WTB or sell? Protomelas "Imperial"

[eden2020]

Ok.. so last year I bougth 5 Protomelas "Imperial" and some other fish from the ACA, and it appears that I managed to buy 5 females. At this point, one of them should have shown some color, buuuttt nope. So, either I was hoping to find a male to go with the group, or sell the group I have.

Any suggestions? Interest.

BTW- I double checked with the gentleman I bought them from to be sure they were what I thought.

Thanks, Marc and family..

 

[verbal]

Daves Rare Fish has a couple of varieties. davesfish.com

 

[Tony]

Marc,

How big are they and what are they in with? Many Protomelas will take a while before they color up if they are in with larger, more assertive fish.

I have had some males in species growout tanks color up in as little as 2" and other males not color up until 6"+ in "community-type" settings. Right now, my tangerine tigers are in with a couple of pretty meek species in a 90 and they are every bit of 4"-5". They still haven't colored up yet. With 6 of them, I'm sure that I have at least one male.

The odds of you having 5 of them and no males are pretty darn slim. That's like (1/2)^5, right? 3% chance I think....

I say hang on to them and see what happens. They're really cool fish and someone in the club should be breeding them.

 

[greekz]

Yeah, I have one that's supposed to be a male he is about 5" and still not showing any colors.

 

[eden2020]

Protomelas...

That's why I love this group... They are somewhere between 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 inches I would say. Honestly I thought one was holding about a month ago, but couldn't figure out why it would be. I am so used to the Peacocks and Mbuna that to have had them this long and no distinguishable color or difference was a mystery. However- I have a really nice group of Deep Water Haps and there are clearly a couple males, but one smaller one that I would have sworn was a small male ended up holding.. I guess I was wrong..

Current tank-56 gallon column, 1 Foss (close in size to the Protos), two Lelupi, couple inches (pretty hopped up), a male Ruby red (fully colored), a very small Demasoni, a male (colored up) deep water hap, and a 3 or 4 inche Geophagus.

Thoughts?

-Marc and family

 

[Tony]

I'd say give them more time... Put any species of 2.5"-3.5" Protomelas in with anything even a hint more aggressive and they will not be colored up.

The male peacock, Placidochromis or leleupi (if they're paired up) all probably quality as more aggressive than your Protomelas right now

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