Help ID

[sadaas]

Hi, had this Malawi for a while, not sure what he/she is though, can anyone help ID please?

 

[sadaas]

Some have said caruleus, other kenyi, I'm not sure anymore. He's about 6cm

 

[squirrilah fish]

Definitely not Kenyi, or caeruleus. It looks like I light colored dragon blood, or strawberry Cichlid. I'm not sure exactly what it is though.

 

[GreenLily]

I don't think it looks anything like a strawberry cichlid or a dragon blood, to me anyway. Do you know the approximate age of this fish? I don't think it has egg spots, from what I can tell?

 

[squirrilah fish]

I don't think it looks anything like a strawberry cichlid or a dragon blood, to me anyway. Do you know the approximate age of this fish? I don't think it has egg spots, from what I can tell?

It's definitely not those fish, I was just stating some things that are semi similar, I have often found my fish by starting with googling similar ones, but looking at again, it's definitely not Aulonocara, my bad.

 

[squirrilah fish]

It's similar to a Kenyi I guess, but if it's a Kenyi it will have egg spots, and they have vertical bars as well. But that small it would still be blue as well.

 

[GreenLily]

It's definitely not those fish, I was just stating some things that are semi similar, I have often found my fish by starting with googling similar ones, but looking at again, it's definitely not Aulonocara, my bad.

Why must there be so many different kinds of cichlids? lol

 

[Steli89]

Just looks like a red zebra to me. It's orange color is very faint though so it could even be a red zebra x yellow lab hybrid.

 

[Freakgecko91]

My instinct says hybrid, and I agree with red zebra/yellow lab mix. Where did you acquire this fish?

 

[jahonnimyfav101]

Looks like a lemon peel and I got a male if u no what I mean lol

 

[snowman17]

Stressed red zebra?

Sent from my HTCONE using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[sadaas]

Thanks guys. Got him at my lfs about 1.5 years ago so I'd put him at about 2 years, suppose it's possible he's a hybrid. Last time I got fish from a shop and I guess this is part of the reason why I won't ever again. He has had egg spots before, but they've faded at the moment. He's never been blue like a juvenile kenyi which is why I tend to think he isn't, all in all I'm stumped by this one.

 

[sadaas]

Stressed red zebra might be spot on actually.

 

[GreenLily]

Since you mentioned egg spots, I'm think red zebra for sure. What could be causing the stress?

 

[sadaas]

Yeah it looking pretty conclusive that it's a red zebra. Recently moved it in to a big malawi tank. Had pretty much a whole tank to itself for a year now got a whole bunch of competition.