# What is this Mbuna



## BlakGunz (May 23, 2012)

This is my cichlid I call Ice, and I have another one that I call Blue and he has vertical bars. Can you help with knowing what species he is


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## captainp243 (Jan 5, 2013)

It may be a cobalt blue zebra.


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## cbechdel (Jun 9, 2012)

I was thinking same thing - cobalt blue, or maybe a sub dominant Kenyi.

I purchased a group of 4 fish from a chain pet store like the OP, and they were sold to me as cobalt blues, and as they grew out, at last 3 are definitely Kenyi (largest is now yellow...) , and a 4th always has a much softer blue, and far less noticable barring pattern and is just a bit smaller than others, so I think maybe he is a cobalt, but since the others were all Kenyi, would have to assume it was as well.


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## BlakGunz (May 23, 2012)

He has a beautiful glow to him, I thought he was a male red zebra, but I have been seeing other cichlids he resembles


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

Is it really white? Probably Pearly White Callainos. A different natural color form of the Cobalt Zebra, Metriaclima callainos.


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## BlakGunz (May 23, 2012)

Nah it's the lighting, he is actually blue


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Unless labeled right I dunno how to tell a male Metriaclima estherae (Blue) from a male Metriaclima callainos.
As I see no barring prob more likely to be a callainos I think but I am far from 100%.


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

24Tropheus said:


> Unless labeled right I dunno how to tell a male Metriaclima estherae (Blue) from a male Metriaclima callainos.
> As I see no barring prob more likely to be a callainos I think but I am far from 100%.


If it was a male Estherae in full color, it would at least have eggspots and more extended fins.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

noki said:


> 24Tropheus said:
> 
> 
> > Unless labeled right I dunno how to tell a male Metriaclima estherae (Blue) from a male Metriaclima callainos.
> ...


 8) So we have a firm ID Metriaclima callainos male or female? Or is it vent to be sure?


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## kerri-in-oz (Dec 30, 2012)

I have a blue very much the same. He bars up when agitated and is all blue when calm. I was told he was a Metriaclima blue... I still don't know for sure!!


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## BlakGunz (May 23, 2012)

kerri-in-oz said:


> I have a blue very much the same. He bars up when agitated and is all blue when calm. I was told he was a Metriaclima blue... I still don't know for sure!!


They are beautiful. Yeah one of mine does the same thing, bars show up at certain times, but others he is blue, like the one I post.


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## igoryek69 (Dec 20, 2006)

That's a blue zebra IMHO


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

igoryek69 said:


> That's a blue zebra IMHO


Well I guess no one can argue with that. After all blue callainos and blue estherae were sold (and still are in places) as zebra (or Cobalt Zebras) for years. :wink:


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