# Aulonocara jacobfreibergi?



## Dogtanian (Jan 27, 2011)

Hi Everyone,

Would really like to know what type of peacock this is? He is much darker than my 3 other Jakes (especially in the head). I thought I had bought 4 of the same variety, but the longer he is in the tank, the more stark the contrast becomes.

Link below. Thanks for any thoughts!

Ian.

https://files.me.com/longian/4c2brl

p.s you can also see the contrast in this video (he comes in about 17s)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbYGHrfs ... ture=feedu


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

To be honest I can hardly see any difference between them. Jakes tend not to be all pure regional variants and many are line bred. Only prob is... are they just line bred or crossed then line bred? For sure too late to get to the bottom of with most TB lines now.

I see no females, so whats the problem with one being a bit different?

All yours kind of look like Aulonocara jacobfreibergi "Eureka" to me.

All the best James


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## Dogtanian (Jan 27, 2011)

Hi James,

Thanks for you reply.

I have no probs with that one being a bit different (actually really like him), I am just a bit of a geek when it comes to the nitty gritty detail and I just wanted to know for sure what species I had in the tank. I agree he is certainly a variant of Aulonocara jacobfreibergi, I just wasn't sure if he was the same strain as the others.

Thanks again,

Ian.


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## Dogtanian (Jan 27, 2011)

Can anyone else shed any light? The three other fish have a distinctly metallic blue head with red body. My mystery peacock has a dark indigo head and much darker stripes on his body. It would be great to know what he is.

Thanks again,

Ian.

p.s Edited to add- he also doesn't 'hang' with my other Aulonocara jacobfreibergi, he is distinctly solitary and easily the most territorial fish in the tank.


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

He is the alpha dominant fish, it is normal for the alpha fish to show the most intense color. The others will probably lose color.

How long have you had these fish? They must have been hormoned for artificial color, which wears off and sometimes makes the fish look unnatural.


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## Dogtanian (Jan 27, 2011)

Hi Noki,

Thanks for your reply. The only thing is that one of the other Jakes (from the 3 similar ones) has also coloured up beautifully, as if the dominant male amongst his kind; this makes me think that the mystery fish is another line of peacock altogether.

Had them around a month. What makes you think they may have been hormoned?

Thanks,

Ian.


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## Dogtanian (Jan 27, 2011)

Just incase anyone this proves helpful to anyone, I think I have identified him with the help of my local LFS. It looks like he is a Aulonocara hansbaenschi - Red Shoulder Peacock. The owner took a look at a photo and mentioned that they sometimes get mixed up with the Freigbergi as they look quite similar. Some research online brought up photos that look identical to my fish.

Mystery solved I think....

Ian.


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

Looking again, I think that darker dominant fish is a hybrid, a mix of different species. Not a pure Red Shoulder Peacock. Not a pure Jacobfreibergi either.

If you prefer the Jacobfreibergi, I would get rid of that darker dominant male. I still think is not that normal for those others to keep color like that.


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## Dogtanian (Jan 27, 2011)

Hi Noki,

I don't know, I am pretty sure in is a pure Red Shoulder now.

Here is another photo, from another angle:
http://files.me.com/longian/oueord

And here is a link to Red Shoulder from a similar angle:
http://www.cichlids.com/pictures/pic/Re ... ck-12.html

I am certainly no expert but they look pretty similar to me.

The other Jakes (other than the dominant male) have lost a lot of their colour since that first video was shot, so I may consider removing them if they don't colour up bit as they mature.

Cheers,

Ian.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Think you may well be right. That photo of him sure looks more Red Shoulder.
Prob is thats a common name and at least three Aulonocara stuartgrandi variants share it. :wink:
Sad your othere guys have lost colour. I guess they could have been hormoned which kind of makes my guess they were Jakes less reliable. Hormoning artificialy increases fin size as well as giving colour and confuses the id of Aulonocaras.


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

Going back to the video, the mystery male fish seems to have a distinct whitish dorsal similar to Jacobfreibergi. Red Shoulders never seem to have that type of white in the dorsal, which is why I wouldn't have guessed a Red Shoulder Peacock to start with. The hormones do make the fish look weird.


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## firenzena (Nov 29, 2009)

noki said:


> Looking again, I think that darker dominant fish is a hybrid, a mix of different species. Not a pure Red Shoulder Peacock. Not a pure Jacobfreibergi either.


I agree - White Blaze on Dorsal and hint of white of top side of Caudal is "jakeish' but body and head shape seems a mixture-perhaps with Stuartgranti type- or could be a random throwout that hybrids can give.

I would go with the ID "Red shoulder" in that it is a peacock with reddish shoulders but that is a long way from A. Hansbaenshi with infers a specific locational variety.

Out of interest- this is another angle of the same Reference fish 'Red Shoulder' 
http://www.cichlids.com/pictures/pic/re ... 408b4.html


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## Dogtanian (Jan 27, 2011)

Thanks everyone for taking the time to help me identify him; I see your points and agree he is probably a hybrid.

The sad news is that I today took him back to the LFS. He has been very aggressive since I started the tank and has recently been fighting with the Rustys and frequently intimidates my dominant Jake (which is probably my favourite fish, with amazing colours) as I think they are not different enough to be happy living with each other. Sad to see him go, but he just didn't seem to fit into my community. Hope I have done the right thing.

Thanks again,

Ian.


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