Telmatochromis vittatus

[Lisachromis]

I'm getting a few young of this species soon and am trying to work out the proper locale on them. These are from stock sold through Wet Thumb. They have the fish as Telmatochromis vittatus "N'doli Bay". Is this a correct locale for this fish? Also, is it spelled N'doli Bay or Ndole Bay or other?

[TooOld]

http://www.ndolebaylodge.com/getting-there-map.html

[Lisachromis]

I kind of figured it was Ndole Bay. Now, does anyone know if vittatus come from there?

[Lisachromis]

A lucky shot in the tank today.

[Dan Woodland]

Lucky shot, lucky stock! Around here all the small tangayikan stuff with stripes are all messed up! Good luck with them.

[Sendog]

Hallo Lisa
Is it dwarf vittatus? I mean is it vittatus "shell"?
these are my two females of vittatus "shell" - very interesting fish. I keep 2 males and 6 females.

[Lisachromis]

I don't think it's the "shell". They are already too big for all but the bigger shells. The one in the picture I posted is close to 3" TL.

[DENCIO]

Hi Lisa. Does t. Vittatus always stuff with stripes? I bought a T. Vittatus from a friend, but noticed that they lacks stripe. It looks plain. He said it was a T. Vittatus.

[sidguppy]

this looks like Telmatochromis brichardi to me because of the pointed snout.

as far as I know the true vittatus has an arched head, a stump, more rounded profile.

it's definitely a true vittatus if the headshape's right, because the "sp Zambia" and the "Shell" (if they're noty the same) often lack the stripe and have diagonal "scratches" superimposed over it.

dencio, if yours lack the dark stripe, check for "scratches". if they have those, it's the 'shell'/zambia.

[Gerd]

Hello!

it's definitely a true vittatus if the headshape's right, because the "sp Zambia" and the "Shell" (if they're noty the same) often lack the stripe and have diagonal "scratches" superimposed over it.dencio, if yours lack the dark stripe, check for "scratches". if they have those, it's the 'shell'/zambia.

My experiences are different.
I admitt, I can't tell the brichardi from the vittatus by "headshape". May be you have more experiences to do so.
And I admitt, I've been keeping only the brichardi and the "sp Congo" by myself. I got them from Heinz Büscher, so I believe, they were, what he told me.
But as to the colouring and the pattern:
These fish are the chameleons amongst Tanganjika Cichlids!!
Except from bodyshape, they can change their "outfit" completely. From one second to the other. They can have that explicit dark stripe, they are known for. But they can show the scratches, you wrote about, as well. And if they do so, there ist not the ghost of the shadow of the stripe to be seen. The scratches can be dark or light, brown or almost orange, they can even lack the stripes and show up monochromic beige coloured.
It's really amazing.
So, I would never risk to tell one species (Telmatochromis) from the other by colour or pattern.
Regards
Gerd