# African cichlid identification!



## earth intruder (Oct 14, 2008)

I'm new to fish, so sorry if this is an obvious one, but I got a pair of these guys at our LFS under "assorted Africans." They're approximately 3 inches at this point.

Below is a link to a picture - it's the cichlid to the left of the synodontis.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3235/3028437211_25c1d81680.jpg?v=0


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Can you give another couple of shots?
I can not see the mouth and jaw clearly so would make a bad guess only.
Too many guys with that colouration I think to guess.


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## earth intruder (Oct 14, 2008)

Yeah, sorry about the poor photos, I'm just learning how to use this camera.

Hopefully these two photos are clearer:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3002/3029836237_1a2bec30a3.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3164/3029837123_331810acf5.jpg?v=0

Thanks!


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

I think Labidochromis

and sp. "Hongi" seems the closest in colouration to me but its still just a guess.

Oh if both male and female look similar that might help to confirm they are my guess.

Hongi are extreamly common here (and in mixed African tanks) so that may have swayed me too much, not sure what is common in your locality.


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## jennye0 (May 27, 2008)

It does kinda look like a Labidochromis, but to me it looks more like ps. acei, or a mix between both.


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## cater20155 (Jun 16, 2008)

Could it be a Metriaclima greshakei?


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## earth intruder (Oct 14, 2008)

Hm... He looks a lot like the greshakei. Any thoughts on that?


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Compare the mouth shape and teeth of Metriaclima greshakei and Labidochromis sp. "Hongi" with your fish rather than colour. You can see the fish so should be able to tell better than me.

greshakei have a much "heavier" jaw and bicuspid teeth I think. Not that I can really tell from the photos but they look like simple peg teeth of Labidochromis to me.

Oh greshakei females are duller than Hongi females so have a look at the female too.

Hybrid should also not be ruled out I guess.


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## earth intruder (Oct 14, 2008)

Well, I'm still tentative, but after comparing the jaws he really looks more like the greshakei to me. My pictures aren't very good, but his jaw is actually fairly heavy. Also, I have another that looks the same but is slightly duller, which I believe to be a female, and they've been setting up a territory together. This female looks more like the female greshakei than the female Hongi. But, yeah, I guess they could be hybrids too.

Thanks everyone!


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## SinisterKisses (Feb 24, 2004)

It really doesn't look anything like a greshakei body/head shape too me.


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## earth intruder (Oct 14, 2008)

Do you concur with the labidochromis suggestion?


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## SinisterKisses (Feb 24, 2004)

I don't have any personal experience with hongi, but I will say the shape is definitely more Labidochromis than Metriaclima.


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## Dewdrop (Nov 20, 2007)

I really don't have enough experience to say but I was thinking like jennyeo and thought the first pic looked like it was at least part acei.


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## earth intruder (Oct 14, 2008)

I have another couple of photos that have better resolution - maybe these will help. 

***edit: the photos didn't show up, so here are links

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3226/3040040292_47b6807ba0.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3066/3039199557_f88b445da8.jpg?v=0


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