# help ID my lake malawi cichlid



## GaFishMan1181 (Dec 17, 2008)

first picture no flash
second picture flash


















Saw him at petsmart. noticed that he didnt look like any fish in his tank. ask about him and was told he was in the right tank. ???? but then another fish helper walked up and agreed with me and said someone must of moved him or either he jumped tanks????

3 1/2" long

any help will be great


----------



## GaFishMan1181 (Dec 17, 2008)

sorry i guessed on his measurement and was off he is only 2 3/4"


----------



## zenobium (Jan 5, 2006)

I would guess an S. Fryeri X Peacock hybrid.

-Zen


----------



## chapman76 (Jun 30, 2004)

I agree. Something looks off to be a pure fryeri.


----------



## GaFishMan1181 (Dec 17, 2008)

hmm thats weird. does pet smart sell hybrids? i'm sure they do cause most of the peeps that work there are pretty uneducated.

the front does look like an s. fryeri but the back of him lacks the blue color. I am interested if anyone else has any input.

thanks zenobium and chapman76 for the info.

do you think this guy will be ok with some mbuna in a 46 gallon if the mbuna are smaller?

more info_ this fish likes to hide at the bottom of the aquarium and shoot up like a shark to attack the food


----------



## GaFishMan1181 (Dec 17, 2008)

do you think this could be a true s. ahli . he looks alot like the one in the fish profiles but the one in the profile has more blue all the way down his body


----------



## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

GaFishMan1181 said:


> do you think this could be a true s. ahli .


No.


----------



## GaFishMan1181 (Dec 17, 2008)

so most likly it is a hybrid of what zen said s. fry and peacock.

he seems pretty fiesty so i think he will be ok in a mbuna tank


----------



## steve426 (Nov 23, 2008)

The petsmarts in my area are known for hybrids!


----------



## zenobium (Jan 5, 2006)

Just FYI fishman, dont get too bummed out just because he's a hybrid. I had a eureka X fryeri hybrid a few years ago that was a complete stunner. Best looking fish I've ever owned. Just do the responsible thing should it breed with anything.

Oh and big chains are hybrids galore!

-Zen


----------



## GaFishMan1181 (Dec 17, 2008)

Will i be able to know if it breeds with another fish?


----------



## crotalus43 (May 28, 2007)

It is defantly a hybrid. I work in the Petcare department in Petsmart and see way to many hybrids in the African cichlids. It could also not be a pure ahli that it was crossed with. It can be any of the five Sciaenochromis species. I live close to the reeding center and I have always wanted to go see the fish they breed their, but i have no clearence to go in


----------



## GaFishMan1181 (Dec 17, 2008)

so bottom line i should treat it as if it was a Sciaenochromis. i guess i should of done more research before i bought him but either way i am still going to do a mbuna tank with a few haps.


----------



## chapman76 (Jun 30, 2004)

GaFishMan1181 said:


> so bottom line i should treat it as if it was a Sciaenochromis. i guess i should of done more research before i bought him but either way i am still going to do a mbuna tank with a few haps.


Don't feel bad. You're in the same boat as 99% of the people.

As far as treatment of the cichlid, yes, treat it like you would any hap.


----------



## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

GaFishMan1181 said:


> Will i be able to know if it breeds with another fish?


It might not be obvious for quite some time. Fry can take on characteristics of either parent, and this hybrid is going to be more prone to be less picky about who he spawns with than your pure cichlids will be.

What is the full stock list for the tank?


----------



## GaFishMan1181 (Dec 17, 2008)

> What is the full stock list for the tank?


he is the first fish i have. (i recently moved so i had to get rid of my fish and now just restarting my aquariums)

he is in the 12 gallon right now but he will be going into a oval front 46 gallon on monday.

then monday i will get a new fish and put him in the 12 gallon to watch for a week or two before i put him in the community tank.

any who to answer your original question.

no stock list as of now but my next fish i want is a Pseudotropheus socolofi (Albino).

i am semi new to african cichlids. in the past i only did south americans


----------

