View Full Version : Educating MFK on Africans!
First off: :p
Second off: These are Africans of some sort or another I will post basic info on them along with a picture, and I will post however many I feel at a time, I will try to update it at least once a week with new Africnas! [Info obtained from gcca (http://gcca.net/index.htm) and Cichlid Index (http://www.tropheus.info/riftlakes/index.html)
also Species Summary (http://filaman.ifm-geomar.de/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=2249) also pictures are taken from image searchs and a few from Malawi Cichlid Home Pg. (http://www.malawicichlidhomepage.com) along with my own knowledge and photos! =) ] Most of the credit should go to some of these pages and the people who put them together. As for pics I dont take the credit off of them but aol doesnt always let me link to the site they are from which is why I say aol search images.
Third off: This is for all you people that need more info on Africans, maybe you can learn some basic info on here. Esp. you African haters :D For those of you with questions and need help...... you are best to ask in the forum for quicker response, you are free to ask questions here, just know the response time may be slow. Enjoy.
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Labidochromis caeruleus
General:
Labidochromis caeruleus is a very popular cichlid! The "lemon yellow" variety, shown above, has secured a place in the cichlid hobby because of its bright yellow color. The fish is also available in a blue-white form, but it is rarely seen. Labidochromis caeruleus is a maternal mouthbrooder.
This fish is attractive, easy to keep and easy to breed. Compared to many mbuna species, it is not very aggressive. These positive traits all add up to a great fish!
Unlike most Malawian cichlids, both the males and the females are very attractive. The dominant male in the group will generally be a brighter yellow and have a glossier, darker and more prominently-black edged dorsal fin.
Habitat:
Labidochromis caeruleus is endemic to Lake Malawi (Africa) and is found in two distinct biotopes; rocky shorelines and in Valisneria (plant) beds. They are found at depths of 6 to 120 feet. In the wild, they have been observed feeding on a variety of invertebrates and snails.
Care:
Labidochromis caeruleus likes hard alkaline water around 76-82 degrees, although they will tolerate slightly higher or lower temperatures. I have kept and bred them in Chicago water with no problems at all. Regular partial water changes are essential to the well-being of the fish. Keeping them with other moderately aggressive Malawian cichlids presents no problems. Recommended tank size for five adults would be a 30 gallon-long tank or larger.
Feeding:
You can feed Labidochromis caeruleus just about anything. A good quality flake food and cichlid pellets occasionally supplemented by frozen foods will work well. Include a good vegetable flake such as HBH Graze.
Breeding:
Labidochromis caeruleus is one of the easiest mouthbrooders to breed. I recommend that you purchase five or six juvenile fish and raise them up. They will breed at six months of age or about 1-1/2 inches in length.
Breeding occurs in the typical mbuna fashion, so provide a piece of slate or other smooth surface for the "act". After breeding, I remove the female to a well-planted "maternity" tank.
Females are generally good "holders" and will refuse food for up to four weeks. Because going for food for so long can critically weaken the female, I generally strip the eggs from the fish. At two weeks, the babies will be at the "heads and tails" stage. After three weeks, the babies are nearly fully formed. My preference is to strip 12–14 days and bubble them in a commerical egg tumbler.
Small females will produce 10 to 15 babies. Larger, fully-grown females will have 25 to 30.
Info: gcca (http://gcca.net/index.htm)
Melanochromis Chipokae
General:
Melanochromis chipokae is an attractive Malawian mouthbrooder that exhibits clear sexual dimorphism. Males have a dark grey-blue body color with electric blue highlights to the flanks. Females are just as attractive, exhibiting a bright yellow belly, orange tail and alternating tan and brown stripes that extend into the dorsal fin. (See picture of mouthbrooding female at right) First typed by Johnson in 1975, this fish is often sold under the name Pseudotropheus chipokae.
In the areas where populations exist, it is a common fish indicating evolutionary success.
Melanochromis chipokae is popular aquarium fish, but may not be the best choice for beginners. While it generally stays pretty small, it is a very aggressive fish. Some sites report that aquarium specimens reach 6 inches in captivity, but I have never seen one this big.
Females of both species are nearly impossible to tell apart. My guess is that auratus and chipokae would interbreed if given a chance!
Care:
Melanochromis chipokae is not a recommended fish for the beginner. Although it is hardy, the aggressive nature of this species makes it challenging to keep. Both males and females are aggressive, even at the juvenile stage. I have seen inch long fry fighting! Alpha males quickly kill off rivals and won't hesitate to beat on any females which "aren't in the mood."
In a mixed tank, these fish will quickly take over the lead position in the tank. Despite their small size, they can cause a lot of stress and damage to other fish. Beware!
Despite these dire warnings, by employing the right strategy, this fish can be easily kept and bred. Provide plenty of cover for sub-dominant individuals and females. The tank for these fish should be full of caves, slates, flower pots, plastic plants and anything else you can find to disturb the sight lines of the alpha male and provide cover. Extend the rockwork vertically at least halfway up the tank. Provide a PVC anchored near the water line for stressed individuals.
Feeding:
Melanochromis chipokae is easy to feed. In the lake it is a true omnivore. Reports have found filmentous algae, zooplankton and cichlid fry in the stomachs of wild caught individuals. Provide a good quality cichlid flake and spirulina flake.
Breeding:
Melanochromis chipokae isn't hard to breed, but you must provide shelter for the female. Provide a flat slate near the preferred "home" of the alpha male in the tank. When the female is ripe and ready, she will approach the male. After spawning, if your tank is stuffed with enough rock, she will retreat and hold onto the eggs for about 14 days.
Young females tend not to be reliable holders, mostly due to male aggression. After a couple of spawns, the females get smarter about hiding and become good holders in my opinion. I have netted out brooding females, bagged them, and delivered them with no loss of eggs.
Brood sizes are relatively small-- about 12-18 eggs. I have stripped females both early (after two days) and later (after 10 days) with good success. I fed the fry on freshly hatched baby brine shrimp and transitioned them at two weeks to flake food with no problems. The fry grow fast and at 3 to 4 weeks take on the coloration of the adult female.
Info: gcca (http://gcca.net/index.htm)
Oreochromis mossambicus "the mozambique mouthbrooder"
General:
Oreochromis mossambicus does make a fine aquarium fish. It's easy to care for, grows quickly and is interesting to breed. The wild type is a dull greenish fish, but a number of interesting color varieties such as the gold, orange and red are available to liven up your tank.
If you've ever had Tilapia at your favorite seafood restaurant, Oreochromis mossambicus is the fish you ate! Interestingly, many of the color varieties were bred specifically to make them more palatable to consumers! Apparently, an orange fish makes folks think of Red Snapper. Go figure!
Many of the characteristics that make this a good farm fish, make it a terrible nuisance when populations become feral. Please do not release aquarium specimens in the wild!
Why does Oreochromis mossambicus so easily beat out native fish? Here's why:
It eats just about anything including algae and detritus thus exploiting a food resource not used by most native fishes. Oreochromis mossambicus will happily switch from vegetable to animal sources. It's not picky!
It can live just about anywhere including ponds, reservoirs, drainage ditches, riverine environments, even brackish water.
It's tough! Oreochromis mossambicus can tolerate a wide range of water temperatures from 40F to 104F, low oxygen levels, poor water quality and pollution.
It's a prolific mouthbrooder! Broods can be in the hundreds and females can carry several broods a year.
It will breed even in poor conditions. Even when food is low or nearly unavailable, this fish will continue to breed.
It gets big (1.5 lbs and may exceed 15 inches long) but breeds young at only two inches.
Care:
Oreochromis mossambicus is easy to keep . . . when young. You can abuse it, frankly, and it will survive. That said, it is a messy eater, so frequent water changes are necessary if you want optimal growth.
And grow they will! This is a fast-growing fish.
However, when this fish gets bigger, it can get increasingly aggressive.
Feeding:
This fish will eat anything. Flake, pellets, zucchini, algae wafers . . . you name it! They are greedy, too. They will fill up their buccal cavities (males and females) and carry around any food they can't eat right away.
Breeding:
Like most African cichlids, Oreochromis mossambicus is a maternal mouthbrooder. This fish is easy to breed. It's the 'convict' of the mouthbrooder set. It is hard to tell the males from the females, but the fish seem to figure it out on their own.
This fish pretty much breeds itself. Put five to six fish in a forty gallon or larger tank and leave them alone. They will breed at eight to nine months.
Females drop eggs in a nest constructed by the male. Interestingly, in contrast to most Haps, the eggs are fertilized by the male before the female takes them up in her mouth. The eggs are incubated for 3 to 5 days. Young fry remain in the female’s mouth for another ten to fourteen days.
Realizing that I wanted to breed this fish before it got too big, I stripped a young female's second brood shortly after the eggs were laid. This litle two inch fish had over sixty small 3/32" diameter eggs. I placed these eggs in a commercial egg tumbler with some Acriflavine Plus (anti-fungal) at 80F and performed daily 50% water changes replacing the anti-fungal as necessary. Eleven days later I had over 30 babies left which was plenty!
The young fry are able to eat newly hatched baby brine shrimp immediately. After one week, I switched them to crushed flake food and they grew rapidly.
Info: gcca (http://gcca.net/index.htm)
Aulonocara walteri
General:
Aulonocara walteri is a moutbrooding, Malawian cichlid first typed by Konings in 1990. Technically, this fish does not have full nomenclature yet, so I probably should call it Aulonocara sp. "walteri".
Aulonocara walteri is typical of other Malawian peacocks. Brightly colored males with a lot of blue and drab, barred females. The common name, "Blue Face Peacock", is appropriate as males have the greatest concentration of color on the head. In preparation for breeding, males become a deeper blue and the color extends further down the body. Some male Aulocara walteri also exhibit yellow or tan coloration on their upper flanks.
Males grow to over 4 inches. Females top out at slightly over 3 inches.
Habitat:
Aulonocara walteri is found near Likoma Island in Lake Malawi. Although most of the jacobfreibergei group are rock dwellers found at 15M and below, this fish has been found in as little as 3 meters of water. They are usually found at the intersection of sandy and rocky habitats.
Care:
Aulonocara walteri is easy to keep. Provide a sand or soft gravel substrate and rockwork simulating caves.
As always, regular water changes are important. I suggest at least a 30% water change every other week. In my case, I do about 50% weekly.
Males can be aggressive to each to other, so an aquarium of four feet or longer is recommended if you have a large group of fish.
Aulonocara should not be kept with more aggressive mbuna such as Pseudotropheus or Metriaclima species. Of course, only one Aulonocara species per tank . . . they will interbreed!
I have successfully kept Aulonocara with a mildly-disposed Tanganyikans such as the Brichardi types.
Feeding:
Aulonocara walteri is easy to feed and accepts a wide variety of foods. I fed spirulina flakes, earthworm flakes, cichlid flakes and frozen mysis shrimp. I believe offering a variety of foods is of benefit to these fish.
In the wild, Aulonocara hover over the sand and make use of sensory pits located on the lower snouth to detect invertebrates moving in the sand. Once they detect movement, a fast plunge into the sand rewards this fish with a tasty snack. In the aquarium, you can observe this behavior if you provide a sand substrate.
Breeding:
Aulonocara walteri is easy to breed. For best results, I suggest a species tank. Supply one male and several females. In my case, I had one male and four females. Provide a flat piece of stone (slate is good) for the breeding site.
I should admit that I broke the "species" rule due to lack of tank space. I kept adult Aulonocara walteri in a 90-gallon tank with some juvenile Metriaclima hajormaylandia. The Aulonocara walteri were quite a bit bigger, so it wasn't a problem.
Males will display to females and draw them to the breeding site where breeding ensues in typical Aulonocara fashion. Brood sizes are in the 20-30 range.
In my experience, females are very good holders, successfully holding the fry to term. I stripped fry at 18 days and they had just a bit of a yolk sack remaining. The babies will take freshly hatched baby brine shrimp immediately.
The fry grow fast and have the drab coloration of the females until about four months of age.
gcca (http://gcca.net/index.htm)
IoStrisciare
10-19-2005, 2:08 AM
Good info!
A very good guide for the novice african cichlid hobbyist.
Thanks :clap :clap :clap
Peanut_Power
10-19-2005, 2:11 AM
So how much of this is cut and paste? Either way its rather organized....probably would be a good read if i could find the effort to keep my attention span directed towards it too.....but alas.....I lost interest quickly! Good job though Ash! Impressive indeedy! Too bad there aren't any african pike cichlids eh? *sigh*
IoStrisciare
10-19-2005, 2:15 AM
So how much of this is cut and paste? Either way its rather organized....probably would be a good read if i could find the effort to keep my attention span directed towards it too.....but alas....i got bored after I read the little ner** at the beginnin.....
well... its the thought tt counts... finding good info requires effort too... :grinyes:
I'll get to them, there are alot of Africans to go through and I am getting sleepie!
IoStrisciare
10-19-2005, 2:20 AM
I'll get to them, there are alot of Africans to go through and I am getting sleepie!
coffee quick.... coffee!! :grinyes:
coffee quick.... coffee!! :grinyes:
haha yah right I got some mid terms to study for, classes to attend, them some work.. more like SLEEP then coffee!!
Peanut_Power
10-19-2005, 2:23 AM
There AREN'T any African pike cichlids....lol....they are only South American.....although there are a few that get pretty close to Central America.
You should throw in big words Ash, keep the readers at the edge of their seats. Like....'scales shimmerin like opaque emeralds, *insert cichlid here* strikes fear into any unwary cichlid that is unfortunate enough to be caught within its devilish stare'
There AREN'T any African pike cichlids....lol....they are only South American.....although there are a few that get pretty close to Central America.
You should throw in big words Ash, keep the readers at the edge of their seats. Like....'scales shimmerin like opaque emeralds, *insert cichlid here* strikes fear into any unwary cichlid that is unfortunate enough to be caught within its devilish stare'
eh I am to lazy to look it up, I am now all knowing on my Africans =) Just a know a very little bit!
lol nice, makes it more intresting, I'll try that when I got more time =( Like over winter break!
IoStrisciare
10-19-2005, 2:34 AM
Like....'scales shimmerin like opaque emeralds, *insert cichlid here* strikes fear into any unwary cichlid that is unfortunate enough to be caught within its devilish stare'
hahaha... the horror tale of fish keeping...
IoStrisciare
10-19-2005, 2:35 AM
haha yah right I got some mid terms to study for, classes to attend, them some work.. more like SLEEP then coffee!!
heh. since i study in the day and work at night... the answer to everything is coffee :ROFL:
dang you must be one bouncy mofo!!
IoStrisciare
10-19-2005, 2:42 AM
dang you must be one bouncy mofo!!
yup... bouncin to the sounds of ladies' night :grinyes:
yup... bouncin to the sounds of ladies' night :grinyes:
O__o like the song "oh its ladies night" okay well my retarded self is going to sleep now. wow This is really off topic..
Peanut_Power
10-19-2005, 2:48 AM
Sleep is no substitute for coffee! :D :woot:
DeLgAdO
10-19-2005, 2:49 AM
O__o like the song "oh its ladies night" okay well my retarded self is going to sleep now. wow This is really off topic..
*singin*
OH YES ITS LADYS NIGHT!
AND THE FEELINGS RIGHT!
OH YES ITS LADYS NIGHT!
OH WHAT A NIGHT!
OH WHAT NIGGGGHHHHTTTTT!
IoStrisciare
10-19-2005, 2:50 AM
*singin*
OH YES ITS LADYS NIGHT!
AND THE FEELINGS RIGHT!
OH YES ITS LADYS NIGHT!
OH WHAT A NIGHT!
OH WHAT NIGGGGHHHHTTTTT!
Oh hell yea!
love to see the ladies bouncing to that song... makes the job so much more enjoyable :grinyes:
IoStrisciare
10-19-2005, 2:51 AM
O__o like the song "oh its ladies night" okay well my retarded self is going to sleep now. wow This is really off topic..
ladies night at the club i work at really...
night to the retarded one.
haha... from african cichlids to a night life... :ROFL:
ladies night at the club i work at really...
night to the retarded one.
haha... from african cichlids to a night life... :ROFL:
O___o yah my African Cichlids are real night time party animals wheee
IoStrisciare
10-19-2005, 1:42 PM
O___o yah my African Cichlids are real night time party animals wheee
speaking of which...
where's the second part of this series? :grinyes:
speaking of which...
where's the second part of this series? :grinyes:
I'll post more when I get home I am at school right now waiting to go to comp class cant do much when all my infos at home =(
sandtiger
10-19-2005, 2:57 PM
There AREN'T any African pike cichlids....lol....they are only South American.....although there are a few that get pretty close to Central America
Technically Central America is a part of South America so all CA cichlids are in turn SA cichlids.
I keep Africans!!!! But only one species. N. brichardi (Fairy cichlid)
http://www.ohiexchange.com/armke/images/neo_brichardi.JPG
NOT MINE ^
I do prefer American cichlid though...sorry.
As for sleeping....I'll sleep when I'm dead.
cabouta1
10-19-2005, 3:10 PM
your input is awesome ash. great work, look forward to more of your african posts. keep several myself, in two different tanks. always looking for info on my fish. thanks
Caveman
10-19-2005, 6:41 PM
Pretty fish. :screwy:
Mourinho18
10-19-2005, 8:26 PM
you should try some africans that are a bit more rare. Everybody knows about labidochromis caerelus (lazy on the spelling). :D
yah I know they all know but I am trying to start out simple then go into it, so everyone gets the basics first!
rallysb1tch
10-19-2005, 10:28 PM
*giggle* When I read the title of this thread it reminded me of something that happened at a LFS a few weeks ago. Rallysman and I were looking around and I noticed that the mixed African Cichlids were on sale. Without thinking (I was in FISH MODE) I yelled "Hey look they've got Africans on sale!" Of course people took it the wrong way and started laughing at me! :lipsseale Thanks for taking the time to post the info on the cichlids, it is very helpful.
