# Is this a Trimac or a Flowerhorn. Please help



## Ramzies007

Hi, Would appreciate if you could help me to identify this fish, the store keeper told me this is a Flowerhorn but I searched the web and I feel this one is a Trimac.
Its about 7.5 inches long.

http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff417/Ramzies007/IMG_0997.jpg
http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff417/Ramzies007/IMG_0996.jpg

Thank you so much in advance


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## Flippercon

Not too sure. Just wait SK will respond to this on most likely and she should be able to tell you. :thumb:


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## 24Tropheus

The Flower Horn fish is a mix of different cichlids of Central America, Amphilophus trimaculatum (Trimac) or Amphilophus Citrinellus (Midas). The characteristics of these wild predecessors also affected the nature of these bulls. First, these fish were bred and traded with in Asia, some time later the flower horn craze covered North America as well. They cross and back cross with other CA cichlids.

As a random fish even if it has most of the traits of Amphilophus trimaculatum (like yours) I would still suspect some flowerhorn in there, these being so common in the hobby and back crossed with trimaculatum very easily. As it was labelled Flowerhorn then lots of respect to the dealer. Flowerhorns that look like the original species are often sold as these rather than as "low grade flowerhorns"

If you want a pure undisputed Amphilophus trimaculatum then these days you have to go back to wild or guys who only breed fish from wild.

Must say it looks quite like a trimac to me but then these are now rare in the hobby in their pure form and very much dought you will pic up a pure trimac labeled as flowerhorn. The reverse sadly being far more common.

The lack mutiple clear spots on the side kind of goes towards my guess that it is a flowerhorn or flowerhorn cross rather than a true trimac. Not conclusive proof some trimacs have just three spots but its quite rare.

A photo of a pure trimac to compare.









All the best James


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## Chromedome52

The mature _trimaculatus _usually has the spots boiled down to three, sometimes even two - forehead and caudal peduncle. And when I say "mature", we're talking well over 12 inches. I can line up several photos that I know to be pure, and I still refuse to call any fish that didn't come from a limited number of verifiable sources as _Amphilophus trimaculatus_. Keeping a pedigree on a _trimaculatus _is an absolute necessity, as there are many low grade Flowerhorns that are indistinguishable from the actual species.

This is further complicated by the fact that there is a strain of Flowerhorn that "they" call a Tri-Mac. Don't know what the specifics for that line would be for identifying it.

Personally, without further pedigree on the fish in James' picture, I would label that as a 90% likely Flowerhorn due to the pink color, as opposed to an actual red, which is known on some wild populations. However, intensity is only part of the problem; the color is spread over far too much of the body to be any natural population of Trimac that I've ever seen. Doesn't mean it isn't, as this is a widespread species and varies over its range. Just that I would expect more data before accepting it as such.


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## bernie comeau

Now days, it is fairly unlikely to find pure trimacs unless you order from a reputable dealer such as Jeff Rapps. Flowerhorns seldom, if ever, breed true----you get offspring that resemble some of the original species that were used to develope flowerhorns. Trimac looking flowerhorns are not uncommon; some are very difficult, if not impossible to distinguish from a trimac, and these are refferred to as 'low -grade' flowerhorns. Most likely your fish is one of these 'low-grade' flowerhorns.

I'd be very, very suprised if the picture that 24 tropheus has posted is really a pure trimac. I know there are some very differring regional populations of this fish, but this fish would be very, very untypical of a true trimac. It lacks not only the tear drop marking below the eye, but also the blood red eye that is so typical of any trimac I have ever seen. As well (as Chromedome points out), the pinkish coloration rather then red on the belly, and the fact that this color is spread through the body. The whole body and fin coloration is very untypical as well as a top lip that protrudes past the bottom lip-----the very opposite on mature Trimac specimens, the bottom lip protrudes past the top lip and is often upturned.
Here's a pic of my trimac from 1988 (long before there was such a thing as a Flowerhorn). It's a fairly young fish in this picture but as Chromedome points out, the spots on the body fade away with maturity until only 2-3 spots are left. Note the blood red eye, the tear drop marking below the eye, the red breast and greenish body color.


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## 24Tropheus

I think the one in the pic I posted is WC from a small river south of Tapachula Chiapas.


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## Ramzies007

Hey guys thank you so much for the information. I have learnt a lot. I was able to take 2 more clear pictures. The dealer doesn't have much knowladge about cichlids. The one I brought (who is in the picture) had got beeten up a bit (felt really bad so I brought) as you can see. Is this a male?


















Thank you so much for the advice.
PD


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## 24Tropheus

OMG I posted a low grade flowerhorn pic instead of the pic I wanted to post.
Sorry about that.   









And thanks for being kind of kind to me about the pic.

Looks male to me but vent to be sure.

All the best James


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