Hump,& rostratum, lentiginosus progression update

[duanes]

1st the Astatheros rostratum
day they arrived from Gage @ Cichlid Connection, back in June 2013, 1" or less

today maybe 3" give or take


Theraps lentoginosus in Dec aboubt3 days after arrival from Wet Spot. @ 1"

today

and a Gymnogeophagus balzani from Narwhal72, spring 2013

today

 

[NorCaliCichlids]

Glad to see the lents are doing well. I've lost a couple but can't figure out if its aggression or not. They all eat like pigs.

 

[duanes]

They are a bit snippy, but as yet, nothing serious as far as real aggression goes, and the current in the tank is fairly strong. I have them in a 40 gal while growing out, with approx 500gph entering 1 end and the overflow on the other end.
A few years back I had Theraps wesseli in a 100 gal that became very aggressive and didn't do well, killing each other. I believe it was because the current wasn't strong enough, unused energy turned to infighting.

My plan when the lents are a bit larger, is to put them in a 6 ft tank with an even faster flow rate and shallow water. At this point the current is enough to keep Vallisneria in a constantly bent position, and swaying in the flow. I'm hoping this will focus the lents energy away from each other.



Mine are also serious eaters, and I have a feeling they could easily be overfed.

 

[NorCaliCichlids]

I have mine in a 135g with 2 Emperor 280's and a good size powerhead along with some driftwood and various types of anubias. Maybe I need to make the water flow faster in there than it already is. I had a group of Wesseli as well and after awhile they started picking each other off but that was as they hit bigger sizes.

 

[duanes]

I've also been considering adding another powerhead as they grow.
When I was snorkeling in a cenote a few months back, I started to get swept out to sea by a current not visible from above, and had to drag myself in by grabbing mangrove roots, a bit of effort.
But this is nothing compared to the flow the fish of this genus (and others like Tomocichla) constantly enjoy.

 

[NorCaliCichlids]

Agreed 100%

 

[duanes]

Snow day.
Found a dead lent with its caudal chewed off, so I added another power head.
Don't know if gender differences are apparent at such a tender age, but some are starting to lighten up.

The Astatheros rostratum are gaining a slight bit of color too

 

[cichlidfish]

Snow day.
Found a dead lent with its caudal chewed off, so I added another power head.
Don't know if gender differences are apparent at such a tender age, but some are starting to lighten up.

The Astatheros rostratum are gaining a slight bit of color too

Sorry to hear about the loss. It was the t. Wesseli?
Here is my a. Rostratum. I believe it is female. It takes a very long time for them to grow and develop color.




Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

 

[duanes]

The Theraps are slowly growing, and slowly putting on a little color, and I did add another power head.


And similarly slowly are the rostratum

 

[NorCaliCichlids]

I just ordered 6 more lents, they only have 11 left (5 now) and given these haven't been available for like 20 years I decided to scoop some more up. I also ordered the last 3 yellow labs and a few septemfasciatum.