My Little Boy Has Grown

[balajake]

I bought him as an unidentified Cichlid. Fish shop said blue acara some on here thought flowerhorn. I thought Dempsey but he wasn't any of those. I actually bought him twice. I bought some flag cichlids and in my error didn't watch the assistant bag them up. When I got home I had a batch of convicts and this little guy in the bag. Took them all back and they replaced them with festivums and gave me a £10 fish voucher

You can see Percy in the bag with the convicts. I returned the fish and thought no more of it till recently when I looked back on this photo and realised I had bought him back 2 weeks later with my £10 fish voucher lol
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He grew a little bigger and I was wary of what I had let myself in for and how his manner would progress. His ID at this stage was well determined and he is of course a carpintis although I'm not sure which of the 6 types of carpinis he is yet
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Bigger still !!! I've named him percy, I definately think he's male as he has no dorsal splodges. He is the mildest fish in my tank at around 7 inches. He is so placid and gets along with all of my fish. Nobody ever messes with him though. My firemouth used to be aggressive with him but got battered a few times so knows his place. Percy acts as peacemaker in my tank if my grumpy firemouth decides to be a pain he will usually place himself in the middle of a squabble and make the fighting stop. He's a dream fish to be honest and way beyond my expectations. I had doubts but was determind to Raise him and he's a joy.

 

[minnnt]

Nice thread Jake. How old is he? I saw a Carpintis once in my LFS, it still plays on my mind now. Wish i had bought it!

Look forward to more updates as he grows and matures.

 

[balajake]

I'd say he was about 1 year old now. he cut his side on some wood the other week but its healed up nicely with the aid of a little melafix. sorry that the pics are heavy as i was on my phone when i uploaded them and have only just got on the laptop. I would definately recommend having a single specimen as they are lovely looking fish. i'd love him to get a nuchal hump but not sure at what age they develop, if he even gets one

 

[dougie]

Great looking fish. I have never seen one before, how big will he get?

 

[balajake]

Great looking fish. I have never seen one before, how big will he get?

About 10 inches to a foot maybe. They are often called Texas cichlids but they aren't. They look alike but are different fish. Aggression is in similar degrees but with the carpinis being slightly milder in temperament. Mine however is very even tempered.

Justdone abit of research and I think he is a herichthys carpinis " lahillas"

He's not an escondido a Vontehillo or a chairel. I really think he's a lahillas

 

[balajake]

Grown abit more. Still the best looking boy in my tank. Bought as an unknown in pets at home to this stunner and I'd say a year and a half old

 

[thereverendturtle]

Wow! Probably the nicest carpintis I've seen. How large is your tank?

 

[balajake]

He's in a 5 foot now but was in a 4 foot 370 ltr. Had him a year now. His colour is amazing and he's is very placid indeed

 

[minnnt]

amazing.

 

[garyspence84]

Wow, that is a stunning looking fish now! Remember reading this thread when you started it, wondering how it would look once it was bigger. Stunning

 

[Wills]

Amazing fish! Well done on rasing this beast!

Wills

 

[balajake]

I was terrified at first but he really is very laid back and never chases or bulliies. I remember seeing two of these fish hammering each other in a tiny fish store tank and feeling very sad that they had put two medium sized males together in the same tank (had a lone female in).
as a single specimen I would Definately recommend this stunning Cichlid to any Cichlid lover who has the room, they certainly don't have a bad temperament and zero aggression, I've had meaner rams and gourami !. I've heard other carpintis owners say the same, this fish is usually more peacekeeper than aggressor. He's on Hikari Cichlid staple medium sized pellets but he will run off with algae wafers or novo tabs if I put them in for the other fish.

 

[dougie]

What a cracker as handsome as a fish can get.

 

[jack1]

Beautiful fish - well done

 

[Questions?]

amazing fish