Unidentified Cichlids • What species is this!?

[nisdawn56]

The pet store did not know so if anyone does know it would be appreciated! Sorry for the bad pictures!!

[BC in SK]

It's a Geophagus species. Probably Geophagus steindachneri, though G. pellegrini and G. crassilibris would also be possibilities as they are very similar, closely related and difficult to distinguish with out knowing original collection point.

[nisdawn56]

Thank you so much!!!! Greatly appreciated!!!

[Mr Chromedome]

I see some markings on the caudal fin in the first photo; that makes it Geophagus steindachneri without question, as the other two species have no markings of any kind in the tail. The Red Hump Geophagus has been fairly common at various times, as it is easily bred. Fish in the photos appears to be a female. Males have a lot of color, and a significant bump on the head. One of the smallest Geos, the group probably should be given their own genus some day.

They are unusual among New World Cichlids in that they are harem mouthbrooders of the same fashion as Mbuna. Males are more aggressive, and better kept with 3-4 females.

[nisdawn56]

Thanks for the information helps a lot !!

[BC in SK]

they are harem mouthbrooders of the same fashion as Mbuna.

These Geophagus may very well be harem mouthbroodrs......but mbuna really, are not. That is a style/method of keeping them in captivity. in the confines of a small space in captivity, males are intolerant of each other, hence the method of keeping one male per tank. it is well documented that female Malawi mouth brooders often breed with more then one male, sometimes many males in the same spawn. They just go over to the next territory, which is not far off, and lay some more eggs that a rival male fertilizes. Actually witnessed a female demasoni breed with 2 males in may 75 gal. on opposite walls of the tank. if they were truely a polygamous animal, breeding harem style, you would generally expect the male to be 2-3 times the size of the female in order to out compete rival males and monpolize all the females. But Malawi mouth brooders are the opposite.....polyandrous, not polygamous. . These Geophagus, I am not too sure. they may very well be harem breeders as the males are quite a bit larger then the females.