The BIG Lips Experiment

[Rafini]

I had some real Labiatus juvies when I was a teenager and even as a 2" juvenile the fish had a pointy shaped mouth with somewhat prominent lips, unlike the typical Midevils you see.

If you could aquire wild Labiatus juveniles the same experiment could be repeated to compare findings.

Interesting experiment and thats a beautiful fish you have!

 

[duanes]

I agree with Rafini, that starting with juvies (preferably true A labiatus) would be a more realistic experimental approach.
Using already formed adults will be a much more difficult, if not impossible way get the truthful results.

 

[RD.]

Post # 8 - they used juvies in that paper. I guess nobody bothered to read it. lol

 

[ehh]

You typically won't see those large rubbery lips in captive bred fish.

I've posted the following a few times over the years whenever someone attempts this. In the wild, those thick lips serve as gaskets, and are used to extract prey from the cracks and crevices in the rock piles where they feed. You'll see the same thing with some of the fish found in the Rift Lakes, such as Placidochromis milomo. IMO using gel food, lava rock, etc will not net the same results in captivity. It has also been speculated (by Konings and another author that slips my mind at the moment) that in the wild those large lips carry numerous scent sensory pores, which are utilized to seek out prey in the cracks and crevices of the rocks. Again, a characteristic that is most likely lost on domestic fish.

In the wild, the feeding behaviour of the fish will determine some of the physical characteristics of the fish, such as body shape, head shape, jaw size, lip size, and even size of the eyes. Again, this isn't going to be duplicated by simply putting some lava rock in ones tank.

I'm so jealous of your knowledge.

 

[ehh]

This is something I've worried about. If the development of those big lips has viewed over time or seen in a lab setting.

Pretty neat you're willing to set up a "lab" setting yourself.

 

[Cyberman]

I don't see any difference, nor do I expect to. Post back in 10 yrs.

Cheeky monkey!!!

Here is the latest update... He has since gotten married and fathered kids. I do think the lips look bigger...

 

[RD.]

In my best Donald Trump voice, they look HUUUUGE! lol

 

[NWatson]

His lips will look thicker and larger in proportion to his head as he matures. A 12" Dovii's lips will look much larger at 22" in proportion to their head. Generally a mature cichlid's lips will get thicker and larger. My "WC" Labiatus came in with the large lips like you would expect, they went away too, now that he is getting older he's starting to get the thicker lips, not the WC look just thicker as he matures.

This is my experience.

 

[Cyberman]

Has anyone considered that in the wild larger Labiatus would get smaller lips as they can't feed in the same way or don't pursue the same types of foods as younger specimens (i.e. small invertibrates hiding in rocks)... Has anyone seen a wild Lab over 10"?

Below are pics of big males... the top one looks like an older version of my boy... the bottom one is Andys

 

[dan518]

Valid point, and no you don't see many big wild 10+ inch Amphilophus of any type, just not sure if we can grow them larger in our tanks or just that there not targeted game fish like dovii or umbees.