# my 75 gallon malawi cichlid tank



## KhuliLoachFan (Mar 8, 2008)

http://nospisciculi.blogspot.com/2010/05/my-75-gallon-malawi-cichlid-tank.html


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## PACMAN (Mar 4, 2010)

cool cichlids!


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

Nice tank 

Did you find out what that fish was? (1st pic)


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## KhuliLoachFan (Mar 8, 2008)

No positive ID yet. I am going to wait until he has grown another 1/4" inch by then the ambiguous head shape and other things, should be more distinct.

W


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

?

Protomelas fenestratus


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## KhuliLoachFan (Mar 8, 2008)

The breeding spots coloration on mine is much more like the ventral (pelvic) fins on Aulonocara than the colors shown there. The breeding spots on mine in fact look a look like Metriaclima's.

Look at this Aulonocara Stuartgranti for instance:





It's A. stuartgranti sp. 'maleri', still in middle-juvenile coloration (he will yellow up considerably).

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/category.php?cat=3

W


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

Have you posted on cichlid forum unidentified ?


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## KhuliLoachFan (Mar 8, 2008)

I was annoyed by their 5-post-before-pictures thing, but I got to it just today.

W


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## TBemba (Jan 11, 2010)

Could it be a Aulonocara (Rubescens) ? http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1311

I had some that looked very similar to your and when the male gets older they are stunning.


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## KhuliLoachFan (Mar 8, 2008)

It would be lovely if mine colored up and looked like that. That's what I asked the guy for was "peacocks". So if he gave me something that is an aulonocara sp, then I got what I asked for. 

W


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

I'm confident on it at least being an aulonocara hybrid but I'd go with a haplochromis or protomelas.


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## KhuliLoachFan (Mar 8, 2008)

That would be odd, because Mike at finatics doesn't knowingly carry and hybrids without telling people, or buy from people who would do such.
It might be hard to spot a hybrid peacock if it's got no colors. But he doesn't just buy from joe-six-pack either. Either way, he's sure purdy. Everybody who sees him thinks he's the showpiece in the tank. He thinks so too. He's a real show-off.



W


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

*knowingly*

I'm telling you, that is _not_ a peacock. If it is, 50% max


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

does this...









look like this?


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## KhuliLoachFan (Mar 8, 2008)

Yes, but the bars are more distinct, and he's a slightly richer (less electric) blue. He will probably color up more, in which case he might be exactly some kind of sulphurhead protomelas sp. 'maleri'.

W


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

Riceburner said:


> does this...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


MORPHOLOGY guys. Not even close. Bottom of a peacocks mouth is straight. bottom and top of body are straight. angle to the caudal penduncle in a peacock and a hap- completely different. The head shape is wrong. There are minor variations in malawi- 300+ all from 1 common ancestor. That is NOT a peacock


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## TBemba (Jan 11, 2010)

So your fish does not resemble this one

So you didn't know what you were buying? The LFS owner didn't know what the fish was? Maybe if you knew what possible types that where in the tank?


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## KhuliLoachFan (Mar 8, 2008)

It was a $3 tank of various peacocks and other non-peacock juveniles. There were definitely both peacock and hap species in that tank. I have a hard time seeing the morphology differences that AM mentions, but I have no doubt he's right about them. Except that my pictures are a bit unclear on the jaw line and stuff. Maybe I'll get some better pictures. I just really doubt he's a hybrid. 

W


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## TBemba (Jan 11, 2010)

Well what ever he is he sure is a nice looking fish. When you get a id it would be cool to get him a few females to keep him company.


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

AquariAM said:


> MORPHOLOGY guys. Not even close. Bottom of a peacocks mouth is straight. bottom and top of body are straight. angle to the caudal penduncle in a peacock and a hap- completely different. The head shape is wrong. There are minor variations in malawi- 300+ all from 1 common ancestor. That is NOT a peacock


Are you talking about mine or KLF's?


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## KhuliLoachFan (Mar 8, 2008)

I think he was talking about mine. 

W


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## Ital_stal (Jun 4, 2010)

Thats definitely not a peacock, that is 100% protomelas, when it colors up more you'll be able to tell which species, as most look similar when juvie.


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

Ital_stal said:


> Thats definitely not a peacock, that is 100% protomelas, when it colors up more you'll be able to tell which species, as most look similar when juvie.


Hey man welcome to the forum. I didn't know you were on here.


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

Riceburner said:


> Are you talking about mine or KLF's?


KLF. Both. It's a Protomelas. I've run it by a few people.


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## Ital_stal (Jun 4, 2010)

AquariAM said:


> Hey man welcome to the forum. I didn't know you were on here.


Who are you? lol


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

Ital_stal said:


> Who are you? lol


Pablo, Anthony


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## Ital_stal (Jun 4, 2010)

AquariAM said:


> Pablo, Anthony


haha whats up homeskillet & thanks for the welcome, lets not crap this guys thread


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