# What kind of Lab?



## DrTenochtitlan (Jun 17, 2012)

This is my first time ever getting into cichlids, and I've tried to do a LOT of research. I have a 55 gallon tank, and I finally went to my LFS last Thursday and picked up my first 8 Labidochromis Caeruleus. They are supposed to all be Lion's Cove I Yellow Labs. However... one of my eight labs is not like the others, and as far as I know, they came from the same batch:










One of them is grayish-white, with a tinge of yellow around his head and just behind it. He has BLACK eyes, so I do not believe him to be an albino. What's going on with this guy? Is he:
1) A different species that got mixed in by mistake
2) A genuine Lab, but of a different color variant
3) A hybrid
4) A mutation
5) Some kind of submissive color change, or something of the like
6) A Yellow Lab that for some reason has yet to develop its full color

I'd like to hear some opinions on this guy.


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## Fish on Fire (Dec 13, 2012)

Hybrids.


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## DrTenochtitlan (Jun 17, 2012)

Fish on Fire said:


> Hybrids.


All of them, or just the gray one? The breeder has an excellent reputation, so that would be rather disappointing.


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## jonathantc08 (Nov 16, 2012)

it seems to me that it just hasn't colored up yet.


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## nmcichlid-aholic (Mar 23, 2011)

I think most of your labs look fine. There are one or 2 yellow ones that don't seem to be showing much of the black markings in the dorsal fin, but that may come as they mature. As for the white one, it looks like it has the right body/head/mouth shape for a lab, so I would assume the lack of pigmentation is due to a recessive trait, like hyppomelanism. This close to being albino, but the eyes do have dark pigmentation. I wouldn't wait for this fish to color up, since labs are normally yellow from the time they hatch. If you are interested in breeding these guys, you should take it back and get another (maybe along with the others that have all yellow dorsal fins).


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## metricliman (Sep 3, 2012)

jonathantc08 said:


> it seems to me that it just hasn't colored up yet.


Labs don't color up. They are all born yellow.

There is a possibility it might be leucistic.


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## jonathantc08 (Nov 16, 2012)

metricliman said:


> jonathantc08 said:
> 
> 
> > it seems to me that it just hasn't colored up yet.
> ...


never knew that.... of course I've never seen a non-yellow, yellow lab either lol


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

I hestitate to jump on hybrid. But the body shape seems slightly off, and lack of black dorsal fins a concern, and the non colored fish , a mystery.


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## vann59 (Jun 20, 2011)

It's true they are bright yellow even when fry, but the black markings will come later. I don't know what the difference is but leucistic sounds like a good possibility. There are some experts on here who will likely know more.


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## DrTenochtitlan (Jun 17, 2012)

I should mention that of my other seven Labs which are indeed yellow, ALL of them have black dorsal fins except one that is significantly smaller than the others. Most of these fish are 1 1/2" to 2", but the runt is just barely over 1". I suspect that it's black coloration will come in time.


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## m1ke715m (Jul 26, 2012)

there are labidochromis caeruleus that are white labs and not yellow at all.. thats what it looks like to me.. all caeruleus are not yellow in the lake..


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## metricliman (Sep 3, 2012)

m1ke715m said:


> there are labidochromis caeruleus that are white labs and not yellow at all.. thats what it looks like to me.. all caeruleus are not yellow in the lake..


Those still have the black stripes on the fins, and they are more blue than white.


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## m1ke715m (Jul 26, 2012)

not all of them do.. there are many more variants than the nkhata bays you're talking about.. the ones from lundu, chinyagi, cape kaiser and ruarwe have no black stripe on the dorsal... probly is a hybrid or just poor quality specimen if they came from the lfs... it would help if you knew where the lfs got the fish from..


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## DrTenochtitlan (Jun 17, 2012)

m1ke715m said:


> not all of them do.. there are many more variants than the nkhata bays you're talking about.. the ones from lundu, chinyagi, cape kaiser and ruarwe have no black stripe on the dorsal... probly is a hybrid or just poor quality specimen if they came from the lfs... it would help if you knew where the lfs got the fish from..


The LFS (which has a good reputation itself) got them from a reputable local breeder. If I recall correctly, he might even be a CARES breeder, so that's why I'm hesitant to believe it's a hybrid.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

You've got the white one, which clearly isn't a yellow Lab, and you've got an all yellow one, no black markings... clearly not a pure yellow Lab.

While there are different types of Labs in the lake, the poster alludes that these all came from the same breeder, same batch... if these all came from the same batch, and two are clearly not pure Yellow Labs, I'll let you draw the final conclusion from there.


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## DrTenochtitlan (Jun 17, 2012)

Fogelhund said:


> You've got the white one, which clearly isn't a yellow Lab, and you've got an all yellow one, no black markings... clearly not a pure yellow Lab.
> 
> While there are different types of Labs in the lake, the poster alludes that these all came from the same breeder, same batch... if these all came from the same batch, and two are clearly not pure Yellow Labs, I'll let you draw the final conclusion from there.


I will say that I am *assuming* that they all came from the same batch, but I do not know that. I do know that the LFS had a couple of labs last Wednesday (not necessarily Yellow Labs, he just said labs), and he received a small shipment of Yellow Labs from his breeder on Thursday around noon. I came in around 4 pm on Thursday. He told me that he was giving me the fish from that new shipment, but it *could* be possible that the two odd colored ones were those he mentioned were already in the tank, since I did visually see with my own eyes that he DID place the new shipment in his regular "lab" tank. I had simply assumed that there were eight in the batch that came in. The other six don't have any visible problems, as far as I can see. They have the appropriate black barring where it should be, and visually, they *look* correct. The bottom line is that I'll just ask the LFS owner what's up. He's very friendly, so I'm sure he'll be more than happy to tell me what he can about the batch of fish and the breeder. I searched a number of forums including this one, and his store was rated the best in my state (by far).

As far as my lab that is entirely yellow, it is *clearly* a much smaller fish than the others. That's why I'm beginning to wonder if those two did come from a different batch now. It is *barely* over one inch long, while the others are around 2 inches, so I'm wondering if it simply hasn't developed the black barring yet. I know that it can take time to appear.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

My yellow Labs have the black fully by 1/2".


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Yep if hes friendly see if he will swap the odd yellow one and the odd white one for ones as good as the majority. Whatever the prob with em is you do not want em as possable contaminants if you are looking to breed.

All the best James


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## DrTenochtitlan (Jun 17, 2012)

24Tropheus said:


> Yep if hes friendly see if he will swap the odd yellow one and the odd white one for ones as good as the majority. Whatever the prob with em is you do not want em as possable contaminants if you are looking to breed.
> 
> All the best James


Actually, I don't know why I didn't just think of this before. The LFS owner is very nice, and he has no problem swapping out my fish. Since I bought more juveniles than I need anyway, three are going to have to go back, so I suppose it really isn't a long term issue. The other Yellow Labs are starting to look very nice, actually.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

8) 
And if more unusual looking ones pop up in the young we will know Fogelhund guess is right for sure.
If they breed true prob no prob with distributing em.
Pretty sure not all lines of yellow Lab are pure but if they breed true, prob no worse than any other line.

All the best James


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## MSUDawgs56 (Feb 1, 2005)

Could be this http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... php?id=740


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

You can see a few different wild types on this link.
May be of interest. Esp the Lion cove female without much black in the dorsal.
http://www.malawi-dream.info/Labidochro ... ruleus.htm
Funny enough when breeding these we are kind of looking for what folk like to see in a yellow Lab not just a wild type look (that can vary too much for folks taste) in what they think of as a "quality" yellow lab.

All the best James


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