LFS Oddities.

I bought this fish at a LFS and I am sure it was labelled Red Top Zebra. But, I don't think that is right. Depending on the light, it can have barrs which become more prominent when it is feeding/chasing. Likewise, it often appears to be much more purple/brown and the smaller ones (there are 6 of them) definitely appear purplish brown.
You probably won't believe that the bottom and top pictures are the same species but I am pretty sure that they came from the same tank at the LFS although that is no guarantee that they are the same fish. You really don't see the brown colour in the tank, the flash brought that out more.
I was thinking maybe Red Top Hongi since I have read that they sometimes have this purple/brown colouration and that the barring can be more or less aparent. Probably some sort of hybrid but I was curious if anyone had another idea.
Ultimately, it doesn't matter, I'm not planning on breeding anything, just curious.

The fish in the second picture looks a lot like my juvie rusties (Iodotropheus sprengerae) before they have colored up. It's hard to say for sure, but here is a photo to compare.



I'm pretty sure that the first one is not of the same species.

They look like RT Hongis to me especially the one in the second pic...first one look like maybe a female

I think you're right, Chris. I've never kept hongis -- I thought they all had barring, but looking at some pictures, I see they don't.

Yea when they are calm they show no barring but once they are ready to breed or fight, the bars come up

Thank you both. I will call them RT Hongi until someone tells me differently.
Graham