Chocolate cichlid questions

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Stratoquarius

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Oct 22, 2011
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Calgary
The fish has a minor case of Ich but the tanks been treated for 3 days now so it's clearing up nicely, question is that no doubt this chocolate cichlid looks kind of strange, but I was wondering if it ever will get red colouration, the fish seems to lack it completely, very nice emerald green colours though. When I got the fish home it looked like a Rio Negro chocolate cichlid (black body with bright yellow above the head) after settling in for a week or so the fish is looking wonderful but shows no sign of red on its body
P4133222.jpg

i know it looks like the fish has the beginning of HITH, but it was like this when I got it a week ago. I've been doing very intensive water changes on my tank lately and I'm sure the white marks have become smaller since I got the fish.

And second question is, due to how chocolate cichlids spend a lot of time trying to eat things above the water level I was able to get a good vent shot, any clue on sex yet? or too young?
P4133212.jpg

P4133210.jpg
 
Wow thats beautiful, at what size does the red become more prominent? cause mine seems to have no red, and another juvie I had before at 2" had plenty of red.
 
Also keep in mind there's two species of "chocolate cichlids," Hypselecara temporalis and coryphaenoides. The temporalis is the classic "chocolate cichlid" and by far more commonly seen, and is what you appear to have. The yellow/black you described is the breeding coloration of coryphaenoides.

Check out this pair Jeff Rapps had:
temp1.jpg



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yeah I know that, but when I got the fish home in the bag it looked like a corphaenoides which is pretty weird cause none of my other chocolates have ever turned that colour when stressed.
Can anyone give me a shot at the sex based on the vent?
 
Stratoquarius said:
Wow thats beautiful, at what size does the red become more prominent? cause mine seems to have no red, and another juvie I had before at 2" had plenty of red.
Click to expand...


The pic wasnt mine, just used it for reference because of the green :)
 
Here is Snickers, my little guy/gal when I first got it.
IMG_1697.jpg

And now
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Snickers is about 6-7 inches and still under a year old..I got him last August as a 2 inch fish. As with most cichlids, the color will come and develop over time. Good luck with your little one. Mine is a pig, loves eating from the surface of the water and is quite personable.
 
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