Malawi cichlids. (Load warning)

[ikevi]

So sorry about the long wait no update, but had no real time.

Anyways here is one more for now.

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Otopharynx lithobates (Zimbawe), aka Z-rock, Aristochromis Red Top

Now this can either be a stunner or an ugly fish... And it annoys me how often they tend to change color. Very peaceful hap, if you feed well (ie varied diet) you will have a orange/yellowish blaze with either a black or a blue body depending on how he is feeling. I tried to show it in the vid by taking some a few days apart but he didn't want to show his true blue phase. Anyways pictures always turn out nice for me, for blue I tend to see it in the morning and black at night. I have to confess that I would say at the moment he is a good adition but not a must have in my tank. I don't plan on switching him out like I do some of the upcoming ones but if I find a beter specimen maybe that is all I need. Mine basically stays to himself and I don't think I have even seen him have any spat at all. (Which in my tank is amazing.) Obviously this just might be my fish, but still that is what I have experianced. It did take a while for him to even start getting the black body, which before that they are a fairly ugly fish. I will see if I have any of those photos. Oh and max size isn't very large. I saw a 6 inch once and that was huge compared to all the others I have seen.

Anyways photos:

Younger but still black:

Vid:
Lithobates Z-rock


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[Lady G]

Wow....awsome thread and great fish!!!

 

[Red Devil]

Wow....awsome thread and great fish!!!

I agree..this is a great thread to really see and learn all the malwai cichlids.. we hope you can add more and more..

 

[Red Devil]

what a gorgeous OB.. how big does it get..stunning fish..

 

[mike dunagan]

The Z-rock as they are called, are also harder to find... and at good quality even tougher...

 

[Red Devil]

The Z-rock as they are called, are also harder to find... and at good quality even tougher...

Thanks MIKE

 

[fish head )'>]

two wet thumbs up

 

[ikevi]

So sorry about the long wait no update, but had no real time.

Anyways here is one more for now.

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Copadichromis trewavasae, (this case Makonde), most comon is Likoma
Also for a great picture of the Makonde click here

OK so many people for some reason don't know about this fish. Maybe it is because it is harder to find, but man if you can get one get it. I have gone through 3 of them... sadly they died for no apparent reason but my 4th is doing well and has been around for a good half a year. He came in looking like a fish with a little yellow on his fins. I thought I had the wrong fish. But as the months have been going he has slowly started to show some of his beauty. Even though he isn't even half of what he will get to he still is a great fish already. The problem with these guys with me is that it is very hard to get a good photo of them for some reason. And of course I don't have any good vids of what a nice one looks like since I didn't have my camera around for my others. Anyways if you see one pick it up.

This fish likes to go mono a mono with a few of my other peacocks and I do notice that he has locked lips sometimes since you can see signs of it happening. His coloring basically comes in stages. Oh and trewavasae from different areas basically have say yellow hues or white or orange but when they get full color the blue and black is the main color. (Click on the above second link to see the difference of 2 types.)

OH and the coolest thing is if you can put them in with a female (traditional ugly peacock...) With sand and a few big rocks. I wish I had a picture of it but they make the hugest volcano like thing with a tunnel under the rock (well mine did and I hear it isn't that uncommon).

Max size ~6 inches, though I haven't even seen that big.

Anyways photos:

Vid:
Copadichromis trewavasae


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[ikevi]

Ok so I went digging to find a young one of the z-rock. It is the best I have...

8/26/2006 (As I said he was ugly when I got him)

9/07/06 (better)

And today 8/6/07:

Oh and here was the empress about a year ago:

 

[mike dunagan]

nice update... can not wait for mine to get big too... just found out my red empress females is male...