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Need Help With Some IDs

manbern

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#4 could be the blue orchid but def isn't fireline. Very hard to find a true fireline so I'm giessing its a hybrid sold as fireline. Without better pics its going to be hard to tell on #3 and #4. I know lemon jake isn't on the list of options but #1 is most likely a lemon jake

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Thanks for your inputs! I will definitely put "lemon jake" as a possible candidate! Did any of them look like a Lwanda to you? Maybe I misidentified some of the ones I was pretty certain of. My entire order consisted of:

- Buccochromis Nototaenia
- Livingstonii (Nimbochromis)
- Matumbi Hunter (Lipochromis)
- Blue Orchid (Kandeense)
- Eureka Red Jake (Jacobfreibergi Ottor Point)
- Fireline Mloto (Copadichromis Trewavase Mloto Likoma)
- SP44 Obliquidens
- Lwanda (Not sure which variety. It just said "Lwanda" on the bag)
- Red Shoulder (Hansbaenschi)
- Roundtooth Hap (Mylochromis Sphaerodon)
- Ruby Green Hap
- Venustus (Nimbochromis)

I got the "Assorted Haps/Peacocks" 12-pack, and this is what they sent me. Is there any possibility that the pics I posted, could be any of the other fishes listed above? I'm certain about the Venustus, Livingstonii, Buccochromis, Roundtooth Hap, and Matumbi Hunter. And I'm pretty sure of the SP44 and the Ruby Green Hap. Maybe I should just post pics of all of them, and let everyone chime in on what they think they are?
 
The ones your sure of are pretty unmistakable so I'm sure your right on those. There is a chance the first fish may be lwanda its very hard to tell without a picture with a very clear silhouette showing the exact slope of the head and clear body shape. Its also hard for me to believe retailers these days there's so many opportunities for mix ups especially when you order variety packs like this. You basically have to trust not only the labels the retailers have but the competence of the employee who bags the fish. My honest opinion is you got some mislabeled fish. Am I certain.....no, can anyone be certain.....no, especially at this size. I'm no fish expert but Malawi cichlids are my thing. I've kept and bred all the fish in question so I've seen them from fry to adult. Jakes have an unmistakable shape so do kandeense reguardless of size. Red shoulders are also very easy to Id. Copadichromis excluding borleyi almost always have three spots when young this includes fireline none of the fish pictured have three spots. Not to mention, I highly doubt a pure fireline would be included in a variety pack. This is a high value fish usually sold for top dollar. It is possible you got one but I don't think its one of the ones pictured (unless it's spots are hidden due to mood). One of the best parts of fish keeping is watching them bloom. You have a great variety there and I'm sure it will be awesome watching as each one matures and their species becomes obvious.

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manbern

Members
The ones your sure of are pretty unmistakable so I'm sure your right on those. There is a chance the first fish may be lwanda its very hard to tell without a picture with a very clear silhouette showing the exact slope of the head and clear body shape. Its also hard for me to believe retailers these days there's so many opportunities for mix ups especially when you order variety packs like this. You basically have to trust not only the labels the retailers have but the competence of the employee who bags the fish. My honest opinion is you got some mislabeled fish. Am I certain.....no, can anyone be certain.....no, especially at this size. I'm no fish expert but Malawi cichlids are my thing. I've kept and bred all the fish in question so I've seen them from fry to adult. Jakes have an unmistakable shape so do kandeense reguardless of size. Red shoulders are also very easy to Id. Copadichromis excluding borleyi almost always have three spots when young this includes fireline none of the fish pictured have three spots. Not to mention, I highly doubt a pure fireline would be included in a variety pack. This is a high value fish usually sold for top dollar. It is possible you got one but I don't think its one of the ones pictured (unless it's spots are hidden due to mood). One of the best parts of fish keeping is watching them bloom. You have a great variety there and I'm sure it will be awesome watching as each one matures and their species becomes obvious.

Sent from my SCH-S960L using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

So true on all counts! It wouldn't be the first time a retailer sells a mislabeled fish, especially big box stores i.e. Petsmart. But I do want to give Live Fish Direct some credit, they specialize in cichlids, and have been in the "biz" for quite some time. And they actually have sent me some pretty choice fish in their "assorted" packs. Buying in bulk, I only paid $16.95 per fish, whereas I would've paid more than double if I specifically picked out some of these fish that were sent to me. But you are correct, I am pretty much left at the mercy of what they label them as, until they mature and I can make the distinction myself. Yes, I'm so excited to watch these fish come into full "bloom" as they mature! I have this app called Aquarimate for my iPad/iPhone and I'm keeping a photo timeline of each of the fish! And it's awesome for keeping track of maintenance intervals, water parameters, statistics, etc. I'm a nerd for statistics, timelines, trend analysis, etc, so this app was right up my alley, lol.
 
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