# Need help Identifying two mystery cichlids



## Telbid (Jan 28, 2015)

Hey everyone, I have recently entered the aquarium hobby and have purchased a few cichlids from my local fish store. They are all juveniles and I soon realized that two of the fish I received are of a unknown species to me. I have looked up various cichlid species but I do not have the slightest idea of what they could be, especially at their current size of a couple inches. Any help/info would be greatly appreciated! Also if anyone could identify the sex of them that would be great! I see egg spots on them but I am not sure if that is 100% accurate.


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## cichlid_geeza (Jan 27, 2015)

Hi, they look like peacocks to me. Not sure which type as they are too young, first pic looks male as colour is starting to show. They are aulonocara. Might need to wait a bit longer to determine exact species although could also be hybrids.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

First one appears to be a Yellow Peacock... probably baenschi or Maleri type, but we won't know for certain until it fully colours up, and even then it could be a hybrid.

Second is a hybrid.


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## Telbid (Jan 28, 2015)

Ok, I figured they were too small to identify, thanks for the responses! I will see what kind of peacocks they are as they color up.


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## nmcichlid-aholic (Mar 23, 2011)

Telbid said:


> Ok, I figured they were too small to identify, thanks for the responses! I will see what kind of peacocks they are as they color up.


They've been ID'd by Fogelhund - the first one is a yellow peacock (Aulonocara), but unless you were given a collection point or species name (like Baenschi or "Maleri Island") when you purchased it, that's as close as you'll get. Often, peacocks that have been bred in aquariums or commercial ponds have been mixed and are hybrids anyway. If you call it a yellow or sunshine peacock, that'll be accurate. The second one is a hybrid which may have some Aulonocara and/or another species mixed in (like Copadichromis or similar), but even after it colors up if it's a male, you'll never know for sure what species it consists of - when it comes to hybrids, the best you can do is make an educated guess.


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