what sex and what type of cichlids do i have?

Question

I have 3 "African Cichlids". The guy at my LFS (local fish store) said that they where "mixed african cichlids" and i won't take that as an answer. I need to know exactly what type of African Cichlid it is and what sex it is. I hope these pics are detailed enough! thanks!

http://a353.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/9/l_6c025c79e223887ca8319cd87e4ac9d0.jpg

http://a835.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/24/l_d0a5ce05084d4ae005a2292b502dcdea.jpg

http://a416.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/6/l_b979fccadb318e6cab1288595335b8ff.jpg

I hope those work

Answer 1

The first one looks like it could be a female pseudotropheus saulosi although the color should be a little darker.

The second may be an albino male saulosi. It has the same stripes that the male saulosi has.

I agree that the third one looks like an electric blue hap. I would point out though, that the sunken belly is a symptom of some sort of internal parasite. You might want to start feeding a medicated food that targets internal parasites if it doesn't fill out with good feeding over the next few days.

It is not a good idea to buy "mixed" African cichlids. Most likely they are culls from the breeder that did not grow as fast as their brothers and sisters and will not reach full adult size for their species.

Another possibility is that they are hybrids and nobody really knows for sure what they are. Many of the mbuna from Lake Malawi will crossbreed with similar looking fish from other species. It is almost a certainty that the peacocks from Lake Tanganyika will crossbreed, since the females almost all look alike. Any hybrids are worth almost nothing since they will not breed true to any color line and no serious cichlid keeper will want them knowing they are hybrids.

BTW, the egg spots are not a reliable way to differentiate the sexes. I have had females with egg spots and males without.

Answer 2

I'd go with the first 2 being Mbuna cichlids. The third I'm not sure - possibly hap, possibly Mbuna, possibly hybrid. Both Mbuna and Haps are a kind of cichlid from Lake Malawi in Africa. 'Mixed' is usually code for "we had a bunch of different Malawi fish in a tank, and they bred, and here's what we now have" which often leads to hybrid breeds. As long as you're not planning on breeding the fish, there's not much to worry about with hybrids, but you will have to figure out their temperament and patterns on your own instead of relying on what experts claim certain breeds will and won't do. The second picture (pale with stripes) is either young (so hard to determine gender) or female.
Good Luck!! Hey, they're alive. Great start!

Answer 3

The fish you have look like Lake Malawi cichlids to me. The bottom looks like a rainbow, but I'm not sure of the top one. Google Lake Malawi cichlids...maybe you can find what they are. Make sure you acclimate them well to your tank, and keep up on your water changes! Also, make sure you never, ever overfeed! Fish always need way less than what is indicated on the package of fish food.

Answer 4

Ditto to 8 in the corner on the last fish having internal parasites. Medicated food wold certainly be the way to go for the next several days and if you see the hollow looking belly getting worse or even just not getting better, you would want to consider other treatment options as well.

MM

Answer 5

i would be of no help sorry. I actual have a 125gallon tank crammed with not something yet African ciclids. I keep the tank at a PH of 8.3 using a marine buffer, works large they have toddler's each and every of the time plenty so as that I provide them to the fish keep in commerce for nutrition. I actual have observed that the adult males many times, yet not consistently have spots on the dorsal fins like pretend eggs to fool the female into taking them into here mouth and fertilizing the eggs she keeps in her mouth....yet I actual have considered women those with the same markings.. see I informed you i could be no help I ought to easily close Up!... yet whats up keep the PH up and that they could have toddler's each and every of the time.. and many hiding places, stable success

Answer 6

the last picture is an electric blue "hap" and I can tell that you have to take care of the levels of the nitrates and the ph of the water because the color is a little faded, their skin is sensitive to the water changes.

Answer 7

look for false egg spots on the anal fin. males have em female dont .their mostly mouth brooders females lay eggs then the males fertilize the eggs then she picks em up in her mouth. hes not always fast enough to get em fertilized before she gets em in her mouth so he has the spots to make her think she missed a couple so when she goes for em he shoots some sperm in her mouth. wallah! fertilized eggs!