# Newbie: Pictures of my Electric Labs, are these real labs?



## labcrazy (Jan 17, 2010)

Hi everyone, I'm fairly new to the hobby and cichlid keeping and *** started off with a 35 gallon tank which i intend to reserve for keeping yellow labs only. I purchased 3 labs, 1 male and 2 females last week but as i continue to read about the species, *** realized its not as simple as just going to the fish store and getting a pair of yellows - sadly one has to look out for the hybrid fish as well..  and being a beginner i cant differentiate between a pure yellow lab and a hybrid just yet.. i'm concerned about my fish..i want to keep just simple yellow labs for now, the hybrids can wait.. 

here are a few pics that *** managed to take of my labs..

                                       
Free Image Hosting by ImageBam.com

The fish are all the same size, 2-2.5 inches. Only the male displays dark black color on the dorsal and 3 lower fins. The females appear all yellow ( shade darker than the male) except for when facing each other, when the black comes out on both their dorsal fins..but its never as dark as the male's. the dominant female has black on her pelvic fins as well but again, lighter than the male's and only displays it when its in an aggressive mood against female 2.. the black strip in the females stays there for a short while and then they are back to yellow. *** also read that the male should be darker in color than the females ..but mine's opposite :-? .. i also have 2 baby fish in the tank both redish/orange.

please let me know if they are not yellow labs.. your comments are deeply appreciated! :thumb:

PS. some pics appear darker cuz' i was experimenting with the room lighting.


----------



## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Unfortunately, look like hybrids to me.


----------



## SinisterKisses (Feb 24, 2004)

I agree, they look like hybrids to me too.


----------



## FlyHigh (Nov 15, 2009)

What about his questions about male/female? Just because there is black striping, I don't believe that that means it's a male. Also, do all of them look like hybrids to everyone? What about dominant lab with the black striping? Hybrid too? I'm also learning.


----------



## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

FlyHigh said:


> What about his questions about male/female? Just because there is black striping, I don't believe that that means it's a male. Also, do all of them look like hybrids to everyone? What about dominant lab with the black striping? Hybrid too? I'm also learning.


The Lab x red zebra hybrids that are common can have a wide range of looks. From yellowish zebras, with no marks, to nearly identical to labs with dark marks. If you pick up fish from a source, and some look pure, while others don't, you must assume that they are all hybrids.

Both males and females should have black striping.


----------



## steelers fan (Jun 26, 2009)

yeah some hybrids there but the one looks great.

all in all still nice lookin fish hybrids or not.
how do you know you have 1 male and 2 females?...i would get 3 more


----------



## labcrazy (Jan 17, 2010)

Thanks everyone for your comments! :thumb: ..well i shouldve read more about hybridization before getting the fish.. fish store owners here dont really know much about cichlids , they do like to order big shipments for their stores but are really no help when it comes to classifying africans or about proper care. Something that might work in my favour though, is that there are about 8 to 10 fish shops within 20 min drive from my place and i can make a visit easily to see if they have new stock that features good labs!.. The store where i got my fish from is the one closest to my home and he gets his new shipment this wednesday and am hoping he gets pure labs this time around opcorn:



steelers fan said:


> yeah some hybrids there but the one looks great.
> 
> all in all still nice lookin fish hybrids or not.
> how do you know you have 1 male and 2 females?...i would get 3 more


Thanks steelers fan! yeah i feel attached to these fish now that *** had them for 2 weeks..  and i vented them using the information on the web to determine their sexes 8) (the owner sold em as 1 male and 2 females and he proved to be right, he basically said that females have less black on their fins) ..i will get 2 or 3 more labs when i give away my red cichlids


----------



## steelers fan (Jun 26, 2009)

are you going to sell fry?
if your just gonna let fry chance it in the main tank(not many at all will make it) i would keep that red zebra...really pretty fish when they grow up


----------



## labcrazy (Jan 17, 2010)

sell fry? no.

A question however, if mine spawn, would there be fry that looks like fish other than labs? ie the other half of the hybrids?


----------



## steelers fan (Jun 26, 2009)

sure they could look like pale red zebras or pale labs without a stripe or...

fry have a tough time making it in a tank with adolescents and adults though thats why i say keep the red zebra if you like it because even though they may mate you may never see any fry


----------



## labcrazy (Jan 17, 2010)

ok then. i will keep the little zebras. :dancing: .. pale labs and pale zebras? thats too boring. lol least i'd expect from these hybrids is a couple of oscars :roll:


----------



## Oscarlover (Jan 22, 2010)

I was told that the brighter the better. The labs that I have are male and female. The male is super bright yellow with a very distinct black strip on the top fin. The female is very similar, black strip, paler yellow in color and she has a whitish underbelly. These were identified by a zoologist that I have gone to for years and he seems to know his fish!! I would post pics but im having trouble figuring out how to do it!!


----------



## exasperatus2002 (Jul 5, 2003)

Looks like my predicument. I got sold two looking for female yellow labs which turned out to be hybrid lab x red zebras. also looks like mine were both male. Even though They lack any black, they both have a single egg spot and they both challenge each other & my male yellow lab.


----------



## steelers fan (Jun 26, 2009)

my female yellow lab colorwise and markings shows up any male i have seen. shes the largest the brightest yellow with the thickest black strip. she does smudge up a little when shes holding however...i am guessing just from the stress.


----------

