identifying a type of fish

[schooly]

Got a surprise from a friend today - 4 fish in a 5 gallon pail. Took 3 hrs to drip acclimate them before I could get a good look. Thought I was getting 2 neolamprologus Leleupi and 2 Caudopunctatus, but those Caudopunctatus... not so sure. They just don't look like the real deal. What's your take on this?

[Lachlan]

No clue but they're pretty cool fish.

[schooly]

Yeah they're gorgeous fish, definitely stoked to have them. Stepped up from a 30 to a 55, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't set on getting true Caudopunctatus - been itching to give breeding a shot.

[Lachlan]

Got a surprise from a friend today - 4 fish in a 5 gallon pail. Took 3 hrs to drip acclimate them before I could get a good look. Thought I was getting 2 neolamprologus Leleupi and 2 Caudopunctatus, but those Caudopunctatus... not so sure. They just don't look like the real deal. What's your take on this?

I can only go off my own experience with fish, and I've never had much luck identifying ones I'm not familiar with.

[barnicle]

@schooly, I'm with Lachlan, those fish do look nice, but I'm no expert. I've had some experience with cichlids, but I've never seen Caudopunctatus before, so I'm not sure what to look for. What makes you think they're not true Caudopunctatus?

[coltin]

Those yellow ones remind me of tangerine zebras, possibly Mbuna, something in the Pseudotropheus zebra family. The silver ones with the orange fins, I'm thinking maybe Copadichromis borlei or similar.

[willie32]

I'm inclined to agree with coltin on the orange ones - they do resemble Red Zebras, possibly Metriaclima Estherae. The other one's a bit tricky, but it does have the makings of a Haplichromis species, though I'm not quite sure which one. Maybe once it settles in and the colors become more vibrant, we can take another stab at identification.

They're undoubtedly Malawi cichlids rather than Tanganyikans, and it seems you've got an Mbuna and a Hap on your hands. The issue is, Mbunas can be quite aggressive, which might not bode well for the Hap. Moreover, Mbunas are strict herbivores, while Haps are omnivores, making it challenging to provide the right diet. If Mbunas receive too much protein, they're prone to Malawi Bloat, so that's something to keep in mind when feeding them.

[schooly]

Those yellow ones remind me of tangerine zebras, possibly Mbuna, something in the Pseudotropheus zebra family. The silver ones with the orange fins, I'm thinking maybe Copadichromis borlei or similar.

Thanks a ton, I really appreciate it - you nailed the Borlei, it's indeed a Red fin Hap (or Borlyi) Malawi Cichlid. After some digging, I found out the orange ones are actually Citrus Cichlid, also known as Neolamprologus Leleupi.

[schooly]

I'm inclined to agree with coltin on the orange ones - they do resemble Red Zebras, possibly Metriaclima Estherae. The other one's a bit tricky, but it does have the makings of a Haplichromis species, though I'm not quite sure which one. Maybe once it settles in and the colors become more vibrant, we can take another stab at identification.

They're undoubtedly Malawi cichlids rather than Tanganyikans, and it seems you've got an Mbuna and a Hap on your hands. The issue is, Mbunas can be quite aggressive, which might not bode well for the Hap. Moreover, Mbunas are strict herbivores, while Haps are omnivores, making it challenging to provide the right diet. If Mbunas receive too much protein, they're prone to Malawi Bloat, so that's something to keep in mind when feeding them.

I'm looking to rehome all 4, hopefully trade them for a Caudopunctatus-only setup. I designed the tank specifically for Caudopuncts, thinking my friend had the right ones. Thanks again for the help, really appreciate it.

[willie32]

Got a surprise from a friend today - 4 fish in a 5 gallon pail. Took 3 hrs to drip acclimate them before I could get a good look. Thought I was getting 2 neolamprologus Leleupi and 2 Caudopunctatus, but those Caudopunctatus... not so sure. They just don't look like the real deal. What's your take on this?

No worries, it's tough when you bring home fish and they're not what you expected. I've been there with some Rice Fish recently, had to rehome them too. The orange ones, I don't think they're Leleupi, the head shape is off. Leleupi have that pointed face and cylindrical body, these look different, more like Metriaclima.