is this fish a hybrid?

[severum mama]

I had to get this fish when I saw it, I just thought it was so pretty. My LFS had it labeled as a convict but it doesn't look like other cons I've seen. I know female cons are supposed to be more colorful than the males, do you think this is a female con or some kind of hybrid?

 

[Jchillin]

Mama, this is the closet I could get. There's a small variance but I think it might be...

http://fishprofiles.com/files/profiles/centrarchus.xml

Let me know.

 

[severum mama]

Hmmmm..... :? Thanks for looking that up, but I don't think I have that fish. The markings are much different, which you can barely tell from my newbie photos!

 

[Fluff]

Maybe?

http://www.tangledupincichlids.com/images/honrp.jpg

 

[severum mama]

Wow, that is a really beautiful fish! But mine has a different body shape and not so much blue, and the black markings are different.

 

[Menagerie]

That's a convict, AFAIK. I had one with lots of color.

 

[severum mama]

Oh, cool, good to know. Either way, I love this fish!

 

[BrianNY]

Many cichlids don't get their true adult markings as juveniles. That looks pretty young. Nice pics BTW.

 

[severum mama]

Thanks!!! I know a lot of cichlids look way different as adults, but I have never even seen a juvie around here that looks like that. Yes, she is pretty young. She is only about 2 1/2 inches total length. Are you saying she will lose her color as she gets bigger?

 

[BASSNMAN]

In my copy of Cichlids of the Americas, on page 59 is a picture of your fish. Female Convict. Congrats. If you have a male, you better start shopping for another tank

 

[Frank_the_Tank]

That is one of the best looking convicts I've seen.

 

[severum mama]

Thanks! I thought that $3 seemed like a good price for such a pretty fish. And no, I definitely do NOT have any males, I know enough about cons to know a breeding pair would easily take over my 55 gallon tank. Plus, I have no space to deal with fry.