Chromidotilapia sp. "Makondo"

[Randall]

Hello fellow Westiephiles,

Just in from Cameroon, we have yet another undescribed species of Chromidotilapa, sp. "Makondo." Superficially, this beauty somewhat resembles Benitochromis batesii "Eseka" (formally C. Batesii) in coloration, but is believed to be sympatric with P. taeniatus "Dehane."

Can anyone furnish any additional information about this new fish, please?

Thanks!

Randall Kohn

 

[Neil]

Randall,
That sounds like a very intersing fish. I hope that you find some more info on it. I have always kind of liked C. (now B.) batesii "Eseka". It is great to have someone keeping us abreast of some of the new stuff. Please continue!
Neil

 

[Finatic_LasVegas]

MAKONDO ON AQUABID!!!!

Oh MY!!!!! The picture didn't come up but here's the link:
http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwcichlids&1034549881

I emailed "Sb" (have bought plants from him in AquaBid) for a pic. He also has C. finleyi "Moliwe" and "Mungo"!!!!! The Mungo are GORGEOUS (that pic and the Moliwe pic worked).

Am going to go count my pennies to see if I can afford to bid!

Cheers,
Wendy

 

[Randall]

Makondo

Dear Wendy,

On Aquabid, "Sb" is actually Toyin Ojo who is now a member of this forum. I got my Makondo from him. It's too early to tell if this chomidotilapiine is in fact a new species or a regional variant of an existing one, but I will have more information for the forum, hopefully, this Friday, 10/11/02. I am expecting to hear back from an ichthyologist to whom I forwarded some photos.

On a more personal note, please don't buy the fish that Toyin is holding for me!

All the best,

Randall Kohn

 

[Finatic_LasVegas]

Makondo

Randall,

I tell ya, I'm a little slow for 34. It took me a few minutes after posting the last note on here to realize Sb was Toyin. Small fishy world we have.

Speaking of Toyin, he said you might have a picture of Makondo I could view in order to help decide between Makondo, Mungo and Mundemba. Know what Mundemba and Mungo look like, so Makondo is the last to consider before choosing a pair. Have you got a picture I could drool over?

Cheerio,
Wendy

 

[Randall]

Benitochromis sp. "Makondo" Update

Dear Westies Fans,

On Friday, 10/11/02, I received an email message from Mag. Dr. Anton Lamboj, Universitat Wien, in regard to the Makondo cichlid. Previously, I had sent him a brief description and some general location information, along with some photos. In his response, Dr. Lamboj writes the following:

"So - it is a Benitochromis, similar to batesii and ufermanni, but NOT batesii and NOT ufermanni. The best "name" for this at the moment would be Benitochromis spec. "Makondo", as you wrote."

So, at least for the time being, it appears that we do have a new species here. Should anyone keep this fish and it dies, please preserve it. Dr. Lamboj is interested in working with preserved specimens.

I'll keep the forum posted with any new developments.

Thanks all.

Randall Kohn

 

[Randall]

Benitochromis sp. "Makondo"

Dear Friends,

In my original posting concerning Chromidotilapia sp. "Makondo," I stated that this little beauty resembled Benitochromis sp. "Eseka" formally known as C. batesii "Eseka." Well, now that I've had my fish for three weeks, their coloration has changed dramatically.

At first, I was reluctant to alter the water chemistry of my 55-gallon tank in which they are housed, but after observing considerable improvement following a very rough start, I performed a 50% water change using pure R-O water. That was one week ago. Observing my fish now, I believe that they are indeed Benitochromis sp. "Eseka," to this day, an undescribed species. In conversation with Mag. Dr. Anton Lamboj, at least on the basis of appearances, he also suggests that the fish in question are "Eseka," but specifies that more material need be studied to make a more definitive determination.

In L&S's English language book, the Eseka cichlid was found in a "water-course on the road to Eseka. 50 metres after the turn-off from the road Edea-Jounde in southwestern Cameroon (page 31.)." The map on page 29 depicts a location just north of the Nyong River, yet the location depicted on page 29 is inconsistant with the description on page 31! Eseka, as well as the road Edea-Jounde are situated just south of the Nyong River, not north of it. Referring to L&S's revised 2002 German language edition, the Eseka fish is now depicted as just south of the Nyong River and further west as well. This newly depicted location is consistent with the collection local of B. sp. "Eseka."

So, although some may disagree, given this new information, it appears to me that the Makondo cichlid is indeed B. sp. "Eseka" on the basis of coloration and distribution. It is unfortunate, indeed, that L&S's books are riddled with mistakes. Comparing the older English language edition to the new German language edition, this clearly continues to be the case.

Thanks all for reading.

Randall Kohn

 

[Finatic_LasVegas]

"Eseka"

Well, now I really can't wait to get my "Makondo/Eseka" this week!

Am so ecstatic that more and more of our hobbyist buddies are taking an interest in all the "new" amazing fish coming out of West Africa...but there is still a soft spot in my heart from my "old" favorites (as in P. sacrimontis). So here's hoping the export channel stays open a while longer!

Cheers,
Wendy

 

[Finatic_LasVegas]

Makondo/Eseka SPAWN!

Well I haven't had them for very long but the pair wasted NO TIME -- especially after I removed the Thysochromis ansorgii pair from the 55g (they were starting to get bossy with the Eseka/Makondo and didn't want to take any chances).

Water parameters:
*80-82 degrees F
*pH 6.8 (chemically adjusted the day before the spawn from original 7.6-7.8!)
*GH 18 (no kidding!)
*KH 10 (oh my!)
*TDS 450 ppm (Vegas water!)
*conductivity -- get a grip, it's me we're talking about!

