cichlid's seem to filter the gravel by themselves. :) Thirdly, I use salt, though not all the time. I use "Seachem"'s Cichlid Lake Salt, and Live Bearer / Brackish Aquarium Salt. Should I add everytime I do a water change/add. I have the GH and KH for the hardness test, and NH 3 & 4 for the Ammonia test. I have to pick up another the ph kit. As I said before, when I move I am purchasing a 50 gal, and I want to start out on the right track. Is temperature a factor also?. I sorry about all the questions. I have been trying to get it righ for a while. All suggestions are welcome.
PS. Has anyone figured out how to tell the female from the male Red Zebra, I still looking. :o

1) its ok to change the water every other week, if you have good filteration and its not a crowded tank (Just try to feed them only what they will eat, so that tidbits dont rest on the bottom).

2) PH should be kept around 8.0-8.2, closer the better. 7.5 is a bit low, you might want to add some limestone/holey rock or other types of buffers help stabilize it.

3) From what I read the africans like a bit of salt in the water, just make sure not to over do it. Temperature should be kept around 80 degrees. And with sexing, wild caughts are easier to tell cuz males are blueish. The usual LFS Red zebras are both orangeish colored males and females so you would probably have to vent.

Here is a link if your brave enough to try and vent yours
http://www.vatoelvis.com/Sexing.html

Good luck with your 55 once you start on it, I started out with a 30 gallon myself. Then got a 55, took a 10g outta the attic, then got a old 30 gallon from my uncle that was wanting to get rid of it. With the rate mine are breeding, I need all the room I can get :D Had two Yellow labs breed at the same time almost, and one is holding again already. My thought to be Socolofi male turned out to be a female as well. They were hybrids so I left her to release them in the 55, she had me fooled.. she was so feisty.

[JonZeigler]

Hay "Woot"! Thanks for your help. I have a few comments:
One - I have a 20 gal with two filters (Penguin Bio-wheel mini and 125). I now have the three Pseudotropheus and another fish that looks like a Labeotropheus Trewavasae (Red Top); of which one is at least three and about 4 inches (beautiful color). The rest are about 2 1/2 to 3 inches. When I vacumn, I don't notice a lot of stuff in the bottom, as I said before, they move all the gravel to the sides of the tank to have freedom around the rocks.
Two - I'm picking up a kit today. When you indicate buffer, I guess these rocks are used to stablize the ph. I will go back to my Local Fish Shop and check the rocks that I have.
Three - I will replace the heater and add a little salt at water change (diluting salt before filling). I checked out this site ( http://www.malawicichlids.com/mw09008g.htm ) yesterday, and it showed me the color of the male; it also explained their terminology (naming). He did a good job on at this site. I am not so much worried about Red Top breading with Zebras. They all have anal spots.

As a note: I had a breeding pair before, but the male/female jumped out the holding bucket :cry: . It was the fish that would did the holding of the little off-spring. I feel bad about that. My large Zebra, the dominant fish in the tank, I have had the longest. If I add anymore new fish in the tank, they have to go through her/him. I have to insert the divider and place the newcomers serperate. Which sex holds the off-spring?

Anyway, see you later.

[JonZeigler]

I was wondering you tell the difference in male and female by behavior. I have a dominant fish in my tank that is always moving the gravel in the tank underneath the rocks. It is alway making space and maintaining his own personal area, that he has control over and none of the others have a chance. He chases the other fish around the tank. He also has a yellowish looking tinge, as oppose to the orange tinge. Do the females behave this way also? None of the other fish (Reb Zebra's) act or behave this way. I guess I just need to be patient. Their just not breeding yet.