electric yellow = lab? usually right?

[nchoe123]

the local shop has "electric yellows"-- i think they're labs, but every single one of them has no black dorsal. they have red zebras in a separate tank-- which look appropriately tagged; they're slightly more orangey in color.

but these yellow fish-- they're lemon yellow like labs, but lacking the black on dorsal and pelvic. this is rather unusual for labs, isn't it? very odd. perhaps it's just an unfamiliar strain to me?

 

[sscf]

I think a lot of the color in fish has to do with several things, if the fish is dominant , sub dominant , or female .... I have a lab and he sometimes has that black stripe , sometimes he doesn't , guess it's a mood thing ... Overall yes, I do believe labs - electric yellows

 

[Coler]

You are correct on electric yellow generally meaning labidochromis caereulus or lab. Lack of black marking as has been said can depend on a few things - in particular age, gender and dominance.

 

[efors]

You are correct on electric yellow generally meaning labidochromis caereulus or lab. Lack of black marking as has been said can depend on a few things - in particular age, gender and dominance.

... And maybe poor strain quality too, no?

 

[Istanbul_Kop]

Were they shaped like Labs?

I've seen Labs in shops described as simply 'Yellows'...they had black on em though.

 

[nchoe123]

they looked just like my yellow labs but no black dorsal, it was weird. some of them were a reasonable size too-- plus even my lab fry show the black on their dorsal at a few weeks, a month at worst.

 

[blue2fyre]

I have heard that all yellow labs are usually hybrids and not pure labs. I'm not really sure how to prove that though

 

[Coler]

... And maybe poor strain quality too, no?

yep definitely.

 

[charlie baker]

I'm inclined to think that yellow...a recessive trait, would be a sport that might be selectively bred....and a marketing coup.

 

[Coler]

Interesting and accurate article on the fish in question here. http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/l_caeruleus.php

Yellow strain are native to the lake, albeit in smaller numbers to other colour morphs (of which there are about a dozen I think) but have been bred in large numbers for the aquarium trade. They were not created by selective breeding programmes/marketing reasons but are indeed intensively bred for their colouration and are as I say more common in the trade than in the lake.