GREAT informations.... cool!!!!!!
*giggle* When I read the title of this thread it reminded me of something that happened at a LFS a few weeks ago. Rallysman and I were looking around and I noticed that the mixed African Cichlids were on sale. Without thinking (I was in FISH MODE) I yelled "Hey look they've got Africans on sale!" Of course people took it the wrong way and started laughing at me! :lipsseale Thanks for taking the time to post the info on the cichlids, it is very helpful.
:ROFL: thats funny
yah no prob. =)
General:
Haplochromis sp. "hippo pointe" is rather new cichlid native to Lake Victoria in Africa. Males have a lovely red blush, but will also exhibit some blue and shades of green. Females are a light olive green with some dark markings on the side. Males get up to about 3.5 to 4 inches while females stay smaller at around 2 to 2.5". Like all Haplochromines, this fish is a maternal mouthbrooder.
I have seen sources which note that Haplochromis sp. "hippo pointe" is a threatened species. To be honest, you could easily say this about most Haplochromines in Lake Victoria. Because of the introduction of the Nile Perch, over 400 species are threatened. It's a sad fact for a cichlid hobbyist.
Like other Lake Victoria haps, they grow very quickly and will breed while quite young. I have had females spawn at only 6 months of age, but spawns are larger and more successful when females are nine months old or more.
Habitat:
I haven't found much locale information for this fish on the internet. Many Victoria haps are found over the muddy and sandy areas of the lakes and I would guess that this would be similar.
Supposedly, this fish is found near Hippo Pointe, an area where a bunch of hippos are found. Hippos (the large mammal) are extremely aggressive and territorial and kill more people in African than crocodiles. You'd have to be one very brave collector to swim around with these 2 ton killers.
Care:
General:
Haplochromis sp. "hippo pointe" is easy to keep, but this species is pretty aggressive. It will often dominate Malawian haps. I kept eight Haplochromis sp. "hippo pointe" with a breeding colony of six Aulonocara marleri. Although I didn't see any fighting, the Hippo pointe male quickly took charge of the the tank even though he was quite a bit smaller than the marleri male. It's a good idea to provide caves and hiding places so that females and subdominant males have a place to retreat.
I kept mine in neutral water of medium hardness. I'm told that water conditions in Lake Victoria are highly variable, so this fish should be quite adaptable.
Feeding:
Feeding Haplochromis sp. "hippo pointe" is not problem. They readily accept flakes, pellets, and frozen food. I fed Doromin, sprirulina flakes and Agaudine dura-flakes.
Breeding:
As mentioned previously, this fish is a precocious breeder and will start breeding at only six months of age. For best results, keep one or two males to 4-6 females. Provide a flat slate for breeding. I have noticed that this fish will breed after a water change, especially if followed by a low pressure system building as part of a storm. They breed in the standard Hap fashion using the T-position.
info:gcca (http://gcca.net/index.htm)
General:
Astatotilapia latifasciata, often sold as Haplochromis "zebra obliquedens" is an attractive, barred African cichlid first typed by Regan in 1929.
There is quite a bit of variation in the appearance of this fish. Bars vary from brownish to black and the underlying background color varies from creamy yellow to golden. Poor fish exhibit uneven bars or blotches. Larger males may exhibit a red blush on the breast portion. Occasionally, Astatotilapia latifasciata is confused with Haplochromis sp. "44" as males of that species also have red on the breast. I have observed large males without any red on the breast, but with a blue sheen on the face and gill covers.
Males top out at about five inches; females are somewhat smaller at 4 inches maximum length.
Habitat
Astatotilapia latifasciata is native to Lake Nawampasa and Lake Nioga in central Uganda, north of Lake Victoria. One source mentions that these two lakes are connected by a swampy area in the rainy season and that is why Astatotilapia latifasciata is found in both locations.
Care:
Astatotilapia latifasciata presents no problems. Neutral to moderately hard water is best and regular partial water changes are recommended. Some Astatotilapia latifasciata males exhibit aggression towards other males and sometimes females, so provide ample hiding places.
Feeding:
Astatotilapia latifasciata is an easy to feed, hungry fish. In the wild, these fish are insectivores. In the aquarium, they will stuff themselves with just about anything. I fed cichlid flake, spirulina flake, pellets, mysis shrimp and plankton. Be careful not to overfeed them.
info:gcca (http://gcca.net/index.htm)
General:
Haplochromis ishmaeli is mouthbrooding cichlid native to Lake Victoria in Africa. This fish has been in the hobby for years, but few cichlid aquarists are aware of what a stunningly beautiful fish this is!
In general, Victorian Haps are given short shrift by many hobbyists. Some Victorians are just as colorful as their Malawian and Tanganyikan counterparts. Perhaps more interesting, many of the newest fish-- many of which lack scientific names-- are coming from this lake.
Haplochromis ishmaeli was first typed in by Bourlenger in 1906 from specimens collected in what is now Uganda. I have heard that this fish is extinct in the wild, but I have not been able to verify this.
Habitat:
This fish is primarily found over the muddy bottom of the lake. Few individuals were found over sandy bottoms. Haplochromis ishmaeli is found at depths up to 9 meters.
Care:
Haplochromis ishmaeli is quite easy to keep. Like most African cichlids, it appreciates clean, hard water. This fish is fairly aggressive, however, and you should only keep it with tankmates that can "take it." I kept six of these fish along with three Pseudotropheus daktari, six Crytocara moorii and some dwarf bristlenose plecos in a 40 gallon breeder. I think this crowded arrangement diminished aggression.
Even at the juvenile stage, they show aggressive tendencies, so be forewarned. Provide cover for the females. If a female is not ready to spawn, the male may pursue her and damage her severely. I have read that these fish grow over 5" in length, but at one year old, my largest male is just over 2.25" in length. They are slow growers.
Feeding:
In the wild, Haplochromis ishmaeli were found to feed almost exclusively on mollusks, occasionally snacking on an insect or two.
Fortunately, in the home aquarium, this fish will happily gobble a variety of prepared foods-- flakes, sticks, etc. They are very good eaters. I fed mine Tetra Cichlid Flakes, New Life Spectrum, HBH Graze and Tetra Cichlid Sticks.
Breeding:
It is easy to tell the male from the female. Males hae bright yellow splashes on the flanks, a bluish-grey head and vivid black stripes. On the male, the tale is an orange-red color.
Females have brown stripes over a golden tank background and lack yellow and blue coloring. Sub-dominant males will also look similar to females, but the stripes will be vivid enough that you should be able to tell the difference.
info: gcca (http://gcca.net/index.htm)
Caveman
10-19-2005, 11:02 PM
Where are all the MONSTER African Cichlid predators? :confused:
Where are all the MONSTER African Cichlid predators? :confused:
like I said, you gotta learn the basics first, thats how you learn things!! :D
I'll get to them just as I get to the not-so basic Africans just give me time, I'll try and update once a week and I do have school and work so its kinda hard to do alot at once be patient with me please!! :grinyes:
Caveman
10-19-2005, 11:06 PM
like I said, you gotta learn the basics first, thats how you learn things!! :D
I'll get to them just as I get to the not-so basic Africans just give me time, I'll try and update once a week and I do have school and work so its kinda hard to do alot at once be patient with me please!! :grinyes:
Come on Pokemon that aint cool to tease me like that.
guppy
10-19-2005, 11:07 PM
This one can almost pass for a pike cichlid.
vanimate
10-19-2005, 11:54 PM
good job ash!
when you say you got some of the info from GCCA, is that the greater chicagoland ciclid organization your are referring to? gcca.net?
good job ash!
when you say you got some of the info from GCCA, is that the greater chicagoland ciclid organization your are referring to? gcca.net?
gcca.net, thats just where I am getting the basics the rest I'll be doing a little research of my own, but I got some good sources.
vanimate
10-19-2005, 11:58 PM
they are having a swap this weekend that im gonna try to get some big driftwood pieces at, and maybe, just maybe a cichlid or two :)
DeLgAdO
10-20-2005, 12:00 AM
Where are all the MONSTER African Cichlid predators? :confused:
EMPEROR CICHLIDS!!!
they come for lake tanganyika
and are the worlds largest cichlid species
toping off at over 3 feet!!!! :eek:
Caveman
10-20-2005, 12:03 AM
EMPEROR CICHLIDS!!!
they come for lake tanganyikan
and are the worlds largest cichlid species
toping off at over 3 feet!!!! :eek:
Damn how could I forget about them?
vanimate
10-20-2005, 12:11 AM
yeah those emperors are nice! I'm sure you guys, and gal(s) have seen "jewel of the rift" alot of good emperor footage in there
Motag 7
10-20-2005, 1:24 AM
i don't think that people on this sight are lacking knowledge but just interest, the only africans that i have ever really liked have beenthe butterkoferi(sorry if its spelled wrong its late) and the kenyi cichlid :D
Caveman
10-20-2005, 1:26 AM
i don't think that people on this sight are lacking knowledge but just interest, the only africans that i have ever really liked have beenthe butterkoferi(sorry if its spelled wrong its late) and the kenyi cichlid :D
I am with you on the Buttikoferi. Its like the Midas of the African Cichlids.
Motag 7
10-20-2005, 1:27 AM
i was in love with peacocks......for about a week, i bought a great lookin red peacock and few others and spent total of 180$ in 4 days for one tank and wound up giving them up and taking in a managuense, i didn't sell one of them, i gave them all away :)
Motag 7
10-20-2005, 1:28 AM
tah, buterkoferi are great fish and i like them so much because they are just like acentral or a south american
Sleep is no substitute for coffee! :D :woot:
I drink coffee while sleeping.
Motag, use the edit button to add in those after thoughts.
Motag 7
10-20-2005, 1:41 AM
good call :D
w3arB3aR
10-20-2005, 3:55 AM
how bout posting some nimbochromis venustus and champsochromis caeruleus?
how bout posting some nimbochromis venustus and champsochromis caeruleus?
yah yah I'll get to it later today or tomorrow along with all their other fish... new idea... just tell me what you want and I'll post the info. :D
But I am still posting random other Africans when I get bored.
fsc46
10-20-2005, 11:12 AM
Great job Ash! It's good to see others that like african cichlids. BTW the info she has posted is on point.
I have a request... post some info on one species of frontosa. It's very popular in the african hobby right now, and they make a great addition to and tank that houses them.
Great job Ash! It's good to see others that like african cichlids. BTW the info she has posted is on point.
I have a request... post some info on one species of frontosa. It's very popular in the african hobby right now, and they make a great addition to and tank that houses them.
will do most likly tonight or tomorow, yah I love Fronts, I own a few myself =)
Reiner
10-20-2005, 5:23 PM
Technically Central America is a part of South America so all CA cichlids are in turn SA cichlids..
Sandtiger you are wrong about the North and South American border. The continent of North America ends with the country of Panama and the South American continent starts with the country of Colombia. So all of Central America belongs to the Noth American continent.
Sandtiger you are wrong about the North and South American border. The continent of North America ends with the country of Panama and the South American continent starts with the country of Colombia. So all of Central America belongs to the Noth American continent.
Not only is it not the same, and the boarders are not near one another but the two areas of NA and SA are really different from one another.
tracyb7377
10-20-2005, 6:13 PM
wow great photo of the yellow lab i have 5 blue 3 white and 1 yellow but when the yellow matured it turned out to be caeruleus caeruleus and not labidochromis caeruleus as it was labeled in the store
Reiner
10-20-2005, 6:14 PM
Ash I'm sorry I have no idea what you are trying to say
Cyphotilapia Frontosa
Basics:
The king of Lake Tanganyika, this showpiece can attain lengths over 12 inches! "Fronts," as they're affectionally called, are by far the most popular tanganyikan cichlid. It's not just their impressive size or elaborate fins alone that make them so popular among aquarists, but rather their amiable and outgoing personality (not to mention that good quality fry are always in demand). This fish is like a puppy - after a short acclimization period, they'll eat right out of your hand. Wild specimens are just as gregarious as tank-raised individuals, which is a rare trait among piscovores. Despite being less active and non-aggressive, they excitably greet their owner with the same type of enthusiasm as mbuna.
Looks:
Frontosa are characterized by a white (or blue) body, adorned with either 6 or 7 black, vertical bars. Adults develop a large cephalic hump, with that of males usually being more pronounced. The hump is a large fatty deposit that rests atop a dorsal muscle that tends to extend forward. The hump develops and increases in size with age and is usually a sign of sexual fecundity. Their fins become more elaborate with age as well. There is nothing quite like the sight of a 10-year old frontosa with his long fins waving gracefully below and behind him.
Locatioin:
Frontosa are found in many different locations in the lake, but always in the deeper portions along the coastline - 10-50 m (30-170 ft). Like many sedentary animals (e.g., tortoise), Fronts have an unusually long life span of over 25 years. This sedentary behavior has probably been the impetus for the development of several geographic variants. The ones pictured on this page are all from Burundi. Other geographical races come from Kigoma, Bulu Point, Mpimbwe, Samazi, Kasanga, Chaitika, Kapampa, Kavala, and Zaire.
Male/Female:
Cyphotilapia frontosa is a monomorphic species with little or no difference between males and females. Males usually have a larger hump than females, but this characteristic is by no means a garauntee. Frontosa can only be sexed reliably by venting, and even this method cannot always be trusted. Venting frontosa accurately requires experience. Males also tend to be larger - they can grow to over 12 inches while females are lucky to reach 10 inches - but this too is not always true. In short, be cautious of any one ready to sell you sexed frontosa; make sure they're experienced and reputable.
Feeding:
As already mentioned, C. frontosa is a lethargic and slow-moving fish. Even in the lake they don't expend much energy in hunting down their food. Nature has endowed them with a unique trait which gives them an advantage over their prey - Fronts are nocturnal feeders and don't require much light to wake up. Fish make up the majority of their diet, Cyprichromis species being their primary target. Cyps spend the day in large schools (numbering in tens of thousands) in the upper water column, but at dusk, they descend to the bottom where they hug the substratum. Fronts, still awake and alert, easily scoop the unsuspecting Cyps up by the mouthful. Because of the ease with which they are able to feast upon the Cyps, frontosa don't have to spend much energy chasing their food, a chase they would certainly lose to the agile Cyps during the day.
In the tank, this cichlid can be fed small feeder fish (live or frozen), mysis, shrimp, krill, and worms. Pellets are also a good food, but flakes should be avoided after they reach 4 or 5 inches in total length. Flakes will either go ignored or get too messy and are not adequate to bring them into breeding condition.
Breeding:
Patience is necessary if you plan to breed this wonderful fish. Three to four years are required for a 1-inch fish to reach sexual maturity. Sexually active males turn blue, especially the snout region. He will select an open, yet secluded area which is only weakly defended. When he has a willing female's attention, he will slowly pass over the spot with his fins folded. Spawning is very inconspicuous - no shaking, no flashing of fins, or sparring with conspecifics. As the male passes over the selected spot, he releases his milt, showing the female where to go. Some have hypothesized that the milt may serve to encourage the female to lay her eggs. She will then pass over the spot in the same manner as the male, slowly and with fins folded. After dropping an egg, she will back up - not turn around - to pick it up. She will repeat this procedure, "rocking back and forth" four to six times. Apparently, the male's milt is powerful enough to fertilize eggs several minutes after it is released.
Broods number anywhere from 20 to 50 fry, and maybe even as high as 80, depending upon the condition of the female and the variant. Females will hold for a period of 5 weeks. Fry should be separated and raised apart from the adults.
General Tank Set- up:
The tank should be decorated simply with a few rocks, which are important to give these shy cichlids a sense of security. Don't overdo it with lots of rocks or sharp rocks. These fish move slow until they get spooked - then they are lightning fast and very clumsy. The alpha-male will be your largest and oddly enough, shyest of the group. He will need a cave, but the females do alright in the open. While not always a success aethestically, clay pots can be used to create caves. Lace rock works well as does slate if placed on its side to create alleys and secretive coves. 40 gallons will work well as a grow-out tank. For a colony of 10 adults, a 125-gallon tank or bigger is recommended.
bluedempsey
10-20-2005, 6:32 PM
^
awesome info :clap
Nimbochromis venustus
General:
A large Malawian mouthbrooder, was first typed by Boulenger in 1908 as Haplochromis Venustus. In 1989 it was reclassified into the species Nimbochromis by Eccles and Trewavas.
Nimbochromis venustus is closely related to Nimbochromis livingtonii. Both are popular cichlids reguarly found in pet stores. Nimbochromis venustus is sometimes called the Giraffe Hap because of the blotchy patches that appear on females (see photo at right) and sub-adult males. Males in breeding dress have a bright blue head and yellow-green sheen to the flanks partially covering the "giraffe" splotches. There appears to be quite a bit of difference between individuals depending on age, position in the hierarchy and the presence of breeding color.
Habitat:
Nimbochromis venustus is found over sandy areas in the lake at depths averaging 15 meters.
Care:
Nimbochromis venustus is fairly hardy and easy to keep. Like all Malawian cichlids, it appreciates hard water and temperatures of 76 to 80F. Nimbochromis venustus grows up to 10 inches; a group of six to eight adults would do best large tank of at least 100 gallons. Smaller specimens can be kept in correspondingly smaller aquaria.
