ID this fish?

[mome rath]

My mum got this little guy a while ago at the LFS.
Looks like a Hemichromis to me, checked my books and all that. Should this fish be red?

Sorry about the pictures, I will have better ones as soon as possible.

Thanks.

[inxs]

My guess would be a pale colored jewel cichlid.(hemichromis) so you are right.

It could be a color variety or it could likley be due to stress. Many fish will change color quicky and drasticlly when stressed due to new environment , poor waterquality or other stressincuced reasons.

[nboylie]

looks like my female GT, with the dot in the middle and the scales look kinda sparkly

[inxs]

Since the picture shows up small I should mention that there are pink JDs out there and they look slightly similar .

[caz]

i think i have seen this fish at my lfs. let me check tomorrow and get back to ya,. although it does look like a jewel cichlid.

[inxs]

No on the GT - mouthlocation is too high (too high for a JD too I think, now that I looked again)and I have not seen GTs that are pink, also GTs generally have the iridecent stripes on the face to make them look like they are smiling.

[mome rath]

What's a GT?

Also, for those who keep jewels, what are the water conditions at which they seem to show optimum color? (I will also check published data...)

Thanks for the replies.

Here's another pic of the fish.

[scott]

The body looks very tall for a jewel but the coloration and head shape are definately there. I'd say if it wasn't a jewel it was some sort of closely related fish. Jewels come fromt the rainforest of west africa and so in turn relish waters similar to those of the rainforest dwelling south americans. soft with a neutral to acid ph.

[Tightdog1]

i have no idea what it is but could it be a hybrid?

[ChilDawg]

Originally posted by mome rath
What's a GT?


Green Terror, which is now classified as Aequidens sp. affin. rivulatus, I believe. That just means that we can't find the original A. rivulatus all that often, and we don't know full well how closely the GT is related to this fish.

If you have any more questions on acronyms, I have a nifty little website, which may be accessed by clicking the "www" button at the bottom of any of my posts, or may be accessed through my profile.

If I don't have what you there, then alert me to that fact, anyway, as I am always looking to improve upon my efforts.

[VoodooChild]

I strongly believe that's a jewel. The body is very tall but the color and pattern is right. Hemichromis guttatus I believe. How much did you pay? There's a difference up here between all of the fish mentioned, so that may help.
And yes, there's alot of similarities between the Hemichromis members, and I wouldn't be surprised if they could hybridize. I still can't tell the difference between bimaculatus and taeniatus.

[CoCoFiShY]

its a jewel

[AikidoGuy]

looks like a poorly colored jewel to me.

[mome rath]

So we all seem to agree it's a jewel. And we all seem to be leaning toward its coloration being as it is due to stress. Currently I have some rocks (limestone perhaps?... I get all my rocks from a fossil field) and sand in there. Would it be a good idea to remove these rocks and try to neutralize the pH? What else might help to color him up?

Thanks again.

[Mattimeo]

could be hemichromis payeni.

[ChilDawg]

Mome Rath, you might be best off just starting a new thread about this question, because it seems like people are just working to ID the fish now, rather than to solve your problem.