Re: Nanochromis

[Mike & Diane Wise <apistowise@bewellnet.com>]

Nanochromis nudiceps and Nanochromis parilus are two different, but closely
related species from the lower Congo River.  These species have been confused for
years.  In the 60s N. parilus was introduced to the hobby under the name N.
nudiceps.  At the time N. nudiceps was the only known goby-like species of
Nanochromis known.  In 1976 Roberts & Stewart described N. parilus as a new
species.  The hobby trade didn't catch on to the differences, so N. parilus is
still called N. nudiceps in the trade.  They can easily be differentiated by the
caudal fin pattern.  Nanochromis nudiceps has rows of spots covering the entire
caudal fin.  The type form of N. parilus has horizontal stripes in the upper lobe
of the caudal fin, while the lower lobe is translucent.  There is, however,
another form of N. parilus, sometimes called "super parilus".  This fish has
horizontal bands in the upper lobe of the tail, while the lower lobe has vertical
spot rows.  The differences can be easily seen in photos of the fish in Linke &
Staeck's book African Cichlids I - Cichlids from West Africa.  Anyone interested
in West Africans really should buy this book.

Mike Wise

> Hi all
>
> Just a little off topic, but I'm hoping you can help me.  I recently
> purchased a trio of Nanochromis parilus.  I've read conflicting info