# Recent Purchase Identification



## M.A. Mir (Jun 18, 2008)

Hi, guys. I got this fish a couple of weeks ago and I've been trying to find out what it is ever since, but in vain. I'm not even sure it's an African Cichlid! The pet shop guy couldn't help me much, all he knew is that it's a "fish."
The fish is around 3 to 4 inches (8 to 10 cm) and has a remarkably large mouth for a fish its size. It locks lips with some other cichlids from time to time.
Here's a video that shows the fish in action:





Thanks a lot!


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## SinisterKisses (Feb 24, 2004)

Body shape looks like a Tilapia, but I have no idea after that.


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## M.A. Mir (Jun 18, 2008)

Yeah, I speculated that it might be a Nile Tilapia, but I'm pretty sure I'm off.


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## bl00dr0ck (May 24, 2005)

Perhaps oreochromis mossambicus? The Mozambique tilapia.


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## M.A. Mir (Jun 18, 2008)

Thanks for the info, guys. Turns out to be Oreochromis tanganicae and will grow huge apparently. You think I should keep it in my African cichlid tank or will it beat the **** out of them as it grows? The tank has mostly Malawi cichlids and it's already chasing many of them.


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## Reiner (Jul 17, 2002)

Tliapia for sure and it will certainly grow big enough in your tank to be able to eat all those mbuna. Then again Tilapia tastes really good and is a food fish in many countries so once its big enough you can eat it LOL.


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## M.A. Mir (Jun 18, 2008)

hahaha I don't eat fish =P I guess I'll put it up for adoption, if no one takes it I'll return it to the shop. I wish I could keep it but it won't fit in my 75 gallon, even alone!


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## Dave (Feb 9, 2003)

Reiner said:


> Tliapia for sure and it will certainly grow big enough in your tank to be able to eat all those mbuna. Then again Tilapia tastes really good and is a food fish in many countries so once its big enough you can eat it LOL.


I know that this is a joke, but one should never eat fish from an aquarium. We can use medications and chemicals that are not allowed for fish that are farmed for consumption.


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## Exiled (Dec 26, 2003)

Looks riverine to me. ****, that's one fat yellow lab you have there in the background!


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## M.A. Mir (Jun 18, 2008)

hahaha yeah everyone tells me that it's fat =P I traded in the Oreochromis a while ago, it was freaking all the others out. Last time I buy something impulsively. Thanks for the info, guys.


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

That would grow big, that is for sure.

Always think it is funny how people write that fish will automatically grow 12+" huge and then eat the other fish... usually the biofilter will not handle the load and the fish will not grow that big or some of the fish will die! You would need large daily waterchanges. And only obvious large predators really are that much of a threat to swallow large fish, Tilapia just eat anything they find.


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