# ID Help



## Super Turtleman (May 21, 2007)

This is a freind's fish and it's the only pic I have (cell phone pic). Can anyone ID him?


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## Electrophyste (Aug 5, 2009)

some sort of Protomelas maybe?


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## webgirl74 (Jan 30, 2009)

Looks a lot like the tangerine tiger male I used to have. Protomelas taeneolatus (sp?)


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Looks somewhat like, but isn't one. The eye marking is from a few Malawian cichlids, but they aren't that colour. I fear another hybrid.


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## Onyxdawn (Oct 29, 2009)

I think you have a sub adult male Protomelas taeniolatus (Red), commonly known as a Red Empress.

He's just changing colors from juvenile to adult. Really nice fish!


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

If that one is a hybrid is this one a hybrid too?








Is it that eye marking making you think hybrid?
Or the general shape of the head which does not I admit look quite normal for a red emperess?

Sorry not saying a mod is wrong just trying to pinpoint what points to a hybrid in this guy as I would not have thought so and bought the fish myself.  
If it is that eye marking it is bad news for me too.
Just looked at my newly bought red emperess young and one or two have it and some do not.


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## webgirl74 (Jan 30, 2009)

I'm confused now too! My red empress male didn't really look like that first pic at all when he was going through his color morph. There is a lot of yellow on that fish. I know mine was pure too, although I suppose there can be variances. The red empress is pretty popular in the hobby so a lot of pure traits may have been bred out of them.


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

That eye marking is very Palcidochromis looking and the vericle barring looks a bit weird for a pure empress as well.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

The eye marking I am referring to is the dark line that goes from beneath the eye, to the jaw. It is not a trait of Red Empress, or any other taeniolatus. It is a marking commonly seen in Placidochromis (as mentioned above).

In addition, the barring pattern on the side of the fish is not something that is a trait of any known Malawian Cichlid.

The red empress in 24Tropheus' picture looks fine to me.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Maybe the fish is a Protomelas spilonotus of some sort?


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## Super Turtleman (May 21, 2007)

Well, thanks for the input guys. I appreciate your thoughts and opinions.


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## sulcata2big (Oct 26, 2009)

it looks like a placidochromis johnstoni

mick


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

sulcata2big said:


> it looks like a placidochromis johnstoni
> 
> mick


Lips, stripe width and head shape are wrong for a johnstoni


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

The face does look funny, at least from that pic, the mouth kinda long also. Wouldn't call him a quality Red Empress in any event, probably a hybrid of some sort with a Red Empress.


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