This is?!?

the stripeless yellow lab could be a mutant, could be bullied into not displaying the black, or could be a different fish altogether

How big is the Melanochromis? How big was it when you bought it?

This stripeless yellow lab is likely one of the common All yellow hybrids.

M. johannii and Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos are netoriously hard to tell apart when male.
You have a male.
When younger it would have been easy. johannii would have been yellow.
If still small under 3" then its prob cyaneorhabdos. If johannii you will know soon as they are far bigger when fully grown and more agressive.
Prob is the cross between the two is quite common. Thus with these you think one thing then the other.

All the best James

24Tropheus said:

If still small under 3" then its prob cyaneorhabdos. If johannii you will know soon as they are far bigger when fully grown and more agressive.

Click to expand...

Male johanni have been known to change colour by 1.25", which can make it even more difficult. Most often, if you don't know what you purchased at the beginning... you'll never know.

It was about and still is 1.5-2" i just got it like 2 weeks ago, and like a few other mistakes *** made by listening to the lfs, i bought this under his word...actually i just like the colors and would like to get more =)

Go back and check the tank for any yellow fish in it.