Michigan Cichlid Association
General Category => Old World => Topic started by: linuxrulesusa on March 18, 2013, 10:16:33 AM
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I have been keeping mostly CA/SA cichilds since last summer, and after breeding several species (angels, convicts, cutteri, hondurans, thoricthys aureum [pasionis as well soon I hope]), I thought I'd give some Africans a try.
I started out trading some tanks etc with a friend for some brichardi and helianthus, 2 of each. They are under 2" so both presumed pairs are in separate 10s with sponge filters.
(http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q630/linuxrulesusa/tank%20pics%202013/2013-03-11134345_zps2b0bb8af.jpg)
(http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q630/linuxrulesusa/tank%20pics%202013/2013-03-11130014_zpse6f50562.jpg)
Then I traded some honduran red points for julies at an LFS by me. I was sold julidochromis regani but after further research discovered they were actually dickfeldi. Possibly the Livua variant, but hard to tell exactly. The julies are in a 20 long with a hydro IV sponge. Eventually, I plan to upgrade them to a 30 long and add in some gold ocellatus.
(http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q630/linuxrulesusa/tank%20pics%202013/2013-03-09221933_zps05f9c0f2.jpg)
(http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q630/linuxrulesusa/tank%20pics%202013/2013-03-09221807_zps828ad2e5.jpg)
Then at the MCAS meeting I got some labidochromis mbamba from Tony, which it turns out were probably some offspring off some that Bob Stevens had a while back. One of the labs is albino, and the rest apparently have the albino gene, so I'm looking forward to getting some fry to see how they turn out. These are growing out in a 40 breeder with a Hydro III sponge and a an AC110. Also in the tank are 3 ~2" VC-10 that I won at the MCAS fishy bingo.
(http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q630/linuxrulesusa/tank%20pics%202013/20130316_225315_zpsd8dae123.jpg)
(http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q630/linuxrulesusa/tank%20pics%202013/20130316_230116_zps7fe787b4.jpg)
(http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q630/linuxrulesusa/tank%20pics%202013/20130316_230005_zps833c0161.jpg)
(http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q630/linuxrulesusa/tank%20pics%202013/20130316_230000_zpsb270b290.jpg)
(http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q630/linuxrulesusa/tank%20pics%202013/20130316_230133_zps577cfa55.jpg)
Then yesterday I went and got a few more Africans from Bob Stevens.
(http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q630/linuxrulesusa/tank%20pics%202013/20130317_205504_zpsc4aa0c88.jpg)
I currently have 1M 2F of electric blue (fryeri/ahli) and 1M 2F of white top afra/hara. I plan to add more females in the near future to get it to 1:3 or 1:4 for each species. They are in a 55 with a Hydro IV sponge (and shortly an AC110 once I get it cleaned up and plugged in).
I'd appreciate advice as to what other species might work well with afra/ahli in the 55, and what stocking to consider. I was hoping to add some electric yellows - so I'd end up 1M 4F ahli, 1M 4F afra, and 1M 4F (eventually) of e. yellows.
Oh, and one last pic. I've had a pair of kribensis since last July but they had never raised fry until about a month ago - not shocking since they were in with oddballs like a brown knife, senegal bichir, 3x upside down nigriventris, etc. They have since been moved to a 20 hex and laid eggs at least once, but no survivors from that batch though.
(http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q630/linuxrulesusa/tank%20pics%202013/2013-03-10221722_zps8c8dbca4.jpg)
So, that's where I'm at right now.
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Nice looking tanks. With my alhi, I have German Red peacocks, yellow labs, red top aristo, a pair of nyereri, and around twelve synos in a 75 gallon tank. Overcrowding seems to work as nit one species can really target one another. Not sure what to add with afras.
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Nice looking tanks. With my alhi, I have German Red peacocks, yellow labs, red top aristo, a pair of nyereri, and around twelve synos. Not sure with afras.
What size tank? 75?
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Nice looking tanks. With my alhi, I have German Red peacocks, yellow labs, red top aristo, a pair of nyereri, and around twelve synos. Not sure with afras.
whi
What size tank? 75?
Yes, 75 gallon. Sorry added that while you made this post.
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Once you go African ..........you`ll never go back to American. :o
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Once you go African ..........you`ll never go back to American. :o
Hehe
Nice looking tank! How about a full tank shot?
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Nice looking tank! How about a full tank shot?
Of which one? ;) Once I get them set a bit more I will post some more full tank shots. :)
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Nice looking tank! How about a full tank shot?
Of which one? ;) Once I get them set a bit more I will post some more full tank shots. :)
The one with the VC10 in it really caught my eye.
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Here are the two I have at work. I know they're not especially biotopic but seem to be working so far.
10g brichardi:
(http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q630/linuxrulesusa/tank%20pics%202013/2013-03-18143718_zps2dd75f02.jpg)
10g helianthus:
(http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q630/linuxrulesusa/tank%20pics%202013/2013-03-18143727_zps6dc988dd.jpg)
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Nice looking tank! How about a full tank shot?
