Labidochromis Caeruleous

[kribensis12]

Today, i went over to the leader of my fish's Club's house to look at his fish. He has probably 200 labidochromis caeruleous. So, he offerd me some, 5 dollars a piece ( about 2 inches long). That is a fantastic Offer, plus he has great bloodlines. He has messed with the strains, so the females have more black on them( does make them harder to sex). I asked him if they would be okay in a 30 gallon, he told me sure, as long as you do weekly water changes, feed them well,and provide good hiding places. So i bought 4. He did his best to sex them, and gave me the biggest one in the batch ( also the most colorful) and said it was male, and then gave me 3 smaller ones. Which he said were most likely females, as the males grow faster. So, while i was there, he also sold me a male and female Bristlenose for the tank with the labs in it ( 5 dollars a piece aswell). I have them in a 20 gallon Flat Hexagon so they can grow a bit more and i can clear out a 30g, then i will move them.

Here is a Video ( with commentary):

Here are some pic's:

Male Bristlenose

Labidochromis caeruleous

Labidochromis Caeruleous and Male Bristlenose

 

[kj23502]

Video doesn't work for me


Good Luck, Krib. That tanks really not big enough in the long term, but I hope it works out for you and your fish

 

[kribensis12]

I will redo the Video. I am going to trust his advice on tank sizing ( he has kept lab's for the last 40 years).

 

[kj23502]

I QT'd 5 labs in my 30"x12"x18" for awhile and they were always chasing eachother. 2 suddenly died with nothing unusuall about them. No marks, no beat up/torn fins, no signs of illness. I moved the remaining 3 to my main tank...and they suddenly croaked. I figure it was probably the stress of the small confines of the tank. They couldn't get away from aggressors.

Like I say Krib, I hope I'm wrong and your club member is right

 

[kj23502]

Nice video

 

[kribensis12]

Thanks. Its a little shaky ( i was soo excited!). The labs are already swimming around the tank like they own teh place. The bristlenose's are kinda shy though.

 

[SharonCC]

Labs are the least aggressive of the Mbuna. I think you might need more than four though, to curb aggression.

 

[kribensis12]

Well, he said that if they are indeed, 3 females and 1 male. I shouldnt have any problems, but if for some reason they arent, i may have some small fights. He said if there is more than 1 male, he willl exchange it for a adult female.

 

[kribensis12]

Okay, i have noticed a little bit of aggression. The biggest most colorful one ( i assume he is male), has been driving off all the other Lab's when they enter his " territory". Is that okay? Or should i be worried about increased agression ( FYI, they are being moved tommorow to the 30, change of plans)

 

[kj23502]

It's fine as long they aren't lip locking and thrashing around. There will be aggression. Just make sure they have a way to get away from it through hidey spots yet still leaving room to swim

My crabro and afra have lip locked and thrashed around over 1 particular cave they were fighting for. Needless to say, the small afra won that battle and claims it as his (afra about 2.5" and crabro about 4")This fight made me worried though. They can come away with a torn mouth among other injuries.....which can be VERY bad

 

[kribensis12]

It isnt super seriosu fighting. But the weird thing is, the male is really only banishing one of the lab's. The other 2 just sit next to him in his cave, but he chases of the other one. Definatley strange. But its kinda like, displaying thier fin's kinda aggression.

 

[kj23502]

I thought it was pretty hard to sex labs??? Maybe he's just not liking that one for now? ??

 

[kribensis12]

Im not sure. I mean, he is the biggest, most color full, and has the most attitude. Besides, his throat is yellow, and the other 3's throats are not (j just noticed that).

 

[kj23502]

The amount of black doesn't mean anything when it comes to sex. It has to do with where the fish came from(collection locations in the lake). There is a strain that have whitish undersides.

 

[SharonCC]

There WILL be a boss...If the boss is removed, then the next strongest will be the boss, and so it goes. Some aggression is normal and expected. The problem starts when one fish gets picked on incessantly, until stress kills it. This is the reason why overstocking is recommended for these fish....aggression is dispersed and no one fish gets stressed to death.

The only sure way to sex these fish is to vent them...something I've never done and have no desire to! Yikes!