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Distinguishing between blue-colored Mbunas 9/20/07 Hi Crew, I have been doing research on the internet regarding keeping Malawi cichlids, especially their temperament & compatibility. I purchased several Labidochromis caeruleus & peacocks, a couple of unknown blue hap-type fish and a single Placidochromis Milomo. Non-cichlids include 3 Synodontis, 1 common Pleco & an Asian climbing perch. They are doing well together & aggression is kept at a minimum. Now I am looking for some blue-colored Mbuna cichlids to add more color to the aquarium. The problem is that I can't distinguish between the various blue-colored cichlids available. I thought that the Metriaclima callainos would be ideal as it isn't too aggressive. However, the problem is that I don't know how to distinguish it from the Metriaclima estherae, which is said to be extremely aggressive. On the other hand, another candidate I was considering was the Metriaclima saulosi, which is also said to be not too aggressive, but looks very similar to the much more aggressive Metriaclima lombardoi. The problem is compounded by the fact that the LFS near my house usually sell mixed African cichlids in the same tank instead of single species, so I would really have a hard distinguishing which is which. Any recommendations on less-aggressive blue-colored Mbunas or other cichlids that are easy to identify? If I were to end up buying aggressive cichlids by mistake, would they end up either tearing up the other fishes to shreds or stressing them to death? Regards, Visoth <Greetings. In all honesty, the prevalence of hybrid Pseudotropheus-type cichlids in the hobby is so widespread that you cannot guarantee getting a "true" species from any store that doesn't specialise in African cichlids. The only safe approaches are to either find a store with a good reputation for African cichlids or else contact your local cichlid club and get in touch with breeders through them. Wild-caught stock are usually the best fish in terms of purity, because even within a species there are lots of regional types and these often get mixed after a few generations in captivity. I'd also mention that mixing Pseudotropheus-type cichlids with, say, Labidochromis or Aulonocara isn't a brilliant idea because of differences in aggression levels. Pseudotropheus-type things are better with Labeotropheus, Cynotilapia and so on. With Labidochromis and Aulonocara, you want the more placid Mbuna, like Iodotropheus and of course the beautifully blue Cyrtocara. Mixing Mbuna of the wrong aggression level can indeed result in death! So take great care when selecting species. Cheers, Neale> Less-aggressive blue-colored haps, sel. 7/21/07 Hi crew, Thanks for the earlier reply on blue-colored Mbunas. Both the recommended species are hard to find in the LFS around my area. Are there any less-aggressive blue-colored haps to recommend for a tank that currently houses electric yellow labs and peacocks? From my knowledge, the electric blue ahli isn't too aggressive, but is there any way to distinguish it from blue species of peacocks? I find that the color and body shape quite similar, although the peacocks have greater likelihood of coming in more than 1 color. Is it possible or common for electric blue ahlis to come in more than one color, or for peacocks to be pure blue? Thank you. <Greetings. I find it hard to imagine you *can't* find Cyrtocara moori -- it is known as the Malawi Blue Dolphin and among the most widely traded Malawian Haplochromines in the trade. If all else fails, ask your retailer to get some in for you. Although big (around 20 cm) it is a gentle giant, provided you only have a single male specimen. The problem for you is that Aulonocara and Labidochromis are both at the low end of Malawian cichlid aggression. If you add significantly more aggressive species to the tank, they stand a very good chance of being killed. It's as simple as that. Pseudotropheus zebra for example will usually dominate any Labidochromis caeruleus in the tank. Pseudotropheus demasoni is *sometimes* kept in communities with more placid cichlids because, while highly aggressive, it is [a] small (~8 cm) and [b] tends to be only aggressive towards fish that are blue. Pseudotropheus demasoni is light blue with dark blue vertical bands, so very pretty. So that's one species you might want to take a gamble with, assuming your tank was sufficiently large (not less than 150 litres). Sciaenochromis ahli is another fish that *tends* to be violent towards other blue fish while largely ignoring other types of fish, but again, this depends on the aquarium. Given the large adult size of this species (~20 cm) and its piscivorous habits, it isn't a fish for every tank. Allow at least 200 litres for this species. Both Sciaenochromis ahli and Aulonocara spp. do