# I need help identifying this fish



## Darksome (Feb 15, 2009)

I have no clue what it is...I know it's South American and I know it's a cichlid...and it's supposed to be "rare" any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

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## Darksome (Feb 15, 2009)

Here's another shot

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## redsky1285 (Jul 13, 2012)

I think it is a Blue Ram....my husband has 2


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## Darksome (Feb 15, 2009)

That's certainly not a blue ram. But thank you anyway.


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## Tetraholic the 3rd (Nov 15, 2011)

Hi Darksome,

If you ask me, it looks like an African Butterfly Cichlid, but it is very hard to tell from that distance and quality of picture. I may be wrong but please submit another pic so I could better identify it.


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

The spots are not right for an African Butterfly
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anomalochromis_thomasi

What size is the fish now? 
Any idea of how old it is? 
Could it be a female... something...? Females of many species look very similar. Just a camouflage pattern so they are well hidden when they are watching their eggs. 
Could it be a young male? Dorsal fin is showing a hint of color, and juveniles, stressed fish and females usually show less fancy coloring. A pale male might show just that much: a little band of washed out color. When he matures, or is no longer under stress that band gets much richer in color.


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## Darksome (Feb 15, 2009)

These are honestly the most clear pictures I could get of this fish. The coloration is the same, I made sure to take the pictures only after it had regained its color. But as far as being male of female, I am guessing it is a male due to its behavior. It pulls its weight around the tank. There are several others and this is by far the most colorful too. I would say it's approximately 3.5". I have also noticed that it has small black teeth lining the mouth. Beyond size and maturity, I can't say much as I have never kept them and are a recent acquisition. I no longer have contact with the person that I got them from.


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Looks like a laetacara curviceps to me. Aka flag cichlid of some type. They are neat fish, I have two, they are from the Americas.


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## Darksome (Feb 15, 2009)

Zapins that's what I thought too but these don't have long pelvic fins as is the case with Laetacara curviceps.


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## Darksome (Feb 15, 2009)

Here's another picture...it seems to have some blue on the dorsal I noticed.


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## ilikeendlers (May 28, 2011)

Blue Tilapia?


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## DerekFF (Nov 21, 2011)

Zapins said:


> Looks like a laetacara curviceps to me. Aka flag cichlid of some type. They are neat fish, I have two, they are from the Americas.


Def not a flagfish......its a mystery fish!

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## blue thumb (Mar 30, 2010)

Looks African to me. Tropheus sp. cause of the mouth shape


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## Riverboa (Jun 26, 2007)

Can't be certain, but looks like my dwarf gold chiclid (N. Anomala)


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## Big-Ken (Apr 30, 2012)

blue thumb said:


> Looks African to me. Tropheus sp. cause of the mouth shape


X2 definitely a Tropheus sp the mouth is a dead give away, the mouth shape is designed to scrape algae off the rocks I would get him out of your planted tank he could single handily mow down everything


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## Darksome (Feb 15, 2009)

I am not completely convinced it is a tropheus, as its body shape and coloration are not consistent with that found in tropheus. Its body does not taper off and its head does not feature the "bump" so commonly seen in tropheus.


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## K Randall (Nov 23, 2004)

I don't know what it is, though, to me, it doesn't look mature. I DO know that it's not a L. cuviceps. Here is an old photo (scan of a slide...sorry) of mine:


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## manini (Mar 18, 2007)

My guess is its a young juvenile cichlid from Mexico that gets 12-15 cm, Theraps coeruleus.


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## OrangeCones (Aug 15, 2009)

manini said:


> My guess is its a young juvenile cichlid from Mexico that gets 12-15 cm, Theraps coeruleus.


I would concur. http://www.cichlidae.com/gallery/species.php?id=239&content=profile


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## blue thumb (Mar 30, 2010)

OrangeCones said:


> I would concur. http://www.cichlidae.com/gallery/species.php?id=239&content=profile


Body pattern similar but mouth is different plus its too pointy.


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## Darksome (Feb 15, 2009)

Yeah I agree...but it's pretty darn close.


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## Texex94 (Jul 29, 2004)

My thought is it's one of the Cryptoheros species, potentially Cryptoheros sajica or cutteri. Hard to say with the current pics and I do believe that the fish is still a juvenile. Was there any info provided by the seller?

http://auscichlids.com/forum/index.php?topic=17.0


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## Darksome (Feb 15, 2009)

There's no possible way it's a sajica as these, even as juveniles, feature the blue cheeks. I have concluded that it is some kind of Theraps as I do recall such name being mentioned before I "inherited" it.


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## Texex94 (Jul 29, 2004)

It'll be interesting to see what it develops into. Hopefully it doesn't dig up your tank. The last central American cichlid I got tore my tank up.


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## Robert Henry (Jun 13, 2005)

It certainly looks like a Laetacara species. Maybe a female Laetacara flavilabris.


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## Robert Henry (Jun 13, 2005)

Did you ever figure it out?


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