lombardoi kenyi

[Ao_Cp]

Hey fellows,

I happen to have a male kenyi who is ready to breed but can't seem to find him a female because everytime i get him one it always end up being another male. How can I purchase a female and know that its going to be a female because all the kenyi I purchase always looked blue but then turned yellow. So how can I know if i purchase a male or a female???

[BadAndy]

Sometimes female kenyi's change color. I don't know why this happens although there have been a few posts here on the old board about it. one of my orange kenyi has had a mouthful of eggs. The males don't seem to be fooled, though. If they are over 2.5", blue, and a kenyi then you've probably got a female. If she changes color when you put her in the tank (and you're sure its a kenyi) then the male will know. Also, i'm pretty sure kenyi are harem breeders so you will probably want to get 2-3 females.

This is just what I've read/experienced. Someone else might have more experience with this situation.

oh yeah, welcome to the board.

BadAndy

[jonah]

Sometimes female kenyi's change color. I don't know why this happens although there have been a few posts here on the old board about it. one of my orange kenyi has had a mouthful of eggs.

BadAndy
Are you sure your orange kenyii was a kenyii? I've heard of yellow males and blue females, but the only fish I've seen that looks like kenyii but is orange are red zebras (Maylandia estherae).

[BadAndy]

I'm half color blind. So my colors are screwed up. I realize that the fish is yellow now. Sorry for the mix-up.

BadAndy

[nefenbaker]

Kennyis (Pseudotropheus Lombardoi) start life blue. Later, males seeing a chance to claim territory turn yellow. Subordinate males will stay blue to avoid the dominant males rage (they are 'ducking' a fight with the alpha male).
Females will stay blue or sometimes become more like males, though they never get to the intense yellow of males. The two varieties of females are usually called 'blue' and 'brown' Both blue and brown females act like females, are appealing to males, and enjoy equal reproductive success (it's been studied).
But the blue shade is much prettier and is usually favored by hobbiests/breeders. Also, I think you say 'every time I put ONE in'. Better to have more then one female per male. Male mbuna are 'Mac Daddies', not husbands, and act accordingly. A lone female will often be killed. Only the female acts as a parent, and it is a tough job, even without the male pestering her.

So if you are serious about breeding them and can possibly get another (smaller) tank setup, I would advise this plan:
Set up and cycle a new tank, then buy several (at least 6, more if affordable) Kennyis (possibly from a batch of younger ones at the fish store where all are blue - or at least buy only the blue ones - but not too much smaller than the male you have).
Put these in the tank and watch them grow for a few months. Every time one turns NOT-blue, remove it and find it another job (gift, sell back, feed to bigger fish, whatever). This fish has no place in your breeding program (if it looks like a really good male and you have a THIRD tank, then put it in the third tank as a backup male).
Removing each yellowing fish is critical: After removing one male, another will promptly turn yellow. Each 'ducking' male must see that the coast is clear before showing his true colors. When males and brown females have been removed and the school is reduced to blue fish that STAY blue for a couple months, THOSE are females, move them in with the male you already have. Feed them on the liberal side so the females can bulk up for the rigors of holding. Breeding will likely start in a few weeks, esp. after a major water change or humid, high pressure weather.
As for the now empty 'sexing' tank, turn it into a nursury: put something innoculous like a few guppies or mollies in to keep the filtration up, and put a tank devider in the middle. This will provide two 'nursury' areas to put the holding females. Allow the females to hold at least a week before moving to the nursury tank, so the holding 'takes'. Holding will last 3-4 weeks. As soon as you have a chance to net the mother with an empty mouth, move her back to the male's tank (they are too protective in captivity and fry can starve). The fry will grow well on live baby brine shrimp and finely crushed spirulina.