have a somewhat similar shape and both come in a wide variety of colours. But as a rule Aulonocara have a smaller, more dainty mouth reflecting their niche as micropredators, whereas Sciaenochromis have much bigger mouths better suited to their niche as piscivores. But any halfway decent aquarium store will keep them apart and properly identified anyway, so this shouldn't really be an issue. Hope this helps, Neale> African Cichlid Questions... ID, gen. care 7/13/07 Hey, I love your site; it has gotten me through many rough spots. I have three African Cichlids (at least that is what Wal-Mart said) in a 10 gallon tank. I have had them between 5 and 8 months (depending on the fish). While I was at school they were with other cichlids in a 20 gallon tank, but with the summer I bought them a tank of my own. They are three different species of fish, but I don't know what they are (remember Wal-mart fish). I promise I will not send any future babies to a pet store because of cross-breeding, but I have a few questions. 1) What kind of cichlids are they? < The usual African cichlids sold at Wal-Mart are usually cichlids from Lake Malawi in Africa. They are usually the rock dwelling cichlids called Mbuna.. > Where are they from? < Initially from Lake Malawi but they are very easy to breed and currently are probably from a fish farm in Florida.> How large will they get? < Usually around 4 inches depending on the species.> One is a bright yellow, about 2 1/2 inches at the moment, with a stripe on its dorsal fin that was black when I got him but is grey right now. He is the smallest of the fish, but I think he is the oldest. < Probably a Labidochromis caeruleus or "yellow lab" from Lion's Cove.> The second is light blue and about three inches long. She or he can get as light as almost white with a very light blue color to a darker sky blue color and for spots on the anal fin. This fish likes to dig tunnels in the rocks under the hiding spot. < Probably a Ps. zebra or "cobalt blue".> The third is the largest at 4 inches the last time I measured him, maybe a month ago. When I bought him he was a yellow gold with large black spots. Sometimes his spots are so large and dark that you almost can't see that they have any color around them. Right now the spots are so faded that he looks gold. The spots are almost not visible. I will try to attach pictures, but I don't know if it will work. < Sounds like a Nimbochromis venustus. A large predatory cichlid.> 2) Is my tank large enough or do I need to invest in a larger one? <A ten gallon tank is too small for this group of fish. The yellow lab with get a little over four inches. The cobalt blue will get up to 4 to 5 inches. The venustus will be the biggest one at about eight inches but could get up to a foot if it is a male. Think about a 40 to 55 gallon if you intend to grow these fish to adult size.> I went for ten gallon because of finances and space in a dorm room. I do have space for a larger one if I need it. 3) Moving back and forth from college frequently is difficult. What is the best way to transport my fish? Thanks a ton! Melissa < Get large plastic bags from the fish store for each of the fish. Don't feed the fish at least a day before the move. Place just enough water in the bag to make up about 1/3 of the bag. Leave the rest for air. Place one fish in each bag. Twist the end of the bag and secure with a rubber band. Place the second bag over the first bag in the opposite direction to pinch off the corners of the bag. Rubber band the second bag. Place the bags in an insolated ice chest. Should be good for 24 hours. If the move is going to be longer then you need to use oxygen from a fish store. Then the bags will be good for up to 48-72 hours or longer.-Chuck> African Cichlid 6/6/07 Maybe you can help me. <Greetings.> I have a female African Cichlid, not sure of her species, but just released about 30 fry 5 days ago (she was in a separate tank). <Very good. One thing though. Please, try and ensure any fry you produce are a single species. The African Cichlid side of the hobby is plagued with hybrids, and these have little to no real value, being unpredictable in behaviour and indifferent in colouration. Many of the Pseudotropheus-type fishes (of which the African Zebra, Pseudotropheus zebra, is the best known) are notorious for hybridising. The reason I mention this is that a lot of the African cichlids people buy but cannot identify by looking in books are these hybrids. You can't name the species because they *aren't* a species!> She has been doing great, a little thin but last night when we came in she was swimming erratically up and down the tank. <They do lose weight after mouthbrooding. A month on her own to "fatten up" will do her plenty of good. Don't forget to give her greens as well as meaty foods, because the essential vitamins she needs will be in algae-based foods.