# ID help needed please ..



## becca320 (Apr 13, 2008)

Can Anyone positively identify the fish below





































Believe the yellow and black ones are Psuedotropheus sp. Crabo Blue and Golden ? 
The blue one though in the first and fourth picture is getting annoying as no one seems to be able to idetify it ... Also is there anyway to sex these fish 
Many thanks.
Becky.


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## saturnine (Apr 23, 2007)

1st one looka like labidochromis hongi..not shure but
second fish is a victorians of some sort :-?


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## becca320 (Apr 13, 2008)

Have looked that one up, dont think that the blue one is as above as it has no yellow on the top, thanks for the suggestion though ... Sorry maybe my photo is not too good, these fish were rescued when I bought a second hand fish tank and discovered that they were gonna be dumped in a pond somewhere , after a week though they are doing well, just i am desperate to know what they are !!


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## becca320 (Apr 13, 2008)

Anyone ???? Pleae, This if my 6th forum no one able to tell me ,.....,. they mustg be common , were gonna be dumped ??????????????????


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## alanastar (Mar 6, 2006)

Hi

the yellow looking one could be hap. brownie
sometimes confused with ch44-red tail. (both commonly mislabelled as obliquidens)

just a suggestion as i am not sure myself :thumb:


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

The black and yellow one is definitely a Victorian species. Both the Astatotilapia latifasciata and the Haplochromis sp. "Thick Skin" are often labled as obliquidens and I have seen some at several places that really look like a cross between the two. Does it ever get and reddish coloartion in the tail fin? The fish in the background of the second picture looks like a Ps. crabro (bubblebee or hornet cichlid).

The blue one looks like an afra. Most likely male. There are several species (and unfortunatesly mixes of species) that can turn out much like what you have.

What did you buy these fish as. Sometimes that can help a bunch.


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## becca320 (Apr 13, 2008)

Thanks for all replies.



> The black and yellow one is definitely a Victorian species. Both the Astatotilapia latifasciata and the Haplochromis sp. "Thick Skin" are often labled as obliquidens and I have seen some at several places that really look like a cross between the two. Does it ever get and reddish coloartion in the tail fin? The fish in the background of the second picture looks like a Ps. crabro (bubblebee or hornet cichlid).
> 
> The blue one looks like an afra. Most likely male. There are several species (and unfortunatesly mixes of species) that can turn out much like what you have.
> 
> What did you buy these fish as. Sometimes that can help a bunch.


The yellow/black one has not red colouring to the tain fin that i have notcied , however one of them has some blue colouration to the head area, I think is going to be a bumblebee

The blue one I am convinced is Afra, but I dont think that I will ever identify positively

I didnt Actually buy the fish, I went to collect a fish tank from somewhere locally advertised, when I asked the young lad what he was going to do with the inhibitants I was advised he was going to empty them into a garden pond to get rid !! So I have more or less inherited them , I really dont know what to do now as the tank was to set up as a breeding tank and these fish are now housed in there along with a 10 in Sailfin plec (Also inherited from same supplier ) he called them "Sicklids" I think he was right !!!!!!
[/quote]


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## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)

The one doesn't look like a Cyno. to me. The first species that came to mind was Labidochromis gigas. I am not sure how prevalent that species is in the UK but I don't see any resemblence to a Cyno. species (other than it being blue-barred).


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## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)




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## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)




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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

becca320 said:


> The yellow/black one has not red colouring to the tain fin that i have notcied , however one of them has some blue colouration to the head area, I think is going to be a bumblebee


It is absolutely not a crabro. The head is completely wrong for the whole genus. The blue and gold crabro is really uncommon in the hobby, and the previous owner would have had to buy it from a breeder and would most definitley know what it was. Besides crabro don't get that look, they are born with it. It is definitely a Victorian, but since the previous owner did know know the actual species, that is the best you will be able to get based on looks alone.



> The blue one I am convinced is Afra, but I dont think that I will ever identify positively


It looks very close to the white top afra, but since the previous owner was not able to tell you the actual species, "an afra" is about as specific as you can get with this one as well.



> I really dont know what to do now as the tank was to set up as a breeding tank and these fish are now housed in there along with a 10 in Sailfin plec (Also inherited from same supplier ) he called them "Sicklids" I think he was right !!!!!!


The proper spelling is cichlids, but you have the pronounciation correct. He was definitely right about it. But there are over a thousand cichlid species around the world, so that doesn't help the identification either.

Did the previous owner have them in a "breeding set up", or is that what you are trying for? What do you mean by your use of this term?
All of these fish are harem brooders meaning one male and several females of of the same species.

