# I.D. help please?



## SandyC (Jul 15, 2008)

I bought these fish as fry when I first strated getting into africans and I was told they were cyno afra mara points I know that they are not and have been trying for sometime to find out what they are. can anyone HELP ME? let me add he is about 6" long and the females are a tipical grayish color I can get more pics if needed


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I don't think it's a Cynotilapia at all. It looks more like a zebra variant to me, but I could be wrong. Just something about the slope of the face down towards the mouth that doesn't look right to me...

With that being said, my first guess was going to be a male M. estherae in breeding colour, but that won't work if the females are gray, so I may be way off base!


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## SandyC (Jul 15, 2008)

thank you for your reply. I know it is not a cyno. and i also looked at the M. estherae but like you said the females don't match up. I will go out and try to get a few more pics, might be hard beings I just moved them to a 125 the other day but I will try :?


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Is there yellow on the tail?

Seeing a full profile shot might help somewhat...

Do the bars become bolder at times? Does he get a dark mask when he gets excited?

(I'm leaning towards kingsizei, but I'm just not sure. The females would be as you described, and if I'm not mistaken, there has been some confusion over whether they are Cynotilapia or Pseudotropheus...)


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## SandyC (Jul 15, 2008)

let me start with Thank you so much for your help...I truely need to know what these are as I have a 55 and 3 10's full of fry from them but wont pass them on to others untiill I know what they are. here are a few pics I just took of them they are not the best as today is not a good day for me to hold a camera.
male








male & holding female& YL








holding female








Dom Male








female








fry @ 2" taken a few days ago


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## tires_6792 (Mar 25, 2005)

Maylandia Phaeos type? :-?


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

The females look like they might be Metriaclima greshakei females. The male _might_ be part greshakei, but if so, I don't think he's pure. Not quite enough yellow!

Definitely NOT kingsizei!

You will likely have a hard time confirming what these are with 100% accuracy.

My guess is that someone housed M. callainos and M. greshakei together somewhere along the line.


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## SandyC (Jul 15, 2008)

once again thank you for your input, if they are a cross then I guess my red tail cat will have some fun. I can not/will not pass them on. I have a couple of more places/people to check with and if it all comes up the same then I guess I will find a new fish or three for my fishroom :fish: to replace the tanks these are in.


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## fiupntballr (Jul 7, 2004)

im with cichladholic on the part greshaki

thedorsal fin is what makes think that


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Certainly ask for other opinions! I can be pretty crazy with some of my id's!

With zebra types, it can be really difficult to pin them down once you figure out that they aren't what you purchased them as!

But those females look very "greshakei", the male just isn't quite right.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

I would have to concur that they look like some type of hybridization of two Zebra types. One of the tell tale signs is the mixed barring of the fry.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Fogelhund said:


> One of the tell tale signs is the mixed barring of the fry.


I agree. I raised greshakei for a couple of years, and those fry don't look like mine did. Too many bars on most, and the colouring is deeper/darker than my fry were at that size.


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## SandyC (Jul 15, 2008)

well as nice as the males look they are going to have to go... the over all answer is they are not pure. and I will not pass them on it the hobby. not tomention I can't keep filling up tanks with them.  I guess I have learned my lesson on trusting some people.


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## SandyC (Jul 15, 2008)

well once again the answer seems to be a cross of fish but I have found a real good place for them in my fish room beings they spawn all the time(5 females holding just about all the time) I am going to set them up as host fish for my Synodontis multipunctatus. Maybe that way I will get a few more multis. At least I hope :idea:

I want to thank everyone for thier input!!!!!

Sandy


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## CichlidLover2 (Jul 31, 2005)

All I have to say is thats a **** load of egg spots!


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