Salvini Questions

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
D

Dart7383

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Feb 26, 2011
67
0
0
Northern Illinois
Hey everybody, I am pretty much a total noob at taking care of cichlids. I have had my salvini for about 6 months now. My questions are about his coloring. When I got him, he looked like all the pictures I have seen (bright yellow and red). Over the time I have had him, his yellow and red have darkened. He has also Gotten a lot of blue on him.I have seen pictures of many salvini with blue on them, but he seems to be darker than what I have been able to find. I guess my real questions are weather he looks healthy and is it possibly some hybrid. He is about 4.5"-5" Thanks in advance for any help/info you can give me.
salvini 003.JPGsalvini 005.JPG

salvini 003.JPG

salvini 005.JPG
 
Most Cichlids Dig and i Dont know much about salvini's. I had one like 6 months back and he had a lot of blue after about 2 months of having him. but i am not to sure someone will Chime in soon that can give you a answer
 
Thanks. I actually just got a small female for Christmas. I was kind of scared to do it since all the rest of the fish in the tank are so much bigger than what I could find locally. Also for some reason I was only seeing males at all of my LFS. Since putting my little 1.5" female in with my 2 male Firemouths and the male Salvini, she has been doing great. She runs roughshot over my dithers and manages to avoid the drama between the males. I hope she brings some more color out in my male, but if not I like the blue on him anyhow. Here is a pic of my new female, and one of the firemouths. I am mainly concerned with their health, and looks are secondary. Mostly I am wondering if my fish look healthy.
fish 018.JPGfish 039.JPG
Sorry my pics aren't the greatest, I just have an old point and shoot camera and not much of an idea how to take good aquarium photos.

fish 039.JPG

fish 018.JPG
 
Your fish look great, the colour in your male should come out now, if he is being dominated by another male or one of the firemouths he will pull his colour so he dosent stand out in the croud so to speek, hope this helps. HAPPY NEW YEAR
 
He looks good. Darker colors can be indicators of stress or being sub-dominant as mentioned. However, he appears to be in great shape and it may have more to do with your aquascape and lighting. Many cichlids color will vary with their surroundings. My salvini have always had more of a base color similar to the new one you got, with very pronounced red on their sides.
 
Also bare in mind that males are generally dark with exaggerated blue markings, females are yellow with much more red on their belly.
both of them start of relatively yellow but as a male matures he darkens. this is how most people pick a pair at the LFS go with the larger darker one which is most likely a male and then pick one you think is female.

from what I´ve seen hes a perfectly healthy example of a male salvini. all fish have different genes and some are brighter or darker than others I´m sure its nothing to worry about.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom