# Mystery Aulonocara(?)



## Puffball (Jul 28, 2008)

I have three Aulonocara (as labeled in the LFS) but no specific type. As they are juvenile and small I haven't had much luck going through the profiles and matching them to their mature equivalents. Is it possible at this stage to determine what they are? I'm posting four pictures from a few angles to try and help. The fourth photo shows the third fish - it is more 'faded' than the other two. Thank you for any and all help.

Purchased as: Aulonocara
Approximate size: 3 cm/1 inch
Color: Please see photographs below


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Metriaclima lombardoi - (aka kenyii)

This fish has more bars than most kenyii, probably not the best breeding.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Not Aulonocara.
Mbuna.
Pos Pseudotropheus demasoni TB.


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## Puffball (Jul 28, 2008)

Always go with gut instinct I guess -- obviously I don't know my cichlids well (first cichlid tank), but I had a feeling the sign might be off (not by that much though!).

If it were Ps. demasoni that would be ok (I could increase their numbers and their tank mates would be yellow labs), but having looked at about a thousand pictures and information on both and comparing them in real life, I think it's too likely they are Metriaclima lombardoi. Thanks for the ID - I'm going to return them to the store because I just don't have the space. etc to start a new tank for just these guys.


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## Dave (Feb 9, 2003)

They are not Ps. demasoni. I would agree with M. lombardoi (kenyi).


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## BurgerKing (Jul 1, 2008)

my lombardoi females are pale and only have a few of bars and the bars are thick not thin, but i could be wrong


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

They are clearly Kenyi/Lombardoi like. The only question is if/what they are hybrids cause of Kenyi.


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## BurgerKing (Jul 1, 2008)

there is a great possibility that its a hybrid kenyi because males breed with anything that has gills, but what would the other parent be?


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