Crenicichla celidochilus in cool-period: before and during

My Uruguayan fish have been in their cool period for about a month now. All of their tanks are unheated. This particular tank is placed on an exterior wall, beside a door, in my fishroom so the temperature drops relative to the external temperature.

Anyway, here a a few shots of the females from the weeks immediately preceding the cool period (temperature was 74-76º).




Short video:
http://s191.photobucket.com/albums/...elidochilus/?action=view&current=MOV07215.mp4

A month ago I turned the heat off in that room to start the cool period. The temperature has been in the 20's outside and the tank has been fluctuating between 60-63º. All the yellow slowly faded away and the red/orange blaze receded from the abdomen into a mere blaze down the flank...



Very short video:
http://s191.photobucket.com/albums/...elidochilus/?action=view&current=MOV07501.mp4

Over the 1-2 months before the temperature drop their color really developed and judging from their behavior they matured (1m/2f in this tank) and a pair seemed to have formed, so I think around April after the tank has warmed back up will be my best chance yet for breeding them.

Tank mates are a pair of C. minuano and a Sorubim lima (who will come out before the end of the cool-period).

Ed

Thanks David and Justin!

Juxtaroberto... Thanks! Yes, and to mimic the sub-tropical region where they are from.

Brian... Yes, they always lose the yellows and usually don't show their black markings as prominently during the cool period. By the end of the cool period the red/orange can really pop though. Males don't seem to change as much as females. The previous two years I did it "half way" so-to-speak, and their cool period was only 65-68º for a few months. This year I decided to do it right and try for 60º.

I cut their feeding by half, a few shrimp pellets and lots of vegi-flakes, everything else is the same.

Ed

Brian,
Yeah the C. minuano are fairly similar (less color to lose though!). Sure, I have a pair of celidos with Gymnogeophagus balzanii in a different tank, they get along fine.

Cheers,
Ed