Paratheraps fenestratus "Lago Catemaco"

[Nemesis]

Looking good Ed. Nice pics. New camera? They're not the most appealing fish out there, but there is just something about them that makes them so interesting.

 

[flowerpower]

Beautiful fishes.
How big are they? At what age and size do they start showing these colors?

The male is something like 8", maybe a bit bigger. The female is an inch or two smaller. I don't know for sure when they peal. I think it goes a bit the same as it does with amphilophus. They start out with a grey body which peals to reveal varying degrees of white, red, yellow and orange.

Looking good Ed. Nice pics. New camera? They're not the most appealing fish out there, but there is just something about them that makes them so interesting.

I agree but after having these two active, bright-white fish in the tank, I couldn't imagine them not being in there. They have a huge presence.
As for the pictures, no new camera. Embarrassed to say that I'm still trying to squeeze diamonds out of diarrhea with my good old Android incredible. Lol.

nice...

Looking good!

Thank you guys!
And @ Ira, glad you posted those pics. They show the variant color patterns on these fish real well. I know there are some f1s out there that came out with tons of red and orange. It would be great to see some photos of those guys too!
Oh, BTW, anyone heard about an Australian line bread strain of fenes with another odd color mutation? Don't remember where I saw this but the looked kinda cool as well.

 

[cavamart]

I saw those a few years back. They were kind of Dalmatian looking with black and orange blotching as I recall.

 

[flowerpower]

Found it! 'Marbled' fenestratus line bred in Brisbane, Australia.
http://www.cichlidae.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=35937

Not for everyone but I could see someone having a whole lot of fun selectively breeding these guys for which ever color or trait they fancied. Like starting out with a blank canvas: More red? More orange? Pure white? Not a bad pet project at all.

 

[buddha1200]

my f0 pair(gave them away recently,was spawning back to back,spawns to large to handle and none off my fish would eat the fry)
Loved the pair though,great fish to own.

 

[buddha1200]

this is one of their sons(currently 8 inches)at 10 months old.

 

[buddha1200]

btw he is still in my possesion.

 

[flowerpower]

There you go John! I was wondering how long it would take you to come up on this thread.
That wild pair was really stunning but that little male incredible. A very special fish for sure. Was he a stand out fish from the beginning? I'd love to see some older pics if you got em.
My pair looks ready to spawn right now and if they do you know I'll be looking out for a specimen like that! Fat chance.
More pics anyone?

 

[buddha1200]

yea he stood out almost immediately,grew the fastest out of the fry and developed color the fastest.

 

[Fishymike]

cool fish that I did not think much of until I saw a tankful at Ira's. I got a piebald pair from Ira and they spawned at 5"-6". Unfortunately, I moved the juveniles to a tank and the pH dropped way down and they did not make it before I knew what was going on. A friend has some of the young that I want to get back.