# Assistance identifying these Mexican-bred Cichlids?



## Manzana (Jul 13, 2014)

Hi everyone! I have spent a few days learning much from these forums and it's time to get acquainted! My family and I recently moved from the USA to a small town in the country of Mexico. For many years growing up I kept community fish. My son has fishkeeping in his dna as well and is doing excellent with his little community tank. Before moving down here, I purchased a 55 gal kit intending to make it a larger community tank for the entire family to enjoy. Only, I'm kinda sick of guppies, tetras, etc. So we are going to learn about keeping cichlids! We are very excited.

So a visit to the one and only LFS in our humble little town was very disappointing. They only carry guppies, rasboras, swordfish, danios and a sad selection of mixed cichlids. There are maybe 7-8 to choose from at any one time all of which look like boring grey blobs until you put them in a clean tank. The next closest fish store is almost 2 hours away in Guadalajara at Petco. We don't often get to go to the city, but when we do we will check the fish there.

We hope to do some mixed african, mbuna cichlids, but honestly it's a mixed bag as to what we get to choose from. The fish are not the best bred, probably mostly hybrids, the fish keepers are children who know next to nothing about fish. And not speaking Spanish very well, I can't communicate or ask questions. The selection is probably from one of the townfolk breeding in his 10 gallon.... On the upside, cichlids are less than $2 US each...

So here's what I'm looking for: Like I said, we want mostly mbuna (I think that's all there is?) but can not be choosy. Basically, we want them somewhat compatible. So I want to make sure I'm not putting South American cichlids with Africans on accident, or 3 males to 1 female. We don't care too much about breeding and cross breeding probably can't be helped too much with our situation.

We currently have 5 cichlids and a few danios in our 55 gallon. We know not to get attached to the danios. Substrate is pool filter sand I brought from the US with rocks and boulders straight from the volcanic mountainside we live on.

So here's photos of our sad little bunch right now. If you can identify any of these, including gender, that would be fantastic. If any of these ABSOLUTELY MUST GO, please let me know. We want success, but can handle a little challenges. Excuse the blurry pics, these guys are fast. For now we call them simply, blur-fish. 

FISH A: This guy/girl I believe is a Yellow Lab, yes?

















FISH B: This one is our mystery albino:

















FISH C: This one I want to say is a Maingano? A female?

















FISH D: Smaller version of Fish C. Another female Maingano?

















FISH A, C and D. C and D are a silvery blue with dark stripes and lighter bellies:









FISH E: This one is a complete mystery to me. Its body is silvery, with slight blue-tinged fins and the top fin has a black stripe like the Lab and Maingano. It also has very faint vertical striping:

















Thank you very much in advance!


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## Manzana (Jul 13, 2014)

Upon more research I am leaning towards "FISH E" being a "white lab".


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## Manzana (Jul 13, 2014)

oops! Can this be moved to unidentified cichlids?


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## Chester B (Dec 28, 2012)

I think its a little too early to tell sexes, and some of these fish may have to be vented when larger.

I think you're fairly accurate in your ID's

Yellow lab
Albino - I think all we can really say is albino zebra
Mainganos like you thought
So the last two pics are of the same fish? I'd say hybrid. In the first pic it somewhat resembled a young male Labidochromis joanjohnsonae, but in pic 2 it doesn't.

These fish should get along, but you'll probably want to increased your stocking density.


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## Manzana (Jul 13, 2014)

Thanks for the response! 

So we went to the next town over and they had a better stock of fish. Got one maingano (?) that was slightly larger than my other two but MUCH prettier and saturated with color. I'm really hoping it's not really a johanni? Here's a photo:










The markings are identical to the two fish I believe are maingano, but he's just much prettier. Any idea why there is such a difference in color?

I also went back to our little fish store and got a second mystery fish:










So we are up to 7 cichlids in our 55 gal. I was thinking about 15ish? That too many?
Thanks again!


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## Manzana (Jul 13, 2014)

Any chance the two mystery fish (pale, slight blue shimmer, black line on dorsal fin) could be pseudotropheus socolofi?


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## Manzana (Jul 13, 2014)

(sorry if I sound like I'm talking to myself)

I cranked up the saturation a little so you could see he's kind of blue.


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

The last ones with the line in the dorsal are not Socolofi, but may be Pseudotropheus "Elongatus Likoma/Ornatus". Males get blue with black barring. This fish has been in the hobby for decades and quality can vary alot.

All the "Johanni" type fish are probably Maingano hybrids, which are very common. Good Maingano usually keep a nice black color, especially juveniles.

All these types (Johanni group, common Elongatus, Socolofi) are similar and probably closely related and are often hybrids, sold as mystery fish.


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## Manzana (Jul 13, 2014)

noki said:


> The last ones with the line in the dorsal are not Socolofi, but may be Pseudotropheus "Elongatus Likoma/Ornatus". Males get blue with black barring. This fish has been in the hobby for decades and quality can vary alot.
> 
> All the "Johanni" type fish are probably Maingano hybrids, which are very common. Good Maingano usually keep a nice black color, especially juveniles.
> 
> All these types (Johanni group, common Elongatus, Socolofi) are similar and probably closely related and are often hybrids, sold as mystery fish.


If you are correct and these are Pseudotropheus Elongatus Ornatus, then they are likely both male, correct? And reading about them leads me to believe they are very aggressive? Should I take them back?


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

Not sure if male, they still show juvenile/female color.

Not any more aggressive than the average Mbuna, like the Maingano.


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## Manzana (Jul 13, 2014)

Thanks. I guess we will hold onto them and hope for the best. I was confused that there's not a single tinge of yellow on either of them. Just a soft pale blue.

Also, not sure what to do about stocking. Because we live in such a small, remote area, the fish only come in once a month. Who knows if I'll be able to find any more of these certain species. My tank may end up being 1-2 labs, 1-2 maingano, 1-2 albino, etc. Instead of the recommended 1 male to 3 female. This may get tricky.


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