# Any Ideas?



## tycoonbob (Feb 19, 2012)

Got him yesterday from a LFS (better than PetSmart, but it's a local chain LFS). I assume it's a he (blue cheeks)...but what is he? The tank was labeled mixed Peacocks...but everything else in there was an OB or Sunburst, so I wouldn't be surprised if this was a hybrid.

If you need better pictures, let me know. I have him in a breeder box in my 6ft (125g) tank. Very yellow, with yellowish stripes...blue cheeks, yellow fins with blue tips.





































Thanks!


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

Aulonocara "stuartgranti maleri" or baenschi ... or a mix of the two which would be considered a minor hybrid. It is hard to know for sure. True pure Baenschi are not that common, especially when found unnamed, but does look kinda Baenschi. Really, mass market yellow peacocks are hard to know what they are exactly.

Can't really see the blue cheeks in the picture, but looks like a nice fish. Looks like a decent find (unless hormoned).

And of course color would indicate a male, unless the fish was hormoned.


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## tycoonbob (Feb 19, 2012)

Hmm, interesting. I wouldn't think he was hormoned, but it's possible. I will see if I can get some better pictures of his cheeks.


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## metricliman (Sep 3, 2012)

How big is it?


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## nmcichlid-aholic (Mar 23, 2011)

He looks pretty small to have that much color naturally, but I've had some Sunshine peacocks start to really color at just over 2". I suppose if he was dominant in the LFS tank it could be natural. He will probably fade some once you get him in with your other fish, though.


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## tycoonbob (Feb 19, 2012)

He's in a 2-way breeder box. I'd say between 1.5 and 2 inches. I'm fairly certain he was dominant in the tank at my LFS. I should also note that I put him in the breeder box last night, and left the light off on the tank (and the living room) until I took the pictures. I turned the lights back off after. I'm not sure what food they feed fish at the LFS, but I'm sure my NLS could help the colors as well.

Heres another picture, head on. Yes yes...my tank is a little dirty, but I just finished a 20% water change and cleaned out my FX5 and added some new media.


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## metricliman (Sep 3, 2012)

Unfortunately, I'd say he's hormoned. Generally fish color up around 3 inches.


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## nmcichlid-aholic (Mar 23, 2011)

metricliman said:


> Unfortunately, I'd say he's hormoned. Generally fish color up around 3 inches.


You're probably right - unfortunately it's a common practice with peacocks especially. They are just so drab and unremarkable as juveniles, and so expensive as colored up adults, that many breeders do it so they can sell off their juvenile stock. And it seems that you will find hormone treated peacocks and some haps at even the more reputable LFS's, not just the chain stores. This is because the breeders are the ones doing the hormoning, and I'm fairly certain their order sheets don't say:

Sunshine Peacocks (hormone treated) - $5.00
Sunshine Peacocks (not hormoned) - $6.50

Ha!


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

A male can color up quite a bit at 2"... of course needs to be the dominant male in the tank. This is all normal. A male could have colored up some, then put in a tank with others, and it takes awhile for the color to disappear.

On the other hand, these grab bag tank peacocks which include the hybrid types are often hormoned. They are sent that way from the distributor.


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## tycoonbob (Feb 19, 2012)

So last night I grabbed a tape measure, and it turns out he is more around 2.5". He has lost a bit of his colors as well (he is by far the smallest in my tank, but still in the breeder box). I guess it's a complete toss up if he is hormoned or not, but as long as he is healthy and will be colorful when he gets larger...I really don't care either way.

So everyone agrees that he is either Aulonocara "stuartgranti maleri" or baenschi, or possibly a mix between?


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## nmcichlid-aholic (Mar 23, 2011)

tycoonbob said:


> So last night I grabbed a tape measure, and it turns out he is more around 2.5". He has lost a bit of his colors as well (he is by far the smallest in my tank, but still in the breeder box). I guess it's a complete toss up if he is hormoned or not, but as long as he is healthy and will be colorful when he gets larger...I really don't care either way.
> 
> So everyone agrees that he is either Aulonocara "stuartgranti maleri" or baenschi, or possibly a mix between?


A couple things to consider - if the fish has been hormoned, it could possibly be a female. One of the bad things about hormoning (among many bad things) is it will make females show male coloration and fin shape until the hormones wear off. This obviously causes problems if you are going for an all male tank. Also, males that have been hormoned seem to take longer to color back up after the hormones wear off. If this one is smaller and sub-dominant, it could take a really long time, if it happens at all (this is true for non-hormone treated peacocks as well).

Most people refer to these yellow peacocks of unknown lineage simply by their common name, Sunshine peacocks.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Yep "Sunshine". Yep looks quite baenschi like.
Erm in my humble opinion you judge if they have been hormoned by the number of coloured up ones in the tank.
The more that are coloured up the more cirtain you are they have been hormoned.
Saying that it does not look in good enough condition at 21/2" to have coloured up naturaly.

All the best James


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## tycoonbob (Feb 19, 2012)

Here's an update, with pictures. I have had this little guy for 1.5 weeks now, and the color doesn't seem to have faded much. He is in the tank with everyone else now, and is definitely the smallest. On had a nip or two at him so far, things seem to be going great.


























Pictures aren't the greatest; I was in a hurry and there wasn't much light in the living room.


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## Michael_M (May 31, 2012)

I believe with Benga's ect after a couple of generations the differences between the two become less distinct so it really is near impossible to tell unless you are sourcing wild caught or F1 fish.

As for them colouring up small, mine has had the exact same spectacular colour since I bought it at barely 2 inches. He is an aggressive and tough peacock though and he breaks most of the typical personality traits associated with benga's. Was also in a species only tank.

I agree with James though, peacock tanks should appear to be majoritively females (only a few dominate males will obtain colour, rest will mask it). Anything else is highly suspicious. If unsure you should ask, most stores are honest and if they aren't you can always get a refund if you were mislead into buying something.

I highly suspect it has been tampered with as it being fully coloured at that size in an assorted peacock tank is incredibly unlikely.


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