# new cichlid (powder blue)????



## cichlid-brian (Aug 1, 2014)

hey guess got this guys and gals. i got this new guy about 4 days ago from the assorted section at a great price of 3.00. but having trouble trying to figure out what he/she is. thank you your help!!![/URL[URL=http://s1249.photobucket.com/user/brianleets10/media/IMG_20140731_221850_116.jpg.html]


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

Cobalt Zebra, Metriaclima callainos


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## nmcichlid-aholic (Mar 23, 2011)

Yes, Noki Is Correct - This One Is M. callainos.


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## cichlid-brian (Aug 1, 2014)

thank you noki and cichlid-aholic. i googled some pictures and it looks exact. and from what i have read is that this is a male is that correct?


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## nmcichlid-aholic (Mar 23, 2011)

It looks like it might be male, but it's hard to say for sure with these when they're young. Males will be a more vibrant blue, with longer, pointed anal and dorsal fins, and usually longer pelvic fins. Females are also blue, but more of a dull blue-grey, with shorter, rounded fins. Both males and females can have eggspots on the anal fin. The only sure way to tell when young is to examine the vent. If I had to guess, I would say yours is male, though - it is fairly bright blue, and although it's fins are still relatively short, it looks like there are the beginnings of points on the dorsal and anal fins.


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## cichlid-brian (Aug 1, 2014)

cool, thanks for help guys. i will probably vent she/him lol because they seems to be a lot tail shaking going on in my tank haha


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## nmcichlid-aholic (Mar 23, 2011)

cichlid-brian said:


> cool, thanks for help guys. i will probably vent she/him lol because they seems to be a lot tail shaking going on in my tank haha


That's not unusual even between males - it's a territorial/dominance display. Venting will help confirm, though.


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## cichlid-brian (Aug 1, 2014)

ok i will do some venting when i get the time. between trying to cycle testing the water levels and work in general has left me timeless haha. thank you-brian


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## anthony126 (Aug 6, 2014)

Just a quick addition here to sexing these Mbunas - I have found the theory that males have opaque/clear rings/surrouding around their egg spots whereas females do not - this has worked 100% with me and has resulted in many a baby shower! I suppose it makes sense too as the males will want their egg spots to blend into the substrate more when breeding whereas any female with egg spots it doesn't really matter. I could be wrong but found it to work for me


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## Bikeman48088 (Nov 13, 2013)

anthony126 said:


> Just a quick addition here to sexing these Mbunas - I have found the theory that males have opaque/clear rings/surrouding around their egg spots whereas females do not - this has worked 100% with me and has resulted in many a baby shower! I suppose it makes sense too as the males will want their egg spots to blend into the substrate more when breeding whereas any female with egg spots it doesn't really matter. I could be wrong but found it to work for me


I have a pair that just bred. I'll check out your observation about anal spots on them.

__
https://flic.kr/p/om4xUD


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## anthony126 (Aug 6, 2014)

You can see what I mean here (ignore the terrible quality - still relying on phone atm) but this is the male with clear areas around his spots. The female's spots go straight to solid tail colour (couldn't get a pic she wouldn't stay still) I notice this has worked with my Yellow Labs, yellow tail acei, melanachromis, johani, ps ornamentus, rustys, kenyi, sp hongi, bumblebee, afras, basically all my Mbunas - Peacocks it seems to work... but I only have 1 certain pair so not 100%...

Red Zeb by anthonymamos126, on Flickr


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## anthony126 (Aug 6, 2014)

Based on my above post and the image you have supplied I would hazard a guess that yours is a FEMALE... By the looks of it there is one egg spot and no clear ring around it - but pretty hard to tell with your pics to be honest (mine are no better I know  )


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## cichlid-brian (Aug 1, 2014)

awesome thanks guys when my phone decides to turn on since it randomly stopped working i will do some venting and post up some pictures. thank you guys for your help and input-brian


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