ID Help Please

[bolivianbaby]

A friend brought me several species of african cichlids yesterday. I can ID most of them, but I'm having issues with this one. He's a smoky gray blue color with a white dorsal. The best way to describe him would be a smoky gray blue version of the Nimbochromis Fuscotaeniatus without the red scales and without the red on his tailfin.

I don't have a specimen cup big enough to house him for a picture, so with this description can anyone please help me ID him?

There may be some compatibility issues in my future if I don't get these fish properly ID'd. If he truly is of the Nimbochromis genus, he may also get too big for my 55g tank.

 

[David K. Bradley]

A friend brought me several species of african cichlids yesterday. I can ID most of them, but I'm having issues with this one. He's a smoky gray blue color with a white dorsal. The best way to describe him would be a smoky gray blue version of the Nimbochromis Fuscotaeniatus without the red scales and without the red on his tailfin.

I don't have a specimen cup big enough to house him for a picture, so with this description can anyone please help me ID him?

There may be some compatibility issues in my future if I don't get these fish properly ID'd. If he truly is of the Nimbochromis genus, he may also get too big for my 55g tank.

bolivianbaby:
Is all of the dorsal completely white, or just the tips? If it's just the tips, what color is the rest of the dorsal fin? What color is the anal fin? Is it also absent of red coloring? Are there any egg spots on the anal fin? Are they large or small egg spots?

The reason for all the questions, are because I was looking through one of my fish books, "The Most Complete Colored Lexicon Of Cichlids . . . every known cichlid illustrated in color, By Dr. Herbert R. Axelrod - Second Edition, copyrighted 1993, 1996."

I looked through the Nimbochromis genus section and there are no solid white dorsal fins according to what my book illistrates. Does the fish in question have any shadowy splotchy camouflage markings like the N. fuscotaeniatus, or are they more like verticle stripes?

Does it have any "gold" coloring along it's lateral line, around the lower portion of the gill plate/cheek area and between it's eye and mouth, but does not go across the bridge of it's nose (the area between it's upper lip and the first spine of it's dorsal fin and between it's eyes)?

Additionally, how long is this fish in question? Do you know the age of this fish? I am truly interested in helping you identify the fish in question, so if you might be able to help me out a bit, by answering my questions, if at all possible, it would help me out tremendously.

Thank you,
~David

 

[Regalblue]

Try gently holding it against the glass for a pic& take multiple shots at different angles.
You should be able to get a good one.

 

[bolivianbaby]

bolivianbaby:
Is all of the dorsal completely white, or just the tips? If it's just the tips, what color is the rest of the dorsal fin? What color is the anal fin? Is it also absent of red coloring? Are there any egg spots on the anal fin? Are they large or small egg spots?

The reason for all the questions, are because I was looking through one of my fish books, "The Most Complete Colored Lexicon Of Cichlids . . . every known cichlid illustrated in color, By Dr. Herbert R. Axelrod - Second Edition, copyrighted 1993, 1996."

I looked through the Nimbochromis genus section and there are no solid white dorsal fins according to what my book illistrates. Does the fish in question have any shadowy splotchy camouflage markings like the N. fuscotaeniatus, or are they more like verticle stripes?

Does it have any "gold" coloring along it's lateral line, around the lower portion of the gill plate/cheek area and between it's eye and mouth, but does not go across the bridge of it's nose (the area between it's upper lip and the first spine of it's dorsal fin and between it's eyes)?

Additionally, how long is this fish in question? Do you know the age of this fish? I am truly interested in helping you identify the fish in question, so if you might be able to help me out a bit, by answering my questions, if at all possible, it would help me out tremendously.

Thank you,
~David

Thanks for being willing to help with this David!

The dorsal fin is only white at the tip. The dorsal ventral, and tailfins are all the dark smoky gray of the body. The splotches are camouflage type. There are no lines.

There is no red or gold on this fish anywhere, not on the body or any of the fins. He's around 5", but I'm not sure how old he is.

I'll happily answer any questions you have in order to properly ID him.

 

[David K. Bradley]

Are there any egg spots on the ventral fin?

I may have narrowed it down to one possibly two. But still searching. If at all possible try to take a moderately good photograph of the mystery fish. In a regular tank would be fine. If others are in the photo, it's okay. Just identify the mystery fish in the photo, so I know what it looks like. It would be a great help to have, though.

 

[bolivianbaby]

There are no egg spots. I have to go train a dog so I'll get some pics when I get back.

Thank you David!

 

[David K. Bradley]

Take your time. No need to rush into doing this, so it's fine if you post your photo's when you are not so exerted, like during some down time tomorrow.
Have fun with the dog. )

 

[bolivianbaby]

Sorry it took so long. Training the neighbor's puppy, training our new rescue puppy, and a few "oh snap" moments had me pretty busy for a while.

We have two that I'm having issues ID'ing. The first photo is the one I think looks like something in the Nimbochromis genus.

In the second photo, the fish on the right that looks like some species of jewel has me totally perplexed as well.

 

[Rmelz]

I'll take a shot
1. = N. Venustus aka giraffe cichlid
2. = regular old Hemichromis bimaculatus

 

[Hapdude]

Definately Nimbochromis venustus and a jewel of the Hemichromis bimaculatus complex!