# Help with ID of this guy.



## djcraig (Feb 5, 2015)

Hi all,
Got a random fish with a group I bought off someone who was closing down their tank, and I have no idea what it is. 
Any help would be appreciated.
Cheers


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

Weird looking mouth and head. Like a Cobalt Zebra or blue Red Zebra mixed with Labeotropheus. Unless it's mouth is just deformed.


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## The Cichlid Guy (Oct 18, 2014)

Like Noki said, body looks like Cobalt Zebra, face does not match.

Also, is that black on the pectoral and anal fins? I don't think I've ever seen that on M. callainos, so it could point towards the other parent species.


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## djcraig (Feb 5, 2015)

Thanks for the help guys, I am at a total lose as to what it is. But he/she is cool, changes colour with bright blue stripes that start between his eyes and go all the way back.
He/she has no black on tail or fins, must just be a shadow in the pic.
Thanks again, any more comments are more than welcome.
Cheers


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Agree it is a Labeotropheus hybrid, probably with a cobalt zebra.


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## Mr Chromedome (Feb 12, 2013)

Even hybrid _Labeotropheus_ have some overhanging snout. It looks more to me like a _Tropheops_ mouth, slightly subterminal. I would suspect that as one of the parent species. Agree with Cobalt as the other parent.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

It does have a overhanging nose.


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## Mr Chromedome (Feb 12, 2013)

No, it does not. The "nose" on _Labeotropheus_ overhangs the upper lip of the fish, and even hybrids show this to some degree. The upper lip is clearly delineated in three of the four photos. Compare it to a _Tropheops_, which has a slightly subterminal mouth. If not for the color, I would say it is identical to a _Tropheops_.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

djcraig said:


>


I'm not sure we are looking at the same pictures.... this clearly has Labeotropheus in it, and a clear overhang.

There is no Tropheops type slope to the head at all.

I guess we just agree to disagree.


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## Mr Chromedome (Feb 12, 2013)

Tropheops have a round head, not sloped, same as this fish shows in all 4 shots. You are looking at the one photo that looks slightly different. The other three photos are clearer around the mouth, and show the subterminal mouth plainly. Having seen hundreds of Labeotropheus hybrids, there is usually no question about their nature.

Go to CRC and check out Tropheops sp. lucerna blue cobalt.


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## djcraig (Feb 5, 2015)

Ok, now I don't want to stir things up, and I do appreciate the advice, but anyone got a clue as to male or female?


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## nmcichlid-aholic (Mar 23, 2011)

Heck, it may have Labeotropheus and Tropheops in it - it is a hybrid, afterall. I can see validity in both arguments. Whatever it is, it's clearly male.


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