Nice looking Chocolate Cichlid. Looks like pip squeak is ready to spawn her egg tube down.
Cute little guy, or gal?
- Thread starter esoxlucius
- Start date
Nice looking Chocolate Cichlid. Looks like pip squeak is ready to spawn her egg tube down.
Yes, she's already laid one batch a few weeks ago, she's probably due another batch anytime.
If you go back to post #1 Tom you will see that there was a tankful of these tiny chocs at my LFS. I stalled, and the next time I went they'd all been sold barring one...which is the one I got.
If i knew then what I know now about this beautiful cichlid I'd have bought 4 or 5 the first time I saw them. If I'd have done that there is a very strong possibility that I'd have some breeding going on right now.
If I could go back in time I'd have done it completely different. You live and learn.
I posted a recent pic of my choc cichlid in another thread and then remembered I had my own grow out thread to update! So to keep things in the right place and show the progress she's making I'll post the pic here too in my own thread.
I got rid of the 120 she was in and put her in my 360 com tank. Her development has been swift and her temperament, even though she's in a busy tank, is very placid. She keeps herself to herself.
She's around the 9" mark now. She's quite deep too, and thick. Eats everything on offer, not fussy at all, but has a real preference for live crickets and worms!
Since she was put in the 360 I've noticed her colouration has changed too. It's an all black interior and unlike my old 120, doesn't get bathed in sunshine at anytime during the day. Her colours seem to reflect this. No reds or light greens anymore. Mainly beiges, browns, olives and occasionally mauve.
I believe she's still got some growing to do yet. I look forward to seeing her once she's maxed out.
I got rid of the 120 she was in and put her in my 360 com tank. Her development has been swift and her temperament, even though she's in a busy tank, is very placid. She keeps herself to herself.
She's around the 9" mark now. She's quite deep too, and thick. Eats everything on offer, not fussy at all, but has a real preference for live crickets and worms!
Since she was put in the 360 I've noticed her colouration has changed too. It's an all black interior and unlike my old 120, doesn't get bathed in sunshine at anytime during the day. Her colours seem to reflect this. No reds or light greens anymore. Mainly beiges, browns, olives and occasionally mauve.
I believe she's still got some growing to do yet. I look forward to seeing her once she's maxed out.
It's 8 months since my last post so I thought I'd update this thread by way of a short video this time. I'd say she's close to 10" now. She's still doing amazingly well and is very placid, gets along with everyone. There is the odd niggle with my red shoulder severum, but both being cichlids that's only to be expected I suppose.
I've had her close to three years now, given that she was only tiny when I got her I'd say that that's about her age.
I've had her close to three years now, given that she was only tiny when I got her I'd say that that's about her age.
Have you tried keeping chocolate with plants ? Are there specific speices it won't totally obliterate or does one just have to accept that plants and chocolate won't mix. I'd like to put a pair in an aquarium like this one:
but don't know if they will eat all the plants. The picture is from my 120 but i'm moving everything (minus the festum) into a 550 in a few weeks - the festum will go into a 440 with some geo.
but don't know if they will eat all the plants. The picture is from my 120 but i'm moving everything (minus the festum) into a 550 in a few weeks - the festum will go into a 440 with some geo.
Before putting her in my unplanted 360, my choc was in a planted 180, mainly jungle val with an assortment of others. She never touched my plants at all.
And even now in my 360 she won't touch any greenery I throw in which is meant for my giant gourami.
Below is an earlier pic of her whilst in my planted 180.
Thanks for the answers both of you; bit weird that a lot of articles say they will chomp down plants. I wonder if it matters which type or if the articles are just copying each others incorrectly. What is the smallest fish you would keep with an adult without fear it would try to eat it? Would it go after 4 inch zebra loaches? 2-3 inch cory? I suppose cardinals are a definite no-no. What about serpae tetra or cherry barbs?
