new exCichlasoma Ornatus are here!

[freebyrd]

I got 6 ornatus from Jeff Rapps this morning! Any tips on raising them would be most helpful. Any way to sex them so young? Suggestions to habitat and feeding or caring for these beautiful specimens would be fantastic! More pics to come tonight when they settle in. Ill be updating this thread as they grow.

 

[Cich wit it]

Just picked up 2 myself from ira. Wondering the same. Good luck with your group.

 

[freebyrd]

Cool! Feel free to post some pix! Mine were eating just a few hours after shipment. I fed them some nls pellets

 

[JONNY CICHLA]

congrats my friend! Did right in buying group mate! i buyed a 5-6ich pair or Ornatum from Jeff"" They just dont get on at all together! when i let the male in with female" He just beats her into the corners!! So i end up puting divider back into tank!!

The male as alot more blue dots over body and mostly on gill covers!
Mine are very very shy cichlids! slight movement and they dart for cover!
iv put in 6 silver dollers in with them"" and are bringing them out alot more allready!! (male is alot more skittish!!

 

[freebyrd]

mine are not very shy, of coarse if i run up to the tank they scatter but if i walk up like normal they continue to do their thing. i have pool filter sand as the substrate, and it really takes their color away they are almost white with pearls and their black markings. im assuming they are still settling in, thats why i havent tried to snap any more pictures just yet. i do not have a background to the tank but i DO have a nice 3D background on the way from "Designs by Nature" im hoping that + time for them to settle in will make their colors come back.

If i do feed them frozen(thawed) brine shrimp, how often should i feed them this? im feeding NLS pellets as their staple, but how often should i feed them brine shrimp? Im nervous to feed them different things, due to me losing 9 festae fry out of the 11 i had due to bloat Any tips?

also when do these guys start being aggressive to one another? atm they are almost schooling together with the biggest one out of the bunch being brave and exploring on his/her own. I also observed that each one of them has almost their own uniqe body shape and black patterns. I will post a video tonight when i get off work

 

[DCOWBOYS]

How big do these guys get??

 

[JONNY CICHLA]

How big do these guys get??

Hi mate! Jeff rapps e-mailed me telling me he had 1 single male at 16inch" but knowing jeffs fish"" they run out a little small to whot he says!

id say 10 inch is a good male size in the aquarium!

 

[JONNY CICHLA]

mine are not very shy, of coarse if i run up to the tank they scatter but if i walk up like normal they continue to do their thing. i have pool filter sand as the substrate, and it really takes their color away they are almost white with pearls and their black markings. im assuming they are still settling in, thats why i havent tried to snap any more pictures just yet. i do not have a background to the tank but i DO have a nice 3D background on the way from "Designs by Nature" im hoping that + time for them to settle in will make their colors come back.

If i do feed them frozen(thawed) brine shrimp, how often should i feed them this? im feeding NLS pellets as their staple, but how often should i feed them brine shrimp? Im nervous to feed them different things, due to me losing 9 festae fry out of the 11 i had due to bloat Any tips?

also when do these guys start being aggressive to one another? atm they are almost schooling together with the biggest one out of the bunch being brave and exploring on his/her own. I also observed that each one of them has almost their own uniqe body shape and black patterns. I will post a video tonight when i get off work

These fish as i understand are not prone to bloat" like other cichlasoma in the family they are omnivorous" likeing alot of water insects in a mixed diet"
i feed mine prawns/bloodworm at least twice a week" mine dont like brime shrimp so much and not keen on nls pellets! i use hikeri cichlid gold"
no problems with this pellet eaven with my black nasties!

 

[driftwood]

congrats my friend! Did right in buying group mate! i buyed a 5-6ich pair or Ornatum from Jeff"" They just dont get on at all together! when i let the male in with female" He just beats her into the corners!! So i end up puting divider back into tank!!

The male as alot more blue dots over body and mostly on gill covers!
Mine are very very shy cichlids! slight movement and they dart for cover!
iv put in 6 silver dollers in with them"" and are bringing them out alot more allready!! (male is alot more skittish!!

I did the same thing and wish i had it to do over again. My male hates the female and I have had to seperate them. Still they are absolutely gorgeous cichlids and mine aren't shy at all. Both swim around and are front and center in both of their tanks. Just wish they got along.

 

[JONNY CICHLA]

I did the same thing and wish i had it to do over again. My male hates the female and I have had to seperate them. Still they are absolutely gorgeous cichlids and mine aren't shy at all. Both swim around and are front and center in both of their tanks. Just wish they got along.

yes i think its a must to buy a few of this speices and let them pair naturally! Dont think this cichlid as sub to adult get on with each other at all"" eaven when paired off with each other!

think thats wy no body breeds this cichlid"" Bad pair bonding!!