# Newbie here, would like help confirming ID of a few cichlids



## mishelly (Dec 6, 2012)

I am new to owning African cichlids, but have been trying to educate myself on keeping them. My 40 gal tank recently fully cycled (ammonia: 0 ppm, nitrites: 0 ppm, nitrates: 5 ppm) and I went to pick up some African cichlids at the LFS (West LA). I decided to go with 5 until I look for additional ones at another fish store this weekend, since the one I just visited had a limited smaller/younger selection, though they were all very healthy looking. I plan on keeping somewhere between 8-10 cichlids total in my tank.

I got a pair of yellow labs, another that the fish store called a "tangerine" which I assumed to be a red zebra (~3"):








(orange-colored one)








apologies for the blurriness!










I also got what they claimed to be an electric blue (~2.5"). This fish has been having fluctuating colors, which seem to be dependent on the amount of lighting in the room or if it is resting. I notice that its colors look much darker at certain times, usually when it is at rest or immediately after I turn on the room lights. Otherwise, when it is alert and swimming around the tank, its colors look a lot lighter. I am curious as to why this is so, as the other fish in the tank don't have such drastic color changes (other than the one yellow lab with black fin markings becoming bolder right after I turn on the room lights). Anyone have ideas? Is this normal or is it especially stressed? It also seems quite aggressive, relative to the labs.

lighter color:







(next to the labs)








(next to red zebra)



















darker:









When I went to pick up fish, I must say that I am guilty for falling for this little bright guy (~1.5") in a tank with many others of his same kind. They were only labeled "African cichlids" so I didn't know until I came home to find out that he is probably a Kenyi. I do notice him to be already pretty aggressive and swims around less with the others...eek!


















I'd appreciate help confirming the identity of these three fish. And I'd love if I could get some recommendations on which species I should stock the remaining 3-5 cichlids with. Should I keep the Kenyi or should I try to exchange it for a less aggressive fish?

Thanks in advance, everyone!


----------



## allie1025 (Jan 2, 2013)

all i can identify are the bottom 2 which do appear to be kenyi an you will need to rehome them asap. you will end up with 1 kenyi imo.


----------



## mishelly (Dec 6, 2012)

Thanks for the quick response -- those are actually 2 photos of the same fish (Kenyi). Should I still exchange it, you think? Thanks!


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

What are the dimensions of your tank? Some of the fish have damaged fins in the pictures.

It's possible the orange fish was called tangerine because it was a hybrid between a red zebra and a yellow lab or some other mix.


----------



## mishelly (Dec 6, 2012)

It's 36"L x 15"W x 16"H. Yeah, I noticed some slightly damaged fins. I took these photos the day I got them from the store where they had more densely populated tanks, so hopefully the injuries didn't happen after introducing to my tank. So far, I haven't noticed any nipping among the fish, just some chasing when there is food.

Thanks for helping! Sounds like the orange guy might be a hybrid.


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

OK, in a 36" tank you want to keep a single species of dwarf mbuna. The kenyi, tangerine and electric blue will be too big/aggressive for a 36" tank.

You could do 1m:7f of the yellow labs as one option.

If you want to keep some of the other fish, you want to have a tank that is at least 48" long and preferably 48" x 18". Height and gallons don't matter too much.


----------



## allie1025 (Jan 2, 2013)

mishelly said:


> Thanks for the quick response -- those are actually 2 photos of the same fish (Kenyi). Should I still exchange it, you think? Thanks!


absolutely exchange that kenyi. it will kill all the others. honestly i think you are going to have issues anyway. real tricky to set up a 40g tank be successful.


----------



## mishelly (Dec 6, 2012)

I'm going to try to return the blue and kenyi. Would it be possible to still keep the tangerine or is that also out of the question? It seems to be the least aggressive among the three (electric blue, kenyi, tangerine).

Looks like I will definitely keep the yellow labs. I believe they are one male and one female (based on the black on the ventral and anal fins, along with egg spot, for one of them) though they might still be too young to be sexed. The one I believe is male has been seen "flirting" with the female with his shivering.

Are there any options for a second less-aggressive species in the tank with the labs? I'd like to have some color variety, if possible. I have read that some 40 gal tank owners have been successful keeping their yellow labs with acei, C. afra, socolofi, rusties, or other labs like Labidochromis chisumulae or blue lab? What is your opinion on the most compatible tank-mates for my yellow labs and how many should I get? I think I'll also end up getting another 1 or 2 female labs.

Thanks again!


----------



## Yael (Nov 25, 2012)

You can't tell gender of yellow labs by color or markings - good quality labs look alike, specially when younger and not dominant. The only way to get a good idea about gender of yellow labs is by venting them. The females have a vent that is larger relative to the anus while the males look the same for vent and anus.

If you're going to go with labs only, I'd go with a reputable source and get quality labs - there's a lot of poor looking labs out in local fish stores. They don't color up well and have poor black barring. You'd be better off ordering a dozen juvies from a good online source and as the males declare themselves by behavior or when they get big enough to vent - remove all but one male. Done that way you'll have a nice breeding group with interesting behaviors and the fry will be of good quality.

Personally I'd take all those fish back because they look pretty beat up. Makes me suspicious of the store you bought them from.


----------



## IanR29 (Dec 13, 2012)

Normally these cichlids are in the "assorted African" tank for a reason. They are either **** quality or hybrids. Every once In A while you may find a gem but its rare.

The bigger the tank the more you can get away with but in a 36" there's not really a whole heck of a lot you can do. Acei can grow 6-7+" so they will be too large for a 3 foot tank. You may be stuck with the 1 type until you upgrade. Socolofi will be too aggressive, c. Afra may be ok if it's jalo reef but afra are kind of sensitive towards aggression and being bullied.

I would also take everything back and find a reputable online seller and purchase ps. Soulosi. Males are blue striped and female are yellow. The contrast is quite beautiful.


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

mishelly said:


> acei, C. afra, socolofi, rusties, or other labs like Labidochromis chisumulae or blue lab?


I agree with IanR...you could keep some of these instead of the labs, but I would not combine them in a 36" tank. And I would not do acei or socolofi in a 36" tank at all.

Saulosi is an excellent choice for a 36" tank where you can have a single dwarf species and two colors.


----------



## mishelly (Dec 6, 2012)

Thanks, everyone for the helpful feedback. Sorry I am such a beginner and really thought having the smaller tank meant stocking fewer cichlids, not also smaller species. I will go ahead and return all the fish I got this past weekend and consider the saulosi. Does anyone have any favorite online retailers for this particular species? I am assuming they will be unsexed as juveniles, but what would be the target number of males to females? Realistically, I know that ordering a batch will likely not end up with the proper male:female ratio. If I order fish online, if I end up having too many of one sex, what is the best way of re-homing them?

Another quick (and probably really stupid) question. Yael mentioned that the fish I got looked "pretty beat up," but other than the nicked dorsal of the tangerine, I really guess I am too naive to catch the other reasons why she would have suggested this. I actually thought these fish looked in pretty decent shape relative to what I had seen in many other fish stores (I visited 4 before this settling on getting fish from this store). Could you please point out what I might be missing so I know what to keep an eye out for next time I buy fish?

Thanks again -- greatly appreciate all the advice!


----------

