Are these pipe dreams?

[MeCasa]

I FULLY understand that most fish don't look like the pictures on Google Images and the ones that come close only do so when they're pissed, horney etc. etc.

But the question is: Are fish these colors even possible?

Or should I rephrase that and say: Is hoping to have fish this vivid in my collection unrealistic?

 

[ezy33]

A male during breeding may come close. I'll bet the lighting and camera helps too. Now if you come over to the salty side then it's possible!

 

[bmarine]

Actually yes it is quite possible. I have seen some gorgeous fish for sale on aquabid and other places. They are beautiful and you can definitely get some!

 

[MeCasa]

A male during breeding may come close. I'll bet the lighting and camera helps too. Now if you come over to the salty side then it's possible!

If I came over to the salty side can I have a Mercedes too

 

[Autumnsky]

Happy fish in good condition (& proper for their needs) and temperature water (even in FW) can look amazing.

German Blue Rams and Apistos, Rainbows of many kinds are very beautifully and stunningly colored. As a few examples.

 

[MeCasa]

Which of those two fish above do I have the best chance of duplicating. The top claims to be a Ruby Red Peacock and it probably is but that variety and the strains within seem all over the place.

The second is the Jewel which has almost become a staple in big box stores. Good looking fish in the picture but I've seen very little similarity to the picture in any store. However, that may not be the case from a large online breeder or with a mature fish.

 

[Autumnsky]

Which of those two fish above do I have the best chance of duplicating. The top claims to be a Ruby Red Peacock and it probably is but that variety and the strains within seem all over the place.

The second is the Jewel which has almost become a staple in big box stores. Good looking fish in the picture but I've seen very little similarity to the picture in any store. However, that may not be the case from a large online breeder.

Also fish in pet stores are stressed and not necessarily in good conditions.

Below is an example not a fish, but how a better environment can make a huge difference.

Here is a Bamboo shrimp. At the store all of them were this way or worse. It was active so I bought it.

Here is the same shrimp not even an hour later when I checked it it looked, this good!

Also, local breeders can have awesome fish. Have you considered joining a Cichlid or Aquarium Club? Best resources are others who share the passion.

 

[jllarrea]

I have a red jewel and mine is always beautifully colored. The only time it gets pale is when it's stressed and it normally just happens during water changes. The pic below is him a few minutes after changing the water so he's normally brighter than what you see on the pic.

 

[MeCasa]

Also, local breeders can have awesome fish. Have you considered joining a Cichlid or Aquarium Club? Best resources are others who share the passion.

I'm working every angle

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f100/sources-307759-2.html#post2935473

One might say I'm taking a crash course and AquariumAdice has been a big help

Thanks

 

[jahonnimyfav101]

Yes there called peacock cichlids. And they come in all kinds of neon colors. Look up dobosi cichlids they look fake but they are real.

 

[MeCasa]

The dobosi cichlids being the group with the Calvus clan. Good looking fish but I'm interested in the Ruby Red Peacock which are the clan Aulonocara or the Jewel which is [FONT=&quot]Hemichromis, picking the correct Aulonocara can be difficult because it seems the strains wonder all over the spectrum but I want RED.

Whether or not I get the Ruby Red or the Jewel depends on whichever I can get the brightest RED in. This will be my only red fish so I will be patient as to when and where to make my move including getting the most advantageous sex and strain for maximum color. This post was initial foray to discover if it's even possible.

If the answer comes out a definitive yes, then the next post will be how and where to grab a beautiful specimen of one or the other.

[/FONT]jllarrea, also a good looking fish which is why I've narrowed my RED down to these two.

 

[MeCasa]

I may be wrong on which fish is the Ruby Red because I maybe looking at bad information.

Cichlid Profiles

Another intersting conversation

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=251453

 

[Niki86]

The jewel I can say from experience is a really good looking fish it is pretty red most of the time, males definitely brighter than females. I would assume younger fish would not be as bright as an adult but I may be wrong as I had mine when he was older.

 

[Iamtechno13]

Just to be clear the Tropheus Duboisi and Calvus are two totally different fish. They come from the same lake but couldn't be more different. There are red fish out there but true red fish are a little harder to come by. Especially from Lake Malawi. I've seen a couple peacocks with some red and a couple really cool SRT Hongi's (Super Red Top) but thats about it. I know there are some cool ones out there but Lake Malawi has lots of yellows and blues. I have come across a couple jewels that were blood red but I've only seen a couple and I don't know if they were stressed or what but they were kinda cool.

 

[snowman17]

I've been looking for a legit red mbuna for my tank found this. It's a trewavasae

Sent from my HTCONE using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[snowman17]

Not my pic by the way

Sent from my HTCONE using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[newbie_dave]

I have been looking at bubble gum and jelly bean parrots only out of interest but I have come across this picture and heard of people injecting fish to make them look better could this be the case with the picture I have added or do they genuinely look like this in a well maintained aquarium ?

 

[MeCasa]

Excellent Post!

 

[Brookster123]

I have been looking at bubble gum and jelly bean parrots only out of interest but I have come across this picture and heard of people injecting fish to make them look better could this be the case with the picture I have added or do they genuinely look like this in a well maintained aquarium ?

they are the epitome of a "manipulated" species... Similar to glofish..

 

[newbie_dave]

I will just stick to my little apistos lol