3 inch laps for $8 would be a smokin deal around here! Sounds more like senegalus from that vendor at that price....
likestofish: If it's a lower jaw with faint horizontal stripes it certainly could be a lap. All that I've seen in dealers tanks lose their pattern and colour and are fairly grey, so I suppose it could resemble a senegal in that respect. Once you get him on a darker substrate or bare bottom the pattern should reappear.
What price and size? Laps are typically wild caught, so I haven't seen any real tiny ones come in.....
Pics would be good!
O