I just received 7 juvie Metriclima sp. Membe Deep F1. Here is what the male will look like when colored up. Membe Deep
I saw these in a friend's tank once and they are beauts. Right now they are a creamy yellowish color. Their coloration is sort of a cross between a Msobo and a Polit. An added plus the females keep their juvie colors.

I'll try to get some pics after they settle in!

Congrats, Dave!

Those fish should turn out beautiful!

Will this be a species tank or something different?

Can't wait to see the pics, both as juvies and adults!

You"ll love 'em Dave.

I was looking for either the Membe deeps or the Msobos. They are quite simolar. I just found the Msobos first.

The biggest difference is probably size. Membe's grow to 4" while Msobos reach 5.5 to 6"


Post them pics Bouncy

I'm another Msobo guy... which means you're nervously waiting for your juvies to grow up so you can figure out your true M/F ratio!

The males look like what Van Gogh would have created if he ever designed a fish!

By the way, I'm now up to my 4th male changing colors out of 7 Msobo. And I don't like the darkening in the face of #5!

Anyone got any good suggestions on mail order sources so I can (hopefully) improve my ratio? These guys have never spawned for me, though 5M to 2F would help to explain that if that's what I have.

My females are pure orange rather than yellow. I always get confused about what is the difference between Msobo, Membe Deep, etc, and online sources contradict each other.

Here is a couple of crappy pics I took recently of the Membe juvies. A couple have eggspots and a few don't so at this point I'm assuming that there are mixed sexes.

They look very promising, Dave!

Don't let egg spots (or the lack of eggspots) fool you!

What is the full scientific name for these? (So I can see what they'll look like when they grow up...)

Kim

Kim
They are Metriaclima sp. Membe Deep
http://www.bigskycichlids.com/Met_membe_deepx.htm

The females they have in the profile section on CF I believe are incorrect. I've seen adults once before and the females keep their juvie coloration.

As far as the egg spots go I'm assuming that since they are grouped with the msobos they'd share similar characteristics. My msobo females have no eggspots while the subdom males have them. Just a guess on my part we'll see what happens over time.

That male is just spectacular! I'd be very excited to have this group.

What I really like about this group is the "polit" like appearance of the male, but stunning females to go along with him! (That is why I got rid of my polits, because the females were so drab...)

Can't wait to see these grow out some more! You are definitely onto something with the males and females, though. The top two look like they are headed for a colour change soon.

Kim

Here is an update on these guys. The males are going thru their transformation. It is alot easier on the eyes than watching a Msobo male change color!

How many males do you think you have now?

I think it's great that you're posting pics throughout the transformation. This isn't a species we see every day, so it's nice to know what to expect should we ever get our hands on some.

I lucked out with my Msobo's...1 male and 5 females...Gotta give it to Larry for sexing them right at such a young age!

I expect to have spawning soon. The male is really attentive to the largest female. (I've got to get some practice in with the new camera and see if I can get some decent shots...My male is past the gawky "teenage" stage and looking really nice!)

Kim

Nice pics of these fish's transformation! Bouncy

I think there are 3 males maybe four. I've switched them off the veggie flake to NLs growth and they started coloring up real fast. I still swear that with this species and their cousins(Msobos) the lack of eggspots are females but who knows I'm a neophyte at this stuff. idunno

I'm holding at 3M, 4F, which is one better than I thought in my post above...

Nice mbuna, I got a small group of F1's indirectly from the same group that Jason Selong got his from. The guy I got mine from bought the F0's from JNS when he got out of the hobby, or at least downsized dramatically. Mine are all still in the juvie female color.



The Msobo deep have alittle nicer color (deeper orange in the females), but these Membe deeps are ALOT rarer.

Hi Chad

We probably got them from the same source. I got mine from a guy on Aquabid who goes by the name of Iowacichlids. Nice guy and great fish.

Have any of yours sexed out yet?

Nice fish and pic, Orbital! Bouncy

I think they are a different source the iowacichilds, but probably came from the same person I got mine from. I think most of the F1s around Iowa and Illinois are from JNS's(Wisconsin) F0 group which Dennis Jenson bought from him when he was taking a break from hobby. The only person i know of that goes by Iowacichilds is from the far western part of the state, Dennis is central Iowa I think.

No signs of any males starting to morph yet, but I think I did see a bigger one getting egg spots maybe. I will have to look closer at them this evening.

I believe the last name was Jensen. He had stated that he had bought up the stock from JNS.

I'm pretty sure as with msobos that any eggspots are males.

My dominant membe was trying out his "shimmie" for one of his future girls. These guys are barely half grown it must have been in anticipation of ST. V's Day! Blush

I'll try tp post up some pics of the dominant male over the weekend. That is if he cooperates!

Hmm well he is the only Jensen i know of with them, the other two guys that had the iowacichlid name i thought, were something different. (i think).

Cool, I anticipate mine starting to morph here soon with the males. About to the size where i can have fully colored Afras.

Here is a few more of the Dom male starting to get the characteristic black belly

FWIW Here aresome updated pics of these beauts. Pity I ended up with 4 males and one lone female.

Dave

Those are looking wicked! Have the bred for you yet?What you may be able to do is isolate a male (use a sub male IMO)and female if they havent.When they breed save the fry to breed those juvi females to the other males.

Thanks for the update and Im looking forward to seeing more of these beauties!

Derek

They're looking really nice, Dave.

I also like that fish in the bottom left corner of the last pic. What is that?

Thanks for the update, DaveB!

They are looking great and I hope you will be able to breed
if you so choose to do so!