new cichlids ( like usual ) are starting out good…

[gwand]

In the right light mine have blue and red markings along the dorsal fin and tail fin. These bicolors are particularly prominent during spawning.

 

[Magnum Man]

still trying for a better picture…

 

[Magnum Man]

still not a great picture, but the blue spots stand out more

 

[Magnum Man]

yes, they are still cichlids… squabbles for the best hiding spots, so far no battles to the death, just not as peaceful as the tetras in that tank… age and time will tell… I ordered 2 more of the jewels, to spread out the attention a little

 

[GaryE]

I ordered 2 more of the jewels, to spread out the attention a little

We'll see how that goes. It works with territorial Characins and sometimes even with Mbuna, but Rubricatochromis don't mess around. If two claim dominance, they'll happily kill as many tankmates as they have to. It's a lot of work, but they aren't slackers...

Protecting their eventual young is everything to them, and they will go to great lengths to eliminate perceived threats.

 

[Back in the fold]

We'll see how that goes. It works with territorial Characins and sometimes even with Mbuna, but Rubricatochromis don't mess around. If two claim dominance, they'll happily kill as many tankmates as they have to. It's a lot of work, but they aren't slackers...

Protecting their eventual young is everything to them, and they will go to great lengths to eliminate perceived threats.

You just confirmed what little I know about those . They are rough customers when it comes to breeding time . Maybe even all the time . Cichlids are funny , sometimes there’s no problems but sometimes it’s an absolute brouhaha .

 

[gwand]

I have been lucky. No murder in my Lake Tanganyikan tank. My cockatoo males in my black water tanks might have killed a female or two. The females just disappeared one day.

 

[Magnum Man]

2 more exsul added today… they grouped up when the new fish were added… the dominant got lots more colorful, within a half hour all were going their own way… time will tell, as the new fish begin coloring up, they were quite pale in the bags, compared to the fish already on the tank..

 

[Magnum Man]

 

[GaryE]

R exsul is interesting because they lack blue spangling on the body, unlike the others in their Genus. They stick out for that, with just the dorsal lighting up.
I would like to keep that fish, and also to keep a Hemichromis one day. They are smart Cichlids, and fun to watch. If your tank is big enough, their territoriality calms down, but very few of us have the needed tank sizes at hand. I've had lots of chances at Hemichromis, and have kept a number of different Rubricatochromis, all of which were probably guttatus. We recently have been talking here about misidentifications with scissortail Rasbora, but nothing approaches the confusion you hit with Rubricatochromis.

I love Cichlids. There are no hard and fast rules for the group, and the diversity is awe inspiring.

 

[Magnum Man]

so, observations thus far on the exsuls… they do chase around quite a bit, but no one stands and fights… seems similar to fish like the emperor tetras, or the silver dollars, that have a hierarchy, they seem to leave the thomasi and the tetras alone…

 

[Magnum Man]

while there is still a pecking order, it’s not unusual to see all 4 jewels within 18 inches of each other

 

[anewbie]

Correct me if i am mistaken but looking at the picture they appear to be juvies about 1/2 grown and while some species start out aggressive most juvie just play at later life but the real aggression (if they are aggressive) wont' start till after sexual maturity.

 

[Magnum Man]

I would guess them half grown, the most dominant appears to be sexually mature…

 

[anewbie]

They need a thank you button instead of a like button oh well.