# Wanna ID my fish with me?



## AC (Jul 26, 2010)

I have a bunch of fish to identify.

I've tried going through the profiles and I am just like not getting it.

There are so many that are so similar and I lose place of which link was what and then my eyes start to bleed.

Anyway...

I'm hoping ya'll will help me out on this with species/sex/characteristics along with any personal experiences you may have had with a similar fish.

I'll try and post at least three pics of each fish in different lighting and positions when they are co-operative.

First off, we'll start with Navy as I have been refering to it as....

I had a lot of trouble getting good clear shots of this fish.

Pretty sure it's a male.

He is starting to show some red on the tops and edges of his fins.


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

Fish is not in color but I would guess http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=2289


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## AC (Jul 26, 2010)

Thanks!

I looked over the profile and I believe you are probably right.

Especially after looking at the juvenile pics.

The pic I posted isn't the greatest color representation.

I get very different color results with using a flash and without using a flash.

I also suspect that I have two females of this species.

I know I have one other male of this species too...

They are in seperate tanks right now.


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## AC (Jul 26, 2010)

Fogelhund had identified this one as Metriaclima lombardoi for me from my avatar pic.

I do not appear to have a female of that species at all.

But, I have this other fish that looks a lot like this one except it has more stripes and is starting to show a lot more lavender coloring.

Here's a few pics of it...


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## MattyP (Feb 25, 2010)

clear whiteish stringy poo is NOT good either. just a side note


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## AC (Jul 26, 2010)

Wasn't really white, but brown.

To understand the coloration in the photo one would have to know the angle the pics were taken from, but it was effectively backlit, along with being across the room and from below with a telephoto lens.

Then run through the cannon software that adjusts a color curve automatically.

Sometimes it will change very subtle items in a pic like that which are not the focal points.

I'm really just getting used to using this slr camera for photographing the fish.

I did note it being stringy at the time and added epsom salt to the tank as a precaution.

The fish were added about a day and a half before the pics were taken and they chowed down on algae.

I could not believe they ate all the algae in the house in less than 8 hrs along with a bunch of snails...


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## AC (Jul 26, 2010)




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## AC (Jul 26, 2010)




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## AC (Jul 26, 2010)




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## Aija (Jul 1, 2010)

AC said:


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Looks like a Melanochromis johannii to me


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## AC (Jul 26, 2010)

I agree except if has male colors and is holding eggs.

:?


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

AC said:


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These guys are some sort of Tropheops I think.
Not sure about exact species.

All the best James


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

AC said:


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Melanochromis auratus male. I think.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Aija said:


> AC said:
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Not pure johannii I think. Maybe some Melanochromis interruptus in there. Note the lack of yellow and the barring.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

AC said:


> Fogelhund had identified this one as Metriaclima lombardoi for me from my avatar pic.
> 
> I do not appear to have a female of that species at all.
> 
> ...


May look a bit like lombardoi (top fish yep lombardoi :thumb: ) but think it is a Tropheops again.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

noki said:


> Fish is not in color but I would guess http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=2289


Yep I think some sort of Metriaclima sp. "Zebra" no way could I say which variant if pure.

All the best James


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## a7oneal (Dec 30, 2004)

24Tropheus said:


> AC said:
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Yes.


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## AC (Jul 26, 2010)

24Tropheus said:


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LOL!~

I threw that one in at the end because i wasn't getting any responces and just wanted to see if I was being ignored.

:lol:


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## AC (Jul 26, 2010)

24Tropheus said:


> noki said:
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> > Fish is not in color but I would guess http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=2289
> ...


My pics of that fish are horrible.

I saw another thread where a very similar fish was identified as a german red.

I'll give him a few more months to grow up a little more and see what people think then.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

This fish? A German Red? :lol:

Good german reds look like this these days








Nope for sure. Noki is pretty reliable I find. And it is for sure some sort of Metriaclima/Maylandia zebra, outside chance it is a Petrotilapia or PetrotilapiaxMetriaclima cross. Just not coloured enough to guess what type.

All the best James


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## AC (Jul 26, 2010)

Red shouldered peacock is what i think i was referring too.

That fish is gorgeous though.
]
Is that from Lake Tan.?


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Its a line bred Aulonocara, so originaly from Malawi but many generations of breeding to get em like that.

Think all your fish are Mbuna, no sine of peacock/Aulonocara in there that I can see.

Though Mbuna peacock crosses do exist in the hobby.

I think the Tropheops are not totally unlike Tropheops sp. 'broad mouth' http://www.cichlidae.com/gallery/species.php?s=2292 but I realy can not tell which species as there are so many Tropheops and I am no expert in em.

All the best James


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## AC (Jul 26, 2010)

Do you know of any books out there on the market which have very detailed IDing instructions such as number of stripes, shape of the mouth, coloring, and fins and all that good stuff.

While the profile charts here are useful, they seem to be lacking very detailed info....

I have a bunch more to be IDed.

I just haven't post any pictures of them yet.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Erm simple answer no. 840 Malawi cichlid species at last guess not all of em formerly described or variants listed, let alone a good simple key desighned to Id em. Plus hybrids and line breds adding to the problem, it would sure have to be one big book.
Saying that best I know of for Malawi cichlids is Malawi cichlids in their natural habitat. 4th Edition by Ad Konings. But line bred and hybrids and other ornimental cichlids not covered.
Dunno anyone else got any good ideas?


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## AC (Jul 26, 2010)

I'll keep that in mind as I await any other suggestions that may be forthcoming.


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