# Help with fish identification!



## MeganK (Apr 11, 2014)

I need help identifying my fish. The pet store did a TERRIBLE job advising me as to which fish are compatible in my tank. Any help as to who needs to go or not would be greatly appreciated too. I have one of each fish shown, some are in multiple pictures.


































































































Thank you!!


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

Yikes! That is a motley Rift lake Mix.

1. Neolamprogus brichardi type... Tanganyika
2. Red Zebra hybrid... Malawi
3. Tropheus... Petsmart poor quality Bemba? Tanganyika
4. Tropheus dubosi ... Tanganyika
5. Zebra Obliquidens... Victorian basin
6. one of the Red Peacock line bred types, male... Malawi
7. Pseudotropheus demasoni, kinda funny looking... Malawi
8. Mbuna hybrid... Malawi
9. Demasoni and Dubosi
10. Melanochromis auratus ... Malawi
11. male Kenyi... Malawi
12. hybrid Mbuna


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## MeganK (Apr 11, 2014)

Thank you for your help identifying them. I was told that these can all go together because they "come from Africa" at the pet store. I also had a red jewel in there and the poor guy was beat up really badly, still not sure if he's gonna make it. After that I decided to do some research and I've basically learned that everything I was told was wrong. I'm trying to figure out what needs to happen to ensure that no one else gets beat up that badly. Do you have any recommendations? Can they all stay should I start a second tank for some? Who really can go with who?


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

No easy answer here. The Tropheus are not really beginner fish, usually people keep them in large groups. I suppose you could keep singles with Mbuna, thou they may not thrive. Some of your Mbuna can be quite aggressive.

First question... what size of tank? These are not easy to keep in smaller tanks. Need a tank larger than 50 gallons.


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## MeganK (Apr 11, 2014)

It's a 55 gallon tank


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

To be honest, you either have to start over from scratch pretty much, or just go with what you got and remove any really bad troublemaker. Depends on what you want to do with the tank and which fish you are most interested in, and whether you are attached to these fish. One or a few of those Mbuna, if male, might become bullies. You have many potential problems, but maybe consider it a learning experience. That Red Zebra X Yellow Lab hybrid is pretty interesting looking.

Any of the fish a real bully? The Kenyi male? The Red Zebra hybrid? Auratus have a bad rep for being jerks when adults and often losing the nice juvenile colors.


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## MeganK (Apr 11, 2014)

Most of the fish get along well. The biggest trouble maker is the male Kenyi. Him and the red zebra like to "dance" as I call it a lot. I've had all the fish together for about 2-3 months some ahave been together for about a year and grew up together and everyone has been able to hold their own (minus my red jewel). I'll keep a close eye on everyone to make sure they're not getting beat up.


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## pablo111 (Dec 10, 2013)

MeganK said:


> Thank you for your help identifying them. I was told that these can all go together because they "come from Africa" at the pet store.


Never take advice from that knucklehead again. Fish do not go together because they are from the same continent or even the same river or lake. Those fish you have are not all compatible, per say.


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## MeganK (Apr 11, 2014)

Sadly my red jewel didn't make it, poor guy. This whole experience has been a learning one for sure. I guess at this point i'll just keep an eye on the tank very closely and remove trouble makers as necessary until I have a "zen" tank. Thank you again to everyone for thier help, no more taking advice from fish store employee's.


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## MizOre (Sep 20, 2013)

You need to have rocks that break sight lines if you don't have that already. Sometimes juggling how the tank is set up makes a critical difference.


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