# Is this a Starry Night Cichlid?



## Mish77 (Oct 11, 2021)

I went into my LFS and came across a tank with a Starry Night cichlid. It looked dark—almost black with tons of spots. I was confident that’s what it was. The place was slammed, and the woman who was trying to capture the fish had a hard time. It took her about ten minutes to finally grab him, but then it didn’t even look like him anymore. The fish looked gray and had some stripes and a few spots. She assured me it was because she stressed him out, which made sense to me. We brought him home and put him in our tank, and he still isn’t black after three days. He does tend to look darker against the black background. It’s just that he looks more like a Texas cichlid to me. I’d hate to take him back, but I paid $40 for him. Did they give me the wrong fish or do you think he’s just young and will color up as he gets older? He’s about three inches long, which includes his fins.
























The stripes and spots have me baffled. What are your thoughts?


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## BC in SK (Aug 11, 2012)

Mish77 said:


> looks more like a Texas cichlid to me.


Yes, it's a Texas cichlid. _Herichthys cyanoguttatus_


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## Auballagh (Jan 29, 2003)

Oh no. $40 bucks for a Texas Cichlid?!!
That's a nice looking little fish, yes.... but, the asking price was pretty steep!
I think they genuinely thought they were selling you a _Paratilapia polleni_, ('Starry Night' Cichlid, Bleekeri).
Ummmm, no.









_Paratilapia polleni_

And honestly, I would be less concerned with the long-term compatibility of the Madagascar Cichlid with your other fish, than with the Texas. Yes, the P. polleni can definitely hold it's own with the 'tough guys' in a community tank. But that species won't take things to the same levels of pure thuggery like a Texas Cichlid will. 
.


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## Mish77 (Oct 11, 2021)

_red_


BC in SK said:


> Yes, it's a Texas cichlid. _Herichthys cyanoguttatus_


Thank you! I appreciate it.


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## Mish77 (Oct 11, 2021)

Auballagh said:


> Oh no. $40 bucks for a Texas Cichlid?!!
> That's a nice looking little fish, yes.... but, the asking price was pretty steep!
> I think they genuinely thought they were selling you a _Paratilapia polleni_, ('Starry Night' Cichlid, Bleekeri).
> Ummmm, no.
> ...


Yeah, I called and explained it to them over the phone. They had me bring it in last night for identification, and then they gave me the correct fish which was in the same tank. The price difference was huge with the Texas being $14.99 and the Starry Night close to $50. I think she just stressed them all out as she was trying to capture the Starry Night. They look almost identical when they’re stressed and fade to grayish. I ended up keeping the Texas cichlid too because we all bonded with him over the last few days. 😬 I’ll have a plan for him when it comes time though. Thanks so much for all your help. I truly appreciate it.


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