Of which one? ;) Once I get them set a bit more I will post some more full tank shots. :)
The one with the VC10 in it really caught my eye.
Here you go...my 40 breeder with the VC-10s and labidochromis m'bamba in it.
(http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q630/linuxrulesusa/tank%20pics%202013/2013-03-18174932_zps1de71b19.jpg)
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And I might as well throw one up of the 50 long with the trio of e. blue haps and trio of white top afra.
(http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q630/linuxrulesusa/tank%20pics%202013/2013-03-18215028_zps0132b0d0.jpg)
I'm trying the minimalist tank approach with this one (since it's just for breeding, not for looks/display) as I have been advised and read various places that a pretty sparse tank can reduce aggression...no turf to defend, no defending of the turf. ;) We shall see.
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Updated the Julie tank...added a small calvus, moved all to a 30 long from a 20 long, and put in some rockwork.
(http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q630/linuxrulesusa/tank%20pics%202013/2013-03-24160042_zps0065864f.jpg)
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Updated the Julie tank...added a small calvus, moved all to a 30 long from a 20 long, and put in some rockwork.
(http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q630/linuxrulesusa/tank%20pics%202013/2013-03-24160042_zps0065864f.jpg)
Nice looking tank. Might need some more rockwork if the julies get really territorial.
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Nice looking tank. Might need some more rockwork if the julies get really territorial.
Thanks. I will keep that in mind. They haven't seemed to pair off yet so we'll see.
I'm hoping to put some ocellatus in here as well...have a divider if necessary or could see up another 10g temporarily for the ocellatus if needed...long term stock would be the calvus, a Julie pair, and a gold ocellatus pair.
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Updated the Julie tank...added a small calvus, moved all to a 30 long from a 20 long, and put in some rockwork.
(http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q630/linuxrulesusa/tank%20pics%202013/2013-03-24160042_zps0065864f.jpg)
Nice looking tank. Might need some more rockwork if the julies get really territorial.
Oh and they will!
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New pics after adding some plants plus a pair of n. brevis "orange belly" (kitumba?).
(http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q630/linuxrulesusa/tank%20pics%202013/20130402_234448_zpsf9144639.jpg)
and
(http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q630/linuxrulesusa/tank%20pics%202013/20130402_234457_zps346c4a01.jpg)
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The julies seemed to be bugging the brevis, so I moved the brevis to my 10g at work by themselves. Ocellatus (gold or pearly) are more aggressive than the brevis from what I've read so I might try those in with the julies instead.
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And another update on my 30g long, after moving out the miscellaneous fish (helianthus, multifasciatus) and adding in a great looking pair of Leleupi 'karlani firecracker'/orange from Ken.
(http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q630/linuxrulesusa/tank%20pics%202013/2013-04-06134204_zpsd0e49a2a.jpg)
Plus a different 15g long where I added a nice pair of l. hecqui 'mbita' from Gary.
(http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q630/linuxrulesusa/tank%20pics%202013/2013-04-06134358_zps59b034c7.jpg)
And finally, my first time stripping fry from an African cichlid today. I got 7 fry out of one of my electric yellow females.
(http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q630/linuxrulesusa/tank%20pics%202013/2013-04-06130759_zps1d97884e.jpg)
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Congrats on the fry. Are they eggs or fish with egg sacs?
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Congrats on the fry. Are they eggs or fish with egg sacs?
They had the last bit of their egg sacs yesterday. All seem to be free swimming today. Sorry for the low quality pic.
There are actually 11 of them...electric yellow babies...I had to strip the female twice yesterday because I'm new at this and missed some of the fry the first time. She still wasn't eating so I figured she still had fry...sure enough, she did.
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Cool. Enjoy.
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Thanks.
The brevis finally quit hiding enough for me to get a quick pic:
(http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q630/linuxrulesusa/tank%20pics%202013/2013-04-08082312_zpscb6d1e6b.jpg)
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Better pic of the brevis:
(http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q630/linuxrulesusa/tank%20pics%202013/2013-04-12092506_zps180aed22.jpg) (http://s1167.photobucket.com/user/linuxrulesusa/media/tank%20pics%202013/2013-04-12092506_zps180aed22.jpg.html)
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Last night I picked up some n. cylindricus (three of them - appear to be a trio, pair + extra but not confirmed yet). I put them in a 20 long for the time being.
(http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q630/linuxrulesusa/tank%20pics%202013/2013-04-19083505_zps0f609339.jpg) (http://s1167.photobucket.com/user/linuxrulesusa/media/tank%20pics%202013/2013-04-19083505_zps0f609339.jpg.html)
and
(http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q630/linuxrulesusa/tank%20pics%202013/2013-04-19085128_zpsc793ce6b.jpg) (http://s1167.photobucket.com/user/linuxrulesusa/media/tank%20pics%202013/2013-04-19085128_zpsc793ce6b.jpg.html)
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Why do you keep the water level so low?
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Why do you keep the water level so low?
I do not usually. I did a partial water change and ran out of time to finish refilling all the way.