Help Id This Cichlid

[wendywc]

I don't know cichlids, but I hope I have it in the right section. Anyway, here's pics.

 

[CFC]

Thats an African Cichlid, am not an expert on such matters but i believe its a Malaiwi species and possibly one of the Haplochromis genus (or whatever genus name they are using for them now).

I've moved this to the Africans section where you should get more help.

 

[wendywc]

Thanks for moving my thread, CFC.

 

[RadaR]

WOW! What a nice fish!

 

[Julian F.R.]

Hi, new here

Welll very nice pictures,
from what I can see he is a variant of a venustus maybe or a different specie of Livingstoni.
He is most likely a specie in the group of Venustus varieties.

 

[dthoffsett]

Take a look at this link, especially the pic titled XL Male. http/www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1159

 

[Ferris]

I believe your fish is a Haplochromis Xystichromis from Lake Victoria.

Haplochromis Xystichromis

 

[wendywc]

Thank you, dthoffsett.

 

[dthoffsett]

I believe your fish is a Haplochromis Xystichromis from Lake Victoria.

Haplochromis Xystichromis

I disagree Ferris, here's another link to the xystichromis w/better pictures. http/www.aquarticles.com/articles/breedi...ewman_fulu.html

The unsub has more of a giraffe pattern whereas the Xystichromis has more of a criss cross or zebra pattern. Also the article states the maximum adult size of a male is 4.5", and although there isn't a reference point in the unsubs pic, it looks larger than 4.5".

Either way, it is definately a beautiful fish, and your friend is luck to have him wendy.

 

[Ferris]

It is definately 1 gorgeous fish but please tell me that isn't an Oscar in the background of the 1st pic.

 

[_cRaCkEr_]

Very nice nimbochromis livingstoni from Lake Malawi.

Looks like he's ready to breed.

 

[mamafish68]

Very nice nimbochromis livingstoni from Lake Malawi.

Looks like he's ready to breed.

it's definately NOT a livingstoni





ferris I think your right in the oscar ID.....amazing what people will do or are told is ok to do...

sometimes I think a rubber mallet is in need

 

[wendywc]

Thanks everyone for the comments. I think dthoffsett nailed it.

Anyway, all is well now. My friend was overly excited when she first got him and put him in with her oscar, but he quickly got rehomed that day -- even though he's bigger than her oscar, it was instantly obvious that wasn't a good match.

 

[mamafish68]

tell your friend she needs to do more studying/research of the hobby she's getting into, if she had, she would have never put them together in the first place... I'm glad she avoided trouble this time, hope she learns more before theres a REAL screw up, we've all had our own mess ups, it's how we learn from them and move on thats important



oscars are "new world cichlids"

africans are "old world cichlids" Both terms can be searched online and she can gain some insight into the differences.
PS I'm curious what are the sizes of your friends tanks, what are the ones the oscar & the hap are in??

 

[wendywc]

I told her she had to choose between the new guy and the oscar; she chose the new guy. So the oscar went to a good aquaintence's fish store. That was the better choice anyway, since it's a 55 gallon tank. Anyway, that's why I wanted to know what the fish was, so she could read up on it.