red cichlids

Question
QUESTION: Hi... I rescued some baby cichlids today and the person I got them from said they were red cichlids however I dont really find any information on red cichlids... I find information on ruby reds and other specialized named cichlids but not just reds...  

I have five fry... the person I got them from thought that the three larger ones were male and the two smaller ones were female.  They are kind of a pale orange with a red spot on their gill vent... the "males" have a black eyes and the two smaller ones have what looks to be albino eyes. The mother is a mouth brooder and they are of an african strain of cichlids... any idea what kind they may be?  Also... I have four kenali cichlids witch are also african and mouth brooders... while they are separate I am caring for them all the same way... any suggestions on what might be the best way to care for them all?

dave

ANSWER: Hi Dave,
 My guess is that they are red zebra cichlids, coming from Lake Malawi.  They aren't really "red", more orange or at least that is what I would call it.  

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: ok... so red zebra cichlids... do you have any information about why some of the fry would have black eyes and some the red albino (ish) type of eyes... all from the same brood....  by the way... I loved your home page... cichlid research... very nice

Answer
Hi Dave,
 It could be a recessive gene that is appearing in only some of the offspring. That seems most likely.  If one of the parents were heterozygous for the gene and the other were homozygous for it, then half of the kids would show it and half wouldn't.   

 The other possibility is that the female mated with two different males.  Some zebra females have been found to mate with several males, each siring some of the offspring in a brood.  The plot thickens... :)  

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>