Help with I.D.

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V

Venustus

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Apr 17, 2009
26
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North Jersey
Hey all,

About 6 or so months ago I went to my lfs to check out the new stock. I purchased this little dude who was sold as a "Marmalade Jake" Aulonocara. I know it's difficult to determine the sex of a juvenile until it matures. I'm pretty sure this is a female, but I've never heard of a "Marmalade Jake". Can anyone give me their analysis on this little guy (or girl)? There's a bit of a yellow tint to it. Is there a chance this fairly young cichlid still has yet to blossom?

Thank you!!

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Looks like a possible Hybrid. Notice the spots, which is common with juvie hybrids. Probably why they sold it as a Marmalade was to have a fancy name to sell the hybrid.
 
Yea I think it's a hybrid too. I went back to the lfs today and saw some more of the "Marmalade Jakes" and they look like some sort of offshoot of an OB peacock. They all had the blotches over their bodies. Breeders really should stop mixing species.
 
I see more traits of a Lwanda then anything, but strictly a guess. Not sure if both parents were peacocks. Notice the snubbed portion at the end of its head. Just looks weird for a peacock to me.
 
Sure it wasn't Mamela Jake?... Mamela Jake is another common name for Lemon Jake which is a variant of Aulonocara Jacobfreibergi as the Males age they get blue trimmed in a bright yellow. Females will stay somewhat drab with some yellow.

And the spots and nose arent always signs of mixing. I have a spawn of fry which came from an F1 female that had a couple spots and an F2 Male that did not, and there are 2 that have 2 or 3 little black spots on the fins like the mother, and the other 11 do not, also 1 looks like he went head first into the side of the aquarium because it has virtually no snout, like a Malawi Tropheops. These could all be from genetic differences in the parents or minor injuries as fry. Unfortunately there is the possibility of mixing with the rise in popularity of ACs... is a dam shame.

I attached a photo of the mother... unfortunately, she passed not long after she released, still wondering what happend:(

mamaflameback.jpg

sorry for the lack of resolution, this was the only photo that I had of her
 
Dave notice how your spotting was the lateral line. The fish in question has spots scattered. That is a sure sign of a hybrid. Unfortunately most all LFS can only get chiclids from pond farms in Fla. There is one there that had a huge mix up and species were put in the wrong ponds by an employee. That is exactly how the "Sunset Peacock" happened. Rather then lose the fish they are selling them under various names.
 
marmalade implies O.B.-this does not look like a female O.B. It does look mixed-just because it is,doesnt mean it's an O.B.-The black on the topfin almost looks like yellow lab,but how can you tell by looking?The splots dont look like o.b. spots but from mixing others. Either you know or you dont.If you were to get a hybrid from me,you would know.You never know what you're getting from an lfs.I've produced hybrids that are gorgeous specimens,and I know whats in them.like these.btw,I dont get complaints about my fish being purebred![video=youtube;6hYXXvsXZHI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hYXXvsXZHI[/video]
 
Alton said:
Dave notice how your spotting was the lateral line. The fish in question has spots scattered. That is a sure sign of a hybrid. Unfortunately most all LFS can only get chiclids from pond farms in Fla. There is one there that had a huge mix up and species were put in the wrong ponds by an employee. That is exactly how the "Sunset Peacock" happened. Rather then lose the fish they are selling them under various names.
Click to expand...

Actually I was referring to the black spots in the dorsal fin mostly... I really shoulda circled it or something ha ha ha

and she did have the random black spot here and there... but very tiny and hardly noticeable, looked like dirt
 
I agree some species do have random black spotting as juvies and young adults. But this fish in question has an abnormal head shape with the random spotting. Seperately yeah purebreeds can have them. But together I still believe this fish is not pure. Wether from its grandparents or parents there is a definate cross. That is another real issue with Hybrids that they appear normal but their offspring will not. Just my opinion here, no one can be right all the time.

I still believe this fish is a hybrid.
 
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