Most Common Question...Please help me ID my Cichlid

[Niki]

Hello all,

I bought a new Cichlid and all I know is that it is a Socolofi.

I know the picture is not the greatest(if you can see it), but if you can help me out I would Appericiate it.

I wanted to call it a Pindani, but he has dark blue verticle and horizontal stripes.

 

[kay-bee19]

Yes, that's a Pindani (better known as pseudotropheus socolofi). The stripes you see are called stress barring. They're a form of visual communication indicating the fish is in a very subdominant role (often seen in among young or new socolofi's). A intimidated young specimen may display prominent barring.

These will eventually fade as the fish puts on some size and rises in the tank's dominance pecking order.

I had a matured male that was solid powder blue. It would display stress bars anytime the alpha male in the tank (a red zebra) ventured within 4" of it. The stripes would appear and disappear in mere momemts. Smaller specimens may display them near full time for months (depending on variables).

 

[Niki]

Thanks so much, I have searched everywhere for vertical stripes and I couldn't find any info or matching cichlids.

This makes sense as I was transferring him from the pet store to my tank. His stripes have kinda faded but still noticeable.

I noticed he is a bully and has my albino hiding under the filter. He has nipped his tail fins off :-( and he chases my convict every time he sees her!

I have currently moved my albino to my 10 gallon tank to allow him to heal. Once he has healed up I will rearrange the tank and reintroduce him. Do you think this may work?

 

[Mrc8858]

Wow thanks for the thread I've been trying to figure out that cichlid for like a week now haha now not trying to steal the thread but could u id this one for me

 

[joel618]

Wow thanks for the thread I've been trying to figure out that cichlid for like a week now haha now not trying to steal the thread but could u id this one for me

Rusty cichlid.....

 

[Lady_Alia]

Thanks so much, I have searched everywhere for vertical stripes and I couldn't find any info or matching cichlids.

This makes sense as I was transferring him from the pet store to my tank. His stripes have kinda faded but still noticeable.

I noticed he is a bully and has my albino hiding under the filter. He has nipped his tail fins off :-( and he chases my convict every time he sees her!

I have currently moved my albino to my 10 gallon tank to allow him to heal. Once he has healed up I will rearrange the tank and reintroduce him. Do you think this may work?

If you just put it in the tank and it's already tearing other fish apart....I would think that's a bad sign for reintroduction later, IMO.

 

[Niki]

He is a little bugger, do you recommend me bring him back to the LFS and exchange him?

 

[Lady_Alia]

I would. If it's that aggressive now when he's new...you'll have a hard time putting anything in the tank at a later date and IMO, it's not worth the headache. I guess it depends on how attached you are to him and what ur plans are for ur tank down the road.

 

[Niki]

Thanks for the advice, he now has my Convict cichlid hiding behind the filter....he sure is a meanie!

I will be bringing him back tomorrow and will be trading him for another cichlid, do you have any advice for picking out another cichlid?

 

[joel618]

Thanks for the advice, he now has my Convict cichlid hiding behind the filter....he sure is a meanie!

I will be bringing him back tomorrow and will be trading him for another cichlid, do you have any advice for picking out another cichlid?

What fish do you have currently?

 

[Niki]

I have 2 Pindani Cichlids, 1 Albino Pindani Cichlid, I female Convict, and 1 Pleco.

I have them in a 20G tank right now as they are only about 1.5" each.

I will be trading the "new" Pindani Cichlid for another Cichlid I just don't know what kind or what to look for.....I like the Pindani's....I like the Yellow Labs, I like the little orange guys(not sure of the species)

(Also I know this tank will be to small for them when they are fully grown, I plan on getting a bigger tank when the price is right...I am currently on Kijiji.ca every day looking for a great deal for used tanks)

 

[joel618]

I have 2 Pindani Cichlids, 1 Albino Pindani Cichlid, I female Convict, and 1 Pleco.

