Identify my cichlid?

[truckpoetry]

OK, so I "rescued" this beautiful guy (looks a little beaten down) from a pet store who had received it as a return from a customer who had been keeping the poor fellow in a 20g tank. He is quite a bit happier in my 125, I think, but I have no idea what it is...

Any thoughts? More pictures available if necessary.

http://www.truckpoetry.net/fishies/bigzebra_1.jpg

He/she's about 4" or so long, bright orange face, fading to a more muted orange color through the rest of the body. I originally thought it might just be a BIG red zebra, but now I realize that there's no way, as they just don't usually get that big...right?

Any ideas appreciated...also would appreciate a link with a pic/reference for the cichlid somewhere on the web if you have one...

[truckpoetry]

Oops - I realized this should be in the African Cichlid Identification forum. If a moderator will move my post, I'd appreciate it. Newbie newbie newbie...

[tom]

Welcome, truckpoetry

Looks like a male red zebra to me. And yes, they go 4" and more.

[truckpoetry]

Interesting...See - it is much more faded and almost white on the body, whereas my other red zebra is BRIGHT orange all over (almost like orange marmalade), is about 2" long (junior size) and has bright yellow fins...this one has white fins...

Sound like my other might be female? I dunno. Perhaps this poor rescued soul just needs a better diet to have some better color (or perhaps it just isn't as colorful). I still think he's a nice looking fish!

Thanks for the help...

[tom]

Originally posted by truckpoetry
Interesting...See - it is much more faded and almost white on the body, whereas my other red zebra is BRIGHT orange all over (almost like orange marmalade), is about 2" long (junior size) and has bright yellow fins...this one has white fins...


That's precisely why I think it's a male. Not all male m. estherae are blue; some have what often appears to be a milky-white, almost "filmish" appearance which seems to mute the orange.

[truckpoetry]

Gotcha - THANKS!!! Good to know that my guess was close (the file name on that image is bigzebra_1.jpg) :)

[SGypsyMermaid]

maybe it's a pseudotropheus flameback?

[truckpoetry]

No, don't think so - because there's no blue anywhere, OR vertical stripes. every pic of a P. flameback I've seen has dark vertical stripes....this one doesn't appear to have any signs of those.

Unfortunately, doesn't look like this guy's doing too well. He's been lounging at the bottom all day and swimming quite funky (straight down and sometimes upside down). Perhaps "rescue" I did not...just hoping if he's sick it doesn't spread.

Thanks for all the help.

Cameron

[SGypsyMermaid]

i have one surviving flameback subadult, i don't know whether it's male or female, but it's not blue and the stripes are very faint.

[Athena]

truckpoetry your fish is a Metangula, and of that I am 100% sure... So what's a Metangula right? Well... They used to be classified as Pseudotropheus Zebra sp. Metangula, much as a Callainos is a Pseudotropheus Zebra sp. Callainos... Which means Tom is also right about it being Maylandia Estherae, it's just that it does actually go one step further. This is not a morph from Aquarium breeding, but is actually something that is found in Lake Malawi...

How do I know?

Meet Pinky. ;)

http://members.lycos.co.uk/athenamarie/TFC/MeetPinky1.jpg http://members.lycos.co.uk/athenamarie/TFC/MeetPinky2.jpg

I researched the snot out of the subject when I got him, in hopes of finding him mates. Females are identical, other then being a bit smaller and possibly having a bit less color. Oh, and males get this nice fat head that Pinky has, which actually leads me to believe yours might be female!

Anyhow, I hope that helps... If you have a better pic I can sex it for you too. :)

Athena

[truckpoetry]

WOW!!!! That's the one...

While I can't be sure until this one's poor fins grow back (he was apparently quite picked on in his prior environment), your PINKY looks VERY much like this poor kid.

HOWEVER! I have EXCELLENT news... In a previous post, I reported that this fish wasn't doing so hot. He/she/it was swimming almost straight down all of the time, etc. the day after I brought it home. I am happy happy to say that after a day or two of isolation in a breeding net to keep my other fish away, this little chap is now doing VERY well, and has regained a voracious cichlid appetite (LOVES LOVES LOVES zucchini), and is swimming around quite happily now.

HOPEFULLY, we'll start to see some fin growth/improvement soon. I also need to get myself some fast film in a camera (instead of a silly bad digital camera) and get some good shots.

Thanks for the help!
Cm

[truckpoetry]

Here are some more pictures. Not sure if this will help you sex this loverly little fishy for me - as these were also taken with my craptastic digital camera and there's some glass glare from bad lighting, but we'll see. Definitely lacking in the puffy head that Pinky has, though.

http://www.truckpoetry.net/fishies/bigzebra_2.jpg

http://www.truckpoetry.net/fishies/bigzebra_3.jpg

http://www.truckpoetry.net/fishies/bigzebra_4.jpg

Thanks!

[Athena]

Hey truckpoetry,

I once again would have to say that based on the pics, I believe that you have a female Metangula... I would continue to observe this fish as it grows and becomes more healthy, but I think that's what you have. :)

Hope that helps,

Athena