Black belt grow out

[Beardogg85]

Been growing out a Black belt for few months now. picked him up when he was about a inch. I would say the fish is 4 inches now maybe five. just wanted to share looks alot different than other Black belts I have seen recently. I think it is a beautiful fish been a blast to raise so far.

 

[The True Guapote]

Looking good. I’ve been growing one out also for about 2 months now. It’s been great so far, can’t tell it’s sex yet but I think maybe female.

 

[josh1986]

Black belts are awesome. I have been growing one out aswell. It runs my tank at the moment I got it off a bloke who had it in with some monster flower horns and devils poor thing was getting beaten. I think he's made an awesome recovery and as the dominant cichlid it's colours are really showing. Ur ones belt is cool how it doesn't go the whole way up. Adds something different. If anyone can tell if mines a m/f that would be great. I think it's pairing with my smaller synspilum as they hang out a lot together

 

[Beardogg85]

Thanks your Blackbelt is looking great to. Glad u were around to take him out of the other tank. Mine also runs the tank must be a blackbelt thing. Please keep posting picks of your blackbelt would like to see it as it grows. Happy fish keeping and thanks for sharing.

 

[josh1986]

What do u keep in ur tank with it? Do u have a full tank shot from what I can see u have some cool aquascaping happening...

 

[The True Guapote]

My 120 gallon blackbelt tank. Single specimen along with a vampire pleco.

 

[josh1986]

That's a cool tank man

 

[The True Guapote]

That's a cool tank man

Thanks, originally I intended it to be fairly planted but I seem to excel in growing algae. Most of my anubias has been affected by the brown diatom algae I think I’ve finally got past and now I seem to be dealing with cyanobacterial algae. Aside from that my blackbelt has done great, not quite as colorful as yours. I feed as varied a diet as I can, still trying to determine my fishes’ gender.

 

[josh1986]

Yeah, with diet I just feed hikari bio cichlid gold or cichlid gold depending what's on special and a algae pallet from the local fish shop. Occasionally I feed nls. I used to feed bloodworm and shrimp ect but I found I ended up with diseases. Whether it was from the food or if it is all a coincidence but I haven't had a drama since just feeding varied pallets.

 

[The True Guapote]

Hmmm weird. I feed mine frozen mysis, frozen brine, frozen bloodworms, peas,
Nls, kens veggie flake, and northfin. Knock on wood it’s been very healthy since I got it. Probably the least picky eater I’ve had ever!