Cyphotilapia Species

[SickLid]

I have received a few queries from fellow forumers recently regarding fronts. Thought may be good to share the info below that I read some time back. Hope it will be useful.

The following list was compiled in another forum to help frontosa enthusiast better understand the different Cyphotilapia species, variants and collection points. The list was assembled to show that Cyphotilapia from certain collection points could/should be grouped together as a variant or type do to similarities. This does not mean that fish from different collection points within a geographical variant are identical. Cyphotilapia from different collection points should be kept in separate aquariums to avoid interbreeding.


Cyphotilapia Frontosa
Variant: Burundi
Collection Points:
Bulu Point
Burundi
Karilani
Kavala
Zaire North

Variant: Kigoma / 7 Stripe
Collection Points:
Bangwe
Boulomboro
Kigoma

Cyphotilapia Gibberosa
Variant: Tanzania or Southern Tanzania
Collection Points:
Fulwe Rocks (Fulwe)
Ikola
Kantalamba
Kasanga
Kipili
Mabilibili
Mpimbwe
Molwe
Samazi / Bismark
Sibwesa
Tanzanite

Variant: Zambian
Collection Points:
Isanga
Chaitika
Nangu
Sumbu

Variant: Zaire (Congo, DR) or Southern Zaire (Congo, DR)
Collection Points:
Kalumba (Collected at Lupota?)
Kapampa
Kitumba
Moba (Collected at M'Toto)
Moliro
Tembwe

With the above in mind, fishes of the same variant are basically identical. Noticed that only for zaires, there is this craze of trying to differentiate between the mobas, kitumbas, kapampas, etc Why so? Because they are the most expensive and most sought after. I can't help but feel a lot of this is hyped up by the commercial sellers.

Note that Moba, Kitumba, Kapampa,etc are basically collection points. Is it possible that the fishes can swim from one collection points to another? Maybe not all the time, but not impossible either. For example some kits and kaps and mobas could actually come from the same spawn but they just headed off to a different location of the lake.

So with regards to differentiating them physically we can only at best share based on experience. Even with that, how many of us are 100% sure the mobas or kapampas that we purchase are truly collected from the said locations?

Thought this would be a good place for those interested to share some thoughts.

Thanks for sharing the info. Appreciate it.

Hi bro Sicklid,

Is it possible to attached pictures of the different variants of fronts ? It may help newbies identify the different types, since they look so alike... Thks !

[dan]

Hi gurus

Is the current zaire blue of moba origin?
Thks in advanced.

[spiderman_123]

Hi bro dan,

Share the same view..is the current zaire blue of moba origin?

Hi gurus,
Agreed your thought. But wonder in the current market..is it better or not? Wonder any pure bred local F1

[dan]

Found that out, its not a moba strain.

Thq