I Got My Aequidens Diadema :D

[Wills]

As a few of you might know I have been looking for A.Diadema about a month now ever since I decided to upgrade my tank. I got an email from my favorite LFS about some mixed wild acara that had come in so I took a trip down which also timed nice for me to give someone some puffers I had temporarily (nice lady, loved her puffers so happy they went to a good home). I had a look through them and by good chance the new PFK had some pictures of the in, in the rare imports section. So thats all the good news...

The bad news is he(?) is in a bit of a state, he was housed in a tank with some black central american cichlids, cant remember the name (maybe polleni?) he has a few scales missing and a nasty bite on his caudial penicle. And to make things worse he jumped out the net when he was being caught and landed on the floor!! So he is in the 10g tank the puffers were in for the moment and I am treating him with melafix and primafix will keep him QT for a while.

He(?) is huge at least 4 inches? So happy I have found him. I am 90% he is a.diadema as he is a bit stressed at the moment so he is a bit dark but either way even just the drive home and the settling process has got me really attached.

Pics to come later I have to go to work now but will get pics on about 10pm

Wills

 

[minxfishy]

Glad you found him, some TLC and some water changes, should heal him up quickly

 

[Cichlid_Crazy]

Photos!!!

 

[Wills]

Hi thanks guys yeah hes not looking good just got in from work and he is dark brown. He was dark out the bag but he picked up so I am rather concerned he is just sat on the gravel under the heater... never a good sign

 

[Wills]

Just put him in my main tank about 15 mins ago. Male HRP is being a bit of an #16##### but no major issues, the Diadema is a bit stressed but signifiacantly less so than in the small tank, his scars are healing a bit but he is still dark (looking a bit like a green terror at the moment) I know I saw him in the tank paler so I am still happy he is A.Diadema but might post some pics for positive ID if anyone can help out

Wills

 

[minxfishy]

Pics would be good

 

[Wills]

Here we are these are the pics We have called him Bailey

So there we go he seems to be better already still a bit of chasing from my male HRP but its calmed down and hes started to fight back a bit or at least flare out now. He is still terrified of us though.

Wills

 

[minxfishy]

Wow he is stunning, even if a little stressed, I cant confirm a definate id as Diadema as Im not familiar with them, but Im sure someone else will be able to for you.

 

[snowflake311]

What a cool fish. Great find he looks good.

 

[Wills]

Thanks guys He still has a few scars you can see a particularly nasty one just before his tail that red mark should not be there. Once he gets settled his body should go whiteish cream with the black line and black spot face squiggles and redish fins

 

[Cichlid_Crazy]

Really the ones i have seen have always been pinky red...kinda like yours looks

 

[Wills]

Im not sure I think the darker they are is either juvenile markings or stressed the google image page http/images.google.co.uk/images?q=aequidens+diadema&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=tIP8SurtCNCfjAf5kfj2Bg&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CBAQsAQwAA shows both kinds I guess

Been informed on an other forum that he is actually a she haha Ive been calling her a him for a week now :stupid:

Wills

 

[star4]

Lovely looking fish, so glad you finally got one.

 

[Wills]

Thanks guys got some more pics for you she has really really calmed down and even comes to see us at the front of the tank now moving her over was a really good decision

On an other note - I had an operation yesterday (only small) but I had a day off today and now have a new stocking plan for the tank ha ha!

Wills

 

[minxfishy]

Hope your recovering well from your op

Ive been looking this fish up alot over the last couple of days and from every picture I can find and information available, I would say its definately a diadema particularly from those last pics.

Glad he's happier in the 3ft, look forward to seeing how he colours up and heals, because he is a very good looking chap