# ID please



## FPiX (Dec 29, 2008)

Thanks


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## iplaywithemotions (Dec 18, 2008)

Cobalt Zebra










http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... php?id=787


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## willny1 (Nov 17, 2008)

Circle gets the square!


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## iplaywithemotions (Dec 18, 2008)

willny1 said:


> Circle gets the square!


Yay! That was my first attempt at helping identify a cichlid! Woohooo!


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## FPiX (Dec 29, 2008)

Thank you and congrats!


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## SinisterKisses (Feb 24, 2004)

Sorry, nope. Cobalts should not show any barring, and this one clearly does. If anything, it could be a blue M. estherae male.


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## iplaywithemotions (Dec 18, 2008)

SinisterKisses said:


> Sorry, nope. Cobalts should not show any barring, and this one clearly does. If anything, it could be a blue M. estherae male.


Yup yup, I celebrated too soon lol.

I was a bit doubtful in regards to the barring too.









http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... php?id=791


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## willny1 (Nov 17, 2008)

Ohhh no, a quick review by our panel of judges over turns the ruling.


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## iplaywithemotions (Dec 18, 2008)

willny1 said:


> Ohhh no, a quick review by our panel of judges over turns the ruling.


It was the barrings! Those ******* barrings! lol


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## FPiX (Dec 29, 2008)

SinisterKisses said:


> Sorry, nope. Cobalts should not show any barring, and this one clearly does. If anything, it could be a blue M. estherae male.


So.. it is a M. Estherae?


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## etcbrown (Nov 10, 2007)

Metriaclima callainos or the cobalt blue CAN show barring. But, given that there is a touch of yellow showing in the caudal and dorsal fins of this fish it looks more likely to be Metriclima estherae. Of course it could be a hybrid since we do not know the lineage.


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## SinisterKisses (Feb 24, 2004)

Yes, callainos _can_, but they shouldn't.


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## bac3492 (Jul 25, 2008)

SinisterKisses said:


> Yes, callainos _can_, but they shouldn't.


Saw a picture a wile ago of a wild male with barring.

Might not be wanted in the trade, but it is normal.


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## iplaywithemotions (Dec 18, 2008)

bac3492 said:


> SinisterKisses said:
> 
> 
> > Yes, callainos _can_, but they shouldn't.
> ...


So technically, it very well COULD be a cobalt zebra?


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

The Cobalt Blue Zebra (Metriclima callainos) has a light blue color applied consistently over the entire body with no faint zebra banding. The species Metriclima estherae is very similar and includes a blue version which can be differentiated by the occurrence of faint banding.

Weather this amounts to a true species difference (or just a man imposed label) is not clear I think.


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## etcbrown (Nov 10, 2007)

I have seen pictures of callainos in the wild that had barring but I have never seen a blue one (yes M. callainos can be different colors like white or OB or even light yellowish) with any yellow on the fins.

So, based on that, I would say estherae male (has it always been blue?) or possibly a hybrid.


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## FPiX (Dec 29, 2008)

etcbrown said:


> ... (has it always been blue?) or possibly a hybrid.


It was given to me as a gift in November and has only shown purple or blue.


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