ID help needed on some mystery fish!

[dragonsong]

A few weeks ago I helped take down a 55g full of africans that had been running for around 24 or so years, and apparently the guy who owned it never bought any fish besides the first stock. So they've been breeding in this setting forever and I've got no idea on what these guys are, they kinda look like cynotilapia? What do you think?

All these are under 2" but the tank had some big ones at least the size of my palm, and there were a whole lot of muddy brown and grey fish which were the females (since I also have fry now from two we got that were holding. Will post more pix once those babies are a little bigger. Some are albinos!

(the grey ones with stripes are the new ones)

 

[wrslrcichlid]

I would agree that they look like some sort of cynotilapia, but from the situation they came from it is likely they are hybrids. Unless the guy had a single species tank or kept correct ratios of fish (1M:3F+) then it is likely the different species interbred. This is even more likely if all of the fish keep their "muddy brown and gray" appearance - assuming there are at least a couple of males in there. As the different species get crossed over and over the distinguishing colors and markings disappear and the most common stay - like the vertical bars.

Hopefully I am wrong, but keep us updated. As I said, I would agree that they look similar to cynotilapia, so maybe as they mature they will turn out to be likely one species. Good luck.

 

[dragonsong]

There were a few really bright ones, blue and yellow with dark stripes, that I'm guessing were the males But there were very few of those so maybe the ratios were ok. Will have to see when these guys start getting bigger.

 

[why_spyder]

I don't see any resemblance to Cynotilapia - but I do to Labidochromis.

 

[Fish_Man_Dan]

i see lab, some sort of stockier mbuna, and peacock... interesting fish, probably the same as those reall colorful ones you saw, because i see hints of blue and yellow on the fish you got