> Now she fights to swim to the top but her tail sinks her to the bottom of the tank. She isn't bloated, no skin irritations, nothing too strange. <Very odd. Usually, when cichlids suddenly lose poise or swimming ability the problem is a sudden change in conditions. Adding, for example, too-cold water to a cichlid tank will send them into apparent convulsions. They recover as they warm up. Cichlids are among the most highly strung fishes, so anything like changes in temperature, pH, hardness, and salinity have to be observed carefully.> She seems as if she's gasping for air so we put her into a tank by herself and added salt to see if that would help. Do you have any clue what her problem might be? <Tonic salt (NaCl) won't help. Quite the reverse. There's fairly solid agreement among aquarists and vets that salt is one factor that leads to Malawi Bloat, a situation a bit like dropsy caused by organ failure. So without exception, salt should never be added to a tank with Malawi or Tanganyikan cichlids. (By contrast, Central American and Asian cichlids often have phenomenally high salt tolerance, to the point where some species will breed in seawater!) So, remove the salt by performing water changes through the week. Check the pH and hardness are appropriate. For Rift Valley cichlids something around 20 degrees GH ("hard" to "very hard" on your test kit) and a pH between 7.5 and 8.0 will do nicely. Ensure the water quality is optimal, of course. Tanganyikan cichlids are especially intolerant of nitrites and ammonia, but given yours is a mouthbrooder it is probably a Malawi cichlid of some type.> Thank you, Allison <Hope this helps. Neale> Re: African Cichlid -- 06/07/07 Thank you, our cichlid is orange and I can identify her and the others in the tank from a book but I can never remember the technical name. I believe she bred with an electric blue cichlid that has an orange stripe on its fin. <Ah, that's the problem. Almost certainly at least a cross-breeding between varieties of one species or else a hybrid between species. Please, unless you are sure the species has blue males and orange females, and so the breeding was between a single variety and a single species, destroy the fry at once using a humane method. Passing on hybrid cichlids to retailers and other hobbyists is one of the least ethical things any hobbyist can do. Besides ruining the hobby by dumping no-name hybrids on the market, it also causes conservation issues. Many of the African cichlids are under intense pressure from collectors in the wild. In some cases, they are commercially extinct, i.e., so rare, collectors can't find them any more. I learned about this a few days ago speaking with a fish scientist out in Tanganyika. By dumping tank-bred hybrids on the market, serious aquarists are forced to buy wild-caught fish if they want quality stock. It is this demand that causes the pressure on wild populations. So please, if you are not 100% sure the fry are a true species and a single variety, destroy them.> It's odd to hear problems with salt. We treated our tank in the past for disease by way of salt and all our fish were cured and still well. <It isn't a 1:1 thing, i.e., every time you use salt, the fish get Malawi Bloat. But when Malawi Bloat does occur, one of the factors common to many cases is the use of tonic salt. Conversely, salt doesn't deliver any tangible benefits that cannot be acquired using safer methods.> Thank you, Allison <Cheers, Neale>
Cichlid ID 3/6/07 Just out of curiosity, if any of you have the April TFH magazine on hand, what is the general and scientific name of the fish (I believe it is a cichlid) to the left of the guppies in the right hand corner of the advertisement for Southland Aquatics Inc. on page 99. Any info would be nice too. Thanks again! < This is an aquarium strain of peacock cichlid. They are not found in the wild. They have various trade names like German Red Peacock or Ruben Red Peacock. They can be kept like any other Lake Malawi cichlid , but they tend to less aggressive and get bullied by the other cichlids.-Chuck>
Fish ID, Af. cichlids 2/4/07 I have what I thought was a Melanochromis Johanni (m), how do I know its not a Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos? From what I can see, the males of both look EXACTLY the same. Same lines over bridge of face, same lines across body, same coloring. I am looking at a pic of both right now and I can't see any difference. The only difference I have seen in this particular species is the females look totally different. I am going to purchase females for my fish this week and need to know which one's I am getting as my male is becoming very aggressive. Please help. Rohnda of AZ < Melanochromis is a group of rock dwelling Lake Malawi cichlids that have horizontal stripes. The females and fry are very easy to tell apart from one another. The johanni fry and females are a bright orange-yellow color. The M. cyaneorhabdos females look very similar to the males except not to be as dark. The M. cyan. males have wider blue stripes, a diagonal ribbed pattern on the flanks and a dark blotch in the middle of the tail.