Nimbochromis venustus is an ambush predator. It has been observed burrowing into the sand where it's splotchy coloration acts a camouflage. Because of this habit, provide a soft substrate of sand or fine gravel. A sharp substate combined with poor water quality can quickly lead to eye cloudiness in this fish which is impossible to reverse in my experience.
Like many predators that live in the sandy habitat, Nimbochromis venustus are strong and swift swimmers. I observed near constant schoaling behavior in the tank making for a very attractive display.
There are differing reports regarding aggression in this species. I have read reports stating that this fish is very aggressive toward both it's kind and conspecifics. This was not my experience; I would classify this fish as only moderately agressive.
I kept seven Nimbochromis venustus with a variety of other Malawian cichlids with only moderate aggression taking place. Individual fish do have quite different personalities, however, so keep on the lookout for aggressive behavior. When I added two fish purchased from a fellow club member, the newly introduced dominant male went aggressively after his forrmer tankmate. The fish were sold to me as a pair but were, in fact, a dominant and sub-dominant male. Cichlids always keep us guessing!
Feeding:
In the lake, Nimbochromis venustus is an opportunistic feeder. Much has been written about its habit as a paedophage (fry eater) where the ambush technique previously mentioned comes into play. Stomach contents have revealed, however, a variety of zoo plankton and other materials, so as you'd expect, this fish is easy to feed in captivity. I fed Tetra Cichlid Flakes, spirulina flakes, Aquadine Duraflakes, frozen brine shrimp and Tetra Cichlid Sticks. They are big eaters and will keep eating until they are quite plump!
Breeding:
Nimbochromis venustus is fairly easy to breed. The key components to success are:
The fish need to be at least four to five inches long and 1 to 1.5 years old. Be patient as this fish needs to be pretty big before they will reproduce.
Provide a flat stone or slate as the breeding site.
Position the slate away from strong currents in the tank as the eggs are externally fertilized, similar to Cyrtocara species.
Although I never observed a spawning, reports I have read indicates that it proceeds similarly to that of Cyrtocara moorii.
Spawns are very large containing from 60 to 120 eggs. I found the females to be shy holders in my hectic 125 gallon tank, so I stripped the female two days post spawning and incubated the largish eggs for 13 days. The fry exhibit the female color pattern almost immediately and are quite robust eaters. I fed my fry on Cyclops-eeze for four days and then transitioned them to crushed flake food. Even at young age, they are strong swimmers. The fry grow quickly.
A few notes about breeding this fish:
Males will spawn prior to obtaining full adult coloration. To identify up and coming males, look for a longer yellow streak down the nose and egg spots on the anal fin.
Females definitely respond better to fully colored males than sub-dominant males.
If you move a juvenile male into a tank containing several females and a colored-up male, expect trouble. A sub-dominant male was harassed by a dominant male on one occasion. Expect this behavior to be more profound in a species tank than in a mixed tank.
As always, I recommend you start with a group of six to eight juvenile fish and grow them up together
Waiting for the next fish! Red Empress, Calvus info if you have time.
Red Empress (Protomelas taeniolatus)
General Information:The Red Empress is a beautiful haplochromine line bred from the Namalenje strain in Lake Malawi. As is usual for haps, the males are the showy ones whereas females are drab gray/brown with black horizontal striping. The males generally color up around three inches. During courting and breeding, the male will actively and aggressively defend a large territory, driving out any fish that may inadvertently enter the territory. When not breeding, the male will no longer defend this territory and will allow any fish to go into it and be overall very peaceful. They are very aggressive against other males of their kind and it is not recommended to have more than one male in a tank unless the tank is very large.
The empress is not so much a digger as it is a relentless sand-sifter. In a tank with sand as the substrate it will regularly scoop up sand in its mouth and scatter it all over the tank, on plants, on rocks, and yes, next to the filter intake. Therefore, an intake with a sponge prefilter and/or the heavy pool filter sand are recommended to protect the filter impellor from sand damage. Generally, they will not bother plants and appear to appreciate a planted tank with some room to sift. Mine also enjoys the rock structure in my tank for hiding whenever something strange is happening in the tank such as an invading siphon tube. Rocks and caves are needed, but these structures must be planned to allow for plenty of available swimming room.
Adult Length: 8"-9" (22 cm) max, females smaller. Max size is generally 6" (15 cm)
Minimum Tank Size: 75 gallons (280L), 100 gallons or more preferred
Water Requirements: pH: 7.6-8.6 Very Hard, 76-82 degrees F (25-28 C)
Diet Requirements: They are herbivores but very opportunistic feeders. They will do fine on a varied diet including spirulina as well as meaty flakes/pellets. I feed a mix of spirulina flake and color-enhancing pellets. Empresses are bloat-prone, thus small, frequent feedings are preferred over one or two large feedings
Sexing: Males will develop a great deal of color as they mature, females will remain drab gray with black horizontal striping. Otherwise, venting must be done. Males will also have longer, pointed dorsal and anal fins with females having shorter and more rounded fins
Breeding: Maternal mouthbrooder. Male will intensify in color, stake out an aggressively defended territory, and vibrate and display in order to attract females. After breeding, male will cease defense of his territory, letting other fish use it to their desire.
Mourinho18
10-26-2005, 5:34 PM
give us some info on some tropheops
Altolamprologus calvus
The Pearly Calvus
General:
Altolamprologus calvus is a recently discovered Tanganyikan fish, first typed by Poll in 1988. This slender predator's unique compressed shape and somewhat menacing appearance has made it a popular fish for cichlid enthusiasts.
While not difficult to keep, Altolamprologus calvus can be a challenge to breed for the novice. This is a very slow-growing species; allow at least two years to get them from a one-inch size to your first spawn. Additionally, this fish requires a unique spawning area.
A number of color variants of Altolamprologus calvus are available in the hobby. The most popular, the "black" variety (sometimes called Pearly) is pictured above. Other varieties include white and orange. I have also heard of a zebra type, but have not personally seen it.
Habitat:
Altolamprologus calvus is always found in association with rocky areas, particulary the reef-like structures in the lake.
Care:
Altolamprologus calvus can easily be kept in a 15-20 gallon tank and is not aggressive towards con-specifics. Like all Tanganyikans, it appreciates hard, clean water. I kept mine in Chicago water and made no chemical changes.
I performed weekly, 50% water changes during my grow-out stage with no problems. Altolamprologus calvus can be sensitive to abrupt temperature changes, so make sure that your replacement water is consistent with what is in the tank. I kept my fish at 78F.
Feeding:
Altolamprologus calvus is a specialized predator, feeding on eggs, fry and young fish on the reef. The laterally compressed body of this fish allow it to penetrate tight crevaces and extract their prey hiding within. The large mouth is rapidly opened and the enormous suction produced draws in the prey forcefully.
Fortunately, in the aquarium, they will take a variety of high-protein foods. I fed brine shrimp and earthworm flakes, New Life Spectrum and Aquadyne duraflakes.
Don't get frustrated if your fish do not grow quickly; this species just doesn't get big fast!
Breeding:
Altolamprologus calvus isn't hard to breed, but you do need to make sure your fish are sexually mature and have the right place to lay eggs. While they are growing, you can keep
You can sex Altolamprologus calvus by size. Males are about one-third larger than females. I suggest starting with four to five fry or juvenile fish and growing them up in a twenty-gallon tank.
After two years or 2.5" for the female, pair formation will begin. Look for a small fish and large fish that like to stay together. At this point, it's a good idea to remove the other fish, although I have had successful spawns with unpaired calvus in the tank. If you have any plecos in the tank, it would be a good idea to remove them as they may eat the eggs.
Altolamprologus calvus likes to spawn in tight confines. In one of Pam Chin's columns, she recommended using shells. However, GCCA members who has successfully spawned this fish recommend Boester Bells named after Rick and Monica Boester who have sold many of these for breeding dwarf bristlenose plecos. These tapered, ceramic cones seem to appeal to the fish and worked for great for me.
The female will enter the Boester Bell and lay the eggs. The male, if he's not too big, will enter the mouth or stay near the entrance and wash his milt over the eggs. Young pairs will lay about 75 eggs. Larger pairs will lay over 200 eggs.
The female will stay inside fanning the eggs and protecting them while the male patrols outside. They are very good parents.
It's certainly possible to raise the fry in the parent tank, but I removed the Boester Bell one week post-hatch when the fry were are almost free swimming to a five gallon grow-out tank containing gravel and a seasoned sponge filter.
The fry of Altolamprologus calvus are bottom huggers. For this reason, you will need to pay extra attention to water quality as extra food can quickly foul the substrate. I fed a mixture of Cyclops-eeze, Hikari First Start, and finely ground earthworm and brine shrimp flakes.
give us some info on some tropheops
gotta get back to work, I'll update on them later tonight or tomorrow k!
Mourinho18
10-26-2005, 6:00 PM
:thumbsup: , good stuff so far
AngelicGreenTerror
10-27-2005, 2:50 AM
I agree.. and nice Calvus picture.. I simply love it.
fsc46
10-30-2005, 11:31 AM
What's going on Ash? Studying for exams???
What's going on Ash? Studying for exams???
MID TERMS ARGH!!!! x__X I've been on and off here not much time, I promise I'll update soon =) I got fish to do lol!!
Pseudotropheus Tropheops Sp. 'red cheek', Pseudotropheus Tropheops red head, Pseudotropheus Big eye, Macropthalmus Red cheek. (common names for this fish)
General
In the wild the male guards a territory of around 2 m in diameter at a rock. A very attractive cichlid which I gladly recommend, best kept together with other rough cichlids.
Size
At the most 14-15 cm (5.5-6 in.), females are significant smaller.
Food
Shrimpmix
Aquarium
Above 300 litres.
Habitat
Turbulent water in rocky habitat.
Breeding
Not so easy to spawn like many other mbunas, but still it is relatively easy to spawn.
*please excuse the lack of info. I am short on time =( I will put a more detailed up date on this fish and another type of Tropheops later ok! Sorry, much*
Good luck with the mid terms.
I believe I owe you all another fish =) I thought this guy looked pretty intresting so I decided to post him. I saw him in a shop the other day!
Common Name
Neolamprologus Compressiceps
Temperament
Territorial, but calm towards tank mates of a similar size. f they become to aggressive, overcrowd the aquarium to give them less to fight over.
Food
Ominvore. Feed shrimp, frozen foods and small fish
Care
A large amount of rocks with caves for hiding places is needed. Plants can be added without being destroyed.
Water
PH 7.0 - 8.0, Hardness 8.0°dH - 12.0°dH, Temp. 73°F - 77°F
Size
about 5 inches
Region of the Aquarium
Bottom dweller
Breeding
Hard to breed, but if you have the right pH around 7.5 and the right aquarium set up, then you should be fine. Start off with one male and 3 females and once the male has found his female - remove the other two.
Gender
Difficult to determine by external features.
shekes
11-11-2005, 10:28 AM
WOW!! It looks really cool!
I thought so also!! I was like wow what a cool looking fish!! =)
Gooda
11-11-2005, 10:43 AM
This is a lot of good info. Its helping me with all of these German peoples questions. All they have over here is African Cichlids...
This is a lot of good info. Its helping me with all of these German peoples questions. All they have over here is African Cichlids...
yay glad it helps!! If you need info on a certian African just post the name of the fish on here and I will see what I can find for you =)
Vince
11-11-2005, 11:16 AM
I am with you on the Buttikoferi. Its like the Midas of the African Cichlids.
Uhh..I dunno. I think a Butterkoefferi will and can kill a midas or red devil. Dems fishies are psychos! :crazy: :screwy: fish.
:clap: :clap: :clap:
Nice collection of data Ash. :thumbsup:
Thanks again you guys =) Here is info for the Buttikoferi :D
General:
The Buttikoferi Cichlid, also known as the Zebra Tilapia, inhabits the river systems of Western Africa. The coloration of this fish is a series of black and white vertical stripes. Although they can be peaceful when young, as they grow so does their disposition, which becomes very territorial.
Tank Set-up:
The ideal setup for the Buttikoferi Cichlid is a tank of at least 70 gallons (minium tank size) with plenty of rocks for territories and a medium-sized gravel planted with hardy plants. This fish will become aggressive towards smaller fish, so it is important to keep them with similar-sized fish, or in a species tank.
Tank Conditions:
72-82 degrees F. pH level 7.8-8.5, KH 10-15
Max Size: is about 1 foot - in an aquarium
Breeding:
Currently, the Buttikoferi Cichlid is being successfully bred in farms and aquariums. They are substrate spawners, excavating a pit to lay eggs in. During spawning time, the pair will become highly aggressive.
Food:
Feed the Buttikoferi Cichlid a variety of both meaty and vegetable-based foods. Live foods should be offered such as brine shrimp, earthworms and mosquito larvae. A quality flake and tablet food containing vegetable matter should also be included in their diet. They are omnivores!
Caveman
11-11-2005, 1:41 PM
Took you long enough. I have been wating for the Buttikoferi forever.
Caveman
11-11-2005, 1:43 PM
I had a breeding pair of Buttikoferi. The male had way more blue on his fins then the female and also had much more bulk to the head.
=) sorry you guys were talking about it not telling me you wanted it... so I took a guess after that last post!! @_@
Caveman
11-11-2005, 1:53 PM
Do the Hemichromis fasciatus this is another one my favorite fish.
Okay Hemichromis fasciatus it is, but I couldnt find alot but here is what I gots:
General:
High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months.
Distribution: Africa: Senegal to the Nile basins and from Lake Chad to Ituri River in Congo basin and upper Zambezi. Also known from Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana Elsewhere, widely distributed in West Africa. They are used in the wild as tilapia control.
Food:
Feeds on shrimps, insects and small fishes, best with live food but can eat other foods such as pellets.
Breeding:
A nesting substrate spawner which breeds in the early summer.
Max. size: 20.4 cm - almost 2 feet., weight: 300 g
Environment: freshwater; pH range: 7; dH range: 15
Climate: tropical; 23 - 25°C; 18°N - 17°S
so if you wanna add to it please do =)
oh snap I thought my thread went away awhile ago, guess I should update this thing. who wants to know about another fish????????
Vince
12-16-2005, 12:42 PM
How about the Oreochromis niloticus, breeding, growth rate, and maximum size? I'm thinking aquaculture :)
The Nile tilapia!
Max Size: about 62cm.
Habitat: Fresh and Brackish Water
Tempature: Tropical: 14 - 33 degrees celcius
Breeding/Aquaculture potential: Predominantly herbivorous. Young fry omnivorous. Phytoplankton becomes progressively more important as the fish grow. Breeds throughout the year in equatorial waters, but peak usually coincides with rain season. Maternal mouthbrooder. Males construct nests in firm sand at 0.6-2 m. Fecundity varies with size: 340 eggs in female of 17 cm TL; 3706 eggs in female of 57 cm TL. Hybridises with a number of other cichlid species. Used in polyculture with a number of other species. Adults require 28% protein in diet, but maximum growth at 34% protein. (they also like plants)
Potential growth rate: cant find.
Also here is the best thing I could find for breeding info:
http://www.ag.auburn.edu/fish/icaae/reprobiology.htm
Hope that Helps :D
Wow, great link and info. Thanks for the help :thumbsup: :)
yup yup =) anyone else need info for a African?
HarpoGarza
12-18-2005, 3:53 AM
yup yup =) anyone else need info for a African?
I just got a male Aulonacara nyassae, who is currently black. I was told by my LFS that the only way to get his blue colors to come out was to get him some females. Another LFS told me feeding him brine shrimp or krill once a week would bring out his blue. Whom should I believe? All research I've done points to him having some females, but in the 3 weeks I've had him he's already starting to lighten up a bit, and his blue is slowly developing. Also, any info on Nimbochromis livingstonii?
Nimbochromis livingstonii I do believe his info is already in this thread but I could be wrong, and I will get back to you on is it food or female fish thing, I got to go to work soon so I dont have much time for some research get off at six, will have it up by the end of tonight! I think food might help though, if its the right diet. I'll find it out for you.
SinisterKisses
12-18-2005, 10:54 AM
The blue should develop on its own to an extent, but to get the full colour out of him, you'll have to add females to really brighten him up :)
HarpoGarza
12-18-2005, 3:24 PM
Much obliged!
got off early here is some more info and the anwser to your question, just as sk said it's prob. going to get more color with females added.
Aulonocara nyassae
Gen. Info: Aulonocara nyassae, comes from the rocky, sandy shores of Lake Malawi, Africa. The male is a bright yellow to metallic blue, whereas the female is a drab brown to gray. Size: around 6 inches
Tank: This fish does well in an aquarium that is at least 50 gallons with plenty of rocks for territories and a sandy bottom. The male is usually only aggressive towards its own species unless its territory is invaded upon. Provide a ratio of 3 to 4 females to one male. Minimum Tank Capacity is 50 gallons.Tank Set-up should be Rocks, plants, sand bottom. Tank Conditions: 72-82°F; pH 7.8-8.5; dH 10-15. The lighting should be low.
Breeding/Coloration: The males colors will become more vivid during breeding time. The yellow will become more pronounced and his temperament will become more aggressive. Again, provide multiple females for the male, as it will take the stress off of the female carrying the eggs. Incubation is approximately 3 weeks, at which time, the female will release the fry. Provide the fry with newly hatched brine shrimp and finely ground flake food.
Food: This fish should be fed a variety of both meaty and vegetable-based foods. Feed live and frozen brine shrimp along with Spirulina-based flake and pellet foods. Diet: Omnivore.
any one else need info on an african?
