New fish :)

[mfdrookie516]

Got 3 more auratus and 2 more red zebras today... im hoping the auratus are all females to go witih my male, hoping one red zebra is a male, one is a female... they appear to be, but theyre only about 1.5-2" long... I was somewhat worried about putting them in with my 4" fish currently in the tank, guess we'll see how they do once they've had some time in qt... Ill post pics eventually. Anybody got any experience with putting juvies in a tank full of mature adults? I plan to re-arrange the rockwork the day i do put them in

 

[dkpate]

Congrats!!! Can't wait for pics!

 

[sarahh]

yay!! congrats.. +1 for pics, and i will be watching with interest about big fish and little fish together. Seems like a bad idea for our house.. 2inch plus 6 inch... (especially paying $10 per fish!!)


how exciting!

 

[mfdrookie516]

yeah, it was either pay $5 each for the 2" fish or $15 for the 3-4" fish... i know there is a considerable size difference between them, but come on... $10 more for a fish maybe twice the size???

 

[Jason7894561230]

coolio

 

[sarahh]

yeah, it was either pay $5 each for the 2" fish or $15 for the 3-4" fish... i know there is a considerable size difference between them, but come on... $10 more for a fish maybe twice the size???

i KNOW right?!! the LFS has big cichlids (aka 3-4 in) for $14, the baby labs are $11 but the bigger ones look like crossbreeds. the bigger acei are a murky gray color which makes me suspicious. the "mixed cichlid" crew are about $6 each, so i am going to have to go online fish store. grr. If it works out for you, i may have a go at introducing the babies to the big tank.

 

[mattrox]

I have put 3 x 1.5" M. esterae in with adult fish, including johanni and fuelleborni and they have done quite well. I usually introduce new fish with the lights off and feed soon after. The fish are usually more interested in food than the new introductions.

 

[mfdrookie516]

I have put 3 x 1.5" M. esterae in with adult fish, including johanni and fuelleborni and they have done quite well. I usually introduce new fish with the lights off and feed soon after. The fish are usually more interested in food than the new introductions.

Thats kind of what I was thinking... my fish are like kids at christmas when it comes to food.... If all goes well, once i introduce these guys to the main, i'll probably buy 6 or so acei and 3-4 more kenyi. I'm actually thinking about giving my lone yellow lab away since its by itself and after considering my stocking, really have some other fish i'd rather have

 

[mfdrookie516]

i KNOW right?!! the LFS has big cichlids (aka 3-4 in) for $14, the baby labs are $11 but the bigger ones look like crossbreeds. the bigger acei are a murky gray color which makes me suspicious. the "mixed cichlid" crew are about $6 each, so i am going to have to go online fish store. grr. If it works out for you, i may have a go at introducing the babies to the big tank.

The biggest problem i have with the "medium assorted africans" at all the lfs around here are that they all appear to be hybrids of some sort. I really dont want that. The red zebras all have blackish brown speckles on them, the labs dont look like labs at all (they have dark brown vertical bars, not the almost invisible ones), I just dont wanna risk it

 

[Sonomakid]

Congrats MFD, i am going to the LFS today to purchase some new fish for the 90 as the Gershakei's are happily breeding in the 55 like rabbits. As far as for the new fish, you should have no issues as long as you have plenty of hiding spots as you know

 

[mfdrookie516]

Here are some pics... had to go ahead and put them in the big tank as I needed the qt for some new arrivals im supposed to pick up today (hongi, afra, acei, kenyi) and also added 75lbs +/- of rock that i was given yesterday. You can see how much smaller they are than the others, but they're getting along great so far...

And i know they're bad shots, the blinds are all open because its such a pretty day out, so the sun was trying to get in some of them

 

[mattrox]

You won't be able to do that when the venustus is fully grown! They will eat any small fish that fits in their mouth. My big male has turned into a bully and has beat up many fish. He is just about alone in the tank as the others all recover! I think I'll have to move him on.

 

[mfdrookie516]

Im trying to find a good deal on a 6' tank... i really want the venustus gone anyways, I bought them because my wife really wanted them and the guy at the lfs *told* me they were mbuna, this was back when i first started and didnt know much about africans. So... hopefully, they'll have their own tank with some other haps before too long. Its kinda funny though, the two i have are the two wimpiest fish in the tank. my male kenyi has them whipped lol

 

[CA_BroncoFan]

Nice addition (both fish and rock) lookin good man.

 

[mattrox]

I know temprament varies, so hopefully you will be lucky! I have my fingers crossed for a 6ft tank to so I can get many fish to difuse the aggressive behaviour.

 

[Zer0]

Nice fish rookie! And i like that tank! Really nice and clean.

 

[dkpate]

Nice!!! I like the yellow and black striped one!

 

[sarahh]

very cool!! if you have a good pitcher's arm, toss the lab down GA way lol
i drove 45 minutes the other day to pick up some yellow labs... yep.
got there and they have all the right markings, and then some of the wrong ones.. if it's even possible they look like a lab crossed with a convict and keeping all the markings.. yeck.. hubby said chuck them into the juvi tank with the other labs.. i was like errrr... no. jack _s