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Fish Mix Ups

Jay

CCA Members
I am at the mercy of some of my suppliers on these fish. 98% of the time they send me the correct fish. Once in a while a mix up can happen.
Over seven years I have run into these mix ups to my knowledge.
A mylochromis type from a "expert" in the field for over 35+ years that turned out to be something else. This is why I refined my special order program and do not put up long lists from suppliers of fish that I know very little about.
Aulonocara Cape Kaiser (Error) Now listed as Auonocara Jacobfreibergi Blue. This fish comes from older farm source that claims to have gotten it from Jacob Freiberg years ago. I made the mistake of trying to help him ID it through a photo on cichlid-forum that later was taken down and changed. Where this fish came form is not truly known; but, I believe it to be from the Lake based on my wholesaler's word.
Copadichromis ilesi (Error) which was sold to another one of my suppliers under this name. Since these fish came in small and without color they were impossible to id for certain. As I waited for one to color, I told my customers that all I have to go on is this supplier's word that this is truly ilesi. Unfortunately, after I sold my first batch, when I tried to order more the supplier (another farm that has been around for close to 40 years) told me that they are Copadichromis White Blaze and his source had sold him the wrong fish. Since then, the customer that bought my first batch Identified these fish as Copadichromis Chyrsonotus Mumbo (White Blaze) which is the name I am using for them on the web site. What I find odd about this fish is it has far better color than Copadichromis trewavassae (Mloto Likoma)but its not very popular.
This same farmer also sent me Copadichromis sp. Virginalis Gold (Error)that turned out to be the Copadichromis Chyrsonotus Mumbo (White Blaze) as well. I only sold a few of these before I realized something was not right and I held the rest until they could be properly identified and sold under their correct name. I try to learn from my mistakes.
I only buy two types of Copadichromis from this farmer any more because I do not trust him on the rest. The two I get from him are Copadichromis trewavassae (Mloto Likoma) which I can also get from a different source that look the same. Therefore, I am certain these are correct. The other is Copadichromis geertsi which the young look like the photo on cichlid-fourm and which a customer has verified is the correct fish for me.
Aulonocara Kandeense (Error) These came from a younger farmer who also is a marine biologist. When I first got them, I questioned why they had black spots on the females like a Copadichromis, and reassured they were Kandeense. Since then the farmer has discovered he was wrong and that this fish is Copadichromis Azureus White Blaze. They look almost the same as Aulonocara Kandeese especially at a young age. One of my Customers thinks they are Copadichromis Parvus; but based on the photo on cichlid form for the Parvus, I disagree. These fish get some greenish look on the face along with the white blaze on the head much like the Kandeese. The Parvus photo does not show any of this green tint. I am now selling these fish as Copadichromis Azureus White Blaze. To the best of my knowledge and my supplier's knowledge, these are a rare fish in the hobby. There is no species profile for them on cichlid-forum that I can find.
Cichlid-forum is very good; but even they can be wrong occasionally. They have a photo of an orange color Lwanda on thier site listed as a "show Lwanda". For years I searched for this fish and could not find it. Then suddenly I had some develop the orange color from my older smaller farmer's stock. I kept the best one and began to line breed it to get more orange males. It took me more than a year to get an answer from an expert (Ad Konings) on this one. According to Ad, this fish color is either being caused by food or is a hybrid cross between Aulonocara Red Shoulder or Red Flush and Lwanda. What is odd is the farmer that sells this fish does not sell either Red Shoulders or Red Flush. I feed different food from what he does and there is no difference in the color. Therefore, I am not sure what really is going on with this fish. As a result I sell three types of Aulonocara Lwanda; 1) Aulonocara Lwanda Yellow (which I get from other sources than the smaller farmer), 2) Aulonocara Lwanda with Orange Gene (which I get from the smaller farmer and which has a warning in its description), and 3) Aulonocara Lwanda Orange (which I sell as a likely Hybrid)
I am not big on hybrids. In fact I do not like most of them. I only currently stock three fish that are hybrids to my knowledge.
1) Aulonocara Lwanda Orange (Likely Hybrid)
2) Labidochromis exaspertus Red (Hybrid), very calm, alternative to Red Zebra (see my web site)
3) Synodontus Angelicus/eupterus Catish (Hybrid Cross) due to its popular banding. To my knowledge these can not be breed without hormones and are not a risk to breed in the aquarium.

If a customer asks for a specific hybrid, I sometime can get one from one of my sources.

If anyone got any of the error fish from me, I am sorry. When something like this happens, and I try my best to avoid these situations, I correct the fish on my site as soon as I am aware of the problem. I try to work with the customer on it; but, sometimes there is no real certain remedy.

I will not intentionally sell an incorrect fish: but, i am human and I can get fooled. Keep in mind, two of my sources that were fooled as well have been in the business for 35 to 40 years. They are far more experts in the field than I. If they can get fooled any of us can from time to time.

Jay
 

dogofwar

CCA Members
Thanks Jay - mix-ups are inevitable and thanks for doing the detective work to resolve things!

Jay is a strong supporter of the CCA, a leader in CCY and runs their CARES program and a otherwise a friend to the hobby.

Matt
 

Ading522

Members
Thanks Jay - mix-ups are inevitable and thanks for doing the detective work to resolve things!

Jay is a strong supporter of the CCA, a leader in CCY and runs their CARES program and a otherwise a friend to the hobby.

Matt

+1.. Jay also does his best to correct any problems with your order. Awesome guy!

Sent from my XT1060 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 

Jay

CCA Members
Thank you for you support and understanding. As our last speaker said "it tough to be a retailer". I try my best. Jay
 
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