# Could you help me with this mbuna?



## crabbejoe (Aug 3, 2006)

It's been brown for a long time, but now is starting to turn blue! I looked at the profiles, but don't really know what to look for. Is it a lab. of some kind? Or a rusty cichlid maybe? I bought it from a chain pet store, from an assorted cichlids tank, so I suppose it could easily be a bybrid. It's probably something fairly common, although I have found some more rare cichlids occasionally from this same store location.


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## Dizzcat (Aug 26, 2008)

Looks like a female Metriaclima greshakei. My females have a bluish tinge to their fin edges.

If not, I would guess some form of Metriaclima from the looks of its face.

This is one of my female Ice Blues (M Greshakei) holding. Does it look like this? My other female is a lighter, more cinnamon color brown. 









This is the greshakei profile:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... php?id=794


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## crabbejoe (Aug 3, 2006)

Yes, I think that's it! Thanks! Does your female have egg spots?


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## StructureGuy (Jul 27, 2002)

Identifying females is pretty tough. Below is one of my female C. afra "Cobue"










Kevin


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## crabbejoe (Aug 3, 2006)

Hmmm, I see what you mean.


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## bac3492 (Jul 25, 2008)

I agree with the cynotilapia afra cobue claim.

If is still around 2 inches. It may be changing colors because it is a male.


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## StructureGuy (Jul 27, 2002)

bac3492 said:


> I agree with the cynotilapia afra cobue claim.


More a guess of another possibility than a "claim". Greshakie might be correct.

Kevin


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## crabbejoe (Aug 3, 2006)

bac3492 said:


> I agree with the cynotilapia afra cobue claim.
> 
> If is still around 2 inches. It may be changing colors because it is a male.


She's closer to 4 inches.


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## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)

StructureGuy said:


> Identifying females is pretty tough.


I think unless you know what the female is (came labeled as such), you will probably never know 100% what species she is. We can guess and guess but brown female mbuna just all look too similar to ID if they came 'assorted'.


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## crabbejoe (Aug 3, 2006)

Okay, well thanks for trying anyway guys. I knew I sure as heck couldn't figure it out. I'll just call her a Metriaclima greshakei.  I don't plan on getting rid of her, or selling babies or anything like that.


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