what does a juvenile kelberi look like?

[pbass lover]

I was in a fish store yesterday and they had 2 4-6" peacock bass that didn't look a lot like ocells or orinos. so i'm wondering if they're kelberi or monos or what. they had spots on some of their fins and some large dark blothches on them. If anyone can post pics of that size for a kelberi or mono I would love to see them. Also if a cichla sp. is really dark almost black is it just stressed out or is that it's actual color?
thanks

 

[troutking]

If its really dark almost black then its just stressed out

 

[mad ness]

LFS selling kelberis here (ID unconfirmed), look a lot like an orin but but compared side to side, the kel has lighter pec fins, golder in color, 3 bars on orin are more vertically elongated, last optical bar on kel is rounder, and kel has cheek markings. 3 inch fish. I think it's impossible to tell by looks for sure, just have to rely on the source.

 

[channarox]

i say more often than not,itll be some sort of farm hybrid.
but get a pic and let us ID.

 

[mad ness]

here's mine. 4 orinos, 2 non-confirmed kelberis. observations are consistant for fishes mentioned with in each group.

"kelberis" have the gill markings and consistantly more golden than the orinos. Other differences are larger eyes, lighter colored pectoral fins, no lateral line behind ring on tail (it's short on orinos and in photos kelberis appear to have it but just the fold in tail, not there when fully expanded) , notably higher aggression and rounder vertical bars on "kelberi". Only spangling that can be seen on "kelberis" are on it's back when skin color darkens. dorsal spots reflect differently between the two.

These juvis are 3.5"s. Last pics are of 5.5" kelberis, confirmed by spots on anal fin, bad photos but my guess is when juvis get to this size, it'll be easier to tell. will know for sure in a few months.

 

[channarox]

are you saying the ones you have with the round blotches are the kelberi?

 

[mad ness]

yes, LFS was selling them as kelberi with money back gurantee. i dont know what they are for sure.

 

[Venom SS]

yes, LFS was selling them as kelberi with money back gurantee. i dont know what they are for sure.

They look to be very Orino untill I got down to the last pic, and looks to be noticeable spangling on the anal fins on a few of those. If that is the case, you got Kelberi. No other species displays anal / pelvic spangling.

 

[channarox]

yes, LFS was selling them as kelberi with money back gurantee. i dont know what they are for sure.

hmmm.
they look like orinos to me to be honest.
but hey,grow them out a few inches.

 

[Scatocephalus]

Here are pics of mine when less than 3"