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I finally got a pic of my unknown cichlid, picked from the "Assorted African" tank at the LFS. Here's a link to the pic I uploaded...

http://www.angelfire.com/ab8/harleysiber/index.htm

He's the middle picture, the first is my bigger socolofi, and the third is my 55g. These files are huge, unedited uploaded straight from my digital camera... so it may take a while to load.

Please help me idenitfy!

Also, you may be able to get a glimpse of the other unidentified Mbuna in the middle pic, but he's mostly black and very hard to get a pic of.


Last edited by harleysiber at 16-Apr-2005 21:11

Definately a Haplochromine...
I say a female at that...Any other coloring to the fins????? I can't really tell in the pic
How big is it?

Last edited by mr_cichlid at 19-Apr-2005 20:48

Let's see... a slight black tip to the dorsal fin, and green/gray on the caudal, along with the rest of the body.

He/She's about two inches long (as an estimate) without the tail.

So that's a start. I found this page, but still can't identify this guy. It probably would help if mine was full grown, and had full coloration.

http://www.worldofcichlids.com/gallery_haplochrominex.htm

Any other sites you know of that may help me ID?

The problem with internet sites regarding Malawi Haps is they always show males full of color and all that where the females are typically very drab and dule.
Most sites don't have a broad enough selection....

Would there be any book that can help me identify further? Or would they again only show the colorful males?

The cichlid fishes of Lake Malawi, by Ad Konings is your best bet..

Are those three dots along the side always present?

Last edited by mr_cichlid at 23-Apr-2005 16:33

Went to a different lfs yesterday and saw the same females, not in an assorted tank. I didn't have a pen, so I couldn't write the name down. The picture on the tank was obviously a male, blue metallic that closely resembled the Peacock Profile. The Spots are just confusing me though! And yes, they're always there.

Is that book available at most large stores barnes & noble, borders) or should I try online? I checked Amazon, and there's at least 5 Malawi cichlid books by that author... none with that Particular name. There's one that I hope I can find at alocal store,

The Cichlid Diversity of Lake Malawi/Nyasa/Niassa: Identification, Distribution and Taxonomy

since it's $72.00

Last edited by harleysiber at 24-Apr-2005 13:22

If it would be a haplochromine, odds are its a Haplochromis sp "all red" from Lake Kyoga.

Its for sure a female though. Males have much better coloring.

Heres a pic : http://www.african-cichlid.com/AllRedF150.jpg

Its also kinda hard to identify, since female haps are almost all the same color and shape. The resemblance between your hap and that of h. "all red" is that they both have a black patch in their center and towards the tail end.

Edit: You know what I've realized, your cichlid does not have the bump in it's lower jaw..so it might not be a hap after all (I'm not referring to the haps having a swollen buccal cavity from holding eggs, but female haps have a more  ounced lower jaw).

Last edited by inkodinkomalinko at 24-Apr-2005 16:46

Can you remember Any part of the name of the fish at this other LFS?

Or sounds like

might also be a female Aulonocara species, but if it is you have even less of a chance at identification.
But thats the way I'm leaning

That picture looks like it's got more of a downturned mouth, like a bass. Mine's a normal mouth.

That sounds familiar, but it could be that I was just looking at those so hard in the profiles. They really resemble her though. Any chance she's actually a male that will take on more color eventually?? (Just kidding, I think she's a bit big to still be a juvenile) I'll try my luck at the stores again hoping that one will have some with a sign (and I remember a pen) or at the bookstores. Good thing about the large bookstores around here is that I can just flip through the really expensive books to try and ID this one.... and go back later for the book when I have more money. Never hurts to have a book.

I think almost all aulonocara females have striped patterns, other than the stuartgranti, which are more blotchy. Does yours have  ounced stripes when it's stressed?

Ya know, I have seen no color change at all in this one. She seems to be one of the dominant ones in the tank, and hasn't seemed too stressed at all. Unlike my socolofi who I just found out DOES have stripes (been over a year since I've seen any on him), which have only shown since he's no longer the king of the tank. Oh I love these guys, they amaze me every day.

Looks most like Copadichromis trewavasae to me.

I dont know if you've identified your fish yet but she very closely resembles my female electric blue hap(ahli) from what i can see in the pic.It took me awhile to identify her too because the pic they always show is of the male.