# Newbie Needs Help with ID



## rarquile (Oct 22, 2013)

This little guy was in a tank labeled Jack Dempseys. Any idea what he might be? My guess is Eureka Red but I have very little experience with Cichlids.


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## nmcichlid-aholic (Mar 23, 2011)

How big is this "little guy"? If it's less than about 3" or so, chances are pretty good that it's been hormone treated for color. As for which species, I don't think it's a Eureka - looks more like one of the Aulonocara stuartgranti red-shoulder types (like this one - http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1389).


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## rarquile (Oct 22, 2013)

He is only about 1 inch. I watched him in the tank for several weeks go from dull gray to his current red/blue. According to the head of the aquatics dept, Petco doesn't add any hormones to the water.


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## chopsteeks (Jul 23, 2013)

hmmm....lots of color for a 1 inch cichlid, does not sound right


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## rarquile (Oct 22, 2013)

Maybe 1.5"? I doubt he's 2"...


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## nmcichlid-aholic (Mar 23, 2011)

Petco Is Notorious For Selling Hormone Treated Fish. The Clerk May Have Been Correct In That They Don't Add Hormones To The Water, Because It Is Most Often Given In Food That Has Been "Laced" With Color Enhancing Hormones. The Bad Thing About This Is That It Makes Female Fish Look Like Males, Not To Mention The Potential Harm It Can Do To The Fish. If It Has Been Hormoned, Once It Has Been In Your Tank For A Few Weeks Without Any, The Colors Will Fade And May Or May Not Come Back (If It's A Male - If Female They Definitely Won't Come Back).


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## rarquile (Oct 22, 2013)

I have heard this quite a bit and if true am surprised at how many uncolored fish they have in their tanks. This guy was the only one showing any color in a tank of maybe 10 fish all the same size as him.


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## rarquile (Oct 22, 2013)

Some updated photos...




























As you can see, despite growing quite a bit (now 2.5") he has lost much of his color. Not sure if it's due to no longer receiving hormones or the addition of several larger, more colorful peacocks to tank. Anyhow, he is mostly gray with sprinkles of red on his fins and some blue in the head. Any more ideas on what he/she might be?


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

Closest to a Red Shoulder Peacock, not sure if pure since it still looks weird.


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## Kanorin (Apr 8, 2008)

Agree with noki, but I don't think it's pure.


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## EBJD keeper (Jun 29, 2010)

Kanorin said:


> Agree with noki, but I don't think it's pure.


I agree


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## Chester B (Dec 28, 2012)

Aulonocara hybrid.


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## sirward420 (Nov 27, 2013)

maybe Sciaenochromis ahli. there are electric blue dempsys but that doesn't look like one


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## Michael_S (Aug 18, 2013)

Not a Sciaenochromis fryeri/ahli because body shape and color is much different.


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## enshacra (Nov 13, 2013)

started with a colorful 1 inch male, now we here- drake\
It think it was a hormonized female since the start, now that this bs is leaving its system you wind yourself with a red-should peacock female.. Congrats !


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## sirward420 (Nov 27, 2013)

blue ahli not thaaat much different mouth is nt same though


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## rarquile (Oct 22, 2013)

Updated photo below. Still red shoulder?


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## sirward420 (Nov 27, 2013)

ahli is not that much different. and ahli and fryeri are not the same fish nor do they look the same. so you should look at ahli. slight red on lower fins is only differance


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## sirward420 (Nov 27, 2013)

i agree with red shoulder but the shoulder is not red.


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## Michael_S (Aug 18, 2013)

I realize it is not the same fish. Many people confuse their names.

Still body shape of ahli is elongated compared to this fish. Ahli's head shape is not as steep as this fish. Also, ahli's are never seen to have so much blue.


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## Kanorin (Apr 8, 2008)

Your fish is an Aulonocara hybrid. Final answer.
To call it a "Red Shoulder" is misleading because that is a trade name for a pure fish (Aulonocara Stuargranti collected from certain collection sites).

It very well may have some Aulonocara Stuartgranti "Red Shoulder" or Aulonocara Stuartgranti (Cobue) somewhere in it's background, but whether it's 1% or 75% - you'll never know.


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