# 3 Unknown African cichlids



## Mustang Boy (May 2, 2008)

I am buying a 30gal tank and it is coming with 3 african cichlids i just dont know what they are i have a pic of them but one isnt quite posing for the camera but the other 2 are in perfect position


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## shumway (Jul 12, 2006)

1. Yellow and Black is a Labidochromis caeruleus

2. Orange and Black looks like a Metriaclima estherae (OB) with a deformed mouth :-?

3. Don't know what it is :-?


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## ibr3ak (Jan 4, 2008)

I agree, the third one looks like a hybrid of yellow lab and something.


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## Mustang Boy (May 2, 2008)

i actually just went and checked out the tank and the one that is swimming away from the camera looks like the bright yellow one on the bottom so they might be the same and she got them both at the same time

there is also 4 rainbow fish of 3 different varieties and a peacock eel which looks really cool but likes to hide in the gravel


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## Mustang Boy (May 2, 2008)

and just so i get t his right orange and black is top right and yellow and black is bottom right


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## BurgerKing (Jul 1, 2008)

yah, you're right. If you think you might get into fish seriously then this site is just what you need.


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## Mustang Boy (May 2, 2008)

thanks and yea i am pretty sure i am gonna get into fish pretty seriously this is the third tank that i will be buying within a 5 month period but i only have a little 10gal up and running i also have a 29 gal that i am having some problems with from a mistake a previous owner has done

and i have been on this site pretty heavily lately and plan on being for some time to come


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## Dewdrop (Nov 20, 2007)

The top one...orange with black spots...metriaclima estherae OB or OB red zebra(OB = orange blotch) does look like it has a deformed face.

The bottom one that you can see well looks like Labidochromis caeruleus or yellow lab and if the one you can't see so well looks like it too it might also be a yellow lab or something crossed with one but sometimes yellow labs do show stripes.

Sounds like you ARE going to get into fish keeping :thumb: . I'm afraid the 30g. might not be big enough in the long run for the 3 cichlids, 4 rainbows, and an eel. I don't know anything about rainbows or the eel though. Maybe if the rainbows and the eel stay really tiny. Depending on the sex of the fish, it's very likely the red zebra and yellow labs can crossbreed.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

The third fish doesn't look like a Yellow lab. I see too much barring in the pic for it to be pure, if it is.

The OB and the unknown fish aren't going to work long term in this size tank, unfortunately.


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## Mustang Boy (May 2, 2008)

yea i was thinking that they wouldnt work long term but that 29 gal tank might be turned into a temporary home for the cichlids and the eel until i can get larger homes for them, if i decide to keep the cichlids but i will definitely keep the eel cause he is pretty cool. Cause i am thinking about making this tank into a dwarf cichlid tank. I will probably trade the rainbow fish in to my LFS for some store credit.


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## balachel (May 24, 2008)

the one swimming away looks like it could be a male kenyi because of the faint black stripes it has going up and down the side also it isn't as vibrant yellow as the one on the bottom right


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## Mustang Boy (May 2, 2008)

thanks for all the help guys and when i get the tank this weekend and get all of the guys settled back in ill take some pics of everybody in the tank for everyone here to see


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## Mustang Boy (May 2, 2008)

No go on a better pic of the third guy cause it is a PITA to take pics of fish i have just found out i just spent the last 15 minutes trying to snap a pic of him and every time i had a perfect shot if hit i would hit the button and he would swim away right as it clicked and would come up with a blurry pic of him but i am downloading pics of the entire tank and ill post them up in the tank section once i finish getting them downloaded


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