Deep purple with orange fins?

[Eirikre]

About 3 years ago I saw a Cichlid that was absolutely beautiful.  It was a solid, deep purpla all over except that it had an orange dorsal fin and maybe other orange fins as well.  It looked to me to be a riftlake cichlid possibly an mbuna but I can't be sure and I knew almost nothing about fish or cichlids back then so I am trying to identify it in hindsight.

Any ideas what this might be?

[mseguin]

Possibly Melanochromis vermivorus?
http://www.africanfish.webrel.info/fisch_083.html

Or Copadichromis virginalis Nkanda?
http://www.ohiexchange.com/armke/fishpages/fpage_copad_virginalis_nkanda.html

[pegasus]

Could it be Iodotropheus sprengerae? Mine have a rusty or a blueish body and orange fins. You'll find their pictures in the OVAS gallery.

[mseguin]

Does whoever guesses the fish get a prize? :-)

[gvv]

Does whoever guesses the fish get a prize? :-)

Good idea . Now my guess: Acei Luwala Reef

[artw]

smoke on the water.. hehe
deep purple.  could be the Acei. yes.  or some Copadichromis.  if you come to the next meeting I'll  bring my cichlid book we can flip thru it

[Stevie]

I would say an Acei as well!  Mine is deep velvety purple with yellow/orange fins.

[dpatte]

search for acei pictures
http://ca.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=acei&btn=Search&ei=UTF-8&fr=rogers-web

[Eirikre]

I guess I've found a great way to check out some new fish!  I love the Acei.  I am also impressed by the  Copadichromis virginalis Nkanda.  Haven't seen them before.  The Acei is a beautiful fish and probably the closest to my memory of this fish.  It is not the fish though (I don't think)  The fins were destinctly orange and the purple was a much deeper colour than the pictures of the Acei I was able to find.

Prize eh?  Well sure I can think of something.  How about either 6 male endlers or a trio 1m/2f.  This is an informal contest open to all OVAS Bulletin Board  participants.  No purchase necessary.  Quebec residents are eligable.  Winner must pick up prize at the next OVAS meeting.  I will be the final judge and the prize will go to the first person to offer the suggestion I deam to be the species in question.  I hope we can find this fish.  It was just passing question but what excitement this has turned out to be!

Good luck all.

[pegasus]

I've look at 5,358 pictures of Malawi's

First choice & my dream fish : Copadichromis borleyi  Kadango Red Fin
Also fit the bill:
Labeotropheus trewavasae red top-orange
Labeotropheus trewavasae Thumbi West
Labidochromis Hongi (red top Kimpuna)
Labidochromis mbamba yellow top
Maylandia/Metriaclima greshakei
Otopharynx lithobates Sulphur Top
Pseudotropheus sp Acei (Msuli)

As for the endlers... sell them at the auction & give money to OVAS  

[Eirikre]

Thanks pegasus but I don't see a match based on the pics I found on the net. Oh wait... I'm looking at the pic of the Copadichromis borleyi Kadango Red Fin on pg 316 of Ad Konings' Malawi Cichlids 3rd Ed. and it could be the fish I'm looking for. It's hard to say though. My memory of this fish is close to that picture but I think that it had a much blunter nose. Hard to say though since I mostly saw it head on.
Hmmm...
Plus the pic I'm looking at is of a female and I'm pretty sure that this fish was male.  I had pointier fins and a fair number of large and prominent egg spots on the anal fin.
I will leave the jury out on this one for now. Any other guesses.

p.s. I was going to suggest that I would donate the 'prize' to the OVAS at the auction if there was no winner.

I don't know though. Every time I look over at that picture I am a little more convinced that it might be the one.

I'll keep my eyes open.

[mseguin]

Few other options, based on previous ideas.

http://www.malawimayhem.com/profile_show.php?id=639


http://malawicichlids.com/mw08016d.htm



http://www.malawimayhem.com/profile_show.php?id=636


http://www.malawimayhem.com/profile_show.php?id=125