View Full Version : These are what dreams are made of!!
Peanut_Power
07-22-2005, 2:08 AM
If you've known me for ANY length of time, you will know that I am completely and totally into keeping fish, especially SA cichlids. And that outa all those SA cichlids, I have a few species/families of fish that I am especially fond of! Pike cichlids are quite possibly my fav. family of cichlids, with Crenicichla marmorata, lenticulata, cobra, atabapo, tapajos red, and the xingus being my fav...in that order! And now...finally after a couple years of tryin to find some...I have been able to track down three Crenicichla marmoratas!! SHWEETNESS!! I have them on hold right now actually! So stoked! And there is a chance that Dan might have found some more of them for me! Which would be a very good thing, the more the merrier! Anyway, here are a couple pictures of the three I have on hold right now. The thing about Crenicichla is that a lot of the juv/sub-adult coloration isn't documented....which sucks cuz there are a lotta different juv. coloration out there...so its hard to distinguish different species from another. Well, I was able to get them to send me some pictures of the three juvs. I have on reserve right now! So feast your eyes upon these beauts! Note, they look nothing like they will when they are adults! :D
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/Peanut_Power/SA%20Cichlids/marms.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/Peanut_Power/SA%20Cichlids/marms01.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/Peanut_Power/SA%20Cichlids/marms02.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/Peanut_Power/SA%20Cichlids/marms03.jpg
Oh what I would do for just one of them. Definitely keep everyone posted with new pics. It will be most interesting watching them grow up.
Grummie2
07-22-2005, 1:58 PM
Yep, keep us posted, pikes are a very interesting group of fishes :drool:
CentralMayhem
07-22-2005, 3:19 PM
they grow surprisingly quick. keep us posted. with proper care in a good sized tank, they can put on 7 to 8 inches in no time at all. beautiful when they are in the process of their color change from juvie to adult, one of my fav. species as well.
Peanut_Power
07-22-2005, 5:52 PM
I know they grow quickly...I used to have a breeding pair of Crenicichla sp. xingu I...Lugubris pikes are totally awesome. I'm really stoked about these guys though! These guys and Hoplarchus psittacus are my dream fishies! And I already have some Hoplarchus...so I just need these guys to fill another spot on my wish list!
Centralmayhem...you ever kept Cren. marmoratas before? I'm really looking forward to seeing their various color changes. xingu I's were pretty pimp...lol...so I know i'm gonna love the color changes of the marmoratas!! :D Specially when they hit subadult and start gettin their adult coloration! :D
venwu225
07-23-2005, 1:17 AM
how about more pics? :)
Peanut_Power
07-23-2005, 1:44 AM
I would LOVE to post more pictures...but these little beauties are not in my possesion yet... :(. The LFS is holding them for me till I can pay for them. Its either get them or go to the ACA....so yeah.....I'm gonna go to the ACA. Maybe I will find some that will be cheaper! That would be great but highly unlikely! :P
dabigshot77
07-23-2005, 2:42 AM
Nice, I've never had a pike, how big does it get and how are they with other fish?
Peanut_Power
07-23-2005, 3:46 AM
There are many many different types of pike. There are the Saxatilis family of pikes which generally don't go through any color changes...i.e they look the same as juv. as they do as adult. Saxatilis pikes generally stay smaller, with the range from 8" to 10" being more the norm. Then there are the Lugubris family of pikes, which do go through several color changes before they become adults. Awesome family of pikes! Love them. Lugubris pikes also get larger...with most in the 14" to 18" range. These pikes...Crenicichla marmoratas, are from the Lugubris family and easily will reach 14". Not exactly for your novice hobbyist! They can be more aggressive, but as with most cichlids, give them space, hiding places, and the right tank mates, and you can generally cut the aggression down to almost not existant!
nandus_nandus
07-23-2005, 12:57 PM
They certainly are cool fish; I hope you get them. These are pics of my new marmorata. One pic is of them in their quarantine tank. I am very curious about your breeding pair of Xingu I pikes. Did you actually get a successful spawn out of them? If so, we'd all love to see pics. of that rare event.
Peanut_Power
07-23-2005, 6:11 PM
AWESOME!! Did you get them from Rapps?! Very very kewl! I am only gonna be able to get three of them cuz thats all thats available. There is another possible source or two...and maybe the ACA will have more. Fingers crossed! I would love a group of 6. Awesome!
