My yellow labs do not have any black on them

[colen]

Hello everyone,

I am new to keeping african cichlids. I have recently bought 4 yellow labs for my tank. All other pictures I see of these fish have black on there fins, none of mine seem to have any what so ever. I am still trying to figure out how to use a camera correctly, but these are the pictures I was able to take. Any ideas why they do not have the black on them? Not sure of there age, but they range from 2.5 - 3.5 inches.

Thanks,
Colen.

 

[SunFire]

From what I have seen in yellow cichlids, I believe these are not yellow labs.

I don't know what speices it is. From what i can tell from yur pics, try the link below.
http/www.cichlids.com/gallery/user_gallery/She_s_a_beauty

 

[colen]

Hmm...

When I puschased them I was told they were electric yellows, and I did not no any better. Although from what I can tell they are, but just lacking the black on them. Maybe they are just not matured yet and will still get there colours? Or are you confident that they are not yellow labs?

Thanks for the advice and link.

 

[freshcichlid]

hey, im sorry but as far as i know they are not yellow labs !
juvis will still have the black bar on them, they may be saulosi females or some other africans.. sorry

 

[colen]

No need to be sorry, I love these fish and I will regardless of what they are. I now feel like a fool though

I now have to figure what kind of fish these are. Two of them have egg spots and two don't. I bought these fish off a small lfs (I live hours from everywhere and anywhere). So this place is literally my only source of fish. They told me they were eletric yellows. I suppose they didn't know any better - and neither did I.

I need to do some research on these little guys, if anyone can help me ID them that would be great. I am going to get someone to knows how to use my new camera so I can get proper photos of these little guys.

Thanks.
Colen.

 

[AllusiveLife]

Possibly Zebras? Red Zebras...

 

[colen]

I just tried to take some better pictures and replaced the orginals I posted as they were not very clear. Hopefully this will make it easier for someone to ID them.

AllusiveLife, I am searching for pictures on red zebras but not able to find very much. Do you think thats what they are?

 

[AllusiveLife]

Im pretty sure..


Red Zebra 1


Red Zebra 2

 

[AllusiveLife]

Also, if they are Zebra's, they're very aggressive. If I read correctly, they love algae, it explains why mine try eating the glass of the tank. Also, they are mouth brooders, but many people informed me that the males are blue, and the females are orange/red...

What I would do, if anything, I'd go back there (If its close to where you're located) and see if they sell any red zebras, and for your own advantage if they do, price them, and if they're cheaper than the Yellow's, I'd work out a deal with them.

 

[colen]

Well Sir.

I have been looking a lot of pictures and doing a bit of reading and I would have to say you are right. I only have 4 of these in a 55 gallon and nothing else. They have never shown aggresion towards each other. Although, they are all yellow as you can see from the pics I have posted, so maybe they wont fight?

I will have to do a lot of reading on them now that I own several fish I had not planned to. If anyone has any experience with these fish then please do share.

Thanks for all the help, and if anyone disagrees with them being red zebra's then please do let me know.

Thanks again!

 

[colen]

I am a very good customer at my LFS, but it is pretty small and I know they don't have any electric yellows in right now, actually I have never seen them there. I am not certain I want to exchange these fish though, I have had them for a few weeks now and I am really enjoying them. They get along great, do not seem to have territories or fight...

 

[AllusiveLife]

The interesting thing about yours, is that it looks like it has an orange and a yellow coloration going on. Where the bottom is a yellow, and the top is an orange, and the only time they meet in between is if they do a triangular shape.

No, but I believe they are Zebra's (I think)...


Give them time, mine at first were nice to one another

 

[colen]

How big do these fish get?

I am doing reading/research on them right now but I am having a hard time finding good profiles on these fish, I seem to be getting a bit of conflicting info.

 

[sylvia]

Deffinately not yellow labs. The only yellow lab that wouldn't have the black would be an albino and they are a much lighter yellow, have red eyes and lack the faint darker barring yours have:
http/www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1668

I also think yours look like red zebras (metriaclima estherae) in which the females are a bright orange (some males are also orange). However, I feel the shape may be a little off - particularly the head compared to SOME of your pics (in others it looks right )... Oh and the eggs spots don't necessarily mean anything as females can have them too.:
http/www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1730
Scroll down the 'Images' to see some females. This is a particular sub-type of red zebra in which males tend to also be red (more so than in the other morphs that is). Another problem is that they lack the stripes. Compare them for yourself. here are some more (other sub-types):
http/www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=791
http/www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1729
http/www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=2316

Also, p. saulosi was mentioned. The females do actualy look quite like yours: http/www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1
Again, scroll down for the 'show female' (down the 'images' tab thingy) to see one with a color like yours that also happens to display faint stripes like yours do.

Do you happen to remember the color/patterns of any other fish in the same tank?

 

[colen]

I thank everyone for the time they have spent helping me. Without you guys I would be getting very little progress on this.

sylvia, thank you very much for the post it is greatly appreciated. I have looked at many pictures of female red zebras and I cant find any that are EXACTLY the same. Although, if I look at the pics on the net it is hard to find fish that look the same. Anyhow, as for your question about other fish in the tank when I bought them, there were only 3 other cichlids, which were all gray but had very distinct stripes on them. As I said before, I have to drive 1.5 hours to get anywhere near a place that sells fish other then this LFS. I know the owner does not stock much for cichlids, and does not know much about them himself. He ordered electric yellow cichlids and this is what he got.

I know none of my pictures are very clear but I think we have come to the conclusion that these are not yellow labs. I still have not decided 100% that they are red zebras either as some of the pictures of females look nothing like the fish I have at all. Hmmm…so confusing.