have you seen these at an lfs?

[mostanks]

http/malawicichlids.com/mw11030.htm
i'm always looking for oddball fish and ran across this guy,and as soon as i get a house i plan to have atleast a 300g malawi tank i want to have some of the larger africans like venestus,buttikoferi,livingstoni and d.compressiceps i think these would be cool and i was wondering if they are available anywhere.

 

[semper fi]

just a little help for you with the buttikoferi. they are not a tru malawi. they are an african though. do not do well with other malawi. when they are young they have a tendency to get beat on by the other malawi. expecially mbuna. when they are older they like to rule the tank and will pick on everything else in the tank. have not successfully kept buttikoferi in with other africans as of yet and i have been trying for the last 5 years. they do better with the south americans as they have about the same temperament.

if you want to keep buttikoferi then i would suggest setting up a tank with just the buttikoferi in them. let them grow out and when larger add them to a community. they are very territorial and will like to have one hidey spot in the tank and will fight anyone who comes near it.

maggie

 

[cichlidmaster]

When you say you "ran across" this guy, do you mean to say you found it at a shop or just saw the pic.

The reason I ask is I have never heard of them being exported out of the lake...

 

[mostanks]

semper-i appreciate the info but i have had alot of success keeping butti w/ other malawi,i believe it to be a lil luck but still success i got rid of him at 10" my buddy still has him.my 90 just wasn't gonna cut it.


CM-what i meant was i got a link to a pic and was wondering if anyone has seen them for sale somewhere.

 

[semper fi]

gotta be alot of luck. i love these fish. they are really pretty when colored up. have blue around their mouths and finnage. very pretty. just have never been able to keep them with africans. mine is about 8" right now. had another one but he decided to knock the lid off the tank and jump for it. was a real bummer day.

maggie

 

[mostanks]

"gotta be alot of luck" yeah,but it just figures all the ones i really really like have to be the ones i can't keep(yet).
i am lucky i love this hobby and it has been good to me and for me as well .
back to the butt kicker,i grew him out some w/a red devil til i got some more info on them both,then i set it up w/some malawis and he was a perfect gentleman(a bit clumsy)but still for the most part well behaved.*sigh*to bad i couldn't keep him.

 

[semper fi]

i keep mine with my red devil. they are always duking it out. sometimes i just want to reach in and spank the two and send them to opposite ends of the tank!

i am mom hear me roar!

maggie