# help identifying cichlid



## 581416 (Mar 31, 2009)

we acquired this guy from petsmart. he was labeled "assorted african cichlid" max 4.5"

if anyone knows what he is please let me know.









he has a light purple/blueish color with darker stripes that sometimes fade
















note: the aqua blue eyes and the 2 blue stripes across his face

i think he may be a labidochromis lividus, but im not sure. any confirmations or suggestions as to what he could be are welcome!

thank you for your time!


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

I'm reasonably sure its a M. lombardoi female or juvenile. Were there yellow fish in the same tank? Don't trust the stores size #s. I have a male thats 8". http://cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=798


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## 581416 (Mar 31, 2009)

he was the only color in the medium assorted tank but in the small assorted there were also yellow.

he could perhaps be a she Metriaclima lombardoi!


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## cichlids (Mar 30, 2009)

I have one like that and its just called a zebra cichlid?!


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## cichlids (Mar 30, 2009)

or it could be a demasoni but with no color?! their usually blue with those exact stripes!


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## rskb3467 (Mar 29, 2009)

Looks like a Kenyi cichlid to me(unsure of the official name). I dont know much about them but from the looks of it, it is. Maybe check it out on google and see what comes up


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## greenman909 (Sep 22, 2007)

i have a very similar fish as well and it took me a while to figure out what it was as well i came to the the conclusion that it was a zebra or a red top zebra


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## greenman909 (Sep 22, 2007)

but mine has no blue coloration


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Demasoni are darker blue where this fish is white. 

kenyi is the common name for Metriaclima lombardoi because they were first imported as Pseudotropheus kenyi (from Kenya). The males change color http://home.comcast.net/~cekiscichlids/IMG_7445.jpg, and end up like this: http://home.comcast.net/~cekiscichlids/IMG_7377.jpg. The don't have any black on them, so you can tell them from the yellow lab (labidochromis caeruleus ) http://home.comcast.net/~koolkat007/cyellowm2.jpg and the chameleo/bumblebee (Pseudotropheus crabro) also seen in assorted african tanks. 

Of the blue/purple striped Mbuna. Demasoni fry are dark blue and light blue/purple (males and females look alike), Lombardoi fry are white with purple stripes (males turn yellow) and Salousi fry are yellow (males turn dark blue and light blue/purple) http://home.comcast.net/~koolkat007/cropped_psuedo4.jpg. Socolofi are solid pink/purple with dark edged fins and stay that way.

There are purple C. afra and other Labidochromis (theres a variety of caeruleus with white fry and females and blue striped males), but they aren't nearly as common and you seldom see them at the chain stores.


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## KenyiGirl (Apr 21, 2009)

Looks like a female Kenyi to me! How big is she?


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## 581416 (Mar 31, 2009)

a little over 3 inches. shes growing really fast!


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