Need African Cichlid ID

[Lab_Rat]

I bought this girl from a big box pet store and I can't figure out what she is. I do know she's a female since she was holding eggs in the store. She swallowed them on the way home. Her striping has decreased a lot since she has settled. I'm thinking she's probably some kind of peacock hybrid or some kind of hap. She's currently about 1.5" long. Any opinions on what she is are appreciated.

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[mp3rp]

looks like a Johanni or maybe a peacock.

EDIT: Most likely its a peacock because of its vertical stripes.

[Drip Loop]

Johanni to me.

[angelcakes]

Melanochromis johannii possibly

[kaybee]

That's definately a non-mbuna right, so no, not a johanni (plus a 1.5" female johanni would be near-solid yellowish with no vertical stripe patterns).

I'm not clear as to what else it could be. Some sort of haplochromine would be my guess.

Edit: as this fish grows in size, it may become easier to identify it.

[ladyoutlaw50]

I agree with kaybee -- definately not a johanni -- mouth is wrong as are the lines --

[Fishguy2727]

Definitely not a mbuna of any kind.

It has a lot of color for a female. Are you absolutely certain she was holding eggs?

If yes she may have been treated with hormones. This could enhance the coloration dramatically but temporarily. As a one time thing this would be no threat to her health. This may also trigger the breeding if she was holding, as that is pretty small to be breeding already.

There is a shape difference, although subtle, between peacocks and many haps. In this case I am thinking of the electric blue ahli hap. The shape, specifically in the head, is slightly more elongated than a peaock's. I think this is an ahli. To see pics of the heads of peacocks, look at the pics in my Photobucket page for pics of the peacocks I had. You will see how the head on a peacock is a little more blunt and how the body on this fish is just slightly more elongated.

[Lab_Rat]

Thanks for the replies. I think she is an electric blue hap that has been hormoned up. Unfortunately her color has already faded. She may be a hap/peacock cross, I'll post more photos as she matures.

[Fishguy2727]

I see no reason to think she is a cross. Her body and face are long enough to match perfectly with an ahli's shape, so I see nothing that points to a cross.

That color loss is typical of hormone treatment. As time goes by if high water quality and a superior diet is offered you should do very well with this one.

Absolutely certain she was holding eggs?

[Lab_Rat]

I'd bet money on the fact that she was holding. I've had several batched of fry and she looked just like my holding females. I was surprised since she was so small but hormoning makes sense. I strive to keep my water quality tops, there is a 50% wc every week and I'm running a rena filstar xp3 and an emperor 400 on the tank.

[Fishguy2727]

One possibility is that the tank was recently fed and she was holding a pellet or two and simply swallowed them on the way home. To me this seems more likely given the size, store, and the coloration that it was showing. I think it may have been a male holding food. If the tank was crowded this is even more likely. In crowded tanks many cichlids have a tendency to grab as much as possible before the others eat it all.

[Lab_Rat]

I hadn't thought about the holding food part. I'd be quite happy if she turns out to be a he. I guess time will tell, I'm not great at venting, especially when they're that small.

[Collin1104]

haha definitely not johanni but i have no idea what it is lol

[Dixie]

For sure not johanni or any other mbuna. I was looking and that rear underneath fin (forget what it's called). One some fish pointed indicates male and rounded indicates female. I don't know if it would apply to that fish or not but it looks kinda pointed to me. I guess time will tell more. Very nice looking fish though.