# Malawi cichlid needs identification



## i980311 (Dec 5, 2007)

Hello,

I need help identifying this malawi fish. It was sold to me by another person who malawi's. They were given to me as Cynotilapia Afra Lion, but by the looks of them they don't seem to be. They are stil juvenile so I don't know if they will still change, and there is always the chance that they are hybrids.
Hope that anyone can help me.

Pictures of parents from previous owner:

























Pictures of my fishes:


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## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)

The father looks like the _C_. sp. lion at Lupingu. Here's the photo from Ad Konings Lake Malawi CD.










Unfortunately I cannot find a photo (yet) of a female from this species. The other interesting thing I found about _C_. sp. lion Lupingu - is a dimorphic male coloration at Lupingu.










So, I cannot rule out that your fish isn't a _C_. sp. lion - but I cannot confirm it either. I would try to get a hold of the breeder and ask a few questions and hope for a location. I will be continuing my search for more photos and information. So don't give up hope yet.


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

The fry do not really look like Cynotilapia to me, in the face/mouth especially.... more like a Pseudotropheus elongatus group type, in which there are some which are brownish to yellow.

Certainly don't look like the most common race of Cynotilapia "lion" that you see.

Could be hybrids also of course.


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## etcbrown (Nov 10, 2007)

I agree with both why_spyder and noki. Although the C. sp. lion looks like a good match I agree with noki's assesment of Ps. enlongatus. SO, I'm gonna say it looks alot like Ps. sp enlongatus usisya Mara rocks.


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## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)

etcbrown said:


> I agree with both why_spyder and noki. Although the C. sp. lion looks like a good match I agree with noki's assesment of Ps. enlongatus. SO, I'm gonna say it looks alot like Ps. sp enlongatus usisya Mara rocks.


I based my identification on the fact that they were sold as _C_. sp. lion's. If they were sold wrongly ID'd (which is possible), then my locale's are of no use.

The _Ps_. sp. "elongatus usisya" identification might be right (definitely looks the part - male and female), but which location (Usisya or Mara Rocks) is uncertain.


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## i980311 (Dec 5, 2007)

They sure look a lot like Ps. sp enlongatus usisya. Is it possible to be these ones? What do you think?


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