Is this drab enough for you, lol. It's only young, about 6". The "chocolate" reference would suggest brown, and yes they certainly can show shades of brown. But imo that's being a little unfair on them.Solo chocolate keepers:
How much color are you seeing? I would like to get one as a center piece for my community tank but not if it is going to be drab
I think a better name for them would be the "autumn" cichlid. As they mature the rustic autumn colours of a forest are really dominant. Reds, golds, olive green, copper, and they all intermingle into one another.