African Turkana Jewel Cichlid ( Hemichromis exsul, seem to love algae cookies…
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new cichlids ( like usual ) are starting out good…
- Thread starter Magnum Man
- Start date
largest dominant jewel, this morning, with a full belly…
those Hemichromis exsul‘s sure do love those cookies
so everyone is still doing well in this tank… and while there are 3 varieties of cichlid here, the biggest exsul, is tank boss, and will move anyone of the cichlids out of his way, but doesn’t own any turf, just what ever space is in front of him, that doesn’t mean that it won’t claim turf, if 2 of the 4 should pair up, but currently all is good…
the thomasi, do want to own a chunk of turf, but they also don’t currently need much, it’s kind of comical, they never actually touch each other, but 2 of them have a pushing match occasionally over a resin hollow log ( it must be the line they drew in the sand ) it’s kind of like a mime shoving match, they are 2 inches apart, but go back and forth, like they were actually touching… the 3rd sits in the peace lily root ball, and watches…
the 2 congo blue parilus seem content to set up shop, in a small hole carved out in a piece of drift wood, by a previous pleco, it’s very protected, and they, even being immature, seem to have paired… I’m thinking about flirting with disaster, and anding 2 more of the blues, since there are extra caves, and to make things more even… they are the smallest, and yield to everyone else…
the assorted african tetras, stay out of the way of tank boss, but pretty much swim freely in the top half of the tank… this tank has certainly gotten more interesting, with the addition of the dwarf cichlids…
the thomasi, do want to own a chunk of turf, but they also don’t currently need much, it’s kind of comical, they never actually touch each other, but 2 of them have a pushing match occasionally over a resin hollow log ( it must be the line they drew in the sand ) it’s kind of like a mime shoving match, they are 2 inches apart, but go back and forth, like they were actually touching… the 3rd sits in the peace lily root ball, and watches…
the 2 congo blue parilus seem content to set up shop, in a small hole carved out in a piece of drift wood, by a previous pleco, it’s very protected, and they, even being immature, seem to have paired… I’m thinking about flirting with disaster, and anding 2 more of the blues, since there are extra caves, and to make things more even… they are the smallest, and yield to everyone else…
the assorted african tetras, stay out of the way of tank boss, but pretty much swim freely in the top half of the tank… this tank has certainly gotten more interesting, with the addition of the dwarf cichlids…
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I used to love just sitting and watching the cichlid aquarium I set up in the 80's. Fascinating fish, I envy your hours of watching them in the future.
adding the extra blues, seems to have a more calming effect on the tank… all 3 species coexisting in this same picture… ( maybe really adding the extra caves helped??? )
a pretty peaceful cichlid tank, as long as everyone gets a cave
still peace at home this morning… a few pictures of my 3 soft water African cichlids
just one more fish… said just about everyone, before over stocking their tanks…
the top waters of this tank is open, so I’m adding a Pantodon buchholzi ( butterfly fish )… then this tank is done… the tetras are all large enough they shouldn’t be food, and while they are top half fish, they are rarely at the surface of the tank…
the top waters of this tank is open, so I’m adding a Pantodon buchholzi ( butterfly fish )… then this tank is done… the tetras are all large enough they shouldn’t be food, and while they are top half fish, they are rarely at the surface of the tank…
Interesting read on the butterfly fish. Thanks.
just an update on dwarf cichlid city… politics are still good, I think adding the cichlid caves ( like big stones ), is better with these fish, than bare substrate… the bulk of the tank bottom is covered with them, making spaces between them, as well as in them, so lots of hidy holes… I think I have an egg laden blue, and the exsul jewels seem extra richly colored at 1st light, the dominant one looks like a rich red velvet this morning… there does seem to be a natural color range in them, as one is more “pinkish” colored… Africa must be figuring out the fish trade, as when I 1st set up this African tank, several years ago, Dan’s was supplying many, but I read a note he wasn’t happy with the fish turn over rate coming from his suppliers, and he was going to quit buying them, but I’ve noticed lately he is getting quite a few back in ( several African tetras available again, that haven’t been seen for several years, from him… with the holiday, I’ve not received the Pantodon buchholzi butterfly yet… since the very top layer of the tank is unoccupied, I’m hoping it works out… one end of the tank is highly agitated, but there are many plants on the surface in the middle, so the other side is very calm, among the anubias congenisis stems ( it’s gone totally emergent now, in this tank )… I’m guessing it’ll set up shop, on this calm side of the tank…
It's not that Africa is figuring out the trade, but it may be that the American hobby is becoming more open to new things again. The fish have always been available, but every importer I know holds back on buying them because no one purchases them, and they are lucky to break even on a shipment.
The same thing happened with South American Apistogramma, which were decent sellers 25 years ago, but where the bottom dropped out for a very long time. Wild caught Apistos, which offer more species diversity than the half dozen farm favourites, may be catching eyes again.
There is tons of quality information available on all these fish. They've been my main fishkeeping 'kick' for 30 years, and I've seen their popularity wax and wane. You can find detailed info on all of them. Who knows, maybe you are talking to someone who has watched Rubricatochromis guarding their fry in nature, and who had bred Nanochromis parilus and Anomalochromis thomasi before...
Where there's curiosity, there's hope!
The same thing happened with South American Apistogramma, which were decent sellers 25 years ago, but where the bottom dropped out for a very long time. Wild caught Apistos, which offer more species diversity than the half dozen farm favourites, may be catching eyes again.
There is tons of quality information available on all these fish. They've been my main fishkeeping 'kick' for 30 years, and I've seen their popularity wax and wane. You can find detailed info on all of them. Who knows, maybe you are talking to someone who has watched Rubricatochromis guarding their fry in nature, and who had bred Nanochromis parilus and Anomalochromis thomasi before...
Where there's curiosity, there's hope!
I just now read a paper I've been waiting for for a long time - an overview of Rubicatochromis. It turns out those exsul are actually just a colour form of R. guttatus found in Lake Turkana. R. guttatus is the most widely distributed member of the Genus in the hobby, and the one I've actually had the incredible privilege of watching in the wild.
They look very different with the low amount of blue spangling, but the DNA says what were thought to be five old Hemichromis species are actually all one. guttatus was the first described, so its name stands for that bunch. I didn't expect that.
They look very different with the low amount of blue spangling, but the DNA says what were thought to be five old Hemichromis species are actually all one. guttatus was the first described, so its name stands for that bunch. I didn't expect that.
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You would think that people would get very interested in things like this especially if it were fish you have or have had . It’s almost like finding out who the people in your family tree are and that Uncle Bob isn’t your Uncle after all and that Aunt Peg is really your sister .
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During Covid and lockdown my wife and I were bored so we sent our DNA off for analysis. I found out that I have a half sister in Hawaii. And my wife found out that her father was not her biological father. Both revelations were mind blowing.You would think that people would get very interested in things like this especially if it were fish you have or have had . It’s almost like finding out who the people in your family tree are and that Uncle Bob isn’t your Uncle after all and that Aunt Peg is really your sister .
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