Need help with fish I.D

[IwshIwerAfish]

A friend of mine gave me 4 fish today and brought them to me in a 5 gallon pail so I didn't get to see them closely for 3 hrs while I drip acclimated them. When I did see them I was shocked. I thought she was bringing 2 neolamprologus Leleupi and 2 Caudopunctatus BUT! The 2 Caudopunctatus do NOT look like true Caudopunctatus. What is all your guys thoughts!
Thanks

 

[jaylach]

No idea but nice looking beasties.

 

[IwshIwerAfish]

No idea but nice looking beasties.

Yea they are beautiful fish and I'm definitely happy with them. They were in a 30 gal now they are in a 55. I just had my heart set on true Caudopunctatus fish as I want to try my hand at breeding.

 

[jaylach]

Yea they are beautiful fish and I'm definitely happy with them. They were in a 30 gal now they are in a 55. I just had my heart set on true Caudopunctatus fish as I want to try my hand at breeding.

Understood. Sorry that I could not be any help but my fish knowledge is restricted to what I have kept and know. I'm pretty bad at identifying other species.

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

@Wills?

 

[IwshIwerAfish]

Understood. Sorry that I could not be any help but my fish knowledge is restricted to what I have kept and know. I'm pretty bad at identifying other species.

NP thnx for complimenting them

 

[Colin_T]

The yellow ones look like tangerine zebras (Mbuna) Pseudotropheus zebra or something like that.

The silver ones with orange fins look like Copadichromis borlei or something along those lines.

 

[Wills]

I think Colin is right with the orange ones - Red Zebras, Metriaclima Estherae. I'm not sure on the second one it does look like a Haplichromis species but not sure which one, once it settles and colours come out we can work it out.

They are definitely Malawi rather than Tanganyikans and you have an Mbuna and a Hap so that means they will be tough to raise together - the Mbuna could be too aggressive for the Hap and also Haps are omnivores and Mbuna are strict herbivores so very hard to feed the correct diet which for Mbuna can cause Malawi Bloat if they get too much (any) protein regularly.

Wills

 

[IwshIwerAfish]

The yellow ones look like tangerine zebras (Mbuna) Pseudotropheus zebra or something like that.

The silver ones with orange fins look like Copadichromis borlei or something along those lines.

Awesome man thanks your dead on with the Borlyi it is a Red fin Hap (or Borlyi) Malawi Cichlid and I found out the orange ones are Lemon Cichlid bka ( Neolamprologus Leleupi)
Thanks for the help!

 

[IwshIwerAfish]

I think Colin is right with the orange ones - Red Zebras, Metriaclima Estherae. I'm not sure on the second one it does look like a Haplichromis species but not sure which one, once it settles and colours come out we can work it out.

They are definitely Malawi rather than Tanganyikans and you have an Mbuna and a Hap so that means they will be tough to raise together - the Mbuna could be too aggressive for the Hap and also Haps are omnivores and Mbuna are strict herbivores so very hard to feed the correct diet which for Mbuna can cause Malawi Bloat if they get too much (any) protein regularly.

Wills

I will be wanting to re home all 4 of them in hopes that I can trade them for Caudopunctatus only tank. I designed the tank for Caudopuncts thinking my friend had the right species I wanted. Thank for the help!

 

[Wills]

I will be wanting to re home all 4 of them in hopes that I can trade them for Caudopunctatus only tank. I designed the tank for Caudopuncts thinking my friend had the right species I wanted. Thank for the help!

No probs its a rough feeling getting fish home and realising its not what you wanted - I had it recently with some Rice Fish, not the species I expected and ended up rehoming. I don't think the orange ones are Leleupi as the head shape is all wrong, Leleupi have a really pointed face and cylindrical body where as the Metriaclima look like this.

Wills

 

[IwshIwerAfish]

No probs its a rough feeling getting fish home and realising its not what you wanted - I had it recently with some Rice Fish, not the species I expected and ended up rehoming. I don't think the orange ones are Leleupi as the head shape is all wrong, Leleupi have a really pointed face and cylindrical body where as the Metriaclima look like this.

Wills

Metriaclima lombardoi?? Possibly? I can see that. And yea the heads on these orange ones are not spear shaped like the Leleupi your right after I looked up the Metriaclima. I need to be right when I introduce them for trade. Kind of embarrassing if I don't know. But it's times like this that we get to do some more research and now I know more today than I did yesterday . Thnx again

 

[Colin_T]

The orange ones are not leleupi or lombardoi. They are a Mbuna cichlid.