# Need African cichlids ID'ed



## scdeb424 (Apr 24, 2008)

Hi:
I'm new to this forum and to African cichlids. In my care is a 6 week old 125 gal. stocked with 13 African cichlids--5 blue ones (like to hide and mildly aggressive) were born at the high school where I work and where my new charges live. Their parents live in the front office aquarium (they continue to breed).

I also have, from a LFS, an assortment of other colors including a white one, an orange one, a mottled black/cream, and a larger light orange one (friendly group). There is a navy one that you can barely see in one of the photos. I couldn't get them all photographed.

I would love to know which ones I have and even if they are hybrids some idea of what category they would fit. Everyone gets along for the most part and there are plenty of hiding spots.
Thanks and hope these pics work


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## dielikemoviestars (Oct 23, 2007)

The blue are Melanochromis... Look like "electric blue Johanni" which actually refers to another species, I believe.

The light orange looks to be a hybrid - can't even tell if the body is more mbuna or peacock.

The bright orange is Metriaclima estherae, the mottled one is Nimbochromis livingstonii, the white is an albino Pseudotropheus socolofi, I'd bet.

These are all actually somewhat to very aggressive fish, but in a 125 they should be fine. If you're in complete care, you might want to bump the numbers of each species so there is a 1m/4-5f colony for each.


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## jhunbj (May 16, 2005)

What is the color of the blue ones when they were born? If they r blue, then the r Melanochromis Cyaneorhabdos (Maingano)....if Yellow, then they r Melanochromis Johanni.


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## scdeb424 (Apr 24, 2008)

Thanks for the help in figuring out my cichlids. The blue ones were born very pale blue and then got darker. I think one of the parents was blue and the other had some orange. They are quite big now and are still having new babies. The newest babies are light orange.

Do I need to get more hiding places and maybe more plants to help keep the stress levels down? Today I noticed 2 of the blue ones had moved out of the castles and had built caves at opposite ends of the tank.

Since the entire school (over 2000 students/teachers) can and do drop by the library to see the fish I am quite nervous about getting this right. Plus I love the little guys.


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