What type of African Cichlid is this?

Question

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://k41.pbase.com/u22/chiumbo/large/15567186.fish.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.pbase.com/chiumbo/image/15567186&h=534&w=800&sz=35&hl=en&start=77&sig2=-hrVhxQtdpYRb4E4DpBr6Q&um=1&usg=__lyB5RVoDlt0xFb_RPzpc9CVIB7Y=&tbnid=b9lX9biKQ3TCwM:&tbnh=95&tbnw=143&ei=aNyxSIz_Goe6iwGVx4mGDw&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsmall%2Bafrican%2Bcichlid%26start%3D72%26ndsp%3D18%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1B3GGIC_enUS288US288%26sa%3DN

Can I have some information about it (i.e. tank size requirements)?

I have a 55 gallon tank with angelfish, rasboras, rainbowfish, platys, ect. I didn't think it could go in there, but I'll ask. Can it go in there or will it get big and eat everyone?

If it can't then I won't get it. I saw it at my local fish store and fell in love with it!

Thank you!!!

Answer 1

looks like a demasoni cichlid.. no matter what speices it is you can't mix them with your fish

they have to be in a dedicated african cichlid tank

Answer 2

im not positive but it looks like it could be this fish:

Tretocephalus Cichlid : http://www.petsolutions.com/Tretocephalu...

Answer 3

gyutryrfvbguytf

Answer 4

I agree with Roberto G. it is a kenyi and they get very aggressive. especially if that is the only one in the tank. but putting more in there would not help the situation. If you get another tank say a 55 you could put 8 to 10 of them in a tank with lots of hiding places. these are some very active fish and will breed for you with no problem. but to answer your question no do not put them in a community tank it would be disastrous. I hope you get another tank because they are a beautiful fish and i think you would be very likely to switch over to cichlids after watching these fish.  

Answer 5

The fish is a kenyi (pronounced ken-nai).  It is an African cichlid found in Lake Malawi.  For more info about tank size, habits, etc. you can goggle search it on the internet or other cichlid website by its scientific name, Pseudotropheus lombardoi, or its newer genus Metriaclima lombardoi.

Don't be surprise though if you see a picture of a yellow fish instead of the blue, black-barred fish.  All immmature specimens are striped blue, while adult males turn into yellow.  Adult females remain blue.

The fish are aggressive and will not mix with the present fishes you have in your tank.

Answer 6

Big whatever is right African Cichlids can only be with African Cichlids.  

Answer 7

No, that fish is not compatible with any of your fish.

Answer 8

Nice hit Roberto, I just got a pair of these myself.  To BG's defense, he's a SA cichlid keeper lol.  I can see why he might think Demasoni, but if you look at a Demasoni and then a Kenyi, you'll see Kenyi's have a wider larger stripe pattern with less stripes.

I will agree to some extent that Africans do best with other Africans, but I want to make it clear, you are NOT limited to keeping Africans with just Africans.  EVERY one of my African tanks have community type fish in there, and those community fish have adapted fairly well to African Rift Lake conditions.  In my opinion, and you'll see in cichlid keeping, opinions are going to vary quite a bit, but from my point of view, it's keeping your water in higher PH and higher hardness levels, like the Rift lakes these fish originate from is the key.

I'm still going to say no with the others, and don't mix these because that Angelfish is a South American and has totally different water needs.  It's the opposite of what a Kenyi needs, and one of those two are going to suffer.  You can try to hit a happy medium, but one of these species is not going to thrive as well as the other.

As for the community types, in a 55 gallon footprint, and considering a Kenyi is a Mbuna (Rock fish) and would dwell on the lower ends, yes you can mix them.  If you have your heart set on keeping the Kenyi, then I'd rehome the Angelfish, or give the Kenyi it's own tank.  Just don't group the Kenyi with the Angel is all.  The rest is just fine.