# 2 unknowns... dark with yellow tipped fins & maybe a hyb



## PeppaChica (May 9, 2010)

I'm new to the site, but have been spending alot of time reading up on "mixed african cichlids" Now I know I was "con'd" into thinking they would all live happily ever after by the LFS.....

So I have an Electric Yellow, Red/Orange Zebra, a very mean young male Kenyi, and 2 others I'm not sure about.. Any help with IDs on these will be greatly appreciated. I am in the process of removing the Kenyi since he is the main problem causer at the time.. but I'm trying to brainstorm on how best to keep my current selection happy! I will post pics after I have a few posts...

1. Is very dark (almost black) with a hint of yellow, and some yellow on the edges of the fins. The pics make him look almost blue, but to the naked eye, I see NO blue in him....

2. Is Albino towards the head, but orange towards the tail, & red eyes... a hybrid?

Any input to direct my research is greatly appreciated!


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## PeppaChica (May 9, 2010)

1. Is very dark (almost black) with a hint of yellow, and some yellow on the edges of the fins. The pics make him look almost blue, but to the naked eye, I see NO blue in him....


































2. Is Albino towards the head, but orange towards the tail, & red eyes... a hybrid?


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## Melanochromis (Mar 30, 2005)

I'm not sure about the first fish, although it could be an Aulonocara or Copadichromis. :-?

The second fish is an albino Metriaclima Greshakei. :thumb:


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## ash01 (Feb 24, 2008)

First fish looks like a stressed out Aulunocara Lwanda. They are a very beautiful fish when kept in the correct set up ie. i would only keep him with other peacocks and haps but NO Mbuna !!!

Hope this helps with ID. :thumb:


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## MattyP (Feb 25, 2010)

The Albino is Metriaclima Pyrsonotos (Albino Red Top Zebra)

I Think...


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## MattyP (Feb 25, 2010)

Also the blackish one is def has a Peacock type body/shape and finiage...
But the coloration and face are odd...


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

The first one looks like a male Copadichromis borleyi

Second ... albino Red Top Zebra, not sure about the exact species, if pure.


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## PeppaChica (May 9, 2010)

Thanks for all the responses! So.... taking into consideration that I have:

electric yellow
red/orange zebra
male kenyi
possible Metriaclima pyrsonotos or Metriaclima greshakei (Albino)
possible Copadichromis borleyi (Mara Point) or Aulunocara Lwanda....

Who can be grouped with who? Are they all going to have to be separated for any chance of survival?

Thanks!


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## ash01 (Feb 24, 2008)

What size of tank do you have? You need to decide if you would like to keep Mbuna or Haps and Peacocks first. Mbuna like being in about lots of rocks and Haps and Peacocks like a little cover from rocks but mainly open water with a sandy bottom.

Your Mbuna are -

electric yellow 
red/orange zebra 
male kenyi 
possible Metriaclima pyrsonotos or Metriaclima greshakei (Albino)

and your Hap/Peacocks are -

Copadichromis borleyi (Mara Point) or Aulunocara Lwanda

Haps/Peacocks prefer a much larger tank at least 5ft or bigger. My all male Hap/Peacock tank is a 5ft 450ltr tank and they seem really happy but its a shame i don't have room for bigger as i would of doubled the size of the tank.


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

i agree with Copadichromis Borleyi, no clue about the albino one


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## PeppaChica (May 9, 2010)

I have 2, 30 gallon tanks set up... Right now, they are all in one tank, with the kenyi separated at the moment.... The other tank should be ready in about a week (my husband has been getting it setup and running...) Since I have more mbuna, I would probably go that direction.. Could I house 2 in one tank and 2 in the other? Or should I separate the yellow lab out and have the albino, red zebra & kenyi together? Or does the Kenyi need to be separated out? I want to do the best with what I currently have if that's possible...

As for the hap/peacock "dark" fish that is in question...
I also *tend* to the cichlid tank at the school I work at (whoever was caring for it at first, has since stopped, and so I took over when the principal noticed the pump hadn't been running for about 3 weeks... uck!) I've done the best that I know to do with it (water changes, ciphoning rock/sand, & got the pump working again). It is very established and doing good.

It has a huge pleco, some sort of an albino cichlid, a yellow lab, a red empress, a green terror, & a Copadichromis borleyi, which do fine together (I dont know how long its been setup, but at least 3 years, since I've been there..., the yellow lab, and albino look picked on and ragged sometimes, but neither have died thus far!)

