# Three cichlids ???



## JKnPA (Jan 30, 2012)

These two.............
Could the yellow one be Pseudotropheous saulosi ?
















And this guy....... dominate fish in the tank ( 2 photos) 
Same fish......... dominate fish in tank 

















Thank you,


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## ndblaikie (Oct 12, 2011)

NONE of the photos work...

This image has been moved or deleted from photobucket...


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## ndblaikie (Oct 12, 2011)

#1, - Looks like Pseudotropheus saulosi and Pseudotropheus sp. "Acei"
#2 - not sure
#3,4 - Pseudotropheus demasoni


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## brinkles (Jan 30, 2011)

#2 looks like part lab. perlmutt, but too many bars.


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## JKnPA (Jan 30, 2012)

ndblaikie said:


> #1, - Looks like Pseudotropheus saulosi and Pseudotropheus sp. "Acei"
> #2 - not sure
> #3,4 - Pseudotropheus demasoni


 ..................................................................................................
#1 Yes.... I think the yellow one ( no other markings) may be P. saulosi.
#3/4 ...... How do you differentiate between P. demasoni & P. elongatus


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## JKnPA (Jan 30, 2012)

brinkles said:


> #2 looks like part lab. perlmutt, but too many bars.


 .......................................................................................................................

Could #2 be a female P. acei ???
I see yellow in the tail and dorsal fins!


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

#1 - Yellow fish is a Metriaclima estherea.

Are you saying #2, 3 and 4 are the same fish?

#3, 4 are Pseudotropheus johanni hybrids.


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## pancakeloach (Feb 4, 2008)

Saulosi don't have sloping foreheads like the yellow fish does, it's a definitely an M. estherae like Fogelhund says.

Acei are monomorphic, JK. :roll: But the body type does look right to me.

There's five different fish in those photos as far as I can tell. The egg spots are different if you look closely. I can give no help on 3, 4, and 5, I haven't kept any of those!


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## JKnPA (Jan 30, 2012)

Fogelhund said:


> #1 - Yellow fish is a Metriaclima estherea.
> 
> Are you saying #2, 3 and 4 are the same fish?
> 
> #3, 4 are Pseudotropheus johanni hybrids.


 ..............................................................................................
Sorry for the confusion........ 
* These two....* meant the first two photos, not the two fish in the first photo.
I was trying to identify the yellow fish.
Last two photos....... same fish and much bigger than all others shown. 
How can you tell it's a hybrid ???

** Just read your article ......... very nicely written. 
I guess I should have taken some Latin in school besides German...... LOL.
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/m ... landia.php
Thanks....


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## JKnPA (Jan 30, 2012)

pancakeloach said:


> Saulosi don't have sloping foreheads like the yellow fish does, it's a definitely an M. estherae like Fogelhund says.
> 
> Acei are monomorphic, JK. :roll: But the body type does look right to me.
> 
> There's five different fish in those photos as far as I can tell. The egg spots are different if you look closely. I can give no help on 3, 4, and 5, I haven't kept any of those!


 ......................................................................................................................
Yes..... Four photos & five fish.......... sorry for the confusion ! 
Sometimes the writing comes out different than the thinking part...... LOL !

Thank you....


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## mike1234 (Feb 16, 2010)

The lower fish, and second pic are definately not Acei.. I've never seen stripes in mine, and I have 15 spanning 3 generations. It looks more like an Elongatus / Acei mix, though the second pic makes me wonder if its a poorly colored pure (I do have a few of those in a Misc. tank which arent too nice looking as of 2.5 inches).

The last one is also not a Demasoni. I'd go with Johanni as well, but as for cross I'd have no idea. (I don't keep them)

Also, a Demasoni is much smaller than an Elongatus. When I kept them, they never exceeded more than 3 inches. My dominant Elongatus is well into the 5 inch region. They also have alternating bands of black and blue, and do not have an overbearing background color (in your case its a black fish with blue markings)


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## JKnPA (Jan 30, 2012)

mike1234 said:


> The last one is also not a Demasoni. I'd go with Johanni as well, but as for cross I'd have no idea. (I don't keep them)
> 
> Also, a Demasoni is much smaller than an Elongatus. When I kept them, they never exceeded more than 3 inches. My dominant Elongatus is well into the 5 inch region. They also have alternating bands of black and blue, and do not have an overbearing background color (in your case its a black fish with blue markings)


 ...........................................................................................................
Mike..... thank you for your input. The last photo was a better shot of the fish. I didn't want to use a 'flash' on the camera, because I didn't want to scare the fish. Sometimes different shots produce different results and they can be deceptive.
I thought it might be P. elongatus, because it seemed very elongated compared to all the other cichlids I have seen. This fish is about 5 in. long.


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## D*N*R (Jul 27, 2011)

Both males in profiles show stripes. My acei does not unless it gets really worked up. Last one johanni :thumb:


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## JKnPA (Jan 30, 2012)

Fogelhund said:


> #1 - Yellow fish is a Metriaclima estherea.
> 
> Are you saying #2, 3 and 4 are the same fish?
> 
> #3, 4 are Pseudotropheus johanni hybrids.


 ..............................................................................................
After looking at the profiles section of the forum could the cichlid in the 3rd and 4th photo be 
*Cynotilapia mbamba or C. ndumi *
Both species seem to be black (face) with blue verical stripes. 
The former may reach 4", and the later 6" in length. 
See link below for profiles.....

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... php?id=696
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... php?id=702
John


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

JKnPA said:


> Fogelhund said:
> 
> 
> > #1 - Yellow fish is a Metriaclima estherea.
> ...


No, definitely not a Cynotilapia... johanni mix for certain.


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## pikayooperdave (Jul 10, 2009)

I will agree with the metriaclima estherae for the first fish (orange one)

and will also agree with melanochromis johannii (pseudotropheus johannii) type for the last fish. it actually looks most like pseudotropheus interruptus. the body shape rules out the cynotilapia genus. besides, if you look at it right those are not vertical stripes, they are interrupted horizontal stripes.


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## JKnPA (Jan 30, 2012)

OK........... thank you guys for your input.
In the last week this fish as become very active/aggressive (?) . He would normally stay in his hidden retreat, but now he is out chasing all the others about. I don't know if he is looking for a mate, or just being nasty. 
Would he mate with a female red zebra ? I was hoping to get an exact ID so we could find him a suitable mate.
Thanks...


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## pikayooperdave (Jul 10, 2009)

The nasty behavior you are describing is the normal MO for a johannii. Actually, it is typical for many of the melanochromis species or former melanochromis species. They have a very dominant personality, and depending on the tankmates they are capable of taking over an entire tank and pushing everything else into the corners, etc.

It is possible for him to mate with a zebra. But in my experience that would be a lesser likelihood cross. Johannii females are an attractive yellow/orange fish and if you get one you can expect that they will breed readily. He may tend to be too much for a single female as he will want to breed constantly.


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## JKnPA (Jan 30, 2012)

Dave,
OK............ I guess we have to find a suitable mate for him ! :roll:

Thanks,


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