I have them in a 20G tank right now as they are only about 1.5" each.

I will be trading the "new" Pindani Cichlid for another Cichlid I just don't know what kind or what to look for.....I like the Pindani's....I like the Yellow Labs, I like the little orange guys(not sure of the species)

(Also I know this tank will be to small for them when they are fully grown, I plan on getting a bigger tank when the price is right...I am currently on Kijiji.ca every day looking for a great deal for used tanks)

I would assume the orange are red zebra. Pick a region that the fish originated from and stick with it imo. All that you mentioned, except the convict, are mbuna Cichlids from lake Malawi in africa. Mbuna have different diet and water needs than convicts. If mbuna get fed too much protein they will get "Malawi bloat" and most likely die. Cichlid-forum.com has alot of great info. Based on your current stocking, Rehome the convict imo

 

[Lady_Alia]

I would assume the orange are red zebra. Pick a region that the fish originated from and stick with it imo. All that you mentioned, except the convict, are mbuna Cichlids from lake Malawi in africa. Mbuna have different diet and water needs than convicts. If mbuna get fed too much protein they will get "Malawi bloat" and most likely die. Cichlid-forum.com has alot of great info. Based on your current stocking, Rehome the convict imo

Agreed! You should stick with same lake regions.

 

[kay-bee19]

I will be trading the "new" Pindani Cichlid for another Cichlid...

The issue that I see is you're adding a single new fish. Mbuna's can be very territorial and will treat new mbuna's as intruders to their territory. So you will likely experience the same situation when adding the next new (singular) cichlid.

It's best to add new mbuna's in groups of at least 4. That will at least spread the aggression instead of it being focused on one fish.

Also mbuna's do best in larger groups. Excluding all non-mbuna's and your tank only holds three of them. I would recommend keeping no less than 8 (increasing their numbers for larger tanks...by the way 55gal+ for these guys).

Small tanks and small numbers of mbuna's increase aggression and greatly enhance the capability of the dominant fish.

 

[Niki]

Thanks for the advice.

Do you think I could possible keep 8 1.5" cichlids in my current 20G tank until I get a 55G?

And also what types of Cichlids fall under Mbuna? I have looked and couldn't find anything that helped me out.....

thanks in advance, this website is really helpful!

 

[Ausfish]

Try googling mbuna species, first hit on the list was a full list: http://malawicichlids.com/mw07000.htm

Re your tank size, you have to bear in mind that while your fish are still small their territory requirements remain the same their whole live. A single cichlid may wipe out a 55g tank because it perceives the whole 55g his own. That's why they need so much space!

 

[Niki]

Thanks, Also I just scored a 55G tank that I will be picking up next Friday or Saturday. I'm so excited!

 

[joel618]

Thanks for the advice.

Do you think I could possible keep 8 1.5" cichlids in my current 20G tank until I get a 55G?

And also what types of Cichlids fall under Mbuna? I have looked and couldn't find anything that helped me out.....

thanks in advance, this website is really helpful!

Is it a 20 long? What type of filtration do you have? How often do you pwc?

Mbuna are from lake Malawi. There are 3 different types of Cichlids from lake Malawi; mbuna, peacock, and haps.

 

[joel618]

Re your tank size, you have to bear in mind that while your fish are still small their territory requirements remain the same their whole live. A single cichlid may wipe out a 55g tank because it perceives the whole 55g his own. That's why they need so much space!

That's why it is recommended that mbuna be slightly overstocked, to help spread the aggression.

 

[Niki]

Is it a 20 long? What type of filtration do you have? How often do you pwc?

Mbuna are from lake Malawi. There are 3 different types of Cichlids from lake Malawi; mbuna, peacock, and haps.

unfortunally it is 20 high. And I believe I have Aqua Clear 50 Filter on this tank(Im at work and can not check until I get home) it has a 3 layer media.

I did not think I could mix Mbuna with Peacocks, or am I just getting my information mixed up?