Would my hap/peacock (The mystery dark fish) have a chance in the tank at school? Maybe more of a chance than with the combo I have at home?

Its all so overwhelming but I want them all to survive if possible between the 3 tanks.... (2 30 gallons at home, and 1 125 gal at school)


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

Really the way to keep Mbuna is have at least 12+ fish in a larger tank. Smaller tanks like 30 gallon are really pushing it. A few fish in a small tank end up with the boss fish being way too aggressive and often killing the others. Having more cichlids spreads around the aggression, a bigger tank gives fish more personal space, so the violence is more balanced and less rough. Sort of like if you lock 3 or 4 people in a room they may argue and get nasty, things usually would be more civil with a larger group in a larger space.

So you need more cichlids to make a community tank, I would just stick with the 125. The 30 gallon tanks are hard to set up as a community tank since they are kinda small and you can't have as many fish... some fish are easier than others thou. The Kenyi will be more of a trouble in a smaller tank. The Green Terror can get much bigger than the others. The Green Terror also is not related to the Malawi cichlids, so there is no good reason for fighting other than territory, so that is why the Green Terror gets along with the Mbuna for now.


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## iplaywithemotions (Dec 18, 2008)

The albino is most likely an M. Greshakei. Pysonotos have darker barring and are less commonly found.
Here's a photo of a Metriaclima Pyrsonotos









And here is a photo of an M. Greshakei.


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

If your dark one is a Copadichromis borleyi you are going to need a huge tank in no time, they grow insanely quick, plus males tend to be VERY agressive in show tanks for what i've experienced, unless theres something WAY bigger that keeps him calm (which he will be overgrowing after a few time)... 
but yeah they get really pretty once they shows off his red/blue color 

they get along well on my brother's tank with green terrors btw. I wouldnt mix him with mbunas, is a time bomb in the long run, either the mbunas get him before he grows, or he will end up killing them once is huge enough


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## n.o.musicman (Aug 27, 2009)

I have mixed haps/pecocks with mbuna and really didnt have any major problems except with a red top hongi. I have many copadachromis in my hap tank at eh moment some of which are borleyi and havent noticed any real aggression from the borleyi although they are still small, about 4 inches. I still wouldnt keep africans and green terrors together as south americans usually perfer lower close to neutral ph.


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

n.o.musicman said:


> I have mixed haps/pecocks with mbuna and really didnt have any major problems except with a red top hongi. I have many copadachromis in my hap tank at eh moment some of which are borleyi and havent noticed any real aggression from the borleyi although they are still small, about 4 inches. I still wouldnt keep africans and green terrors together as south americans usually perfer lower close to neutral ph.


yeah 4" is still juvenile, so you wont see much, till they outgrow the others  I had a dominant C. borleyi, and he was crazy territorial with other haps/peacocks and would destroy any fish close to his size :S i had to donate him because he was destroying my entire tank


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## PeppaChica (May 9, 2010)

OK, so the "dark" fish that was practically black with some yellow on his fins...... Well I took the step and moved him to the 125 gal tank at school, and this is what he looks like now!! 
I'm almost POSITIVE he's Copadichromis borleyi (Mara Point) now!




























I knew I was taking chances by putting him in with these fish, but I knew he just wouldnt work in mine (the Kenyi was tearing him up....)... but the second I dropped him into this tank, his color COMPLETELY changed and his head turned blue and his body turned a greenish yellow with a blue sheen!! I couldn't believe my eyes! I thought, "Oh just go find a hiding place so they won't eat you!" But he immediately started following around the Red Empress in the tank, who in turn started to swim in circles and do something like looked like shuddering.... when I left, he had all fins puffed out beautifully and was checking out his new home & new companions.. (I hope it lasts!) I changed the water, and completely changed around the tank in hopes to confuse the others so maybe they wouldn't zero him out... Lets hope it works!


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

He is a Red Fin or Kadango Copidichromis borleyi, not a Mara Point.

The Red Fin Borleyi is 1000+ times more common in the hobby.


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

yeah is an amazing looking fish


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## PeppaChica (May 9, 2010)

Its been a while since I moved these fish over to the big school tank, and wanted to post some new pics to see if they change anyones opinion on what kind they are 

Here is the Albino










Here is what I was calling "the dark fish" that most said they though him to be a Copadichromis Borleyi... he's definately not so dark anymore 


























Any changed opinions or confirmations?


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