Ive Done It Again. Buying Unknown Fish

[doktor doris]

Hullo,

I went to the LFS today and picked up 3 fish, the look like electric yellows but the are orange, I have 3 2 are the same size, one is smaller.

One of the bigger ones has yellow egg spots.
There are no colours on the fin tips.
They don't take any nonsense from my venustus.
At first I thought they could be Metriaclima estherae but the fish with egg spots is just as orange as the other, no blue at all.

What could they be?

I know I shouldn't impulse buy fish but i was desperate to se something else in my tank.
Please forgive me.

I dont have my camera to hand so no pics until tomorrow.

cheers

doris

 

[shelaghfishface]

Doris...stop the impulse buying hun.. you`ll be and of course the fish will be so much happier in the long run

 

[Ashy_]

Are you getting them from assorted malawi tanks? Is that why you dont know what they are? Go to the library and find a cichlid book with lots of pictures and take it with you when you go shopping.

Could be female/juvenile solousi? red zebra?

 

[doktor doris]

That is correct Ashy, Iam buying from a tank that simply bears the sign-"malawi cichlids"

However I was desperate to get some more fish so my venustus could spread his aggression around a bit and leave my mystery fish alone for a whille.

Also, now I dont know if this will work, I chose fish that looked like the fish I knew were okay to keep in my tank.
My reasoning being that if they had similar mouth and body shapes they must fit in the same enviromental niche, so presumably they would behave in a similar manner, with regard to their aggression level.

cheers

doris

 

[doktor doris]

Shelagh,
have you really gone?

I tried to PM but your inbox is full.

tara
doris

 

[mixmaster jay]

apparently this is a orange zebra personally ive not heard of these but have a look at it doris

http/images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=h...sa%3DN%26um%3D1

 

[doktor doris]

That's it!

Well done.

I have 3 and the smallest one is a treat to watch, it has scooped loads of substrate away from a rock and made a cave.
It sits in there until it leaps out and chases a much bigger one, plucky chap!

They are full of beans, the venustus and other don't worry them at all.

doris

 

[mixmaster jay]

i think they look cool, mine do that too lol its well fun watching them

 

[afishdude]

Shelagh,
have you really gone?

I tried to PM but your inbox is full.

tara
doris

I don't get it. Don't respect the AN? Whats the AN?

 

[doktor doris]

SWERS YOU ARE GIVEN.

perhaps?

doris

 

[mixmaster jay]

so what cichlids are you going for next then just so i can get ready with info for you lol

 

[Ashy_]

Demasoni

 

[dthoffsett]

They're likely Metriaclima estherae, they are commonly called red or orange zebras. In the wild you rarely see orange/yellow males but they are quite common in the aquarium trade.

 

[doktor doris]

Actually I rather like the look of Demasoni.

I also like the ones which kept biting the lfs lady as she got my fish!
The stripey jobs-something like auratus.

Actually I got in touch with the ebay chap who was selling pairs and asked him to sell me 1 male and a few females, he offeered me-

I can do you a a trio of Metriaclima Hajomaylamdia @ 3-2.5 inch and a trio of Labs @ 2-2.5 inch for £30 plus £15 for delivery.

so they will probably be my nest fish.

doris

 

[Ashy_]

Dont get an auratus it will ruin your whole tank,