# Malawi cichlid needs identification please.



## ChromisNZ (Jul 30, 2008)

Hi all.
I purchased this fish 2 years ago from an LFS. It was young and had no colour when got him. I was told it was a Melanochromis johannii which I now know is incorrect.
He is around 6" and he rules the tank.










Thanks in advance for any help.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

If it was not for the size I would have guessed Labidochromis chisumulae
Hmmm no not too much like that anyway.
Some sort of Pseudotropheus umm
Any chance of a photo that shows the mouth shape a little clearer?


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## ChromisNZ (Jul 30, 2008)

24Tropheus said:


> Any chance of a photo that shows the mouth shape a little clearer?


 Does this help?


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

It should do but the only thing it says to me is I do not know the cichlid.
Unless it was my first guess.
Maybe someone else can have a guess.


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## ChromisNZ (Jul 30, 2008)

Hi 24Tropheus. Thanks for your input so far 8)


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## mia_ann (Dec 20, 2008)

It looks a bit like a Pseudotropheus sp. "Aggressive Bars" or a blue dolphin? Perhaps a hybrid? Just a guess on my part.


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## etcbrown (Nov 10, 2007)

Looks to be a Psuedotropheus sp Blue Dolphin, and a very nice looking one as well. Have not seen adults in person as they are only recently available around here. Guess I'll have to pick some up!


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

It doesn't look like the Ps. blue dolphins I've had or seen. Besides, I might think a fairly rare and new cichlid would come with a name in most places. The markings in the dorsal suggest some elongatus lineage, though I really cannot say anything more about this fish than that.


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## etcbrown (Nov 10, 2007)

Strange, it looks very much like the blue dolphin photograph in the profiles section. What makes you think enlongatus? The blue dolphin in the profile has a quite prominent submarginal band in the dorsal. It also shows a lightening of the barring toward the tail which is another common enlongatus trait.

The only thing that I can see that would make me question whether or not it is a blue dolphin is the yellowish perimeter on the fins. The profile doesn't seem to show that and I have not seen any adult blue dolphin in person for reference. But the yellow edges to the fins would make me think metriaclima not enlongatus, as that is a common metriaclima trait.

And it doesn't surprise me for a moment that a fish store would confuse mbuna species, happens hundreds of times every day.

Either way it is a very nice _looking _fish.


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## sjlchgo (Mar 2, 2008)

Definitely not a Blue Dolphin. I have 2 of them.


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## ChromisNZ (Jul 30, 2008)

etcbrown said:


> Either way it is a very nice _looking _fish.


He _is_ a very handsome fellow...... visitors always comment on him and they invariably ask "What's the name of that one?" and I don't have an answer for them. I can rattle off the Latin names for all my fish except for this one :lol:


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

etcbrown said:


> Strange, it looks very much like the blue dolphin photograph in the profiles section. What makes you think enlongatus? The blue dolphin in the profile has a quite prominent submarginal band in the dorsal. It also shows a lightening of the barring toward the tail which is another common enlongatus trait.
> 
> The only thing that I can see that would make me question whether or not it is a blue dolphin is the yellowish perimeter on the fins. The profile doesn't seem to show that and I have not seen any adult blue dolphin in person for reference. But the yellow edges to the fins would make me think metriaclima not enlongatus, as that is a common metriaclima trait.
> 
> ...


M. sp. dolphin or whatever it is called now is a zebra type. Picture one looks nothing like a zebra type body.


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

Not a "Blue Dolphin". I have them. Elongatus species of some sort? Nice Fish!!


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## gmaschke (Aug 23, 2008)

Looks like a photo I found in a book of a pseudotropheus tropheops (mbamba) Only difference is the photo I've got doesn't show the black on the dorsal going all the way back


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

gmaschke said:


> Looks like a photo I found in a book of a pseudotropheus tropheops (mbamba) Only difference is the photo I've got doesn't show the black on the dorsal going all the way back


...and Tropheops has a different sloped forehead.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Metriaclima cyneusmarginatus?
Not much yellow on your guy but maybe?


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## etcbrown (Nov 10, 2007)

ChromisNZ,

What did the fish look like when you first got it? You stated that it had no color. The more I look at it the more I think 24tropheus might be on to something with his Labidochromis guess (the teeth like more like labidochromis) although not chisumulae. Chisimulae are white with dark bars (I have a nice male) but this fish is dark with light bars. Perhaps a Labidochromis lividus?


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## gmaschke (Aug 23, 2008)

guess your right on that forehead Fogelhund


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## ChromisNZ (Jul 30, 2008)

24Tropheus said:


> Metriaclima cyneusmarginatus?
> Not much yellow on your guy but maybe?


The yellow on my fish is really faint.



etcbrown said:


> ChromisNZ,What did the fish look like when you first got it?


He was light brown with slightly darker bars.


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

Why is it so hard to believe that it's a Ps. Elongatus of some sort?????


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

The prob with the Pseudo elongatus ID for me is that it does not match any I know of (I know there are lots so could be a varient cross on that one or just a collection site I have never seen) but also it is not I think elongate enough.

You may be on to something there
The Labidochromis lividus at Likoma do look dark with many stripes. Even darker than this one but at some collection sites they much lighter than this one.


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