# Yellow Lab? Blue Ahli? Albino??



## luvtjaj (Jun 19, 2009)

Hello everyone. I am new to the forum. I recently started keeping cichlids. I have 6 small ones now in a 36gal bow front. I am having a bit of trouble identifying a few of them. I am positive I have a Mainganos (melanochromis cyanerhabdos), Red Zebra (metraclima estherae), and a Red Finned Borleyi (Copadichromis borleyi) <--- Pronunciaton would help on that B word there, I am sure this one is female. I have 3 that I am unsure about... I have what I was told was a yellow lab but there is absolutely no black stripe on the fin its all yellow and had stripes in some lights. Can this still be a yellow lab? I also have what was told to me to be a Blue Ahli but this one also looks like it has stripes, could it be a Cobalt Blue Zebra than?? or can a blue ahli have stripes? (they aren't prominant, just in some lights). I also have an Albino. I was told it was an Albino Zebra. It is all completely white, not a mark on it at all...
Help me identify these three. They are all only about 2-2.5 inches at the moment. How old do you think they are at this size? Can they mate at this size too.

Thanks in advance for the help :fish:


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## superfly4477 (Feb 9, 2009)

it would really help if you put up pictures. it is much easier to identify them that way.


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## luvtjaj (Jun 19, 2009)

Ok i'll try. I can't manage to get many good ones. Is there a trick to getting good pics of fish in a tank?? I will upload some now


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## superfly4477 (Feb 9, 2009)

just try and put the camera on something steady like a table. im not to much of a master of it myself. if you have a camera with a variable shutter speed then set that relatively high so you can minimize the amount of blurring.


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## luvtjaj (Jun 19, 2009)

Sorrry some of the pics are very blurry. I will try to get better ones tomorrow if you can't identify them.










Correct me if I am wrong.. Top Red Zebra. Left Bottom Mainganos. Right Bottom Yellow Lab??(where is the black line?)










Electric Blue Ahli?? Guess on Male or Female??










This one I was told was the yellow lab, it is yellow in the tank, but it has some dull stripes and no black line. Could it be a very light red zebra?? Guess on male or female??










This one I am guessing is a female red finned borleyi (does anyone know how to pronounce that word??) Am I correct here?










This is the albino. I was told was an albino sebra. It has absolutely no markings, no color, and no lines. I think it is a female. Is very wide and girthy.










Another of what I think is the electric blue ahli.. if this helps to identify it might be clearer. Guess on male or female.. no egg spots at all.


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## jjleetest (Mar 12, 2009)

fish 2 looks like a bad strain of a yellow lab, or hybrid of yellow lab and someting
fish 4 i'd say albino socolofi


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## luvtjaj (Jun 19, 2009)

That's what I thought, that he is a yellow lab mixed with something.


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## luvtjaj (Jun 19, 2009)

Anyone have any idea if I am right about the blue one being an Electric Blue Ahli and the black one being a red finned borleyi??


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## james1983 (Dec 23, 2007)

the "electric blue" is a Sciaenochromis fryeri, they're usually call ahli or ice blues by stores. ahli is another fish that looks like S.fryeri, but is very rare in the trade. oh and it would be a male, females stay a dull browning silver color.


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## luvtjaj (Jun 19, 2009)

Thanks James. Good to know its a male. I was told it was a female because it has no egg spots, but I guess there is no mistaking it when the female is a different color. Thanks for the help!


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## luvtjaj (Jun 19, 2009)

Is it possible my yellow fish is a Pseudotropheus saulosi rather than a hybrid or bad strain of yellow lab?


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

luvtjaj said:


> Is it possible my yellow fish is a Pseudotropheus saulosi rather than a hybrid or bad strain of yellow lab?


No, not even close. Body/head/mouth shape are wrong. Could be a Yellow Lab X Red Zebra hybrid which has been often sold because they are a more solid yellowish

The Borleyi ("bore-lee-eye") is indeed a Copadichromis Borleyi


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## ABangtson (Apr 25, 2006)

Stripes on the S. fryeri are normal.

On the lab, I would agree with L. caruleus X M. estherae hybrid.


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## luvtjaj (Jun 19, 2009)

Thanks Everyone! 
:fish:


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