any body know what this is?

[cichlidgirl]

Had this for about 6 mo and cant id it. It was bought as a c. moori but does not look exactly like one. It does school with the moori, sifts sand with the moori, has some moori traits but not the markings. It was silvery gold as a juvie and now it is a silvery blue. Its about 4 inches and growing still.

 

[Nic]

one of those cichlid fish from africa???

 

[cichlidgirl]

Yes, its african but which one is the million dollar question LOL.

 

[Hapdude]

Boy that's a tough one!!! When I saw the first two pics, where it's very blue, I figured it was probably Protomelas annectens. But they usually don't show egg spots! Then I thought maybe Placidochromis phenochilus, but they tend to have white lips! Now because it seems to be turning more of a silvery-blue, maybe in the Lethrinops group? You don't mention if it's a dominant or subordinant fish in the tank? The coloration as well as the bars and blotches will change depending on their rank in the tank! Whatever, it's a beautiful fish. Keep us posted as it grows and maybe then it will be easier to ID.

 

[cichlidgirl]

It is not the dominant fish, but not the one picked on all the time either. I should have mentioned it looks so blue in a couple of the picks cause i have a double light strip with marine glo bulbs in the back and white in the front. the ones where it is silvery blue are taken with the regular white lights, day time lights. He gets very irregular black vertical banding down the entire side of the fish. I will try to find a pic that shows this better.

Here it was as a juvie when he started his color change:

Here it is in a current pic, showing the vertical banding.

 

[Hapdude]

I think we can rule out the Lethrinops group after looking at your additional pics. It certainly looks alot like a C.moori. It's deep bodied, small mouthed, faint verrtical bars! What's throwing me off is the ones I had years ago never showed any eggspots! Maybe someone else will jump in here with an opinion? Is there a chance it could be a hybrid? Did you buy it with your other moori's?

 

[cichlidgirl]

No, i got it in a tank with some red empress, if i remember right. It was a while back, it was either with the red empress or the c. moori. Yes it could be a hybrid i guess. I have not seen other hybrids at that petco. But anything is possiable .

 

[bjorn]

yea dolphin c. moori

 

[mike dunagan]

I was on the same track with phenochilus... but it has so many moori features... I would not pass the idea of petco having hybrids.... I see it often around here... not saying this is one, but they do carry them...

 

[cichlidgirl]

yeah, anything is possiable. I was just hoping maybe somebody had one before. I have tried to id it on numerous sites before. No luck. I think it must be some sort of c. moori hybrid.