Trying to identify

[Snuff]

I don't know if this can be done or not without a pic (probably not), but there is a tank of mbunas at my lfs, and there is one in particular that I like the looks of, but I haven't been able to completely identify him yet, so I don't know if he will be compatible with the tank I am planning.

At first I was thinking he might be a Pseudotropheus sp. "Acei", but he is not as blue, almost seems a more purple-blue.

Then I was looking at thought he might be a Maylandia greshakei because the purple-blue color is more right, but most of the pictures I have seen with them orange fins, and the guy at the lfs has bright yellow ones.

If it helps I don't see any vertical bars on them.

I would love to maybe have a couple of these fish, but I want to know what I am getting and if they will fit in my plans. I don't know if anyone could help me, and if not I may try and go snap a pic at the lfs and post it up for some help. Any suggestions are appreciated

 

[J_acon]

Hi there, i know what you mean. I haven't started my cichilds tank yet but i do look at them in the LFS and is a pain to identify them. Why don't you ask the LFS guys to name the fish for you? 80% chance they know and if just to confirm they are right go back home do a search on the name they give you and check the pictures.

Try this website, it will help you with the ones from Lake Malawi

http/malawimayhem.com/

Hope it helps and good luck.

 

[thecichlidaddict]

I wouldn't trust an LFS employee to accurately identify a fish in a mixed tank.

When trying to identify, pay more attention to body shape then color. Body shape will help you figure out what genus (pseudotropheus, labidochromis, etc.) the fish is from. Color can differ between different fish depending on their genes. I have seen purple/blue Acei. Can you sneak a camera into the store and snap a pic?

 

[Snuff]

I am looking at the body shapes in pictures, but it's not helping because my I'm trying to rely on memory, which in my case is a BAD idea.

I guess I am going to have to try to get in there with a camera. The people at this lfs are pretty cool so I doubt it will be a problem. I will post one up after the next time I go.

 

[Snuff]

Well, I snapped off my pics, and I was right, relying on my memory would have been bad. The pics are a bit blurry, I'm new to taking pics of fish, but I hope they are good enough to make an ID. I snapped 3 pics of the fish.

 

[Snuff]

Also, I was wondering if anyone knows what this one is. I thought it could be a zebra cobalt (Maylandia callainos) but I'm not sure. I really have trouble translating what I see at the lfs into what I see on the net. Practice makes perfect I guess.

 

[bodasafa]

hey looks like a acei cichlid to me live aquaria has them for $7.99 how much were they there

 

[TheeMon]

Also, I was wondering if anyone knows what this one is. I thought it could be a zebra cobalt (Maylandia callainos) but I'm not sure. I really have trouble translating what I see at the lfs into what I see on the net. Practice makes perfect I guess.

oh oh 2nd that, my lfs has them same exact ones! but my question is, if it really is a cobalt zebra will it get a darker blue later on?

 

[Snuff]

Does anyone have an ID for me?

 

[TheeMon]

not i im even newer to this junk then you

 

[Exiled]

Also, I was wondering if anyone knows what this one is. I thought it could be a zebra cobalt (Maylandia callainos) but I'm not sure. I really have trouble translating what I see at the lfs into what I see on the net. Practice makes perfect I guess.

Yes this is most definatly a Pseudotropheus zebra cobalt. Maybe it's just the lighting---but it doesn't look that nice. No, they are not known to darken up as they get older.

 

[Exiled]

Well, I snapped off my pics, and I was right, relying on my memory would have been bad. The pics are a bit blurry, I'm new to taking pics of fish, but I hope they are good enough to make an ID. I snapped 3 pics of the fish.

Body shape, scull shape, and coloring of the fins lead me to believe that that is a Cynotilapia afra "Yellow Top"/or "Yellow Dorsal"

 

[TheeMon]

Also, I was wondering if anyone knows what this one is. I thought it could be a zebra cobalt (Maylandia callainos) but I'm not sure. I really have trouble translating what I see at the lfs into what I see on the net. Practice makes perfect I guess.

Yes this is most definatly a Pseudotropheus zebra cobalt. Maybe it's just the lighting---but it doesn't look that nice. No, they are not known to darken up as they get older.

thank you kind sir(or mam) and i doubt it was the lighting because my lfs has the same ones just like that heh