Unfortunately whithout really knowing the species and in some cases even the collection point (in species with more than one variant) it would be irressonsible to try to breed these fish, If breeding were to accidentally occur in a group of mixed fish, then you can solve that issue by just not collecting any fry.

First piece of advice is to get rid of that pleco. They are giant poo factories and at that size has long given up on algae and will likely only eat fish food. Common plecos (sailfins are included in that) really need very large set-ups with incredible amounts of filtration to handle all their waste.

Speaking of housing, what size tank are they in and what are the other inhabitants?


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

why_spyder said:


> The one doesn't look like a Cyno. to me.


And you would definitely been one of the cyno experts.



> The first species that came to mind was Labidochromis gigas.


That does look quite close. Hopefully one of the UK hobbyists can shed some light on local prevelance of species.


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## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)

I'm not an expert - just an enthusiast.... :thumb:


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## becca320 (Apr 13, 2008)

.



> I really dont know what to do now as the tank was to set up as a breeding tank and these fish are now housed in there along with a 10 in Sailfin plec (Also inherited from same supplier ) he called them "Sicklids" I think he was right !!!!!!


The proper spelling is cichlids, but you have the pronounciation correct. He was definitely right about it. But there are over a thousand cichlid species around the world, so that doesn't help the identification either.

Did the previous owner have them in a "breeding set up", or is that what you are trying for? What do you mean by your use of this term?
All of these fish are harem brooders meaning one male and several females of of the same species.

Unfortunately whithout really knowing the species and in some cases even the collection point (in species with more than one variant) it would be irressonsible to try to breed these fish, If breeding were to accidentally occur in a group of mixed fish, then you can solve that issue by just not collecting any fry.

First piece of advice is to get rid of that pleco. They are giant poo factories and at that size has long given up on algae and will likely only eat fish food. Common plecos (sailfins are included in that) really need very large set-ups with incredible amounts of filtration to handle all their waste.

Speaking of housing, what size tank are they in and what are the other inhabitants?[/quote]

Sorry, I really didnt make myself clear Apologies. 
All of these fish are currenlty in a 4ft tank, which has very good external filtration, and I check the levels regulally.

In answer to your questions, Sorry What I meant was I went to pick up the 4ft tank ONLY to use as a breeding tank, NOT for these fish, for exisiting fish which I was looking to seperate , I currenlty have another 5 tanks of varying sizes.

I could not bear to see the fish dumped in the way which the seller made evident upon my arrival so brought them home.

The Plec is Sold and will be collected on Saturday and I truely understand your concerns which is why it was advertise first. This will Leave just the three other fish as in original post pictures so i think that the tank is understocked if anything.

The only reason that I am wanting these fish identified is so that I can advertise them free to good home with as much information as I can ... I certainly would not breed them as I know that responsible breeding is to keep good ratios of M/F and vice versa dependant on species and would like to think in regards to fish i am VRY responsible if not a little soft !!

As soon as I got home I went out and bought the best external filter I could for the tank adding old media and the tank, if anything i think it is now over filtered .. so I know what I am doing on that subject I think. 
I have also upped the ph for these fish to adequate levels for their species.

Thanks 
Becks
p.s. anyone in uk (w yorkshire wants them contact me PLEASE)


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

It sounds like you really have all this well in hand. You can also put these fish, with the pictures in the Trading Post on the Forum. There is also (so I have been told) and aquabid type site for UK hobbyists. I wiould just advertise them as best you can. Even without specific species, they are quite pretty fish and should move pretty quickly. Since there is a chance one or both are hybrids, I would just bill them as a Victorian Hap (very likely male) and a male mbuna. If you like, you could even say mention how they would be a great addition to an all male set up (since species is not definite, they can give lots of color without worrying about hybridizing). Many people have fish of questionable lineage in all male tanks just because they are attractive fish.


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## becca320 (Apr 13, 2008)

Thankyou 
MalwaliLover x.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I'm not great with Victorians, but the first fish looks like a mix of Malawi fish to me, possibly a cross between more than 2 species. (Venustus and rostratus both come to mind when looking at the fish, but the bars are coming from somewhere else...)

The blue fish isn't a Cynotilapia. It's more zebra type than anything, but odds are you will never know whether it is pure or not.

Kim


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## becca320 (Apr 13, 2008)

Thanks kim, I have put them up for sale now, dont think will get much for them other than a couple of Â£'s but as long as they go to a good home i dont mind
again thanks for your replies 
Becks.


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