# Louie - My Disfigured Cichlid Buddy - What is He?



## leftfish

He was in an all Hap tank at my LFS. I saw his crooked mouth and immediately was in love with him. When I tapped the glass he came right up to me. I couldn't resist taking him home. He's been the best fish ever. He gets along with everyone, never shown aggression and when any other fish shows aggression he gets in the middle to deflect the aggressor. The LFS employee said he was a Red Empress but I know that's not it. He looks almost like a cross between an Iodotropheus Stuartgranti and Tropheus Moorii. Is he a hybrid or a disfigured version of some known breed?

Dan


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## biglove

He's cute!


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## gmaschke

Outght to smack the LFS employee that said red empress LOL!

Kinda looks like he has a hairlip :thumb:


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## Anthraxx8500

no idea. id just say his name is louie and call it a day. :lol:


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## oldcatfish

Looks like a possible Labeotropheus hybrid. He is kind of cool looking, in a mutant sort of way.


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## Flippercon

You should of named him twoface. :lol: . It's a cool looking fish.


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## noki

Buster Douglas


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## firemedic1169

That last pic reminded me of a metriaclima greshaki :-? , but definitely looks hybrid.


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## 24Tropheus

I wonder what went wrong rather than what he might be. Surely you do not hope to breed from such a fish?
Some Labeotropheus in there plus no idea what went wrong. :wink:
I dought he has Tropheus blood in him those guys do not cross outside there genus as far as I know.


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## mikeb3rdid

I like Louie!! No clue what he is, but my fiance would have brought him home too! Enjoy him, and don't listen to anyone who puts him down! If you like him that's all that matters!


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## Fogelhund

24Tropheus said:


> I wonder what went wrong rather than what he might be. Surely you do not hope to breed from such a fish?
> Some Labeotropheus in there plus no idea what went wrong. :wink:
> I dought he has Tropheus blood in him those guys do not cross outside there genus as far as I know.


Tropheus can cross with mbuna, I had a friend with a Tropheus x Melanochromis auratus hybrid... he raised them up... they were... ummm ugly and aggressive. 

I think this is either a Labeotropheus, or a greshakei as mentioned... due to being deformed, it is impossible to say if it a pure of either, or a hybrid.


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## Guest

def not a hap.. looks like mbuna to me


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## Catfish Dan

Louie is awesome! We just did the same thing, fell in love with a squished face maylandi. His little mouth is off to one side and his eyes are big. His blaze even curves off to the side! Total sweetheart. Our LFS gave him to us 'cos they know we're softies. We named him Mr. Magoo


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## Chunkanese

Interesting, i just picked up some Rostratus today, and one that appears to be a male has a similar deformity. Unsure what to do with it...


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## tig321

That's a VERY RARE "Pseudotropheus W.C. Fields"..... yeaaa seeee yeaaaaa.

Now go away kid, you bother me!


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## Catfish Dan

Now THAT is funny!!! :lol:


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## czar_wilson

wow looks like the same mutation in the venustus I just bought....
wonder what causes this


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## johnc87

I have 2 fish like this,a Yellow Tail Acei and a Yellow Lab. got them both from the same LFS but different times and didnt notice the lips until weeks later.


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## Guest

czar_wilson said:


> wow looks like the same mutation in the venustus I just bought....
> wonder what causes this


excessive inbreeding


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