# Greshakei? and an Albino



## zlenhert42 (Nov 12, 2009)

Is this a greshakei? Is it male? I have two juvies that both look like this. It came from a tank of prolly 30 juvies all colored like this. I thought females were brown, and I dont believe that the LFS sorted them out.









And can anyone ID this albino. Came from a "mixed tank" from lfs with red zebra's and some others.









Thanks for all the help.


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

seriously asking here: why is "albino mbuna" not a good enough ID? 
many of the albino mbunas are hybrids likely descended from greshakei, but could also have estherae or zebra genes in them... could even have socolofi mixed in... no way of knowing really.

Your top fish looks greshakei-like. That's the most you'll get out of me as I won't attach latin names to unknown pet fish! :thumb:


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

Top is Greshakei or Greshakei hybrid. They give them artificial hormones so they all have that weird color. Unnatural looking fish, and the color may fade.


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## iplaywithemotions (Dec 18, 2008)

2nd fish looks to be an albino greshakei. possibly a juvenile male.


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## zlenhert42 (Nov 12, 2009)

What is a greshakei? I've seen them under a few different latin names on the almighty internet. Metr?sumthin and Pseudo?sumthing greshakei. Is it pretty safe to assume all greshakei are hybrids?

Also, I've never heard of fish receiving hormones for coloration. Are there any articles on this? Is it common practice?

On the Albino subject, It doesn't really matter what it is, I was just wondering.


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

When you see the species name listed without the genus, it is usually being used as a common name. Greshakei is such a case.

Hormones are indeed common from many commercial fish farms, uncommon from hobbyist breeders... there are articles all over the net, including instructions!


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## Melanochromis (Mar 30, 2005)

> many of the albino mbunas are hybrids likely descended from greshakei, but could also have estherae or zebra genes in them...


I've seen some mbuna in my LFS recently which look like 'albino' type red zebra. They have all the characteristics of M.Estherae but with the albino red/pink eyes. I was thinking of buying some, but they were sold pretty quick.


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## iplaywithemotions (Dec 18, 2008)

zlenhert42 said:


> What is a greshakei? I've seen them under a few different latin names on the almighty internet. Metr?sumthin and Pseudo?sumthing greshakei. Is it pretty safe to assume all greshakei are hybrids?


No, Greshakei are not hybrids. It's a regular species, currently listed as Metriaclima greshakei. My guess is that some of the current Metriaclima species were formerly listed as Pseudotropheus. I'm not a cichlid history buff, so I'm not quite sure.

Here are the link to the profiles:

Metriaclima greshakei (Albino) http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=2317

Metriaclima greshakei http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/r ... ?genus=124


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## bmweiler09 (Nov 17, 2009)

top picture doesn't look anything like my greshakei. It has never shown that dark of stripes. there is alot of species that share similar coloration could be something else...

heres mine


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