Pics of my New (and first) Lake Malawi Cichlids

[fddlss]

This is my original "wanted" list:

Mylochromis lateristriga
Cyrtocara moorii
Otopharynx lithobates (Zimbawe)
Placidochromis sp. "Phenochilus Tanzania"
Protomelas sp. "Spilonotus Likoma"
Protomelas spilonotus (Mara Rocks)
Nimbochromis venustus


This are the fish I got so far (a little off my list for now):

2 x OB Peacocks 2" (I don't like hybrids, but my GF loved them so I bought them, so she can get excited and don't bother me Smile )
2 x Otopharynx Lithobates 1.5"
1 x Nimbochromis Venesuts 4-5"
1 x Nimbochromis Livingstonii 3"
1 x Aulonocara Swallowtail 4-5"
1 x Aulonocara Jacobfreibergi "Eureka" or Stuartgranti 3.5"
1 x Aulonocara Nyassae 4"

Sorry for the poor images and lighting, my Aqualight is broken, only 2 ballasts working out of 4, I will get it fixed or a new one next week, hopefully. I think it has a short. Also, images were taken after a partial water change, so the water was not crystal clear.

OB Peacocks:

Otopharynx Lithobates (Zimbawe -I think?):

Nimbochromis Venustus:

Nimbochromis Livingstonii:

Aulonocara Swallowtail (or you guys think he's something else?) It looks like a swallowtail or a Aulonocara Stuartgranti, what do you guys think?:

Aulonocara Jacobfreibergi "Eureka" (The yellow one in the middle. Sold as Eureka, but not 100% sure if it is):

Aulonocara Nyassae (sold as a Nyassae but not sure, what do you guys say?):

What do you guys think? Anything wrong? Any fish I should add?


Thanks.

 

[Arborist131]

Nimbochronis venustus, isn't that a giraffe cichlid? Picture u have with blue fish in your hand doesn't look like venustus IMO. Could be mistaken tho hard to see in second picture

 

[fddlss]

It's a Venustus, but still a juvenile, he will turn more blue and yellow as he grows.

 

[Kat1103]

beautiful fish!

 

[Arborist131]

Sorry hard to see from picture, my male
Venustus is about 6-7" and he just started putting on his really nice blue face an fading giraffe pattern. He looks amazing as he shows off for his females lol

What's that all blue fish in the picture that your holding in your hand?

 

[fddlss]

It's a Otopharynx Lithobates (Zimbawe -I think?). I have two, they are the smallest fish so far. They grow up to 6". At least they were sold as Otopharynx Lithobates, and really look like it, because another user on a different forum told me that they could be hormoned Scieanochromis fryeri passed on as Otopharynx Lithobates, but time will tell what they really are. Hopefully they are what I want.

 

[fddlss]

beautiful fish!

Thanks

 

[Arborist131]

I'm a tool
Sorry

Was definitly reading the titles below each picture rather then the ones above.

He's a really nice looking fish, really like the shiney blue throughout the body.

 

[fddlss]

I'm a tool
Sorry

Was definitly reading the titles below each picture rather then the ones above.

He's a really nice looking fish, really like the shiney blue throughout the body.

No problem, it's easy to get confused with the titles. They are really nice fish! I can't wait to see them growing. This morning one of them seemed as if it was encouraging the other one to come out of his cave, and he would come out but as soon as he had an opportunity he would go back in. I thought that was pretty funny. LOL

 

[shammond15731]

Your fish are beautiful!!! Just curious what size tank you have, I would love to have fish like this just don't know if I have room for the right size setup

 

[fddlss]

Your fish are beautiful!!! Just curious what size tank you have, I would love to have fish like this just don't know if I have room for the right size setup

Thanks!

It's a 120 (60" L x 18" W x 26" H). If you want these type of fish I would recommend Lake Malawi Haplochromines and/or Peacocks (Aulonocara). Males show the best colors. Mbunas are really colorful, too, but they are aggressive.

I also think that a tank a little smaller than mine it's okay, but you won't be able to keep Nimbochromis Livingstonii and Nimbochromis Venustus as adults, because they can grow up to 11". A 6 Ft. tank would be ideal for these guys, my tank is 5 Ft.

Africans are really entertaining and they have great personality, I want to add 2 or 3 more and call it a day.

 

[cichlidpaul]

Thanks!

It's a 120 (60" L x 18" W x 26" H). If you want these type of fish I would recommend Lake Malawi Haplochromines and/or Peacocks (Aulonocara). Males show the best colors. Mbunas are really colorful, too, but they are aggressive.

I also think that a tank a little smaller than mine it's okay, but you won't be able to keep Nimbochromis Livingstonii and Nimbochromis Venustus as adults, because they can grow up to 11". A 6 Ft. tank would be ideal for these guys, my tank is 5 Ft.

Africans are really entertaining and they have great personality, I want to add 2 or 3 more and call it a day.

+1 you have very nice fish and a great tank for them

So are you saying your only having 12 fish in total in their any reason for that as i have a 60*20*24 and hoping to have more than that in their

 

[fddlss]

Thanks.

Your tank is actually 2" wider than mine and if you don't have internal overflows you should have more space than I do. My internal overflows (corner-flo) take up a lot of space. There's not a specific reason, just that some of my fish grow very large and I don't want to over crowd the tank, but if your fish are going to be about 7" average and you have a good filtration system, doing weekly 25% water changes you should be fine.

 

[cichlidpaul]

Only one of my fish will grow to 11 inch oh and my pleco will get quite large i was looking at about 20 fish 1 cat 2 plecos and my filters should be pushing 10+ * my tanks LPH

 

[kenny69]

Nimbochronis venustus, isn't that a giraffe cichlid? Picture u have with blue fish in your hand doesn't look like venustus IMO. Could be mistaken tho hard to see in second picture

The venustus is in the picture below the description, the blue one in her hand is another fish....

 

[fddlss]

Only one of my fish will grow to 11 inch oh and my pleco will get quite large i was looking at about 20 fish 1 cat 2 plecos and my filters should be pushing 10+ * my tanks LPH

You should be fine. Just be carefule with the Pleco growing to large.

 

[fddlss]

The venustus is in the picture below the description, the blue one in her hand is another fish....

Yeah, the Venustus is the one in the net. The blue ones in my GF's hand are the Otopharynx lithobates.

 

[Fishbone13]

Awesome look'n fish.

 

[cichlidpaul]

+1

 

[fddlss]

Thanks!