-Chuck> Re: Fish ID Update II 2/4/07 Sorry, I just wanted to send you addresses of two websites that contradict each other on the topic of determining species for the Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos and the Melanochromis johanni. website http://www.timstropicals.com/Inventory/African/JohanniInfo.asp says, "Blue Johanni are African Cichlids originating in Lake Malawi. They are classified as Melanochromis Johanni, but are also known by the scientific name Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos Maingano. The Johanni males have light blue on a black background, while the Maingano males are light blue against a darker blue background. The females and juveniles are a bright yellow/orange." website http://www.cichlidforum.com/articles/m_cyaneorhabdos.php says, " Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos (formerly known as Melanochromis "Maingano". This species is endemic to a small region on the northeast shore of Likoma Island from Mbako Point to Membe Point. Difference between males and females would be that the females have a light-colored belly with relatively shorter pelvic fins, while the males have dark bellies and longer pelvic fins." In both articles, they are called the same scientific name however, they originate from two different places and their females don't match. I have pics of both females and the one in the second quote looks very similar to the male, slight differences. Whereas in the first quote the female is yellow. So this is why I sent you the first email about figuring out which fish I have so I can buy females. How am I supposed to make a choice with contradicting info. It's like that all over the web as well. Everyone says something different. Thank You Rohnda from AZ <The Melanochromis johanni has orange yellow-fry and females. The Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos "Maingano" is a different species that has females that closely resemble the males in coloration. They are not the same fish!-Chuck> Cichlid Brown Not Red - 12/29/06 Ok thanks. I have another question regarding a Copadichromis borleyi. I just purchased one and his body is more orange/brown than bright red like the rest that I see on the internet. If I feed him color enhancement and give a great diet with pristine water quality, will he get this bright red coloration also? Not sure why mine is kind of dirt brown instead of red. Thanks < Many things determine the coloration on adult Lake Malawi cichlids. Environment is very important. These fish require hard alkaline water with a water temp in the mid to upper 70's. The water must also be very clean. Zero ammonia and nitrites and the nitrates should be under 2o ppm. The food must be fresh and have lots of vitamins and minerals. I recommend Spectrum by New Life and make some of my own fish food using a formula found in a book called "Enjoying Cichlids" by Ad Konings. Genetics is very important. Not all fish look alike. In fact I have personally seen many wild C. borleyi while diving in Lake Malawi and there is a range of colors found in these fish. Many of the photos published are of the most attractive males. You almost really have to see the adults to know what the fry are going to turn out like. The males need to be the dominant fish in the tank. Everything else could be right on , but if another fish is picking on them then they will never color up.-Chuck>
ID A Mixed Bag OF African Cichlids 9/19/06 Hi, I've had my fish for about a month now and no one knows what I have. I got them at a small pet shop they said that "they might be African but no real names have been given to me. I have a pure white Cichlid, < Maybe a white zebra, (Metraclima callianos)> a pure orange cichlid , < Maybe an orange/red zebra (Metraclima esterae). A yellow cichlid with black horizontal stripes, < Melanochromis auratus young or female.> and 2 purple blue cichlids with black vertical strips (that almost look like triangles). < Probably Pseudotropheus lombardoi or commonly known as Kenyi. Could be a Metraclima zebra striped variety but check out photos on the internet to be sure.> Also can any of them breed together and how do I tell if they are male or female? < The zebras can all definitely breed together. They are just geographic races of the same fish. males tend to be larger more aggressive with longer fins. When they are ready to breed the male will start to excavate pits to attract a female to the area to spawn.-Chuck> Thank you |
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