Boulengerochromis Microlepsis :) heheh, get to work. I bought two of these guys...too lazy to look...
Boulengerochromis Microlepsis (said to be the largest cichlid):
*you know for such a large cichlid it was hard finding all this info. I dunno why.... Seems like a pretty awesome fish though, anyways I hope this helps some, if not then I am sorry and tell me what you do need to know and I'll try to find it!!*
Max. size: documented to grow up to 24inches, max. published weight: 4,500 g
Water Qualityt: freshwater; pH range: 9; dH range: 10
Tempature: tropical; 24 – 26°C
Food: Micro predators - High protein pellets and flake, live or frozen food of a suitable size.
Herbivores - Low protein high fibre pellets and flake (Goldfish food), cooked peas without skin, Cucumber slices, live/frozen food once per week. It is suggested that this fish gets a mix of both meaty and herbivore like foods, Granuar, Granumeat, Spirulina, and Granugreen are all what I have seen to be suggested.
Breeding: These fish are generally quite prolific and will spawn regularly if in good health and good water quality. They produce large well developed fry but only in small numbers sometimes as few as four. Although it is suggested that the will not breed in an aquarium unless you had a massive massive tank and tank set up. (didnt find much but here is a documentery on breeding them ):
http://www.cichlidae.com/article.php?id=89
Thank you! :) Once again, great info :)
yay! =) So yup if anyone needs anymore info just letme knowwww =)
Variabilochromis moorii
General:
Variabilochromis moorii is substrate-spawning Tanganyikan fish first typed by Boulenger in 1898.
Both male and female are very dark, nearly black, and sport an electric blue edge to the tail fin. There are also blue highlights on the pectoral and dorsal fins. Synonyms for this fish are Lamprologus moorii or Neolamprologus moorii. In fact, the Variabilochromis nomenclature is farily new.
Habitat:
In the lake, Variabilochromis moorii is found in the shallow, rocky habitat. Numerous caves and rock surfaces are found in this area. Maximum depth in this area is 10M.
Care (water quality and temp):
Variabilochromis moorii is not difficult to keep. You can easily house a pair in a 20-gallon tank. Temperatures of around 78 to 80F work well. Like all Tanganyikans, provide hard water and do regular partial water changes. Maybe change 30-50% per week. About 7.2pH and 300 ppm hardness, or dH 8.2.
Feeding:
Variabilochromis moorii is easy to feed. Tetra Cichlid Flakes, Spirulina flakes, Tetra Cichlid Sticks and occasionally frozen adult brine shrimp or plankton.
Breeding:
Best housed in a 55gallon tank for breeding.
Since this fish is a secretive cave spawner, provide lots of caves and rockwork. My fish spawned in a 4-inch terracotta cave.
Variabilochromis moorii is fairly easy to sex. You can discern the sexes by watching parental behavior. The small male guards the outskirts of the territory. The always-alert female stays near the eggs/fry at all times.
Variabilochromis moorii forms solid pair bonds unlike the bulk of Lamprologines which are harem spawners. Once you have a pair, you can expect good production and compatibility for a long time.
Spawns for this fish can be quite large, up to 500
mjime714
12-22-2005, 2:03 PM
Awe my gosh ash! You are awesome!! Into video games, African Cichlids and a looker... Can you cook?
This info is just what I have been looking for. I was into reef tanks way back but now, just getting back into aquariums, I am focusing on Africans. This info is great. Thanks for all of it.
No problem =) I dont know I am good with mircrowaves, ovens and frying pans.. haha. Yah if you find a fish your intrested in and its no listed on here let me know and I will see what info I can get for yah!
Caveman
12-22-2005, 5:29 PM
Boulengerochromis Microlepsis! Thats what i'm talking about. Need to get me a few of them.
I know they are some pretty cool looking fish. I am thinking of trying to get one myself =) (page 10)
Caveman
12-22-2005, 5:37 PM
I know they are some pretty cool looking fish. I am thinking of trying to get one myself =) (page 10)
You could raise them and get some more info for us on them. :naughty:
Here is another smaller African (Lake Tanganyikan) that I ve always been intrested and want to keep, I love how they are either one color and their fins are bright and vibrant and also how they shine, very nice looking to me, but hard to find info on them, but this is what I got:
Xenotilapia Sima llangi
Maximum Size:
6 Inches
Minimum Tank Size:
80 Gallons , pH 7.2 hard water, make sure they have hiding spots and open space. Tropical Tempature.
Social Status:
Best kept in groups (Schooling)
Spawning Type:
Mouthbrooder , will breed if kept in the right settings.
Feeding Classification:
Carnivorous Sandsifter, live food such as shrimp, freeze dried foods and sinking pellets.
You could raise them and get some more info for us on them. :naughty:
If I could get the money to get a seprate tank for them and actually and could find the fish and what not and set up a new tank I would. =) untill then I dunno much more =(
Caveman
12-22-2005, 5:49 PM
Those are sweet to. I normally dont like little African Cichlids but those one have a odd look to them.
I know!! I love the way they look its so intersting, I saw them on a websites ordering list and thought hmm so I looked them up! I want to get them but shippings to much =( I have to see if my lfs can get them in.
Caveman
12-22-2005, 5:53 PM
I know!! I love the way they look its so intersting, I saw them on a websites ordering list and thought hmm so I looked them up! I want to get them but shippings to much =( I have to see if my lfs can get them in.
Get a group order going down there. I wouldnt mind owning a few them.
I am going to check into!
Vince
12-23-2005, 10:11 PM
OK, I tried looking for this one but couldn't find any info. I don't have any pictures, and only have the "common name". It's "basengi" - red fire queen. Never heard, but I saw it on a wholesale list. Thanks in advance.
blacktip
12-23-2005, 10:44 PM
Okay, looks like some clever marketing here. Based on what I have seen in other posts regarding this fish and the location where a very common red colored hap originates from, here is what I haved deduced:
1. I believe that "basengi" is actually Senga Bay
2. "Red fire queen" is actually a Red Empress
Here's a link (http://www.malawimayhem.com/profile_show.php?id=377) to some info on this fish. Males can be very beautiful, but the one I had was very aggressive. Others I have known had individuals that were much more calm than mine was so mine may have just been a particularly beligerent individual.
Vince
12-23-2005, 11:48 PM
hah! Completely what I didn't imagine. Red fire queen sounded like it's super beautiful, but the fish you posted is nice, just not what I imagined. Thanks :)
blacktip
12-24-2005, 6:08 AM
The picture on that page that I linked to was not spectacular. These pages have some pictures of some more spectacular individuals:
http://www.cichlidae.com/tanks/contest/phase-06.php
http://www.malawi.cichlids.ru/articles/article.php?&art_id=199&cat=2
I am just gonna guess you got the info you needed =) sorry for not responding let alone sooner I ve been gone a few days and prob later tonight! Anyways if you need ne more lemme know.
Julidochromis dickfeldi (Nice but small! Maybe a suggestion for those of you who have smaller tanks and want Africans ;) I like them!)
General:
This slender, African fish native to the southwestern area of Lake Tanganyika in Africa. This attractive fish is a secretive cave spawner with interesting brood care. The parents will raise several generations of babies together and are great Moms and Dads. It's extremely difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish the sexes of this fish. I believe, and a number of sources confirm, that the females are generally the larger fish. Julidochromis dickfeldi don't get very big, only about 3 inches or so, so you could consider this a dwarf cichlid. They are well suited to smaller tanks because they maintain rather small territories.
Care:
Julidochromis dickfeldi don't like soft water, but they will do fine in neutral or moderately hard water. Julidochromis dickfeldi does not need a very large tank a standard 20 gallon tank will do. Fine gravel for the bottom of the tank and lots of rockwork to simulate caves and hiding places. Julidochromis dickfeldi is territorial, but with the proper tank set-up you can easily limit it. An interesting thing about this fish is that really doesn't move around outside of its territory. Julidochromis dickfeldi will act aggressively toward conspecifics, so don't keep it with any other julies. I suggest a species tank for this fish.
Water: pH range: 8.5 to 9.2 and dH range: 8.0 to 12.0., Temp: Tropical mid 70's-80's
Feeding:
If you look at Julidochromis dickfeldi, you'll notice the downward pointing mouth. In the lake, these fish graze on crustaceans and other small creatures found on the rocks. This is not a fish that will rush to the surface when you feed them! They'll stay within a couple of inches of the bottom and peck at food as it floats down. A large variety of prepared foods such as flake, New Life Spectrum pellets, bloodworms, etc.
Breeding:
Julidochromis dickfeldi isn't difficult to breed, but some patience is required for two reasons:
They have to be about a year old before they breed
It's not easy to tell when they've bred!
I suggest that you obtain six to eight fry or juvenile fish and grow them up together.
At one year, Julidochromis dickfeldi will start pairing off. If you've provided rockwork and caves, you'll notice a pair drive away other fish from their territory. After a month or so of "decorating" their new home, excavating gravel, etc., the fish may breed. You may notice increased activity within the cave, and one of the fish may rarely come out because it is guarding eggs. The eggs are laid on the roof or side of a cave almost always out of view. The babies are very small when born, and initially feed on small organisms present in the aquarium. One of the great things about Julidochromis dickfeldi is that the juveniles will help raise succeeding generations of fish. At one point, I had five generations of babies from 1/8th inch long up to about 3/4 of an inch long. The fry have an interesting habit of hanging motionless, orienting themselves vertically or horizontally to match the rockwork. Julidochromis dickfeldi fry grow very slowly taking about four months to reach one inch in length. Fry are easily damaged by rough netting, so be especially careful when you move them.
General:
Aulonocara jacobfreibergi is one of the largest of the cichlids generically called peacocks. Not large as far as cichlids go, but males can attain a size up to 8 or 9 inches, females somewhat smaller. Not surprisingly, it is also one of the most popular. Originally called Trematocranus jacobfreibergi or the Malawi Butterfly, it was one of the first peacocks brought into this country in the early seventies. There are several populations available today all grouped under the name Aulonocara jacobfreibergi. The most common are the "Otter Point" and the "Lemon Jake". Others include the "Hongi Island" and the "Cape Kaiser". Recently some albino A. jacobfreibergi varieties have surfaced.
Habitat:
A. jacobfreibergi is present in different populations in both the northern and southern parts of Lake Malawi. They are found in both sandy and rocky parts of the lake. The males like to occupy caves and will fight off all invaders into their territory.
Care:
A. jacobfreibergi likes hard alkaline water around 76-82 degrees, although they will tolerate slightly higher or lower temperatures. Some salt may be added but they do fine without. As stated, A. jacobfreibergi likes a sandy to rocky habitat and caves should be included. Minimum tank size for a pair is 20 gallons.
Feeding:
A. jacobfreibergi fry are relatively large and can eat anything. Start them out with newly hatched brine shrimp. If you prefer you can start them out with infusoria and/or microworms. Adults will readily eat flake food, pellet food, adult brine shrimp, bloodworms and earthworms. In the wild they eat insect larvae and crustaceans.
Breeding:
A. jacobfreibergi are typical Lake Malawi cichlids. Wild fish do best when one male is in a tank with 4-6 females.A minimum tank size of 55 gallons, a 75 gallon even better. If you raise young to get a breeding colony, sometimes a second male in the tank will be fine. Caution must be used if you use two males. One, you should always use the best male for breeding and with two males in the tank you can never be sure who is fathering the young*. Secondly, two males living harmoniously together one day makes a great battle the next. Keeping a second male in another tank is probably best. Then you have a spare to step in when needed.
Fossorochromis
General:
Fossorochromis rostratus was first typed by Boulenger in 1898, yet you don't find many accounts of hobbyist spawnings until the last ten years.
Fossorochromis rostratus is a large, mouthbrooding Malawian cichlid that reaches lengths of up to ten inches. It's a large, fast swimming piscivore and you'll need a big tank to keep it. It's also a beautiful fish, but I have seen quite a bit of difference in individual coloration. As you'd expect, they are most dramatic when in breeding colors.
This is a fish for the intermediate to advanced aquarist who is patient. Males do not reach sexual maturity until they are at least eight inches long. Plan on allowing at least two years for a fish to get this big.
One curiousity about this fish is that when frightened, it will quickly dive into the substrate and bury itself. Fossorochromis rostratus can do this with remarkable speed.
Habitat:
Fossorochromis rostratus is found over sand and gravel areas in the lake and may co-habit these areas with Cyrtocara moorii. Fish found over the sandy areas tend be very fast swimmers and Fossochromis rostratus is no exception. In the lake, the fish spends a lot of time sifting through the sand.
Care:
Fossorochromis rostratus has similar requirements to most Malawian cichlids; hard water and temperatures from 75 to 80F. Provide a soft substrate such as fine gravel or sand as this fish can be damaged by it's tendency to dive into the substrate when scared.
Because this is a large fish, I recommend a 100 gallon tank for a group of six to eight individuals. Large fast-swimming fish like these do not do well in small tanks.
Feeding:
Fossorochromis rostratus will quickly consume a variety of prepared foods. When young, I fed Tetra Cichlid flakes and Spirulina flakes. As the fish got older, I fed Tetra Cichlid Sticks. I have not observed this fish eat live food.
Breeding:
Fossorochromis rostratus is very difficult to sex until it obtains very large sizes. Subdominant males look exactly like females! For this reason alone, this can be a challenging fish to breed.
toxicfish
12-30-2005, 7:03 PM
Hey Ash, how about some Info on this guy :)
That Aulonocara maleri?? Sunshine Peacock?
Ne who heres some info:
General:
Aulonocara maleri "Maleri Island" was first brought into the United States in the early to mid seventies. This is the fish that was originally named the "Sunshine Peacock". Since that time, no fewer than three other peacocks have been called that in the marketplace. Although fish such as Aulonocara baenschi are just as beautiful, A. maleri will always be the "Sunshine Peacock" to me. These fish were bred to enhance the orange color in some males and is the ancestor to the famous "German Reds" and the newer "Ruben Reds".
Habitat:
A. maleri are, of course, from Lake Malawi. I don’t know where they were originally collected, but my guess is from somewhere along the Tanzanian coast. They are presently no longer collected from the lake. A. maleri are classic peacocks. They love a sandy bottom and also do best when provided with several caves.
Care:
A. maleri likes hard alkaline water around 76-82 degrees, although they will tolerate slightly higher or lower temperatures. Some salt may be added but they do fine without. As stated, A. maleri likes a sandy to rocky habitat and caves and/or flowerpots should be included. Minimum tank size is a 5 gallon tank for one fish. They do best when kept in groups. For a group of 5 or 6 adults (1 male and 4 or 5 females) do well in any tank that is 36 inches long or over. They also do well as part of an Africa
Feeding:
A. maleri fry can eat anything. Start them out with newly hatched brine shrimp or if you prefer a quality flake food. They will also accept micro worms. Within weeks the fry will be large enough to accept white worms. Adults will readily eat flake food, pellet food, adult brine shrimp, bloodworms and earthworms.
Breeding:
A. maleri are harem spawners. Adult fish do best when one male is in a tank with 4-6 females. You can have more than one male but he will be harassed. My breeding colony consists of 4 females and 1 male. Each female produces approximately one spawn every five weeks consisting of anywhere from 20 to 30 eggs.
toxicfish
12-30-2005, 7:32 PM
That will work :thumbsup: ....When I bought it they told me it was a Turquoise Peacock.
uh they are turquoise in color? lol =) but I'll post some info on them also !
Aulonocara sp. "Turkis"
The Turquoise Peacock
First of all, lets state right up front that this fish does not occur in Lake Malawi. It is a man-made fish. It is not an atrocity like the Parrot Cichlid but rather a product of careful inbreeding of Aulonocara species to obtain a specific goal, a Turquoise Peacock. Who better to accomplish this then the Germans? This fish came over from selectively bred German stock about two years ago. There is not a real good picture on the web of this fish, so it has gone relatively unnoticed. Well, I’m here to tell you that this fish is unusually colored, very striking and, yes, turquoise. One word of caution, they are extremely slow to color up. It is not rare for a male to be well over a year old before he starts coloring up.
Habitat:
The Turkis, as it is called, is still an African Cichlid so it likes hard alkaline water and a temperature of about 80 degrees F. They love to dig, so give them plenty of gravel and plenty of caves or any other appropriate hiding place. The males are relatively non-aggressive and you can house more than one male in a tank provided you have plenty of room. Of course, one male and six to eight females is best. Somewhere around a 40 to 50 gallon breeder is ideal.
Care:
As with most African Cichlids, the Turkis is happy anywhere. Proper temperature, pH, hardness and weekly water changes of about 25% keep this fish happy and healthy.
Feeding:
The Turkis is a good eater and readily eats anything given them. As with all fish, you should feed a variety of foods. They attack earthworms, as well as, frozen brine shrimp, pellets and flakes.
Breeding:
The Turkis is, of course, a mouth brooder and a harem spawner. They are completely typical of their Genus (Aulonocara). Given adequate conditions and food, they will breed easily.
DeLgAdO
12-30-2005, 7:46 PM
wait your a staff memeber too?
wtf is going on? :confused:
toxicfish
12-30-2005, 11:26 PM
wait your a staff memeber too?
wtf is going on? :confused: LOL
mjime714
01-10-2006, 10:51 AM
Yo Ash, can I get some info on the Copadichromis sp. "Likoma Blue" (Ndumbi) please? Many thanks.
downset21
01-17-2006, 6:04 PM
I need suggestions ash... I just set up a 55 gal. tank at work. It is decorated with plenty of reef rock that I piled up to make hiding places and looks like a reef. The tank is 4 feet in length and 1 foot wide. I had pseudotropheus species before and wanted to try out new african cichlids. Can you put together a list of african cichlids that you would throw in a 55 gal. tank decorated like this? I'm not familiar with what is compatible, and it seems like you know this kind of stuff off the top of your head.