At the time that I had the xingu I i didn't have a digital camera. I wish i did cuz they were just pimpin. Absolutely gorgeous! Male was alright but the female would knock your socks off and just totally the star of the tank. Anyway, i was away and my parents fed them feeders. They got ich and by the time i got back it was too far and i couldn't stop it....:(....so they died. REALLY REALLY PISSED AND BUMMED! Had them for almost three years! Anyway, I DID get them to spawn, once, but the male ate the eggs shortly their after. Very frustrating. They never spawned after that. The female would do her little curve her body into a V infront of him swim alot. It was really kewl to watch! Love your marmoratas! Glad to see I'm not the only one addicted to these beauts! Lets keep as many pictures as we can so we can document the color changes. Not enough pictures out there of juv. Lugubris pikes! :P
Peanut_Power
07-23-2005, 6:28 PM
Here, I found these pictures on a german site...lol...this is what my female looked like before she died...and thats what she would do in front of the male all the time...the C/V shape thingy.....absolutely loved her. Gorgeous. The white on the dorsal was HIGHLY contrasting and looked awesome!
nice pikes guys :cheers:
peanut power, what other pike have you got? could you post some pics of them :)
Here, I found these pictures on a german site...lol...this is what my female looked like before she died...and thats what she would do in front of the male all the time...the C/V shape thingy.....absolutely loved her. Gorgeous. The white on the dorsal was HIGHLY contrasting and looked awesome!
is this a xingu I (orange pike)?
Miles
07-23-2005, 11:07 PM
Woot. Pike Cichlids rock. I really want to have some rare ones someday ;)
nandus_nandus
07-24-2005, 1:09 AM
Yes, they are from Rapps. I will take pics of them, as they grow. One thing I've noticed, is that the red trim on the dorsal fin is orange, as opposed to red (the sp. Venezuela and johanna have red-trimmed dorsals). Another difference I've noticed is the presence of a subtle blue-green hue over the opercula, which is not present in other young lugubris pikes that I am aware of.
I have seven Xingu I pikes, which are in the 7-9" range. I've seen those German pics, too. Strangely, both fish appear to be females. My Xingus have not quite obtained full adult coloration, unless all of them happen to be males. I'm envious of your success w/ the orange pikes. Obviously, I'm hoping to get a pair from my group, as well.
Steve_89
07-24-2005, 8:24 AM
Woah.
Very nice pikes!
Peanut_Power
07-26-2005, 2:02 AM
Yeah, thats where i am gettin my marmoratas from as well. Thankz for the tips on the juv. coloration...very frustrating for me trying to fidn them. Venezuela, johanna and them as well as Lenticulata all seem to look the same. A couple differences if you know to look for them. I wish i had more pikes right now but i just have one Crenicichla sveni female. Soon to up it up a notch. Thinkin of maybe just specializin in pike cichlids. Get as many species as i can...each to their own tank unless i can some how manage two or more species in one large tank. That would be nice...but i don't know how it would work with anything below a 400gal. Might work in a 300gal...but it would be interestin for a bit. Yes those are xingu I. I noticed also that they both appear to be females. Rather odd that she is displaying for her. don't normally do that. Check this pike out my friend found at one of his LFS...its still there...i might pick it up...a bit pricey...since its almost full grown. I'm not for sure but it almost looks like an Atabapo! Haven't seen anything like it before though!! Very very kewl pike! I wish i had an Aqualog so i could ID it better!
Peanut_Power
07-26-2005, 2:03 AM
might actually be either a Xingu II, III, or some Tapajos.....its that red spot that is throwing me off....he said its almost 15"....so if it was female it would already be showing the colors. Any ideas?
It had a little HITH, but it wasn't too bad. He was a really cool pike, if I wasn't moving I'd pick him up. By the way Jer, want me to give the name and contact info of the shop that has him?
The pike was 15" at the very least, maybe more like 18". :)
Peanut_Power
07-26-2005, 2:20 AM
WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT!?! I want first dibs on him! Don't wanna have to fight peeps for him!! LOL!!
I was talking about giving the info to YOU, LOL... :lol:
Peanut_Power
07-26-2005, 4:45 AM
o...welll....lol...nm then! :P