# Need help Identifying a few mbunas



## basinpup (May 8, 2008)

I snapped a couple pics of a a few i have that I was unsure of.

First off, this guy I originally thought was a male red zebra, but I'm convinced now it's actually a female msobo. He/she is healing up in my hospital tank after getting chewed up a bit, and is looking good right now. Also in the tank are two tiny clown loaches who I'm hoping will get a little bigger before I put them in my 55g. Here he/she is:









Next up is a small, kinda yellowish-brownish guy I have with faint vertical bars. I think he's a male, but I'm unsure (he's in the foreground, my Afra Cobue is in the background):









This guy I'm pretty sure is a Johannii (at least that's what he was sold to me as) but I noticed he looks a bit different that Johannii's I've seen pics of online. His spots are usually very faint and I've only seem them in full color like once or twice:









Next is a guy I'm just unsure of, with black blotches and a slight orange tint to him:









Lastly I bought a male and female of the same species, but I'm not sure of what they are. The male is a deep dark blue with no bars (at least none that I've ever seen), and the female is a yellowish-orange with faint vertical bars. Not sure about them at all:

















Sorry if the pics are a little blurry, my first time taking pictures of fish.

Thanks for the help, I hope I can identify these guys.


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## Super Turtleman (May 21, 2007)

I'm not convinced that first one is a Msobo. Not with those stripes anyway. Possibly a Male Kenyi, but most likely it is a hybrid of some sort. However I'm not an expert, so we'll see what others think.


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

IMO, #2 resembles a changing Saulosi to me. Perhaps #1 is a female. Coloring seems a little off though. #4 Orange Blotch Zebra or Pecock hybrid? Good Luck!


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## Gibbs (Apr 21, 2008)

Yeah saulosi for the first 2 pics.


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## basinpup (May 8, 2008)

So 1 is a definite female Saulosi? and 2 is a definite male Saulosi who is still changing colors?

Would number 4 be a Labeotropheus fuelleborni? Pics look very similar from what I've seen. Well I guess I just need to know the last two then. Thanks for the help so far.


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## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)

I have yet to see saulosi like that. Either those have a tremendous (excessive might be a better word) amount of barring or they aren't Ps. saulosi. My bet is they aren't.


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## etcbrown (Nov 10, 2007)

I don't believe #1 or #2 are saulosi either. As why-spyder said, barring is incorrect.

#3 looks more like melanochromis perileucos than melanochromis johanni to me.

#4 looks like it may be a female metriaclima sp. zebra slim.

#5 and #6 no clue, better profile pics might help #5 has some labidochromis features maybe.


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## basinpup (May 8, 2008)

I'm gonna try and get some better pics tomorrow, to help identify the last two. I'd think #3 looks more like a johannii only because I looked up the M. perileucos and it says they only grow to 3.5" but this guy is already bigger than that. And since he was sold to me as a johannii I'm just guessing the guy who sold me him was right. As for #4 I looked up a M. zebra slim and they look very similar, that might be a match. 5 and 6 I'm gonna get better pics of like profile shots. All I know about them is that they're a male/female pair of whatever species they are. Thanks for the help so far though guys.


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## justshoe (Mar 13, 2008)

Im goin with saulosi on #3 as well. *** had both johannii and saulosi. Like my saulosi yours is very light blue over the main body little to no striping or banding. My johanni is much darker as a juvi and full grown with much more striping. Head shape seems a little different as well


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## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)

#3 is a far cry from _Ps. saulosi_. _Ps. saulosi_ are not that elongated - but _Melanochromis_ and _Ps. elongatus_ species are.


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## justshoe (Mar 13, 2008)

I agree with spyder now that i look closer now....maybe hybrid?


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## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)

justshoe said:


> I agree with spyder now that i look closer now....maybe hybrid?


It is possible. A photo of the individual in full color would be a much better indication - or at least helpful. :thumb:


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## legalequality (Apr 14, 2008)

try this for #4 
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=1694
thats what it looks like to me


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