For some reason this didnt show I had any new posts in here grr I am SOOOOOO Horribly sorry I didnt get back to this sooner I promise I dont mean to let you down, Yes I will get your info on Copadichromis sp. "Likoma Blue" (Ndumbi) by 12pm tonight I have school 10am-10pm tonight x__X so I will do what I can I am so sorry it took me so long! and pseudotropheus are you going to be keeping any of that species in their still or no? If not I think I got a few ideas but I need to double check on sizes just to be safe =) I'll get back to you by tonight also, and do you know the pH level? Do you know are you looking for something cheap, or harder to get some of my suggestion you might have to order off either a seller on here or online somewhere?
mjime714
01-18-2006, 9:07 AM
For some reason this didnt show I had any new posts in here grr I am SOOOOOO Horribly sorry I didnt get back to this sooner I promise I dont mean to let you down, Yes I will get your info on Copadichromis sp. "Likoma Blue" (Ndumbi) by 12pm tonight I have school 10am-10pm tonight x__X so I will do what I can I am so sorry it took me so long!
Oh dont even worry about it. You are doing us the favor. I cant make you do it any faster than you have time for. Much appreciated Ash! Thanks.
downset21
01-18-2006, 6:22 PM
For some reason this didnt show I had any new posts in here grr I am SOOOOOO Horribly sorry I didnt get back to this sooner I promise I dont mean to let you down, Yes I will get your info on Copadichromis sp. "Likoma Blue" (Ndumbi) by 12pm tonight I have school 10am-10pm tonight x__X so I will do what I can I am so sorry it took me so long! and pseudotropheus are you going to be keeping any of that species in their still or no? If not I think I got a few ideas but I need to double check on sizes just to be safe =) I'll get back to you by tonight also, and do you know the pH level? Do you know are you looking for something cheap, or harder to get some of my suggestion you might have to order off either a seller on here or online somewhere?
I havent tested the water yet due to being very busy at work. there are no fish in it yet. I decorated it with reef rock, and tufa rock will be added shortly. I am told that these raise the PH. I plan on having a PH of at least 7.7. Money is not an issue so far. If the fish are under $20 each, I can deal with that. the tank is 4 feet by 1 foot.
downset21
01-18-2006, 6:24 PM
i agree, you take your time. I just finished school, so it's not lost on me how a 12 hour day like that can make you not want to do research on fish. focus on that stuff first and foremost.
Oh dont even worry about it. You are doing us the favor. I cant make you do it any faster than you have time for. Much appreciated Ash! Thanks.
=) Thanks, alright well I am having some trouble finding good info I think its gonna take me a little longer then I thought, not a fish I am that familiar with, There seems to be alot of them though, so for now I will post info on them just to give you a general idea about the Copadichromis, and hopefully by the end of the week I can find some good info for yah, they all seem to have some cool colorations too.
Copadichromis sp. "Mloto Fluorescent"
General:
This fish has just recently been introduced into the hobby. It is being exported from Lake Malawi by African Diving Ltd. of Sweden. Although they are predominantly an exporter of Tanganyikan fishes, they do export Malawian fishes also. To my knowledge, African Diving Ltd. is the only company exporting this fish to the U.S. and by the looks of this fish, they have a winner. It is presently grouped together with "mloto" type fish because of it’s overall appearance, although the name given this fish will probably change in the future. Given the color of this fish, it is aptly named "Fluorescent". It is one of a small handful of African Cichlids that have green pigmentation. As you can see by the photo, this fish has an iridescent green head and a blue body. Note: This picture was taken hours after arriving from Africa. This iridescent green is mindful of the color sometimes seen on Bettas and Guppys, but a rare commodity in African Cichlids.
Habitat:
This fish is found and collected at Hai Reef in Tanzania. According to African Diving Ltd, "It is a rare cichlid that may be found in sediment rich biotope where rocks meet the open sand floor. Females gather together in small groups seeking plankton some meters up from the bottom." Being this is a new fish in this country, some things must be assumed from other fishes of this type. From the colony that I have, I would say that they are semi to non aggressive with males attaining a length of 5-6 inches with females being slightly smaller.
Care:
Copadichromis. sp. "mloto fluorescent" require no special care. They, of course, love hard alkaline water with a temperature range of 74-84 degrees. A mixture of 2 parts non-iodized salt to 1 part Epsom salt will aid in digestion and prevent bloat. I use about 1 ounce of this mixture for every 15 gallons for water.
Feeding:
I feed these fish the same as everything else in my fish room. They are truly typical wild fish. Let a finger stray into the tank and they’ll try to eat that too. It’s amazing how quickly they adapt to dependency on humans. They are always the first ones scurrying about they tank waiting for food when someone enters the room. (Guess they read about Pavlov’s dogs.) I haven’t found a food that they won’t eat. At present, they have accepted frozen brine shrimp, earthworms (their favorite), bloodworms, pellets and assorted flake foods. I do make sure that they get a little more green matter, in the form of Spirulina, than some of my other fish.
Breeding:
I would presume it to be non-earth shattering news to declare that this fish is a mouth brooder. I have 2 males and 6 females in a 50 gallon breeder tank that has a variety of hiding places. This colony only arrived 2 weeks ago but from observation, the 2 males are typically territorial yet atypically not out for each other’s blood. They get along well, although it goes without saying, that 1 male is boss. Both males do however show equal coloration. They are fattening up nicely and I am starting to see signs of eminent spawning. The males are chasing the females, yet not one of the females shows any outward signs of being attacked.
Copadichromis sp."mloto likoma"
Size
Up to about 15 cm (6 in.), females smaller.
Food
Shrimpmix and newhatched brine shrimps.
Aquarium
At least 350 litres (75 gal.).
Habitat
Open water with sandy floors.
Breeding
There is no Info.
General
Copadichromis sp."mloto likoma" is a very popular cichlid i malawitanks. Like other Utakas it's best kept together with other peacefull cichlids like Aulonocara's and Labidochromis.
Copadichromis azureus
Size
12-18 cm (5-7 in.), females a bit smaller.
Food
Shrimpmix, but newhatched brine shrimps are good as variation because Copadichromis azureus feed on plankton in the nature.
Aquarium
At least 300 litres (65 gal.).
Habitat
In the intermediate zone between rocky and sandy floors, but they are most common in open water.
Breeding
Easy to breed, usually with over 50 frys per brood.
General
Copadichromis azureus is one of the most beautiful cichlids in the Lake Malawi. The males are metallic blue all over the body. Furthermore it is relatively quiet and peaceful which makes it to one of the most popular cichlids from the Lake Malawi. Females and juvenile noncolourated males are silvercoulered with three spots on each side, typical for Copadichromis.
Copadichromis borleyi
Size
Up to 18 cm (7 in.) females a bit smaller.
Food
Shrimpmix and newhatched brine shrimps.
Aquarium
At least 350 litres (75 gal.).
Habitat
Rocky habitats on a medium depth of 10 metres (32 ft.).
Breeding
No Info
General
Copadichromis borleyi belongs to the Utaka-group which consists of relatively quiet and peacefull cichlids, these could be a bit shy inhabitants in aquariums. They suits best together whith other peaceful cichlids like species from the genera Aulonocara and Labidochromis. To keep them together with other species from the Copadichromis genus you have to be sure that the females don't are too similar to each other.
Copadichromis sp. "viginalis gold"
General Info: Virginalis Gold has been found only in Nkanda in the northernmost part of Lake Malawi on the Tanzanian shore. The Gold's were first seen in 1994.
Size: 7-9cm -deeper dwellers (the shallow dwellers can max at 18cm)
Tank Size: 60 gallons
Food: Shrimpmix and newhatched brine shrimps.
Breeding: Takes place mostly inside a cave, the eggs are taken up immediately by the female and therefore probably fertilized inside her mouth. A 5-cm to 6-cm female released only 6 to 10 fry so far. That's apparently why these fish are so expensive, unlike Lake Victoria's Cichlid that has larger numbers of fry.
I havent tested the water yet due to being very busy at work. there are no fish in it yet. I decorated it with reef rock, and tufa rock will be added shortly. I am told that these raise the PH. I plan on having a PH of at least 7.7. Money is not an issue so far. If the fish are under $20 each, I can deal with that. the tank is 4 feet by 1 foot.
Also thank for understanding =) Okay Ideas I have in my head: You could try putting 7 Labidochromis caeruleus with some Neolamprologus of your choice they are shell dwellers, or maybe Aulonocara walteri they are rock dwellers maybe you could mix those in they grow about the same size as Labidochromis, Astatotilapia latifasciata you can also try a mix in with them they also grow at about the same size as the other two but are slightly agressive towards other males, You can also do Calvus which are very cool fish but can be agressive towards one another its an equalibrium issue, I ve owned a few my self and I absolutely love them but they grow extremely slow but good fish and tend be laid back they can prob. mix with other non-agressive africans even shelldwellers would be good with them also you could get a good amount of them in your tank but they can be costly something you would have to look around for prob., another is Pseudotropheus Tropheops Sp. 'red cheek' which should be able to mix fine also about the same size as all the others, this one is also near the same size not positive on mixing Aulonocara nyassae, Xenotilapia Sima llangi one of my favs but schooling fish best kept in schools but the tank might be too small for them I would say no more then 3 if you did, not easy fish to find but very very beautiful fish, Julidochromis dickfeldi you could mix in with some of those they get about 3 inches and are neat looking but only put in one they are very agressive towards there own kind, ulonocara maleri "Maleri Island" are also nice looking fish you can have about 6 of them to a 30-40gallon tank and like to be kept in schools, Also a mixed african tank may look neat I have an aturas, johanni, colbalt zebra, labidochromis carelus and a Pseudotropheus socolofi (powder blue), they all seem to get along fine its all about finding a neutrual blance in the number of fish. Anyways I hope some of those ideas help you out and give you some ideas!! =) Good Luck - post pics when its all done.
downset21
01-19-2006, 3:37 PM
im printing out your answer as we speak. Now I need to get the funding to finish the project. You're a life/time/headache saver. much appreciated.
im printing out your answer as we speak. Now I need to get the funding to finish the project. You're a life/time/headache saver. much appreciated.
lol just make sure you get the right mixes and it should be good ^__^ good luck!
mjime714
01-20-2006, 10:36 AM
NICE!! Thanks Ash for the info and taking the time to get it for us. Now.. where to find these fish....
lol ask you lfs to order them in for you or talk to someone on here that sell's fish =) or cichlids!! I know the feeling I am still trying to find someone who can get xenotilapia order in.
Katuluu
01-27-2006, 3:08 AM
Any plans on doing any West Africans?
Any plans on doing any West Africans?
Yah I can prob. add in some west and victorian. Any inparticular that your looking for?
Katuluu
01-27-2006, 9:27 AM
Steatocranus Casuarius has always been one of my favorites and is probably one many people don't know about. PLus their is a certain appeal about a cichlid that thinks it's a goby. :screwy:
Steatocranus Casuarius has always been one of my favorites and is probably one many people don't know about. PLus their is a certain appeal about a cichlid that thinks it's a goby. :screwy:
LOL alright I dont have much time to do it now but I can have it up by the end of the weekend, I am getting ready to go to school, so I should have some info up by sunday night =)
Sorry I am a day late! I been so busy :( bleh. Here is your info:
Steatocranus Casuarius (Lionhead cichlid)
Gen. Info: A fish with a strong personality that grows on the keeper. Although it is a bit on the aggressive side, the Blockhead is still recommended for many community tanks. Keep up tank maintenance and perform frequent partial water changes. An undemanding and amusing fish. Because of its small swim-bladder, the fish moves in a jerky-hops around the tank.
Max Size: 8-10cm (m) 5-7cm (f)
Food: Anything. Will take flake, live, frozen, or pellet, crustaceans, aquatic insects, Tubifex and plant matter, Very undemanding.
Water: pH range: 6 – 8; dH range: 5 - 19
Tempature: Tropical: 80 - 84 degrees
Tank set up: Likes rockwork and caves, river fish.
Breeding: Adult males have larger nasal hump, breed in caves, care for the young well. Also very agressive and territorial when breeding.
Scotty
02-04-2006, 3:07 PM
General:
Astatotilapia latifasciata, often sold as Haplochromis "zebra obliquedens" is an attractive, barred African cichlid first typed by Regan in 1929.
There is quite a bit of variation in the appearance of this fish. Bars vary from brownish to black and the underlying background color varies from creamy yellow to golden. Poor fish exhibit uneven bars or blotches. Larger males may exhibit a red blush on the breast portion. Occasionally, Astatotilapia latifasciata is confused with Haplochromis sp. "44" as males of that species also have red on the breast. I have observed large males without any red on the breast, but with a blue sheen on the face and gill covers.
Males top out at about five inches; females are somewhat smaller at 4 inches maximum length.
Habitat
Astatotilapia latifasciata is native to Lake Nawampasa and Lake Nioga in central Uganda, north of Lake Victoria. One source mentions that these two lakes are connected by a swampy area in the rainy season and that is why Astatotilapia latifasciata is found in both locations.
Care:
Astatotilapia latifasciata presents no problems. Neutral to moderately hard water is best and regular partial water changes are recommended. Some Astatotilapia latifasciata males exhibit aggression towards other males and sometimes females, so provide ample hiding places.
Feeding:
Astatotilapia latifasciata is an easy to feed, hungry fish. In the wild, these fish are insectivores. In the aquarium, they will stuff themselves with just about anything. I fed cichlid flake, spirulina flake, pellets, mysis shrimp and plankton. Be careful not to overfeed
This fish is also threatened these days. Apparently very rare in the lake. What a pity as the colour of the male is quite something, especially when he gets a little aggro. :naughty: :woot: :clap :headbang2 :thumbsup: :cry: :cry:
Scotty
02-04-2006, 3:45 PM
ASH, you are doing a stearling job here. I just hope the people appreciate the time you have spent obtaining the info. I hope your studies are going well. How about the Champsochromis caeruleus. What an amazing fish this is. :naughty: :woot: :clap :clap :clap :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
ASH, you are doing a stearling job here. I just hope the people appreciate the time you have spent obtaining the info. I hope your studies are going well. How about the Champsochromis caeruleus. What an amazing fish this is. :naughty: :woot: :clap :clap :clap :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Thanks a bunch sometimes it takes awhile for me to get back becuase I get so busy. So its nice to know that people appreciate this. I think it was a good idea b/c alot of people kept asking questions and some info is harder to find then others so I do what I can so people get what they need to know so the fish gets its proper care. Everything is going good so yay. The info you requested will be posted below I am looking up info on it now =)
Champsochromis Caeruleus
Common Name: Malawi trout
General Info: Champsochromis Caeruleus is found in Lake Malawi. This particular predator has a long slender body with a dark to metallic blue body and a red anal fin with numerous egg spots. In the wild the Malawi trout lives in the open water column. It is also seen over rocks as well as open sand. The trout cichlid is a pursuit hunter with a preference for Usipa, the lake sardine. This fish is one of the largest predators of Lake Malawi.
Max Size: 18 (inches)
Tank Recommendations: Tank Size: 75+ (gallons) ,Temp: 76 - 80 (Fahrenheit), pH: 7.8 - 8.8. A tank with a set up like this is most suitable: Provide a long wide tank for adults with a few caves and a sandy substrate. Also this fish doesnt leave you with a wide selection of other kinds of fish to keep it with but these guys are some ideas as to what they can be kept with: large sanddwellers like Fossorochromis rostratus or predators can be kept as company.
Food: Feed these fish a diet of quality flakes, krill,clams and nightcrawlers.
Breeding Habits: A territorial male constructs a large sand castle on the sand. A maternal mouthbrooder.
Just for kicks here is the Champsochromis spilorhynchus
Habitat information
Champsochromis spilorhynchus occur mainly over sandy and muddy substrates in Lake Malawi nd the upper Shire River. They are also found in Lake Malombe.
They occur inshore all around the lake and in the upper Shire River, but also extends well offshore. They are known as pelagic fish as they swim in the open water.
Large fish live at depths around 20 metres. Juveniles and subadults are found in shallower water.
Aquarium care and tank setup:
In captivity, this large, fast-swimming, open-water predator should be given large quarters. An aquarium of 1000 litres would be ideal for a mature specimen in a community tank (1200 litre tank - right). A longer aquarium should be preferred over one with greater depth, to maximise swimming room. 180 centimetres (72 inches or 6 foot) tank . The tank should be decorated with rock formations along the back and sides of the aquarium to allow plenty of open swimming area.
Large open swimming areas are important. Regular partial water changes and good filtration are essential. Water quality must be good and with no ammonia or nitrite and low nitrate levels. They will tolerate water movement at the surface as they live at the wave surge zone in the lake. pH: slightly alkaline to alkaline (7.2 - 8.8: optimal 8.0) Hardness: moderate to hard (10 - 18dH) Temperature: 23 - 27oC.
Feeding Habiats*: They are not particularly susceptible to disease. However, they can waste away if they don't get enough food. By the same token, they shouldn't be overfed. They may be subject to bloat if they are fed too much dry food, so include live or frozen brine shrimp and frozen cichlid dinner or marine greens as part of their diet.
Breeding: (couldnt find but if you need it let me know).