Eggs were laid on the roof of bowl rock "gazebo" -- entrances are wide but low to the rocks and she had to slide in on her side (like the usually modus operandi of Nano. transvestitus). About 20-30 pink/purple eggs.

Cross your fingers!!!!! Will keep you posted!
Wendy

 

[Neil]

Way to go, Wendy! I'm keeping my fingers crossed. It would be great if you could get some pics of the process. I took a couple of quick one's, but they are not very good. But maybe I'll see if Ken will temporarily put them up, until someone else takes some good ones of this nice species.
Neil

 

[Finatic_LasVegas]

Jinxed!

Neil,

So first I opened the big mouth and then of course, I came home tonight to find Mama OUT of the cave, with no obvious bulge in her throat. Must've been a dry run or a concerted effort to bring me down from my "high" yesterday. LOL. Bloody fish!!!

I'll keep an eye on them and fatten her up again and try to get some pictures, though a photographer (particulary a digiphotog), I am not. :roll:

Here's to learning more...
Wendy

 

[Cichlids1]

Pictures are up:

http://www.roundtownaquatics.com/wasmp.htm

Even tho the pictures aren't that great, still look like interesting fish.

 

[Randall]

Wendy's Eseka

Dear Wendy,

It sounds like your fish could have a common case of the new parent jitters. Please take heart; it they spawned once, they'll do it again. As we know, it's not uncommon for the first or second attempts at spawning not to work out, especially when working with young fish.

Please keep the faith. It sounds to me like you're doing a great, first rate job!

Randall Kohn

 

[Randall]

Successful Spawn

To the West African forum:

While feeding my fish last night, Fri., 11/1/02, I noticed a group of free swimming fry taking cover in a large clump of Java Fern. My larger pair of Bentiochromis sp. "Eseka" collected in or around Makondo, Cameroon, are showing some very dark coloration and shake their bodies at me, when I approach. The female is taking some of the fry into her mouth when danger (me) approaches as well.

Water parameters are as follows:

Temp.: 76 degrees F
KH: About 2-3
pH: About 6.5
Conductivity: Just under 200 microsiemens/liter

This comes as a very pleasant surprise; quite frankly, I hadn't even noticed that eggs had been laid and were being incubated. Next time, I'll endeavor to be more attentive and report more specific information.

Thanks!

Randall Kohn

 

[Neil]

Randall and Wendy,
Let's hear a fry update! How are your fry doing, Randall? Are the parents showing interest still or have you pulled the fry? How about the growth rate?
Did your second spawn come to anything, Wendy?

My pair has been together for about 2 weeks now and are always together. However the only spawning that has occurred are with my pair of P.t. "Lobes" in the same tank. They have been successfully gaurding a small brood for about a week and a half in the same tank. The Eseka are much larger, but won't mess with the Lobes. They are exceptionally coordinated with fry care and defense.
Tank - 30g.(36")
Temp -76 degrees
dGH&KH - about 1
pH - 6.3
Inhabitants - 1 pr. Benitochromis sp. "Eseka", 1pr. P.t."Lobes", 4 West African tetra (Micralestes occidentalis), + 2 P. humilus "Liberian red" targets to keep the pairs busy and away from each other.
Neil

 

[Randall]

Randall and Wendy,
Let's hear a fry update! How are your fry doing, Randall? Are the parents showing interest still or have you pulled the fry? How about the growth rate?
Neil

Dear Neil,

Unfortunately, I only noticed that my B. sp. "Eseka" were with free swimming fry on Nov. 2, so I don't know exactly how long it had been since the female released them. Parental care was fierce for two weeks from the 2nd, after which time, the intensity started to waver somewhat, but certainly not completely. Today, Nov. 24, the remaining fry are in a 10-gallon fry tank and are quite large, but were good sized when I first saw them on the 2nd.

Thank you.

Randall Kohn

 

[Neil]

Kind of suggestive that it is not so critical to get food to them immediately after they are free-swimming, huh?
How many do you think that you have? Mine are doing quite well together, but I don't think that they are quite large enough to spawn yet.
Neil

 

[Neil]

Everyone,
Although this fish is a larvophile mouthbrooder with the female supposedly taking the mouthbrooding responsibilities after hatching, is it possible that it could be that the male could take this role or switch back and forth on the job. My pair has spawned 5 daysor so ago and the female was in the cave for 3 days then hiding out of the cave yesterday. The male was bombing others that came into the territory. Today I feed them and the female was in front and the male under an overhang. The female immediately came up and took the mysis shrimp. The male didn't move. A humilus came into the area to grab some food and the female let him have it, but good. I can't really see a buldge in the males mouth, but it sure seems like he could be holding them. What do you think?
Neil

 

[Randall]

Switch Hitters

Dear Neil,

I would not be surprised if your Makondo fish are sharing in their incubating responsibilities. Some Chromidotilapia species are paternal ovophile mouthbrooders, others share in the burden. Benitochromis are generally maternal ovophile mouthbrooders, but I, too, have observed the male chipping in from time to time.

Good luck!

Randall Kohn

 

[Neil]

Thanks Randall!

Benitochromis are generally maternal ovophile mouthbrooders

Are these not larvaphile mouthbrooders? At least that is what L&S say about C. batesii "Eseka", which is the same as B. sp. "Eseka". I am assuming that the reproductive scheme has not changed. Possibly just some specifics of how individuals of the species carry out their responsibilities.
Neil