# Help me id this african.... pics....



## cmcpart0422 (Oct 4, 2008)

I bought him when he was about 1 inch and now he is about 4.5 to 5 inches and i could never figure out what he was. click to enlarge.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

I see hints of Labidochromis kimpuna... yet I see marking in the dorsal fin that one typically sees in a Cynotilapia... hmmm.. :-?


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## cmcpart0422 (Oct 4, 2008)

is there anyway to bring out his colors anymore you think?


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## Dewdrop (Nov 20, 2007)

I have a similar looking fish that was very small when I bought it. I thought I was buying a C.borleyi :roll: because of the brown body and orangeish fins. I posted a bad pic of it in the unidentifide section and they said maybe some type of red top zebra. It's grown some now and might be getting a little bluer looking on the body. Still don't know what it really is or may be a cross with something. I'll try to get a new pic of it.

Feeding a good food like NLF and a good light bulb is about all you can do about color unless the fish is surpressing it's colors because it's sick or uncomfortable.


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## cindylou (Oct 22, 2008)

Looks like aeci...I have 2 :fish:


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## 748johnd (Jun 30, 2007)

I agree with cindylou. I have acei and that's what the fish in those two pictures look like.


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## SinisterKisses (Feb 24, 2004)

If that's what your acei look like, then I'm afraid you don't have acei


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Definately no acei.


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## bac3492 (Jul 25, 2008)

those are probably 2 hybrid acei then.


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## Doane (Jun 19, 2007)

What about a sub adult rusty? That purple and yellow makes me think its a rusty that is transforming from its juv. colors to its adult colors. The bars concern me but, thats what it looks like to me.


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## 748johnd (Jun 30, 2007)

I'm curious as to why you guys think those fish are not acei. Is it because of the vertical bars? My supposedly acei are a solid bluish/purple with yellow fins 95% of the time, but once in a while I will see one lighten up and then the vertical bars are visible. Once it darkens up the bars are not visible. The fry are always brownish or bluish with vertical bars, but once they mature they turn blue/purple without the bars.

Mine exhibit the characteristics of acei--they mainly swim together, they don't bother the other fish, they are often swimming in the upper levels of the tank, the adults are between 4.5 and 6 inches and they eat like pigs. If mine are hybrids they must have 95% acei genes.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

This fish has the wrong shape, and bars that are not consistant with acei.


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## rogue-ish (Aug 16, 2007)

id put my money on cynotilapia afra, i have a tank of them speciated to the blue reef, but they come in many different speciations

maybe jalo or chewere??

google image cynotilapia afra and look around


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## becadavies (Apr 2, 2007)

He looks nothing like acei...far too chunky!! and the face is all wrong!

Is he always that colouring (like in the pic)??? I only ask because he looks like he has some yellow colouring on his head!!

I would have to agree with fogelhunds first comment......i just cant put my finger on it!!

He might well be a hybrid....

xxx


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## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)

Not like any Cynotilapia that I have seen. Definitely could have some Lab. hongi in it though....


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## highlucks (Oct 6, 2008)

Doane said:


> What about a sub adult rusty? That purple and yellow makes me think its a rusty that is transforming from its juv. colors to its adult colors. The bars concern me but, thats what it looks like to me.


I am with you, i thought rusty even before enlarging the picture


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## cichlids&amp;baseball (Dec 28, 2007)

I agree with the Hongi assumption... there is my 2 cents


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## Zeusterae (Oct 30, 2008)

It's a Labidochromis hongui... :thumb:


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## cmcpart0422 (Oct 4, 2008)

becadavies said:


> He looks nothing like acei...far too chunky!! and the face is all wrong!
> 
> Is he always that colouring (like in the pic)??? I only ask because he looks like he has some yellow colouring on his head!!
> 
> ...


sry it took so long to reply but he does have some yellowing in his head. He isnt always this color. Most of the time he is so black you can almost no see the vertical bars on his body. When it is feeding time or when he is picking on the other fish he turns lighter and seems a little purple and his bars come out more.


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## wheatbackdigger (May 11, 2008)

Looks like a fat Labidochromis hongi


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