Scotty
02-06-2006, 2:53 PM
Ash, Thanks for this information, especially the pic's of this amazing fish. :drool: :D Have only seen small fish but they look absolutely great. How about Placidochromis sp "johnstoni solo" and Placidochromis milomo. The milomo apparently does not develop the thick lips when breed in a tank. Something to do with the way they feed in the lake helps to generate the thick lips.
:naughty: :woot: :clap :clap :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
I will look that up for you probably sometime by friday I am swamped with papers for school and I have work ontop of that and school =) busy week I will have it up by the end of this weekend!
Placidochromis sp "johnstoni solo"
Habitat: This is the primary location where the cichlid is found and is a generalization. This does not mean a fish cannot be found in other habitats.
Diet: Many cichlids specialize in eating one type of food; notwithstanding, some of these specialized feeders are flexible and can be opportunistic feeders.
Temperament: This describes the overall demeanor of a cichlid toward other tankmates that are of a different species. Consider that there is variability in temperament due to various factors,including aquarium size, tankmates of similar appearance, stocking levels, and order of introduction.There may even be some variability among individual specimens.
Conspecific Temperament: This describes the overall demeanor of a cichlid toward other tank-mates of the same species. Consider that there is variability in temperament due to such factors as aquarium size, stocking levels and order of introduction. There may even be some variability among individual specimens.
Maximum Size: This is in regards to total length (including the tail) of typical aquarium specimens. Wild specimens may not attain this size, or may in fact grow larger than aquarium raised individuals due to various factors. Also consider that this is the typical maximum size and there are exceptional individuals that will exceed it.
Habitat: Intermediate zone among extensive beds of small pebbles
Diet: Carnivore
Gender Differences: Dimorphic
Breeding: Maternal Mouthbrooder
Maximum Size: 9"
Temperature: 78 - 82°F
pH: 7.8 - 8.6
Water Hardness: Very Hard
Placidochromis Milomo
Habitat: This is the primary location where the cichlid is found and is a generalization. This does not mean a fish cannot be found in other habitats.
Diet: Many cichlids specialize in eating one type of food; notwithstanding, some of these specialized feeders are flexible and can be opportunistic feeders.
Temperament: This describes the overall demeanor of a cichlid toward other tankmates that are of a different species. Consider that there is variability in temperament due to various factors, including aquarium size, tankmates of similar appearance, stocking levels, and order of introduction. There may even be some variability among individual specimens.
Conspecific Temperament: This describes the overall demeanor of a cichlid toward other tank-mates of the same species. Consider that there is variability in temperament due to such factors as aquarium size, stocking levels and order of introduction. There may even be some variability among individual specimens.
Maximum Size: This is in regards to total length (including the tail) of typical aquarium specimens. Wild specimens may not attain this size, or may in fact grow larger than aquarium raised individuals due to various factors. Also consider that this is the typical maximum size and there are exceptional individuals that will exceed it.
Habitat: Deep Rocky Habitats
Diet: Carnivore
Breeding: Maternal Mouthbrooder
Maximum Size: 11"
Temperature: 78 - 82°F
pH: 7.8 - 8.6
Water Hardness: Very Hard
Scotty
02-13-2006, 8:57 AM
Ash I want to say a special thanks for this information. :thumbsup: :clap
You are the best and let someone say otherwise. :headbang2
Will look for other names to give to you.
I hope your studies are going well!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
:naughty: :woot: :clap :headbang2 :thumbsup:
No problem at all!! Glad to help!! Everything is going well, so I see you plan on keeping me busy on my spare time :D more edu for me! :)
grenade3
02-14-2006, 10:12 PM
great info!
Scotty
02-15-2006, 3:10 PM
We all learn through your hard work. :clap :clap :thumbsup: :thumbsup: Extremely greatful to you for this effort. You are the computer bofin who can easily access the information. Thanks once again.
:mwave: :naughty: :woot: :headbang2
rasdbo
02-18-2006, 6:51 PM
whAT about this cichlid? was in a tank with other mixed africans, only one like it in the tank! NEED INFO PLEASE?
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=2/medium/af_cic.JPG (http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=2/medium/af_cic.JPG)
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=2/medium/afc3.JPG (http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=2/medium/afc3.JPG)
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=2/medium/afc2.JPG (http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=2/medium/afc2.JPG)
do you know its scientific name? I am guessing not, anyways I'll look it up and see what I can do but I ask that you please give me a few days I have a family emergancy to take care of tomorrow and a test mon I need to study for =) But I will try to get the info on your guy as soon as possible.
rasdbo
02-20-2006, 12:47 AM
cool bro, handle your busniess, pass your test and take care of family first! check back later.
dark_aLLeY
02-20-2006, 3:30 AM
www.cichlid-forum.com
This site has almost all information on all cichlids...enjoy
Cheers*
Apexpredator
02-21-2006, 11:53 AM
Lots of good info in this thread. Thanks for sharing.
Scotty
02-24-2006, 5:25 AM
This fish looks like a Metriaclima greshakei. Not yet in full colour. Go to my personal gallery and you will see a pic of the one I have. Once his full colour is out they are quite something to have in your tank. Enjoy the fish.
:naughty: :woot: :clap :clap :headbang2 :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Yup. I am really sorry it is taking me so long to post up your info I ve been really really busy and havent had enough time to start looking up info. right now off the top of my head I am not positive as to what it is, def. malawai. I'll give you some info on Metriaclima greshakei as scotty suggested it might be, he seems good with his fish. I did look at pics on the internet and when typing that in I did see a few fish that looks like yours under that name so I'll go with it. I honestly havent seen one of those before =) I am still a newbie too hehe. Anyways my apologies.
General:
Metriaclima greshakei is a maternal-mouthbrooding, Lake Malawi zebra type that grows to about six inches. This fish was first typed by Meyer and Foerester in 1984. Metriaclima greshakei is also available in albino form.
Size: 6 inch
Tank set up:
Metriaclima greshakei is easy to care for. The fish is relatively aggressive and should be housed in a 75-gallon tank or larger tank with numerous hiding spots. Alot of rocks would suit these fish fine. This fish is very territorial and aggressive to conspecifics, but generally will leave other species alone. If given enough cover this fish is easily kept. Should be kept in tropical tempatures 78-80degrees is good. pH should be in the 7.0-8.0 range.
Feeding:
They will gladly take veggie flakes, cichlid flakes and other prepared foods along with New Life Spectrum and Dainichi Veggie Deluxe. Like all mbuna, a significant portion of the diet should include vegetable matter. This fish can bloat if fed too much protein.
Breeding:
Metriaclima greshakei is a maternal mouthbrooder that is relatively easy to breed. Before spawning, the male brightened sop much that he was nearly white. The fish spawned on piece of slate in typical mbuna fashion.
The fish dropped or ate their eggs. They are bad holders.
You need to strip the female after three days of the eggs. Then put the eggs in a hatching tank along with a small heater and a sponge filter. After ten days, the fry should be free swimming and eating freshly hatched baby brine shrimp. You can then move them into a 10gal tank. Should be easy
to take care of.
bob_tom
02-24-2006, 9:55 PM
lots of good info thanx ash. but i got a feeling this tread will have 200 + pages
by the time its said and done. i dont know how you juggle everything it would put me in an early grave. anyways thanx again for the info. :headbang2 :thumbsup: :woot:
if you could find some good info on jewel cichlid i would appreciate it.
lots of good info thanx ash. but i got a feeling this tread will have 200 + pages
by the time its said and done. i dont know how you juggle everything it would put me in an early grave. anyways thanx again for the info. :headbang2 :thumbsup: :woot:
if you could find some good info on jewel cichlid i would appreciate it.
lol yah its sorta hard I always feel bad cuse it takes me long time but I am gonna get off soon got work lol but that I should be able to have up on Sunday =)
bob_tom
02-24-2006, 11:26 PM
thanx, but take your time no hurry
rasdbo
02-24-2006, 11:31 PM
my lfs around the corner calls them red top ciclhids and has them in with the mixed africans. thanks yall two for the info :headbang2 :thumbsup: .
how do you find a female or tell the difference?
my lfs around the corner calls them red top ciclhids and has them in with the mixed africans. thanks yall two for the info :headbang2 :thumbsup: .
how do you find a female or tell the difference?
I do believe those also go by red-top and Ice - red top as a common name, but there are a good amount of others that go by that common name also. When it gets bigger you should be able to tell for sure.
pokeberry
02-26-2006, 10:26 AM
i loved it ash!!!
JAGUARCICHLID
02-26-2006, 10:57 AM
Great info Ash! You should have your own web site. I was always interested in the brachardi but now i'm finding the others pretty intresting. Keep up the good work. Thanks for all the info, much appreciated! :)
Scotty
02-26-2006, 3:28 PM
my lfs around the corner calls them red top ciclhids and has them in with the mixed africans. thanks yall two for the info :headbang2 :thumbsup: .
how do you find a female or tell the difference?
Hi rasdbo, the female is a rather dull brownish colour. I will try and get a shot of mine. Best way to sex a fish is by venting it. Turn it upside down and look at the size of the two holes. Females will have a small and a large hole. Most reliable way of sexing fish. They need to be around 3in or bigger to be able to do this successfully.
Thanks once again ASH for the sterling work you do. :clap :clap :jaw-dropp
:mwave:
:naughty: :woot: :clap :headbang2 :thumbsup:
Thanks everyone for all the support on my little section I got going here! I am always willing to post up info so if any of you ever need a fish just post the name up and I will try my best to get it up with in a week. =) Thanks a bunch!!
Hemichromis bimaculatus (Jewel Cichlid)
Max Size: 6 Inches
Food: live foods, beef heart, worms, flakes, pellets
Tempature: 70-75 degrees - 74 degrees is the ideal.
Tank Settings: Minimum tank size of 30 gallons if required. pH level should be: 7.0-7.6 . They are pretty hardy and can do well in a variety of water conditions. Plants are appreciated, and large rocks should be provided for the fish to take cover.
Agressive: All jewel cichlids are quite aggressive, best to keep larger fish who can defend themselves.
Breeding: It is difficult to distinguish sexes except by their genital papillae. The spot near the dorsal and anal fins is less noticable on females. When breeding, the fish will dig spawning areas near the back of the aquarium. The female lays several hundred eggs on carefully cleaned rocks, and then the eggs are moved to the gravel pits. They are difficult to pair though, and incompatibility can lead to death. f you intend on breeding them place a smooth rock in the tank. Diferences in sex are fairly simple. The blue specks on the male's caudal fin form a semicircle, on the female the specks are all jumbled and patternless. The male also has a pointed dorsal fin whereas the female has a rounded dorsal fin. You can tell when a pair is willing to spawn when the both turn to a bright red color(females are usually brighter). The eggs will be layed there and fry will be relocated to the gravel via the mother's mouth. Don't be alarmed she most likely isn't eating them.
Hope that is helpfull info!
bob_tom
02-28-2006, 5:03 PM
Thanks Ash. :thumbsup:
gomezladdams
03-13-2006, 10:03 AM
Hey Ash,Any chance your willing to do an article on cynotilapia afra? I got a group of 6 white top galileo that are awesome and would like to know more about them.
Thanks!
Yah I should be able to get to it either tomorrow or thur with no prob. and I'll see what I can dig up!
edit - actually I am not gonna be around for a few days so I can do it by sunday night I am sorry, something came up havent been around much. I get the info by the end of this weekend ok.
Scotty
03-14-2006, 8:59 AM
Hey Ash,Any chance your willing to do an article on cynotilapia afra? I got a group of 6 white top galileo that are awesome and would like to know more about them.
Thanks!
How about posting some pics of these fish? I have a couple of different wild caughts and must say Cyn afra "lions cove" male is quite some fish. Will look at getting a good shot to post. :naughty: :woot: :clap :headbang2 :thumbsup:
gomezladdams
03-16-2006, 4:36 PM
Heres a shot of one of the males deep blue almost purple most os the time,Blazes almost all white when displaying caught him just starting to flare hes not quite 2"
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=2/medium/fish_0047.jpg
johno27
03-17-2006, 3:49 AM
Hey can you do Hap. Compressicep(sp) for me they are my favorite also known as Malawi eye biter but I am sure you Know that
TY in advance :)
Scotty
03-17-2006, 2:39 PM
Isn't ASH great? What would we do with out her? :mwave:
Gomezladdoms, how about catching a pic of this fish of yours when it has fully changed its colour? Sounds quite amazing and would love to see it. This is what makes these fish so incredible to keep. I have a Metriaclima sp "black dorsal" and when I put him into alarge hex tank he completely changed colour. He was a very non-discript colour in amongst all the wild caughts and was rather docile, but now he chases everyhting in sight.
Am getting rather excited as my supplier is getting in a whole new batch of wild caughts. One being a Protomelas sp "mbenji thick lip". The pic in my book shows quite a stunning fish so am looking forward to seeing what it really looks like. Once they have settled will try to get some pic's posted.
:naughty: :woot: :clap :headbang2 :thumbsup:
gomezladdams
03-18-2006, 12:02 AM
Ill be home a few days this week getting ready to build a gym in my basement so Ill spend some time watching them with the camera If i get anything good Ill start a thread in the Photo lounge,Theres been some rally cool displays between the 2 males this week.
Alright sorry that took so long =( been really busy, but as requested here is your info for cynotilapia afra:
Cynotilapia Afra:
General:
Cynotilapia afra is a species that consists of many color variations. Each locality in Lake Malawi is differentfrom the next. C. afra was extremely popular during the 80’s but because of overpopulation it has lost some popularity. Today some color varieties are common and others are rare.
Habitat:
They are cave dwellers and dart about the rocky bottom.. They are incessant diggers and will turn a tank upside down in a short time.
Care:
Setting up an aquarium with a sandy bottom and lots of caves. Although males and females attain a size of only 4 inches, they are rather aggressive and should be treated as such. They are extremely hardy fish and they can hold their own with larger fish. They like hard, alkaline water.
Temperature: 74-84 degrees.
Ph: 7.2-8.0
Feeding:
Truthfully, they eat anything fed them such as earthworms, bloodworms and brine shrimp. They have a diet consisting mainly of vegetable matter is best. A good spirulina flake is all they need, but it's okay to give them a weekly feeding of worms or shrimp.
Breeding:
C. afra are polygamous mouthbrooders and one male with about 6 or 8 females works great in a 50 breeder. More than one male is fine but be sure that you have adequate protection in the form of caves, flowerpots, PVC, etc.. Although the C. afra male is greatly outsized, he is the "King" of the tank. C. afra breed about every thirty days and carry anywhere from 15-30 eggs, but the longer you let the female brood, the longer the interval will be between spawns.
species summary (http://filaman.ifm-geomar.de/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=2249)
Hap Compressicep (Dimi Comp) - A Malawi Eye Biter:
Gen. Info: This Malawi is known as an eye biter, becuase it has bitten off the eyes of other fish. These guys are aslo know to eat their food tail first, I have never seen mine eat its food that way though, it seems to just eat it normally. I notice mine tends to be anti-social but gets along fine with its tank mates. I also noticed he seems to like hiding behind my plants alot, and seems to enjoy swimming through them.
Size: 10inches or 25 cm
Tank Setup: A large tank (suggest 100 gallons plus if kept with other fish) with some rock caves and plenty of open swimming space. Plants such as Vallis can be added.
Tempature: 72-82 degrees
Ph: 7.5-8.5
Feeding: Carnivore, feeders, shrimps, bloodworms and pellets.
Breeding: he male may dig a shallow spawning pit and display to attract the female to it. A mouthbrooder, the female will incubate the eggs and fry for about 3 weeks. The male is likely to eat the fry once released. Feed fry on small frozen/live foods such as baby brine shrimp, cyclops and daphnia.
Compatability: They are predators towards small fishes. You can combine them with other open-water Malawi species which are not too aggressive, such as Copadochromis and Aulonocara. I have personally found my Comp to be agressive twoards species bigger then him and mine took some scales off another one of my fish so far the only compatability I have found with mine is with mbuna - but that is my own personal experience.
The first 4 pic is of my own, sorry they are kina blurry, and the rest were ones I have found:
Name: Halp. Venustus
Size: Up to 25 cm.
Tank Settings: Make sure to have large rocks or stones set up with alot of holes for hiding, and a sandy bottom is best. Also they dont tend to dig up plants unless they are a soft plant.
Temp/Ph: 78-80 degrees/ 8.0pH
Feeding: It can be fed with large live food, but will also accept frozen and flake food. Requires plant matter as part of the diet
Breeding: Not too difficult. Maternal mouthbrooder, the female cares for the up to 120 eggs and fry for a period of 10 days. Not too particular about the watervalues, as long as the pH is above neutral.
Telling dif. between sexes: Males spots turn blue and have an intense yellow coloration on the fin, females keep the juvi look.
Also this fish can be agressive, but then again most Africans are.
Species summary (http://filaman.ifm-geomar.de/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=2249)
johno27
03-22-2006, 2:59 AM
I wish I still had pics of my Adult male he had even better color than that :( Thank you for posting that ash may inspire me to pick up a pair in the near future good work :)
I wish I still had pics of my Adult male he had even better color than that :( Thank you for posting that ash may inspire me to pick up a pair in the near future good work :)
Yah I saw a few pics with cool coloring but they were copyright so I didnt want to jack them =( Anyways mine is still a juvie so I am not sure if it'll be a not so colorfull female or a male with some nice colors! Anyways I like them alot ^__^ go get a pair! lol.
johno27
03-22-2006, 2:17 PM
I wish i was not a dumb new hobbyist when i had my male. I will not go into detail about his death and just say RTC. :( :eek: They where about the same size I never thought he was in danger until I could only see his tail.
