Millions of hybrid crosses plague the African hobby, more so than any other group of cichlids. I personally consider any fish without some kind of provenance back to the wild, or at the very least sourced from a reputable supplier/breeder, as a potential hybrid. Generally one cannot tell with any kind of certainty what the genetics of a fish are, by simply viewing a photo. That reality seems to be lost on a lot of hobbyists that seek confirmation on a fish that is already not properly labelled at the LFS, or by some unknown breeder/supplier. At best one will end up with some guesses as to the species (some good, some maybe not so good), at worst the owner will breed the fish and pass the fry off as whatever wild guess seemed closest.
IMO ones best bet when attempting to ID an unknown African cichlid is to check out the following link, and spend some time viewing the various African species in various sizes & sexes. http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/
Then make your own best guesstimate.
Good luck.
IMO ones best bet when attempting to ID an unknown African cichlid is to check out the following link, and spend some time viewing the various African species in various sizes & sexes. http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/
Then make your own best guesstimate.
Good luck.