# Brown stripped african.. What is it?



## reddevil55 (Jul 1, 2012)

Im having a hard time finding out what this fish is... i bought it at petco 








Sorry its so blurry. Hes a fast lil guy


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## reddevil55 (Jul 1, 2012)

any ideas?


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Going to need a better picture.


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## nmcichlid-aholic (Mar 23, 2011)

Wait to take the photo until after the lights have been out for an hour or 2. Then, turn the lights on and take it's pic before it wakes up enough to start moving around. That works 90% of the time on these fast little suckers.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Fogelhund said:


> Going to need a better picture.


Agree but think its prob a youg Red Empress, Protomelas taeniolatus. (or just maybe a spilonotus or steveni type) photo not good enough to say pure or not.

All the best James


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## reddevil55 (Jul 1, 2012)

I hope this is clear enough for a good analysis... let me kno what u think


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## nmcichlid-aholic (Mar 23, 2011)

This second photo is clear enough, and unfortunately it doesn't appear to be a pure species. The head looks pretty typically shaped for an Aulonocara jacobfreibergi of some type, but pure Aulonocara species shouldn't have any horizontal barring. I don't think it's any of the Protomelas species mentioned before (at least not purely) because the head isn't the right shape and they would have a silver base color instead of the tan/brown color of this one. Maybe someone else will have a better idea, but I would definitely say it's a hybrid.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

I would agree that it is probably a hybrid.


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## reddevil55 (Jul 1, 2012)

This guy reminds me of the ugly duckling...but if he is a hybrid all I can do is wait and see if he turns into a swan


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

reddevil55 said:


> This guy reminds me of the ugly duckling...but if he is a hybrid all I can do is wait and see if he turns into a swan


If it is a he. Be sure to update this thread if he starts to develop some male traits.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Sorry yep I think that second photo shows some Aulonocara (jake I think) features to go with what seems to be to me mainly Protomelas taeniolatus features.
Funny both nice fish, dunno why someone would want to cross the two. :-?


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