Young and dumb i guess live and learn :cry:
Yah I dont that before except I had a blue channel that ate my fish =(
softturtle
03-22-2006, 4:02 PM
Wow! I just read through all of the posts in this thread and I am very impressed. I've read books that didn't give me this much info. Keep up the good work Ash. :thumbsup: :clap
rasdbo
05-07-2006, 10:08 PM
Champsochromis Caeruleus
Common Name: Malawi trout
General Info: Champsochromis Caeruleus is found in Lake Malawi. This particular predator has a long slender body with a dark to metallic blue body and a red anal fin with numerous egg spots. In the wild the Malawi trout lives in the open water column. It is also seen over rocks as well as open sand. The trout cichlid is a pursuit hunter with a preference for Usipa, the lake sardine. This fish is one of the largest predators of Lake Malawi.
Max Size: 18 (inches)
Tank Recommendations: Tank Size: 75+ (gallons) ,Temp: 76 - 80 (Fahrenheit), pH: 7.8 - 8.8. A tank with a set up like this is most suitable: Provide a long wide tank for adults with a few caves and a sandy substrate. Also this fish doesnt leave you with a wide selection of other kinds of fish to keep it with but these guys are some ideas as to what they can be kept with: large sanddwellers like Fossorochromis rostratus or predators can be kept as company.
Food: Feed these fish a diet of quality flakes, krill,clams and nightcrawlers.
Breeding Habits: A territorial male constructs a large sand castle on the sand. A maternal mouthbrooder.
does the fish in the top pic, the blue one, come with red tipped fins instead of white also? picked one up that looks like this one with red tipped fins he called a compressur, mine looks alittle wider but the face has the same shape are their any other like this out there?
i would say its a d. compressicepts looks sorta like that but a little different and developes red tips as it grows older. I should have something posted on one in here aslo. Its a malawi eye biter.
Well I havent updated this in awhlie so I will now. I am acutally prob. gonna update it a bit more after this also b/c I got some fish in mind!
Paratilapia Bleekeri (NOT to be confused with Polleni) :D
Gen info: Paratilapia Bleekeris is found in Madagasgar. These fish are often confused with Paratilapia polleni, which are the small spot variant. Bleekeri which are also known as "large spot" have much larger spots and have a big personality difference. Bleekeri are not very tolerant of their own kind and are most agressive towards other bleekeri. Bleekeri are much more agressive and territorial then the polleni. I own a pair and I have found that the male is very agressive where the female is agressive, but much more laid back then him.
Size: 10-12 Inches Females being smaller
Water Temp: I keep mine in a tank temp. of 79-81 degrees.
Water settings: My pH is at about 7.8 right now and they seem to be doing very well.
Tank Set-up: A good sand substrate works well with rocks, drift wood and plants, they do like hiding places. I notice mine seem to take more to the sand then they did their gravel tank.
Breeding: The female will pretty much find an surface area to lay her eggs and then she lays them there. She will then protect her territory against the male. When the eggs are ready to hatch she will pick them up in her mouth and hold them untill they hatch. After they hatch she will find a shallow pit that she has already dug and put them there. I noticed with mine, that its a hit or miss thing either the male and female will like eachother and procced with the mating process or they will show great agression twoards one another and want nothing to do with eachother. I coundt keep my male long enough to try again though =(
iamtheweinerman
06-04-2006, 9:50 PM
very informative
Scotty
06-05-2006, 6:13 PM
Hi Ash, I need some more information on a fish I received, FREE, from my supplier.
Gephyrochromis zebroides. If at all possible can you try and post a pic if you are able to find one.
Once they have settled, two pairs, will try and get some shots to post.
:naughty: :woot: :clap :headbang2 :thumbsup:
Its a type of mbuna here is some info:. (same thing pretty much for any other mbuna and I did find a few pics although they are small)
Gephyrochromis zebroides
Size: 5-6 inches (this is what I found although I only found one site after awhile of looking which said a size so I am not sure how accurate it is - but it being a mbuna I would assume that is about correct - sorry) thanks to species summary (http://filaman.ifm-geomar.de/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=2249)
Temp: 78-80 degrees
pH: 7.2
Tank Size/Setup: Minimum size is 55-75gal tank. Make sure they have enough hiding spots and can be territorial .
Food: frozen brine shrimp, spirulina flakes, fish flakes and pellets.
Breeding: It pretty much breeds like anyother mbuna you just need to give it a flat rock/ slate for the breeding area. The male colors up and finds a female making sure to keep her attention. She will lay and egg then pick it up and bite at the male's egg spots fertilizing the eggs that will now betucked away in her buccal cavity.
The only picture I could find was this one:
Scotty
06-06-2006, 5:41 PM
Thanks ASH for this speedy reply. :grinyes: :clap :thumbsup: You are the greatest. The fish I have are a greyish colour with brown coloured stripes. The one has darker stripes than the other. As said, once they have settled I will try to get some pic's to post. Thanks once again.:naughty: :woot: :clap :headbang2 :thumbsup:
TeChris
08-26-2006, 11:08 AM
This is really informative info, thanks for posting all this.
This is really informative info, thanks for posting all this.
:D LOL I am suprised you actually looked at it..
haha your a fish geek now!!! :nilly:
Anyways again I apologize for not updating this in a loonnnnnngggggg time. I am really busy with school and work, school and work thats bout it so I will try to update soon, or if anyone has any request on a fish thats not up here yet??
Gephyrochromis zebroides
Is this species more properly known as Gephyrochromis lawsi?
FWIW, I've looked through this thread from time to time and while I give you props for all the time spent, sometimes I question the *cut and paste* information appearing. Perhaps start including direct links back to where the information comes from and include a variety of *cut and paste* pieces from various sources to improve the quality of the info given. Hopefully you can take this as constructive criticism. :popcorn:
Is this species more properly known as Gephyrochromis lawsi?
FWIW, I've looked through this thread from time to time and while I give you props for all the time spent, sometimes I question the *cut and paste* information appearing. Perhaps start including direct links back to where the information comes from and include a variety of *cut and paste* pieces from various sources to improve the quality of the info given. Hopefully you can take this as constructive criticism. :popcorn:
Gephyrochromis lawsi would be the more common/proper name used for them, yes. As for cut and paste, I dont directly cut and paste anymore, with the exception of the first pages that was pretty much cut and re-worded (I am a lazy sob), but I left links at the bottom. I also most def. do not know every single fish and about them. I do alot of reading on them in general so usually I take what I learn and incorprate it into what I dont know that I do find on other sites. I do read about all these fish through websites and books though, so most of it is put into my own words from what I ve learned. As for the ph, temp etc its not cut and paste but it is what I ve learned from websites, so usually I'll go back and look up on or refer to one of the sites I have listed on the first page, which are the ones I usually read the info on first. The sites I get most of my info for is on the first page as well as pictures. If I find a new site I happen to read something interesting on, or I use to find ph, tank temp etc if I dont know it, I usually add it to the list on the first page. Most of what I post thought is a mix of what I ve read up on inthe past via internet or books. I do refer alot to the webpage on the front though if I dont know about the fish and then I read up on them from many other sources (books and stuff). Anyways I appreciate the comment and it is something I will consider doing when I do run into fish that I dont know much about (which is alot!). =) I know there was one case where I had to do it on the breeding section b/c I didnt know about the fishs breeding habits and found an amazing site with it, so I incorprated the link instead. It is a good idea, so I will keep that in mind in the future. Thanks.
mike dunagan
11-21-2006, 8:19 PM
Okay, I have a peacock tank... in it I had a lot of mbuna it turns out. I setup a new tank and moved finally yesterday... after losing a front, little one... sad... anyway I have a few peacocks, a lab, livingston what can I add, I wanna a front too. Its a 150
I have a temp 30 with a johanni, male and female Melanochromis auratus, two kennyi, an OB red zebra, yellow zebra, red finned zebra... They are at most 2 or three inches, most short of two... I have a larger 55, but I will not move... I figure they will be okay... what do you think
Okay, I have a peacock tank... in it I had a lot of mbuna it turns out. I setup a new tank and moved finally yesterday... after losing a front, little one... sad... anyway I have a few peacocks, a lab, livingston what can I add, I wanna a front too. Its a 150
I have a temp 30 with a johanni, male and female Melanochromis auratus, two kennyi, an OB red zebra, yellow zebra, red finned zebra... They are at most 2 or three inches, most short of two... I have a larger 55, but I will not move... I figure they will be okay... what do you think
As for what to do with the 150 I am suprised they all even get along.. I had a real problem with mbuna and my peacocks when I had them together... I had to seprate them cuse the mbuna were to agressive towards the peacocks - do yours act like that? It might be something to watch out for. I tried one peacock with Mbuna then he turned out the be a problem picking on them. I wouldnt put fronts in with mbuna - I would do a mbuna only tank or front only tank as they like being colonys. Peacocks (keep an eye on them though they can nip fins.. I kept mine with fronts for a long time and they did fine. Generally people dont mix lakes.), fronts, alt. calvus and alt. comps and the like do well together in a tank that might be an idea for you - just make sure that you keep up with all of your water paramaters and not just pH level as sometimes they can be water sensative and also make sure they get a mix in diet becuase bloat can be a problem. If not you can do tropheus but they are water sensative and diet needs to be veggie.
Now as for the 30gal, its a temp? They will def. need a larger tank then a 30gal. I dont really think they are going to do to well in a 30gal when they hit 4-6inches and become fully grown. Id suggest that you try to find a bigger tank as soon as you can =)
I hope that helps you out some =) If you need anything else let me know and there are also alot of other members who have a vast knowledge for africans if you want to make a thread in this sub-forum for other opinons!
Russy Pelican
01-05-2007, 10:41 PM
And thanks! I'm switching over a 55 to African, and want to keep smaller ones like the little shell-dwellers, leleupi, and maybe some julies. Would love too see a piece on those guys, and what you think about substrate and compatibility.
And thanks! I'm switching over a 55 to African, and want to keep smaller ones like the little shell-dwellers, leleupi, and maybe some julies. Would love too see a piece on those guys, and what you think about substrate and compatibility.
Hey I am at school right now so cant really put up info, but I have some free time tomorrow morning I will try to post the info on them for you and what substrate did you plan on using? Another thing you can do is start a thread in this rift lake section for adivce from members as well =) I'll post info and pictures tomorrow morning for you!
señor_pescados_felices
01-09-2007, 10:36 PM
I looked through the first 14 pages and the last 3-4....good stuff.Is Ash doing all this by herself?She posts where she gets a majority of the info....I'll try one I suppose:
Neolamprologus leleupi
Common Name: Lemon Cichlid
General:
Neolamprologus leleupi, also typically referred to as Lamprologus leleupi, are slender cichlids native to Lake Tanganyika in Africa. Males will achieve a size of about four inches with most females topping out between two to three inches.
The most common form of this fish is yellow, but many varieties are occasionally available including the blue lip leleupi and the orange variety shown above. There are even gray, tan and near-black varieties, but they are rarely seen in the hobby.
You may observe quite a variation in color depending on both the substrate/background of the tank and diet. Keep Neolamprologus leleupi over white sand and feed them a large amount of color enhancing food, and you'll have bright yellow fish. Keep them over black gravel and the fish will appear quite muddy.
Fortunately, the fish will color correct if you move them from tank to tank, but it takes a month or two. It is said anecdotally that raising the fry over a light substrate is critical to raising a bright yellow show quality fish in the future.
Identification:
Lamprologus buescheri n. sp. is a small, elongate bodied species (maximum depth of body 4·36 time in the standard length). The combination of its moderate size, its lunate caudal fin and its whitish body coloration distinguishes it from all the other lamprologus species. Adult specimens probably do not exceed a TL of 80 or 90 mm.
Head and body elongate, slender and slightly compressed laterally. Depth of body 22·94%, length of head 34·68% of SL.
Snout acute, 37·84%, interorbital width 19·58% of the length of head. Diameter of eye 23·81% of the length of head and 64·29% of the snout.
Mouth relatively wide. Bucal teeth very small, conical and slightly curved. Teeth of outer row larger, with 4 or 5 canines of the front of both upper and lower jaw. Inner teeth villiformes, arranged in a dense band behind the outer row.
Dorsal XVIII/9, total number of rays 27,. Soft rays longer than spines. First spine very short — Anal VI/7, total number of rays 13. Soft rays longer than spines. First spinevery short. Soft dorsal and anal with filamentous extensions. — Ventrals extented into filaments, passing the urogenital papilla, almost reaching the origin of anal. — Caudal lunate with upper and lower lobes produced into long filaments. Depth of caudal peduncle 60·6% of its length.
Scales ctenoid, 35 (36) in a longitudinal series. lateral lines not perfectly continuous. Upper lateral line with 10 (12), lower 26 (25) scales. Circumpeduncular scales 18. Scales on nape, chest and the anterior part of the back very small. Pre-operculum without scales.
Thirteen short gill-rakers, 9 on the lower part of the anterior arch.
Body color of the live fish whitish, with two black horizontal stripes on each side of the body, one dorsal, along the base of the dosal fin, the other midlateral, from the end of snout to the base of caudal fin. Dorsal stripe with a row of three or four white spots just below the base og the dorsal fin. Both upper and lower half of iris edged with yellow. Pectoral transparent. Other fins dusky gray. Dorsal with conspicuous broad black submarginal longitudinal band. Similar bands in the anal and caudal both the upper and lower half of caudal less conspicuous. Pelvics, dorsal, anal and caudal with narrow brigth blue margin ... No obvious sexual dimorphisme or dichromatism apparent ...
Habitat:
Field observations with scuba gear (Büscher 1983) proved that L. buescheri n. sp. only occurs among rocks and stones in the littoralregion of the lake ... The fish seldom strays more than a few centimeters from the substratum, but always moves in close contact with the rocks with the rocks and immediately withdraws into crevices when disturbed. It was only found at depths between 16 - 18 meters. In its habitat buescheri co-exists with Lamprologus pucher Trewavas & Poll 1952, L. savoryi Poll 1949, Julidochromis regani Poll 1942 and Telmatochromis vittatus Boulenger 1898. L. buescheri is a strictly territorial species, wich for the most part is distributed in single individuals over its habitat.
Care:
Neolamprologus leleupi is not difficult to care for assuming you can provide suitable water quality. If you have soft water, you may find this fish difficult to keep and breed. My water is neutral in pH, but quite hard, and the fish did fine at 78 to 80F.
There is a common myth in the cichlid hobby that Tanganyikan fish do not respond well to water changes. This is blatantly untrue! They are sensitive to rapid changes in temperature and chemistry, however. I change 50% of the water for all the Tanganyikans I keep and they do very well. Make sure that the water you are replacing is chemically consistent and within 2 degrees F of the tank temperature and everything will be copacetic!
Breeding:
Neolamprologus leleupi is not sexually dimorphic. It is difficult to tell the sexes of young fish. Males may grow up to twice the size of the female. Size is the only indicator that I have found reliable to sex these fish. Unfortunately, the fish need to be about a year and half old before these profound size differences become apparent.
the best way to breed this fish is to place several juvenile fish in a community tank and allow them to grow to an age of eighteen months. You will want to keep this fish with relatively non-aggressive fish. Provide a few caves and watch to see if a pair forms a bond. Look for a large fish (the male) and a small fish (the female) that like to hang out together.
Prepare a 20 gallon tank with a fine gravel or sand substrate and provide lots of rocky caves.Provide bright light over the tank to promote algae growth.
Transfer the probable pair to the newly prepared breeding tank and you should soon see signs of massive excavation work within a week. Let the fish go two weeks without a water change and then do a 50% water change to trigger the fish to breed.
Neolamprologus leleupi is a secretive cave spawner. You will rarely see the eggs. If you don't see the female for several days, she may be sitting on a spawn. If you do find the eggs, don't be surprised that they are nearly pure white!
Once the female disappears for a while, add small amounts of fry food to the tank.
Once the female reappears, you may see the pair alternating to care for the spawn. At this time, you may be able to observe the very small fry. Typical spawns are from 40 to 100 fry. The fry double in size the first two weeks, but are generally slow growers after that.
Retail Price
You can expect to pay $5-10 for juveniles and $10-18 for adults.
Sources:
www.gcca.net
www.destin-tanganyika.com
señor_pescados_felices
01-09-2007, 10:44 PM
my bad I suppose next time I should pay more attention to if a pic has a copyright or not before I grab it,I cant take it back now (or dont know how to)
you try to do something good......:irked:
lol good info, I can take the pic off if youd like to find a pic that isnt copyrited. The ones I use I only take if they arent copyrighted and I have all my pic sources on the first page.
Russ that is some good info on the neo. leleupi and I'll post some info on the Julies.
As a side note some smaller afrcian cichlids and shell dwellers can have territorial attitude problems and certian ones may only allow you to keep one of that particular species - unless you plan on breeding (some Julies are a good example). =) Most are pretty low in agression and very cool fish though.
Julidochromis dickfeldi
General:
Julidochromis dickfeldi: An African fish native to the southwest area of Lake Tang. They are good for breeding and can be territorial, but keep a smaller territory then a mbuna might. They are mouthbrooders. They are shell-dwellers. They dont grow very large and are easy to maintain.
Habitat:
Rocks and smaller pieces of gravel/small rocks and sand are ideal.
pH : 8.2-9.0
Care:
This is a fish that has to be kept in a species only tank. It can be territorial. A 20gal long would be an ideal tank esp. for a breeding pair. They will probably only claim a small portion of the tank and prob. wont go outside of that terrirotry. They are easy to maintain - just dont keep them in softwater and watch your water param.
