# mystery mbuna



## AlienAnchovies (Nov 3, 2008)

no idea what this little guy is

a friend of mine got this guy buy mistake after ordering some fish online so she gave it to me
any one have any ideas? :-? :-? :-?


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## scuba20v (May 28, 2007)

looks like my Metriaclima pyrsonotos (aka zebra red dorsal)


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## AlienAnchovies (Nov 3, 2008)

aside from my full grown lab this little ******* is second in comand *** seen this guy circle my elogatus chewere and Johni at least twice

ill try and get a better picture but the nifty fifty has a slow shutter speed


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## AlienAnchovies (Nov 3, 2008)

2nd pic

i know some one here knows
the last thing i want is a hybrid of some sort, id hate to stick this guy in the freezer mainly because for an african he/she acts like an newworld cichlid


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## gtphale (Oct 12, 2008)

That is a very sharp looking fish. Hope you figure out what it is, would hate to see you destroy it.


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## scuba20v (May 28, 2007)

im telling you it looks like a young dominant male Metriaclima pyrsonotos. they are very aggressive and they tend to run the tank


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## Roxtar (Sep 21, 2008)

Whatever he is, he looks very nice. I am sure someone in your area would love to have him in their show tank, as opposed to destroying him. There are so many varients of each species, there is no reason to automatically assume hybrid if he looks a little different from other online pictures. IMO I think many people are a little too quick to jump to that conclusion.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

A species is either identifiable and so you can breed from it or unidentifiable and suitable for keeping but not breeding.

Prob is there are so many Mbuna hybrids about (that breed with everything in so many TB species). Unless it is a common species and still shows the colours and form of its original collection locality its hard to ID (Even then it may be a hybrid bred back towards a type/species)

Some folk will not even attempt to ID TB Mbuna so error prone it is these days.

Culling hybrids means remove from the breeding population not always kill.
The prob comes when you find you have a unidentifiable Mbuna its hard to know what to do with it if you want to breed and pass on fry.
The other prob is the species names of these Zebra complex fish keep changing as more is found out about regional types vs species.

This one looks to me most like what is named on this site as Metriaclima pyrsonotos Nakantenga Island (Maleri Island) (and could even be pure :wink but it is a guess from me.

I still think of em all as P.zebra complex + locality originally collected and I think this one is one not listed on this site or in my book, I am struggling to remember or find the name. fainzilberi (Manda) rings a bell maybe?


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## Roxtar (Sep 21, 2008)

Yeah, he does look quite a bit like Maylandia fainzilberi. I noticed the shade of blue is just a bit different from the nkanda varient but that could be something as simple as lighting in the tank or his age.


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## utimag (Jun 17, 2008)

I would have to agree with scuba20v and say it's a juvenile male Metriaclima pyrsonotos aka Red Top Zebra it's a nice looking fish. :thumb:


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## Dewdrop (Nov 20, 2007)

Very nice *looking* fish :lol: . I hope he settles down for you. I'd hate to see him go in the freezer too


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## AlienAnchovies (Nov 3, 2008)




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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

If he was Metriaclima pyrsonotos, a colored up male would certainly have a much more colorful dorsal than this guy.

The mouth would be broader on a fainzilberi I would think.

Probably just a regular Metriaclima zebra or just a mix. If it was shipped from a half way decent breeder/company he might be pure. Can you check in what Mbuna they carry?


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