Udegi

Drawing of wild fish labelled Odegi.
Drawing by Terry Lelliot from BKA Killinews 288 (Sept.1989).

Codes
 None known.
History
 Collected by Clive Charlton in 1988 in an area he originally named Odegi. This has later been established as being Udegi from conversations with the author by Roger Gladwell & Odegi should be considered to be a corruption. Situated about 14 miles west of Rafin Gabos ( East River in the Housa language ). This area is 30 miles southwest of Lafia.
Wild caught specimens measured 30 mm.
Udegi is situated southeast of Abuja & northeast of Lokoja.
Habitat
 Located at the headwaters of the Kerko River. These fish were found in shallow streams ( 6" ) running off dams.
Images

The following images are deviations or developments from wild stock bred by Roger Gladwell (BKA).

Blue phase. Photo courtesy of Roger Gladwell

Derived from the original collection, this specimen shows a distinct difference from wild stock.
Photo courtesy of Roger Gladwell

Yellow phase. Photo courtesy of Roger Gladwell

 

 

As above but a better enhancement.
Photo courtesy of Roger Gladwell

Traits
  
Variability
 Around 12 males were collected & brought back to the UK. All showed the same colour patterning.
Later generations however produced variable fish.
Notes

Notes on colouration in K/N 280, January 1989. 'basic body colour blue, darker dorsally. Body markings red. Margins to unpaired fins yellow, submarginal lines to caudal red. Red spots to all fins'.
'One striking characteristic is the complete absence of any edging colour to the anal fin. The dorsal & caudal are strongly edged with a red stripe inside a yellow edge'.
This would seem relevant as future generations began to show an outer margin to this fin.

In BKA newsletter 288, September 1989 Brian Sell remarked on how the fish would not spawn in top mops but would in bottom mops.
Eggs were laid on wet peat for 3 weeks but they remained clear. It took 6 weeks for development to take place. The young were sexable at 4 weeks of age & possibly sexually mature at 7/8 weeks although the first eggs were laid at 11 weeks.

Preserved specimens of this collection were sent to the British Museum of Natural History.