# Fish ID time



## DNK (Jun 8, 2007)

Hi all, I bought these a while ago privately but am now not sure what they are. The were sold to me as the below names but I've done checks online and can't find similar when I type their apparent names in. They're all 3-4" by the way.
The reason I ask now is because the "flamebacks" spawned and I've stripped the female of 30 fry so would like to know exactly what they are!

Cheers for any help.

Ps Flameback Male









Ps Flameback Female









Ps Mbamba Male









Ps Mbamba Female


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## dan_mccabe (Apr 24, 2009)

the first one looks like it could be a Metriaclima mbenjii (Red top cobalt zebra).... second looks like a possible female ice blue.... the other two i dont relly have an idea for u... but it looks like a male and female, of w/e they are :thumb:


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## Jason S (Feb 7, 2003)

The male you obtained as Pseudotropheus sp. "flameback" appears to show a black mask around the mouth and face; this trait is not consistent with Ps. "flameback" nor is the yellow in dorsal as "flameback" have a solid blue dorsal with only a few spots of yellow-orange at the posterior end. Getting an exact I.D. on these guys is unlikely since they clearly are not "flameback" though they were sold as such.

Here's Ps. sp. "flameback"









The second fish is correct, but it's not a Pseudotropheus. It's Labidochromis sp. "mbama". Male and female appear correct for the species


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## KATALE (Jul 25, 2008)

the 1st group looks hybrid.. never seen it as described...

the 2nd group is yellow top mbamba... make sure u see the purple color and black barring to make sure


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## etcbrown (Nov 10, 2007)

First fish has traits of a Metriaclima greshakei but if it is one it is poorly bred because of the aforementioned dark masking. Second fish would be consistent with a female greshakei "type" fish. Bottom line is I would not sell or distribute the fry as the parents ID is dubious at best.

Metriaclima mbenjii males by the way should be pure white with dark orange dorsal, and caudal fins. With dark orange rays in the pelvic fins.


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## DNK (Jun 8, 2007)

Thanks for the replies.
Re the first two photos, can't say that it resembles any of the fish you've mentioned. It doesn't help when the photo is poor and a few months old. Having another look at the fish itself in the flesh it definatley isn't a flameback but they're still very attractive fish none the less. I'll try and get a good quality pic of the pair.
As for the bottom two, I'm happy they're labidochromis "Mbamba."

Thanks all.


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## DNK (Jun 8, 2007)

Managed to get a few better ones on my camera phone today if it helps. 
Forgot to say I have three males in the tank so the pics of the one below isn't the same fish, however they look the same now. Original photo is one of my males in a different tank from a few months ago.




























Ta


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## KMNL (Sep 4, 2008)

Idk the ID's but they are some nice looking fish, especially #1


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## iplaywithemotions (Dec 18, 2008)

Red Top Zebra?


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## ladyluck777 (Apr 20, 2009)

First one looks like my albino red top zebra.


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## iplaywithemotions (Dec 18, 2008)

ladyluck777 said:


> First one looks like my albino red top zebra.


Its a red top, but not an albino. Its a regular Greshakei.
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... php?id=794


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## DNK (Jun 8, 2007)

iplaywithemotions said:


> Its a red top, but not an albino. Its a regular Greshakei.
> http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... php?id=794


Greshakei it is! That's that one solved.
I've seen Greshakei before in the flesh but never ones with the exact colourings/markings mine have. 
Have now found a number of pics of them online that look like my ones so I'm pretty convinced.
The female looks like the one in the photo in the above link also.

So now I have 30 Greshakei fry to find homes for!

Thanks everyone! :thumb:


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

That isn't a greshakei.


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## DNK (Jun 8, 2007)

Fogelhund said:


> That isn't a greshakei.


Hmmm... not the most indepth of replies but....

I was basing it on the pics below pics ( I know the fins and tail are not as red)










and the female below (which is what my female looks like)

http://www.cichlids.com/uploads/tx_user ... _web02.JPG

and also the pic of the adult female here:

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... php?id=794


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

The point Fogelhund makes is that the fish in question is clearly not a good, pure Greshakei. Don't think the male is going to mature and look like a pure Greshakei, the fish looks wrong.

The fish may be a hybrid of a Greshakei, or a hybrid of similar "Zebra-ish" Mbuna. Females may tend to look somewhat similar irregardless. Many of the fish sold as "Ice Blue" in the hobby the last decade are not pure "greshakei". The fish were sold under a false name which is another reason to believe that the fish are probably of questionable origin.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

A greshakei should have the red pigment, to varying degrees of intensity, and your fish lacks that. It seems to be a Metriaclima zebra mix, as it doesn't look like any one particular strain. It could have greshakei in it though.


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