# Anyone know what kind of cichlids these are?



## firemedic1169 (Jan 9, 2011)

Any ideas what these two fish are?

























And the top fish


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## Rhinox (Sep 10, 2009)

Top 3 pics are metriaclima greshaki.

Bottom pic, the top fish looks like a male melanochromis chipokae (spelling?). The bottom fish looks like a male melanochromis auratus. Both these suckers can be mean and will almost certainly fight with each other, and may end up killing others as well. Middle fish last pic looks like a metriaclima callainos.

Good luck hope they're in a big tank!


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## firemedic1169 (Jan 9, 2011)

would the top fish get along with a male metro cal, female ob peacock and female red zebra?


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## dielikemoviestars (Oct 23, 2007)

Yes. It'll probably try to breed with the female RZ at some point. If the RZ in question is the one pictured, though (3rd shot), that's probably a male. They get peach like that. Females stay bright orange.


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## firemedic1169 (Jan 9, 2011)

I have a chance to get the greshaki. My concern is if it will get along with what I have. Also my existing fish are about 3 1/2" and the greshaki is 5-51/2" Also its a male, Theres no aggression problem, the current owner is getting rid of it cuz it keeps fertizing all thier females eggs and they have tons of **** already.
Here is my RZ








Not totally sure if its male or female, only had it for a month.


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## dielikemoviestars (Oct 23, 2007)

The complete lack of eggspots is making me question that it's a pure RZ at all, especially at 3.5". It should have at least something going on with its anal fin.

I still vote male based on its color, though.

You'll have 3 metriaclima species at that point, but I don't really see this as being an issue if they're not all fighting over the same females. Unless 1 is a female (how'd you sex your callainos?).


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## firemedic1169 (Jan 9, 2011)

It actually has 4 small(about the size that a sharpie marker would make) orange dots on the very rear anal fin just under his tail that you can almost make out in the pic. 
I assume the cal is a male because:
1. Had for 13 months and never held eggs-OB has multiple times.
2. Seems to be the dominate out of the three
3. Makes "nests" about once a month by spitting pebbles out of caves to make low spots


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## firemedic1169 (Jan 9, 2011)

Here he is


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## Rhinox (Sep 10, 2009)

whats your entire stock list like? is it just these 3 you listed: male metro cal, female ob peacock and female red zebra? What size tank?

Whenever you don't do "typical" stocking arrangements, its hard to predict what would happen. A typical suggestion would be 1m:4+f of the mbuna species in a 55g tank or bigger, and no peacocks with the mbuna.

If you get the greshaki, IMO it will try to spawn with the peacock and the RZ. If the callainos is a male, there is a good chance the greshaki will fight with it and possibly kill it - 2 males, fighting over spawning rights of the same 2 females, and the greshaki is bigger and usually a more aggressive species. With so few fish, the greshaki could claim the whole tank and drive out ALL the other fish, depending on the size of the tank. I suppose there is also a chance it could work out just fine, but you should be ready to separate fish quickly because things can go bad overnight.

IMO, if you understand what can happen and really like the greshaki, go ahead and try it if you have the tank space. Your stocking already seems unconventional, so you have to experiment to see what works and what doesn't. I wouldn't expect it to work out, but I typically only try arrangements I know have a pretty good chance of working out.


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## firemedic1169 (Jan 9, 2011)

I have a 55gal with the stock listed and a pleco. 
I keep hearing that mbunas and peacocks don't mix but *** had the peacock for 9 months with absolutely no issues. :-? 
I started out as a newbie 13 months ago with no idea what I was doing. I just thought I wanted every fish to be unique, hence my eclectic stock.
My intention is to try to get to a point where its stocked "properly". I want to add 4 -5 females for the male metro cal but am I stuck getting female metro cals? I think the females are also blue and I'm not crazy with having 5-6 blue fish. 
I don't need to get the greshaki. I just thought it was a nice looking fish, but my first instinct was not to get it. 
I have had more than my share of issues with fish the last 13 months and am trying to get to the point where I can enjoy my tank versus being constantly stressed about it as I am now.


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## Chunkanese (Feb 4, 2011)

*** had mbuna and peacocks mixed for 2 years. Theyre fine.


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## Rhinox (Sep 10, 2009)

*firemedic1169*
55g is a good sized tank. 4 fish is pretty lightly stocked for malawi cichlids, so in theory you do have the space to add the greshaki male. But based on what you said about not wanting to be stressed, I would not recommend it.

I would recommend calainos females for that male, I'd go with 4 of them. If your RZ and OB peacock are for sure both female, you could probably leave them in there as singles without any trouble - some people have had good luck with OB peacocks being as rowdy as mbuna. Then, you could still pick 1 or 2 other species and add harems to offset the blue. - I wouldn't recommend anything that is a metriaclima though. Think of smaller and lesser territorial fish, like yellow labs and rusties, for example.


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## firemedic1169 (Jan 9, 2011)

Yeah, I think I'm going to pass on the greshaki. I agree with getting females for my metro cal, but I think the hard part will be getting 4 cals and them all being female.
I'm positive the OB peacock is female but the jury is still out on the RZ. From posting the pic of it the general consensus is that its female because of its light color. I may try to get some yellow labs, again I think the hard part will be getting the 1 to 4-5 ratio. :-?


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## Rhinox (Sep 10, 2009)

You might be able to get sexed adults for calainos online. If getting juvies, you could get some extras, and return the males when they become a problem keeping only the females.

With yellow labs, ratio isn't as important. I just bought 6 juvies and let them go. 1 died, but I have one for sure male, and 1 for sure female. I think I saw my male shimmy in front of a second female for breeding. I've got a small one I think is a sub dom male, and the 5th I thought was a male, because its the largest and brightest yellow, but venting has told me its a female, yet it hasn't held yet, so... anyways, you probably won't have to worry about ratio if you just get six of them and let them be.


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