Identification - Mpimbwe or Burundi

[gregga]

I need help with an ID!! The 3 pics below are of an adult male frontosa, purchased years ago as a Mpimbwe. He's currently the alpha male in a breeding group in a 125. However, recently someone remarked to me that they thought the fish might be a burundi and not a Mpimbwe. Feedback appreciated....... Gregg

http://www.printroom.com/_vti_bin/ViewImage.dll?userid=gregga&album_id=100447&image_id=12&courtesy=1
http://www.printroom.com/_vti_bin/ViewImage.dll?userid=gregga&album_id=100447&image_id=13&courtesy=1
http://www.printroom.com/_vti_bin/ViewImage.dll?userid=gregga&album_id=100447&image_id=9&courtesy=1

[Marcus]

When you say this fish was purchased years ago how many years would that be? Mpimbwe have only been available for the past 5 years or so. And to add to that, would have been BIG BUCKS back then. $50 for a juvenile specimen and $300 for an adult. I think that if it were a Mpimbwe it would have been a fairly painful purchase. ;)

Burundi Fronts on the other hand have been availble for the past 20 years and were in fact the first Front available. Larger specimans can been had for $50-$75 dollars and small juveniles for as little as $8.99.

What you paid for the fish should give you a pretty good idea of what it is. With that said the fish is incredibly dark.

Here is a URL that may help: http://aquaworks.net/frontosa/variants.htm

Hope that helps!! :D

[gregga]

Marcus....if memory serves me correctly, the fish was purchased 3-4 years ago for $39.99. It was 2-3 inches at that time, so it was pretty expensive.
BTW, yes, he does run dark color-wise. Does that indicate Mpimbwe or Burundi to you?...Gregg

[Sumpin'fishy]

A great link you should check out is www.frontosafantasia.com . I love those fish and hope you find out what you are looking for.

[gregga]

thanks sumpin

[Tiger15]

Where the black bar appears on the forehead (front of the hump) of a Burundi will be absent in a Mpimbwe. In place of the dark area, Mpimbwe has light blue spots over the forehead.

Mpimbwe also tends to change color more often and sometime can turn very dark. Many people reported Mpimbwe suffer from floating problem. Burundi is more hardy, less blue, but has the largest hump.

I have both and my favorite is the old Burundi.

The Frontosa forum, http://fishrooms.com/frontosa/discussion/ which provides good information, has just closed out.