Finally found Acei, question though

[Alvarez]

The LFS finally got some Acei in stock only thing is the owner said they have not gotten color yet as they are so young. They have a 14 day return policy which if they don't get color I will be bringing them back.

However is it normal for the Acei to be a light grey to sometimes darker grey with stripes and no yellow in the tail (you can sometimes see the tips shimmer a white to somewhat yellow)?

 

[TankGirl]

Yes, it is normal. Many cichlids of both genders will have female/drab coloration as juveniles to keep adults from beating them up as potential competition.

The problem when buying juvies is that you can't determine gender, and they will need as long as a month or so in your tank before you know what you have. Two weeks might not be enough time to determine gender. That is why often we will get 5 or 6 juveniles hoping to get the combination we want, then returning the rest later, or putting them in another tank.

I doubt you would have trouble selling/trading/returning acei once they are showing their adult coloration, but I don't know how the market is in your area.

 

[Alvarez]

 

[Fishyfanatic]

They should have SOME coloration. BUT, the stress of shipment could have caused enough stress for them to lose their coloration. Just make sure that they are definately Acei's. Some stores don't know the difference between Mbuna's as juvi's. Congrats on the find!

 

[Alvarez]

Those look to be Acei though correct? The LFS owner ASSURED me they were but I have seen young Acei pics online and they were gorgeous fish and had color... he assured me these would have the same coloration in time.

They are VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY docile and the juvi Kenyi will chase them a bit but I have a ton of hiding spots. Someone last week said the juvi Kenyi prolly won't be a problem also.

 

[Alvarez]

Do they look like Acei juvi?

 

[Fishyfanatic]

It does not look like an Acei to me. Even Juvi's have coloration and those do not appear to have coloration at all. Plus, the face appears to be more of a Hap than an Mbuna. But maybe I'm wrong. This is what a juvi Acei should look like.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Looks more like a juvi hap to me too.

 

[Alvarez]

well crap

 

[malkore]

They don't look like acei to me either.

I'm gonna see if Travis will come look at these photos. He breeds cichlids, and knows his acei.

 

[travis simonson]

I can't say one way or the other. They may be the Ps. acei "Ngara Point" white tail variety which do not have yellow fins and are a much darker grey color. The body proportions look good, but the coloration does not appear to be the Ps. acei "Luwala Reef" yellow tail variety you are looking for. Like TG said, it's hard to tell at this early age and any reputable LFS will take them back later if they do not turn out to be Ps. acei at all.

 

[Alvarez]

The owner said that there were some Peacocks mixed in with the Acei but said these were Acei.... I picked the ones that looked to be mostly shaped like Acei, and only took 2 (1st 2 pics are 1 fish the rest of the pics are the 2nd fish)

 

[TankGirl]

I would suspect female peacocks. These often are very hard to sell since they are not colorful, but hopefully they are not trying to pull a switcheroo on you, hoping you won't return them.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Yup. I would say that they are definately juvi peacocks. The facial structure just does not strike me as being an Mbuna.

 

[jrp1588]

yeah, when I saw the pointier head the first thing I thought was a hap...hopefully I'm wrong though

 

[Alvarez]

The LFS owner said yea he guesses those are peacocks but the others in the tank are def Acei (they looked IDENTICAL to the fish I was returning) I told him the breeder he got them from must have pulled a switcheroo. He was offended and said that its not even possible, those are definetely Acei, he isn't an expert in Cichlids but his supplier is very respectable and these cichlids are just young and drab in color.

I decided to just return them and not risk anymore... I may give up on Acei, My yellow Labs are getting big and ate my Danios, as I expected would happen eventually. I would buy them online but I am afraid they will come in as small Juvi and risk being ate themselves.

Perhaps Demansoni should be added next. *shrug*

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I have seen Acei fry before and they were not drab in coloration. I would suspect that maybe he was confused about the shipment or maybe he honestly had no clue what an Acei was. Either way, it was defiantely a juvi hap that you had. The labs shouldn't mess with juvi Acei's, if that's what you're concerned about.

 

[malkore]

labs, demasoni, acei...sounds just like my 75gal stocking

 

[Alvarez]

OK! Finally got the Acei and they look exactly as they should! A LFS called me and told me they got some in if I was interested... they are quarantined as I write this

YAY finally! hehhee

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Congrats! Pics?