Fishing Komatipoort

[Johan Janse van Rensburg]

Mike some of the redbreast female in that area sometimes doen't have the red bellies. Definitly not a bloue it does not have the red in the fins and the 2 of 3 black spots(and no I'm not mistaken this for the driekol kurper!). The other kurper it could be is a groenkop kurper. I'm on my phone and can't zoom in. I have caught a few groenkop kurpers in the area and this one almost looks the same. Will check tomorrow when I'm back on campus.

[Michael]

I still say Black Tilapia. (Swart Kurper)

Here's a pic of one: (Check the markings)
Although it's colours are black, Skelton's book says adults are mainly Olive-brown (as per your first pic)

[jock0]

Colouration is not a very good characteristic to use when trying to identify different members of the tilapia family.

My money is on this being a Rendalli or redbreast - large spot just behind the gill cover, tilapia spot on the dorsal and "two tone" tail.

[Michael]

My money is on this being a Rendalli or redbreast - large spot just behind the gill cover, tilapia spot on the dorsal and "two tone" tail.

Yeah, but his fish has no large spot just behind the gill plate, like a redbreast does. And redbreast has a definite "line" on the tail end...his fish also doesn't have it.
I still say Swartkurper. Oh well...that's my opinion anyway.

Here's a redbreast: (Rendali) You can see the difference. (Especially the tail markings)

[jock0]

Sorry Mike I'm not following what you mean by tail markings. I cant see a line but the "two tone" halves are quite distinct in the close up pic.


I've attached a couple of other pics of redbreasts to show the amount of variance but its difficult to make a concrete decision without having the fish in hand as the pics arent the best. What say we mark it off the species list as two new species instead of one, just in case

[Wolfie]

I have read all the comments and have come to the following conclusion:

It is defenitly a Kurper

[C J]

Okay, okay.......!

Gent's my money is on the Nile Tilapia or Nylkurper. You do get a lot of those in SA up in the Lowvelt.

Attached you'll find a some pic's

[C J]

Okay, okay.......!

Gent's my money is on the Nile Tilapia or Nylkurper. You do get a lot of those in SA up in the Lowvelt.

Attached you'll find a some pic's

Sorry the middle one is actually a blue-kurper, posted the wrong pic!

[jock0]

Okay, okay.......!

Gent's my money is on the Nile Tilapia or Nylkurper. You do get a lot of those in SA up in the Lowvelt.

Attached you'll find a some pic's

Nah, mouth, eyes, tail, stripes/spots etc all wrong There's a post on here somewhere about how to tell the difference between a blue and a nilo though I'll see if I can find it.

I think I've realised why I'm enjoying this species debate so much. Starting this Sunday I'll be fishing the lower zambezi for 7 days Gents

[C J]

I'll be fishing the lower zambezi for 7 days Gents

What ever!!!