Feeding:
Bloodworms, flakes, pellets, ghost shrimp and other such goods are ideal, but they will eat off the bottom so what you buy you want it to sink.
Breeding:
Its not difficult to breed these guys. In order for them to breed they need to be a year old and will prob. start pairing off. Once they pair off they will find a spot in the rock work or a cave and will spawn there. They will be very territorial. Make sure water params are good.
gcca (http://www.gcca.net/fom/fom_article_archive.htm)
Julidochromis transcriptus
General:
These fish come from lake Tang in Africa. They are the smaller of the Julies and may or may not reach 3inches. They are usually very colorfull and can be known by the mask like feature ontheir face. They is more then one type of this fish.
Habitat:
Rocks and sand are best suited for these guys.
Temp: 78-81 degrees F.
Ph: 8.0-8.9
Care:
These Julies are not as agressive and can be kept with others. They also take a farily small tank (20 gal) and are easy to breed. Make sure the tempature and water param. are good and there should be no problems.
Feeding:
small pellets, shrimps, flake foods or insects are good. These also eat off the ground so try sinking foods.
Breeding:
A flat slate rock and a normal tank set-up should do, lots of rocks. Make sure they are pretty much alone in their territory and they should breed. They are good parents but can be agressive towards other when they have kids.
gcca (http://www.gcca.net/fom/fom_article_archive.htm)
Russy Pelican
01-10-2007, 11:44 AM
I was leaning towards aragonite to help buffer the water, but it may be too coarse. So my second choice is white sand. I've kept shelldwellers and leleupi before, but a spawing pair of brichardi forced me to sell them with their aggression. My thoughts were to keep one species of shell-dwellers, one of julies, and leleupi and build the rockwork up like one would a reef tank to provide shelter.
I was leaning towards aragonite to help buffer the water, but it may be too coarse. So my second choice is white sand. I've kept shelldwellers and leleupi before, but a spawing pair of brichardi forced me to sell them with their aggression. My thoughts were to keep one species of shell-dwellers, one of julies, and leleupi and build the rockwork up like one would a reef tank to provide shelter.
That sounds like a pretty good idea. I am not sure about the aragonite, but I know that sand works well. Ontop of that for buffer sand itself and the rockwork should do good. Shell dwellers like caves so a bunch of rock work would be well suited for them. Keeping one species should be fine - just be carefull with the julies =) brichardi can be pains cuse the breed like bunnys and take over tanks, that stinks that yours did that. Anyways I think your plan sounds fine.
señor_pescados_felices
01-11-2007, 12:05 AM
Aristochromis christyi
General:This is the only fish in the Aristochromis genus.should be kept with smaller haps and mbuna with caution as they will likely become integrated into A. chrityi's diet.Aristochromis christyi demands frequent water changes! It will not hesitate to eat other fish and requires large aquaria. A PH of 7.3 - 8.5 and a temperature of 73 - 78 F (22 - 26 C) will be needed.Males and Females reach an average size of 12" (30 cm).
Common name:Chisawasawa,Malawi Hawk,christy's cichlid
Habitat:throughout the lake.In the wild, Aristochromis christyi inhabits the intermediate zone lying between rocky and sandy littorals. The depth at which this species resides varies depending upon location, but can be anywhere from 2 to 10 meters (6 ft to 33 ft).
Feeding:quality flake or pellet food supplemented with occasional frozen brine,krill,or mysis and feeder fish.
tank setup:The aquarium should have some rockwork yet still provide open swimming space both along the bottom and mid level.
señor_pescados_felices
01-11-2007, 4:46 AM
Aulonocara ethelwynnae
General::A striking species not commonly found in the hobby.common names "northern aulonacara" and "chitande aulonacara"diet in the wild consist of small crustaceans and larvae found in the sand.
Appeaance:Males develope a velvet blue throughout the fins with large yellow egg spots on the anal fin.the body remains mostly brown with some blue highlights.females brown/grey.
Habitat: located from Ngara to chilumba.found mostly in intermediate areas,esp. chitande island.
Suggested Feeding:feed a quality cichlid flake or pellet,supplement occasionaly with frozen brine,krill,mysis, and spirulina.
Setup:the aquarium should have rockwork but still provide open swimming space.
sources:
www.malawicichlids.com
www.cichlidae.com
www.cichlidpress.com
señor_pescados_felices
01-11-2007, 5:09 AM
Aulonocara gertrudae
General:A rare species of Aulonacara often mistaken for A. baenschi until it matures and acheives full coloration. common names "lupingu peacock" and "multispot peacock"
appearance:male developes blue through his entire head,body,and fins.Body has yellow throughout as well.some yellow speckles throughout the dorsal,caudal and anal fin.females grey/brown.
Habitat:South of Nsinje River,in the deeper waters where the bottom consists of muddy sand.
recommended feeding:quality cichlid flake or pellet food,supplemented occasionaly with frozen brine,krill,or mysis
set uprockwork with ample awimming space.
sources:
www.malawicichlids.com
www.cichlidae.com
www.cichlidpress.com
Russy Pelican
01-11-2007, 5:58 PM
Thanks for your help!
mike dunagan
01-11-2007, 6:38 PM
That sounds like a pretty good idea. I am not sure about the aragonite, but I know that sand works well. Ontop of that for buffer sand itself and the rockwork should do good. Shell dwellers like caves so a bunch of rock work would be well suited for them. Keeping one species should be fine - just be carefull with the julies =) brichardi can be pains cuse the breed like bunnys and take over tanks, that stinks that yours did that. Anyways I think your plan sounds fine.
My tangs are in aragonite and they have been doing well. I setup to shell fields on either side of my center small reef in my 120 and they are sharing fine... my calvus swim eveywhere but I have two diff julies. they share the same rock/ shell area well... surprising too
just thought I would chime in on the aragonite with my experience...
ps ash thanks for all the peacock ideas... I put them with my tangs in my 120 show tank and things have been great... moved to a omega 1 and nls mix to feed everyone... I will post pic in a few days... remember they are all still little, just starting to color up some... so be kind when it comes...
My tangs are in aragonite and they have been doing well. I setup to shell fields on either side of my center small reef in my 120 and they are sharing fine... my calvus swim eveywhere but I have two diff julies. they share the same rock/ shell area well... surprising too
just thought I would chime in on the aragonite with my experience...
ps ash thanks for all the peacock ideas... I put them with my tangs in my 120 show tank and things have been great... moved to a omega 1 and nls mix to feed everyone... I will post pic in a few days... remember they are all still little, just starting to color up some... so be kind when it comes...
Never used aragonite so I had no idea thanks for the add-in =)
I am glad the peacocks worked out well!! they do mix in well with a tang tank. (or they did great for me anyways). You food should really help bring out the colors =) I cant wait to see pics it sounds like you have an awesome tank going!!
doubledragon
01-29-2007, 8:32 PM
wow what a thread! Just found it. There's a lot of good info in here keep up the good work! Hey Ash, I was just wondering about those Paratilapia Bleekeri you did, they might be a little agressive and you said something about the Paratilapia Polleni being a little less agressive could you do them next the Bleekeri are some really cool lookin fish.
WolfFisho1
06-10-2007, 10:32 PM
Ash what would be a good mnuba for companions with a P. demasoni colony? it is not yewt setup but it will be in a 55gal! so i would like one other species to have in the with the desamoni colony! Something colorful and that would get to 5-6in! also being able to keepits own with the demasoni!
i was thinking peacocks but others said the demasoni would kill the peacocks!
Ash what would be a good mnuba for companions with a P. demasoni colony? it is not yewt setup but it will be in a 55gal! so i would like one other species to have in the with the desamoni colony! Something colorful and that would get to 5-6in! also being able to keepits own with the demasoni!
i was thinking peacocks but others said the demasoni would kill the peacocks!
Sorry took so long to reply back, They can be agressive fish and it is best not to keep other fish of the same color with them, but as far as them killing peacocks, I think it depends. With a colony it may differ because there are more of them. I have one and I have him with 3 peacocks 2 fronts, 2 bumble bee cat fish, a datnoid and a green terror and they all get along fine. This is only a temperaroy set up, becuase one of the tanks is currently down. The fronts and peacocks are his true tank mates though and they get along fine, they all chase one another but not real fighting. I would suggest any mbuna that grows about the same size, most of them are going to be agressive anyway, just try to differ your colors and try to keep away from blue. It really just depends on what you like. Its just pretty much a trial and error type of thing, see what works. You can post up for some other opinons though.
Aquaman_95
06-24-2007, 12:29 AM
Good info very imformative
I have a 55gallon fish tank i was thinking of putting up electric yellow and blues.Would they be compatible of each other or just purchase a whole group of yellow or blue??also i was thinking of puttinh in 1 venustus in the mix of the yellow or blues would that work??any help or advice would be appreciated.thanks everyone..
andyourblueblood
09-26-2007, 1:37 AM
hey ash what kind of fish was that real pike looking thing in the begining?
when you say you stripped them, I'm assuming you remove the female, then remove the eggs from her mouth, then what? Where do you put the eggs to allow them hatch?
Thanks,
pacersfan09
10-08-2007, 7:43 PM
how bout posting some information on some shellies?
neolamprologus brevis
and
neolamprologus multifasciatus
Red Devil
10-27-2007, 9:25 PM
Nimbochromis venustus
General:
A large Malawian mouthbrooder, was first typed by Boulenger in 1908 as Haplochromis Venustus. In 1989 it was reclassified into the species Nimbochromis by Eccles and Trewavas.
Nimbochromis venustus is closely related to Nimbochromis livingtonii. Both are popular cichlids reguarly found in pet stores. Nimbochromis venustus is sometimes called the Giraffe Hap because of the blotchy patches that appear on females (see photo at right) and sub-adult males. Males in breeding dress have a bright blue head and yellow-green sheen to the flanks partially covering the "giraffe" splotches. There appears to be quite a bit of difference between individuals depending on age, position in the hierarchy and the presence of breeding color.
Habitat:
Nimbochromis venustus is found over sandy areas in the lake at depths averaging 15 meters.
Care:
Nimbochromis venustus is fairly hardy and easy to keep. Like all Malawian cichlids, it appreciates hard water and temperatures of 76 to 80F. Nimbochromis venustus grows up to 10 inches; a group of six to eight adults would do best large tank of at least 100 gallons. Smaller specimens can be kept in correspondingly smaller aquaria.
Nimbochromis venustus is an ambush predator. It has been observed burrowing into the sand where it's splotchy coloration acts a camouflage. Because of this habit, provide a soft substrate of sand or fine gravel. A sharp substate combined with poor water quality can quickly lead to eye cloudiness in this fish which is impossible to reverse in my experience.
Like many predators that live in the sandy habitat, Nimbochromis venustus are strong and swift swimmers. I observed near constant schoaling behavior in the tank making for a very attractive display.
There are differing reports regarding aggression in this species. I have read reports stating that this fish is very aggressive toward both it's kind and conspecifics. This was not my experience; I would classify this fish as only moderately agressive.
I kept seven Nimbochromis venustus with a variety of other Malawian cichlids with only moderate aggression taking place. Individual fish do have quite different personalities, however, so keep on the lookout for aggressive behavior. When I added two fish purchased from a fellow club member, the newly introduced dominant male went aggressively after his forrmer tankmate. The fish were sold to me as a pair but were, in fact, a dominant and sub-dominant male. Cichlids always keep us guessing!
Feeding:
In the lake, Nimbochromis venustus is an opportunistic feeder. Much has been written about its habit as a paedophage (fry eater) where the ambush technique previously mentioned comes into play. Stomach contents have revealed, however, a variety of zoo plankton and other materials, so as you'd expect, this fish is easy to feed in captivity. I fed Tetra Cichlid Flakes, spirulina flakes, Aquadine Duraflakes, frozen brine shrimp and Tetra Cichlid Sticks. They are big eaters and will keep eating until they are quite plump!
Breeding:
Nimbochromis venustus is fairly easy to breed. The key components to success are:
The fish need to be at least four to five inches long and 1 to 1.5 years old. Be patient as this fish needs to be pretty big before they will reproduce.
Provide a flat stone or slate as the breeding site.
Position the slate away from strong currents in the tank as the eggs are externally fertilized, similar to Cyrtocara species.
Although I never observed a spawning, reports I have read indicates that it proceeds similarly to that of Cyrtocara moorii.
Spawns are very large containing from 60 to 120 eggs. I found the females to be shy holders in my hectic 125 gallon tank, so I stripped the female two days post spawning and incubated the largish eggs for 13 days. The fry exhibit the female color pattern almost immediately and are quite robust eaters. I fed my fry on Cyclops-eeze for four days and then transitioned them to crushed flake food. Even at young age, they are strong swimmers. The fry grow quickly.
A few notes about breeding this fish:
Males will spawn prior to obtaining full adult coloration. To identify up and coming males, look for a longer yellow streak down the nose and egg spots on the anal fin.
Females definitely respond better to fully colored males than sub-dominant males.
If you move a juvenile male into a tank containing several females and a colored-up male, expect trouble. A sub-dominant male was harassed by a dominant male on one occasion. Expect this behavior to be more profound in a species tank than in a mixed tank.
As always, I recommend you start with a group of six to eight juvenile fish and grow them up together
If you are not stripping the female and you are leaving her with the fry,,,,,,,,,,,
another good tip that i did not know until i bred my pair is that the female should remain with the babies for 11 days.. everynight or upon any danger she gathers up the babies and holds them in her mouth.. by the 12th day female should be taken away from fry as they are too big for her protection.
Red Devil
10-27-2007, 9:41 PM
you did a darn good job putting this all together Ash.. keep them coming and thank you for all your time and work.
cichlidcraze
11-02-2007, 7:04 PM
How about info on pseudotropheus crabro and pseudotropheus johanni
cichlidcraze
11-02-2007, 7:12 PM
Err pseudotropheus demasoni and pseudotropheus crabro
ghostknifefish0909
11-02-2007, 7:16 PM
nice job Ash
sicxspeed
11-02-2007, 7:17 PM
Technically Central America is a part of South America so all CA cichlids are in turn SA cichlids.
I keep Africans!!!! But only one species. N. brichardi (Fairy cichlid)
http://www.ohiexchange.com/armke/images/neo_brichardi.JPG
NOT MINE ^
I do prefer American cichlid though...sorry.
As for sleeping....I'll sleep when I'm dead.
This is old, but I was looking through it and have to make a correction. Central American is a region of North America, not South. Okay, sorry, back to the Africans.
mike dunagan
11-02-2007, 10:04 PM
umm... well you are both wrong, North South and Central are each their own...
wow sorry everyone alot of these posts asking about fish were made quite awhile ago. I am swamped between all of my hobbies, spending time with people I see once a week and a junk load of school work as I am offically finished with college bs classes other then one and on to harder classes that take alot of time to learn the material. I am very sorry I havent updates maybe over winter break I will try to get some new species up if I have some free time. My apologize and hope that what is up will help out some of you for now. .
Rakie
11-19-2007, 10:09 AM
yeah those emperors are nice! I'm sure you guys, and gal(s) have seen "jewel of the rift" alot of good emperor footage in there
Yup, some really spectacular looking fish on there. One thing I see here in the AC section is tons and tons of the run of the mill AC's... Those don't catch my interest, I have only seen a couple nice, rare looking specimens here but, i will admit I spend little time in this section of the forum.
greeneyez
12-13-2007, 4:34 PM
thanku 4 alot of this info. i actually found out i have more female when i tought they were male cichlids.i really did not know ,people gave me wrong info....
greeneyez
12-13-2007, 4:37 PM
thank u 4 da info. i have more female then male cichlids.. people gave me wrong info.. u was very usefull ,thanks..i have a bunch of cichlids and now at least i can name them..
mike dunagan
12-13-2007, 6:13 PM
so which ones do you have?
Pharaoh
03-05-2008, 8:59 AM
I wouldn't mind seeing a bit more Victorian info!
rucus
03-12-2008, 10:02 AM
This is nice. Thanks for consolidating info on these.
BlueKiller82
03-18-2008, 12:31 PM
Very Informative, I have been in the hobby for quite some time and mostly have kept Central and South American Cichlids, I have never kept Africans before and have become interested.
What are a few good colorful Africans that could be kept together for a first timer.
Also is it okay to mix different types of africans? For example are Victorian only supposed to be with victorian and malawi with malawi etc. I assume these are some good beginner questions coming from a beginner :-)
mike dunagan
03-18-2008, 5:11 PM
mbuna easy and colorful and all go together...
Yah if you just starting out Mbuna are probably the easiest to keep. They can only be kept with eachother. You can mix dif. Africans but you have to be carful with what you are mixing. Ex. Peacocks (Alunocara) are from Lake Malawi but many people keep them with Frontosas wich are from Lake Tang.
Again sorry fot not updating but I am still pretty busy =[
TheFanatic
03-19-2008, 2:26 PM
This fish is also threatened these days. Apparently very rare in the lake. What a pity as the colour of the male is quite something, especially when he gets a little aggro. :naughty: :woot: :clap :headbang2 :thumbsup: :cry: :cry:
Absolutely. The pic of a female did not do the species justice. I have an adult male, a juvie male and 2 juvie females. They came from two different stores. I'm gonna breed them....Or at least try...
TheFanatic
03-19-2008, 2:36 PM
Fantastic thread. What about some Tangs. Tretacephalus (sp?)
Any chance of branching out into African Cats, Synos in particular? They can go hand in hand in a lot of cases with the African Cichlids...