Aquamojo

POTS works...but since you are looking to the poll for a decision...why not consider "Albert"...aka "Mad Al"...after the board.

What a great looking little Citrinellum. Well done and done well.

The F0 P. Fredrichsthali from Cenote Escondido are growing really fast...surprisingly so. I have two of the seven that have paired up. Pretty apparent not only with their actions...but their coloration. It looks like someone inserted batteries and are backlighting their yellow...very pretty fish. Of all of the grow out tanks, these fish are the most interactive. I have spent a lot of time hand holding shrimp while they actively nip it from my fingers. they also have NO problem coming after my fingers and hands when I have them in the tank for cleaning. VERY cool little Parachromis.

I don't often get as excited as I am with this batch of photos. The Honduran Managuense are breeding yet again. This time around I allowed access to the female. She visited for a few hours and laid eggs that night. She generally hides the wiggler in the far corner until they are free swimming. I didn't pay that much attention to the amount of wigglers. I went down today to find an AMAZING number of fry. Here's the female with a batch of the fry. Thre is literally three times this amount in two other places in the tank. I've never seen a spawn as large. Here's the male: And here's the amazing part...I was fortunate enough to have the fry gather at the front of the glass. Just so you have some perspective on size: Now for the cool part: And my absolute favorite:

Having seen many of your pictures, I think the reason you see this behaviour in your fish Mo is because your skills at aquascaping rival those of photographing your fish. Because you give them the substrate and plants, wood, etc. to display thier natural behaviour, you are rewarded with being able to observe it. Kudos to you again. Those pictures above of that fish working his mojo (pun intended) are very interesting and such pictures never get old around here. Thanks Dean. I had to laugh a little when I read that. I have all kinds of strange things in my tanks. I just never let most of them in the shots. A quick inventory...teapots, coffe mugs, creamers in the shape of a breast, fire bricks, PVC, action figurines, crystal angelfish and of course a variety of pots from ceramic to brick. Several years ago I won an award from my previous employer, NBC. It was for selling two million dollars worth of advertising in a month. Really nice award made of crystal...about ten inches high. It now resides in my P. Bifasciatum tank. Over the years I have made some mistakes with the tank decorations. My wife got a pewter mug that I put into the tank. It unfortunately started to dissolve, leeched something into the water and killed the fish. All of the plastic and silk plants I get from Michaels Arts & Craft store. Same stuff as sold in the LFS...only a fraction of the price. Before they go into a tank they are soaked for two weeks in a bucket of water...changed every other day with hot water. I had dye from one leech into a tank. Didn't kill the fish, but colored the water enough to alert me that long term exposure wouldn't be condusive to good fishy health. That said....thanks for the props. It's nice to catch them doing something other than just swimming around. Mo

Most that I have owned have some sort of OCD...be it digging gravel, tearing up sponges, tank decor...etc. This one's behaviour of simply moving the pieces around...and I mean he really WORKS IT...is unique to the experience I've had. This lone male is in a 75 gallon tank by himself. Bigger is obviously better...but this works. Thanks. Remember when you get one they are particularly aggressive to conspecifics...ther own kind. Your best chance of getting two is buying 4 or 5 and letting them grow out together. They'll let you know who's going to be around for the long haul.

Thanks. I have only ever heard them referred to as Paratheraps. But I would imagine that at some point they were lumped into the Vieja moniker. One of the ways I draw the male Zonatum into the area I have lit with photos is by using the silk plants in the tank. He is in constant gardener...moving the foliage back and forth . Mostly I just wait for him to finish and come into the lighting's sweet spot with the foiage in the background. I thought it might make an interesting series of photos showing his obsessive/compulsive when it comes to his tank decor. This predictable behaviour makes it easy to photograph. He generally starts by diving in and surveying the area: Tucking in the corners along the side of the tank: This particular plant always give him the most trouble as it is pushed around by the current. I put my hand in the tank and move it to the other side of the tank and within seconds he is grabbing it and pushing (pulling) it back home.

The "P" stand for Paratheraps. Thanks. Dean...I have photos of the fish smaller...still with fairly nice coloration. IMHO most of the Vieja/Paratheraps species is similar in appearance at that sze. Here's two shots of the juveniles...a little smaller than the one poste. Romaine Lettuce leaf for comparison. Hee's the male with a few of his siblings that he eventually killed. That's a Persei on the right.

What a difference a few years makes. Here's the male in August '05: Today:

Yes it is. Really nicely colored Managuense. Thanks all.

F0 Blue Labridens Male from Taninul Springs: F0 Male Managuense. The pair is breeding once again. I changed things up a bit. Up until now the female and male were never on the same side of the divider. I just recently cut a "love door" for the female to visit the male. Within 24 hours she laid eggs.

I have been asked that question many times over. It's really hard to pick a favorite. I would have to say my large Managuense, Jumbo. But as speces go, I really like all of the Parachromis, Paratheraps and Chuco species of fish.

Thanks all. The Zonatum is doing great. I will photograph him real soon.

I am really enjoying having this fish. The colors are simply beautiful. Here's the breeding male. The back half of the female. And the back half of the male. One of four Synspilum in the 300 gallon tank with the Gourami. If you have followed my posts you might remember the Synspilum in a previous photo. He was pretty beat up. They all seem to have spruce up a bit. Female: The other male. There are two in the tank. Synspilum on the half shell. I caught this big guy getting out of the breeding area the only way he could...sideways.

No...not really. Yours is the first time I have ever heard feedback on it. It doesn't bother me. It would be different if it was going on a wall. Just for grins and giggles...