Can you identify the fish?

[Cichlid_freak]

Hi,

I bought a few new fish from LFS. I am new to this hobby and store owner's knowledge on fish taxonomy seems as bad as mine so could you please identify the following fish for me? I guess the blue / black one could be johanni.

Alright here are the pics:

 

[xraycer]

You'll have a better shot if you post this in the 'African Cichlid' sub-forum

 

[Blue Bear]

The dark one looks like a Johanni. I'm not positive. Definitely post in the African Cichlids section.

 

[Benno87]

First one is a cross bred female fire fish peacock.

2nd I think is a male auratus or johanni like blue bear said. pic not the best though.
Both African cichlids.

 

[Rafini]

1. an OB peacock
2. a melanchromis species, possibly m. Auratus or one of the johanni complex fish.

 

[Cichlid_freak]

Thank you very much for all the suggestions. Yes, I have found out that the first one is fire fish and the second one is a kind of johanni. Apologies for the poor qualities pictures. My phone definitely needs an upgrade.

 

[Cichlid_freak]

One more question. Do you think johanni and peacock are compatible? I know I should ask this in African Cichlid forum but just thought if you could help ....

 

[Rafini]

they are definately compatible. there is a lot of mystery about the OB peacocks. scientists and hobbyists alike have proposed that they come from crossing a Mbuna with a peacock, because the OB gene is present in a lot of mbuna species. this with a difference in their personality also, hobbyists often say that OB peacocks are more aggressive than regular peacocks.

The ones I kept were pretty aggressive and they were with a Johanni too, they can hold themselves well against any Mbuna. so these guys should be fine together.

You need to overstock a mbuna tank to keep the aggression at a minimum, so if those are the only fish you have I suggest you go pick up more. upping the numbers in your aquarium could be as simple as buying the $3.00 assorted african babys available at most LFS. and then slowly over time replacing them with nicer fish. if you don`t mind having impure species or the possibility of cross breeding (this never bothered me) then you can get some nice cheap fish to fill out the stocking.

 

[Cichlid_freak]

My peacock is really timid and even a juvenile oscar chases her while I feed the fish. Currently I have the following cichlids: johanni, peacock, 2 very small Auratus, and an oscar. I had bought a small jewel but it behaved like a psychopath chasing and biting everyone except the johanni so had to put him away. Would like to put a banana cichlid in its place.