Nicaragua Cichlid coloring up

[Aquamaniac96]

Hey I just wanted to post pics of my Nicaragua Cichlid as she matures. Also would mind discussing experiences others have had while keeping them. At first I was really worried I struck bad luck on getting a pretty female. However recently (within a week) she started coloring up and it's like night and day. She keeps getting more colorful by the day. Without further ado here she is now.

 

[FedEXguy]

Nice. This is one fish I've always wanted to keep but just haven't got around to, yet.

 

[Aquamaniac96]

I got her from Imperial Tropicals. I house her with 6 Geophagus Sp. Redhead Tapajos, an EBJD and 6 Red and Blue Colombian Tetras in a 125 gallon aquarium. She used to school with them. Then becamr a bully for a few weeks. She's starting to chill out though. The geos still bicker. I love all their personalities, but she was especially rewarding. When I first got her she was basically all a tannish color, with barely a hint of gold on her stomach. Now she's packing on more color each day. I can't wait til she's closer to fully grown. I'd say she's somewhere between 4 and 5 inches right now.

 

[Cichlidfever]

She looks good, I have a male and female about the same size, color is starting to come in , I have seen some really pretty ones, yours looks good, keep up the good work

 

[Aquamaniac96]

Nice! Feel free to post pics updating on yours too here. I enjoy seeing the amount of variety in nics. Plus it's fun to see all the changes as fish grow.

 

[Aquamaniac96]

It's been a while so here's an update. Better phone so pictures do her more justice.

 

[Aquamaniac96]

sorry for the repeats

 

[duanes]

I kept a group half dozen together until 2 paired off and started spawning. Gave the pair its own 75 gal.

They were excellent parents, sometimes raising two sets of fry, simultaneously in the same tank.

The only Central American with none adhesive eggs.

 

[Aquamaniac96]

Haha awesome! I really like the male's red on his cheeks and fins. I had a pair of of my Geos pair up and spawn once, but they were too young and the eggs were never fertilized. It's still a cool process and I'd love to see it again. I thought about getting a male with her at the start, but I'm glad I didn't. She pretty much destroys the aesthetic of my tank so I can only image what two could to together. I watched her rip a plant stalk right from the roots today as a matter of fact. Nics are awesome fish. I can't wait for my EBJD and Geos to catch up to her in size and color.

 

[jeaninel]

Very cool fish. One I'd like to keep some day. They have a very unique thing about them... in the wild they actually will use their blunt shaped head to carve out little caves in the sides of the riverbank to deposit their eggs in so they don't get swept away since they are not sticky. Sort of like drilling a hole into the bank with their head!