Ya from what I've read 5 to 6 is max in aquaria... the guy must have taken good care of them!Not my cup of tea but it is interesting to see them at 7 inches while I thought they stayed at 5 inches.
Anything interesting you can tell me about them? Anything that stands out?... my lfs has some smaller ones for sale... could I add to the group?I bred them for several years. Mine were males 6" minimum, most of them larger, often 7", some 7.5". (total length, not counting fin extensions)
Males grow larger. Otherwise, gender differences aren't dramatic, males a little more color and slightly longer fins as they mature. As juveniles they're happy in a group, almost the more the merrier, and a group of 5, 6 or more unsexed juvies gives you a decent chance of getting a pair. Once a pair begins breeding they keep to themselves more. They still interact with others in the group, but a little less so, and are perfectly content as just a pair with other compatible fish. Ime unpaired females in a tank will pester the pair or pairs, trying to get the attention of the male. Two pair can work in a 75 gal tank or larger if you arrange the tank so each pair gets their own area for spawning, mine liked an area they could defend-- whether rocks, driftwood, etc. Males and females shared mouthbrooding and would even trade off holding fry while the other parent fed.Anything interesting you can tell me about them? Anything that stands out?... my lfs has some smaller ones for sale... could I add to the group?
Thanks man! Great reply!Males grow larger. Otherwise, gender differences aren't dramatic, males a little more color and slightly longer fins as they mature. As juveniles they're happy in a group, almost the more the merrier, and a group of 5, 6 or more unsexed juvies gives you a decent chance of getting a pair. Once a pair begins breeding they keep to themselves more. They still interact with others in the group, but a little less so, and are perfectly content as just a pair with other compatible fish. Ime unpaired females in a tank will pester the pair or pairs, trying to get the attention of the male. Two pair can work in a 75 gal tank or larger if you arrange the tank so each pair gets their own area for spawning, mine liked an area they could defend-- whether rocks, driftwood, etc. Males and females shared mouthbrooding and would even trade off holding fry while the other parent fed.
I found them easy to breed. Even in a community with Heros rotkeil, wild Peru scalare, congo tetras, L200 plecos, they did a good job protecting fry until I was ready to move them for growing out. I found them to have robust health in clean water, good oxygen, good food. Pretty pH tolerant, healthy up to 8, probably. I've heard of them being kept healthy a little over 8, but I suspect, everything else being equal, they won't live as long as pH in the 7s. I fed Omega One and NLS back then (I stopped using Omega One when they went to a cheaper formula), freeze dried mysis and freeze dried blood worms occasionally.
They start coloring fairly small, 2.5-3 inches if I remember correctly, adult color in about a year, though it can improve a bit more in their second year.
Nice fish, I enjoyed them and could do them again.
Ok good to know!Depending what else you have or want in the tank, you could put a good number in a 210, certainly a few more if you wanted. As adults I kept them in varying numbers, anywhere from a single pair, along with tankmates similar to what I mentioned above, to 8 or more in a 6 ft. tank. At least for me they were quite peaceful, protective of a spawning site or fry, occasional minor fussing between them, typical cichlid stuff, but on a mild scale. Had some guianacara with them at times, which were a little smaller, and the guianacara could push them around a bit.