Raven

Looking for more ideas to change my tanks aquascape. It's currently planted with 2 kinds of Anubis (regular and narrow leaf), 2 kinds of Crypt (??? red leaf???), and some type of Val. Substrate is a gravel sand mix, no additives, tank is low light with no CO2 or anything special. There 3 pieces of drift wood, lots of rocks and terra cotta pots, some with plants in them some for hides. I'll add a picture below. New plants I'd like to add are more narrow leaf/drawf Anubis, Java fern, Java moss (if the fish will leave it alone), and I'd like to try to have a carpet or something, Drawf Sag? I'd also like to change the levels of the substrate, but not sure how to make it stay the way I want. Even with using rocks or wood to hold it in place it always seems to settle to one level. Once I have a plan of action, I'll post any updates here.

Guppies worked real well. There's a thread about it

Got some pictures of all the fish. Here they are:

Out of my group of 5 I am seeing a fairly large size difference, even with my best efforts to make sure everyone gets enough food to grow up. 3 of the 5 (the larger ones) seemed to have staked a claim to a cave of their own, 2 are in close vicinity to one another. I suspect 1 is M, the other is F, but I don't know, and sexing information is nill. The remaining fish is in its own isolated cave in a corner (near my recently paired and spawning Kribs). The remaining 2 (the smaller ones) do not have their own cave, the others (and the kribs) won't let them. So they hang out with the Tetras and other rejected male Kribs, in the upper-mid areas of the tank. With the limited amount of Information I have been able to find, I have no idea if the difference is sex related, or not, but I suspect they are still being out competed. My apartment ( and husband) limit the amount (and/or number) of tanks I have, so I don't have the room for all of them to live comfortably. I would like to share the experience of keeping these rare fish with someone else. For free, since they where given to me for free. If you are more experienced with breeding (especially with other Benitochromis spp, or African River Cichilds) I would be willing to re-home the 2 larger ones, that seem comfortable in sharing their space with one another. I hope that they would have a better eye in telling who's male or female, or just a better understanding of their behavior in general, as they act quite differently from other mouth-brooders I have kept in the past. Or if you are an experienced keeper, and African River Cichlids are new to you, and/or you have space to fill, I will share the smaller 2. I hope that they will be able to regain their growth and start looking like their larger counterparts. I hope then we will start to understand them more, and be able to more accurately predict their sexes in hopes of successful pairs. Since there are 5, I understand their maybe at least 1 oddball. If no pairs can be made..... I might have to try and contract the people at where I got them from. Something I will look into anyways, in case I can trade for (hopefully) better matches. Also, if you know anything about these fish, or the conditions they prefer for breeding, let me know, Please! Currently, I have no pictures, sorry.

it that critter cage in the tank?? What their behavior like?

See below, only clashes with the Amecas every once in a while and the new Benitos.

The fish were moved to a 10 or 20 G tank in the garage as the pond is emptied in the fall and refilled in the spring.

The fish were moved to a 10 or 20 G tank in the garage as the pond is emptied in the fall and refilled in the spring.

Looking for information on these guys. I just got 6 and I'm not sure what to expect. Other then knowing they're bi - parental mouth brooders, not sure how to sex them, or about their behavior. Been a while since I've kept a mouth brooder and I feel rusty. Diet seems simple enough, pellets, flakes, worms. Nothing I've seen says when they mature, or about what size they are. Not sure if I'll keep them all, but i'm waiting for them to form their pairs. Anyone know anything?

Looking for information on these guys. I just got 6 and I'm not sure what to expect. Other then knowing they're bi - parental mouth brooders, not sure how to sex them, or about their behavior. Been a while since I've kept a mouth brooder and I feel rusty. Diet seems simple enough, pellets, flakes, worms. Nothing I've seen says when they mature, or about what size they are. Not sure if I'll keep them all, but i'm waiting for them to form their pairs. Anyone know anything?

I don't see how it can swim properly....

Here are some pics(HEAVY) from this summer: June: End of Month: July: August: That Last one is my Fav. The ones for August where taken last week. I went out and removed roughly 35-40 younger ones that where about an inch. A few i am going to add the their cousins in my 10 G. I left over 60 there. Grandma says she would like to Overwiner some in the garage. Most i have seen are males, and the colour on them is amazing. The rest that i have need new homes.

And They're out there! Moved at least 10 guppies a few days ago. New pond plants Grandma got was a red parrots feather and some sort of grass. I took some Java fern, and moss, anubis, and 2 others that i can't remember what they are. So far no losses, not ever the 3 older ones from last year (siblings to those that went out last time). Next time I go out I'll have to get pictures.

Would the 24 inch pond freeze solid??

Warmer weather is a coming, still have a buch of guppies ready to go. New floating plants to be added first, inlcuding some from the tanks to see how it will do out side. Maybe I'll put some Terra Cotta pots in the bottom....

I do have some floating Camoba stuff, but the pair eats it and it's now slowly dissappearing. Haven't had much luck growing lilies... i kill them. lol.

Amecas don't work like that, they are live bearers. And the fry they give birth to are fairly large, huge in comparision to something more familiar like a guppy fry. Most fish reportedly leave Ameca fry alone, and snails, plecos, and cory are no threat to them. I have even created areas/hides to small for most of the other fish to get into to increase survival if they are at least being born.

They are in a comunity tank, the 50g mentions in my sig. Been feeding them sliced zuccini. a slice nearing a full cm thick is almost completily consumed in less then 24 hours. Pigs. though the pleco does help them out a bit. That one lokks quiet squre.... if i could tell when shens close i could pen her...

IME only males make nests, and to me i see the beard too. Though i've only had splendens.

Huh, guess I'll have to see if the cooler temp better set the mood. Them two do the 'sexy,sexy' quite a bit. Any one know at what point in their gestation that their condition become apparent? Seems to be the hardest thing to track down on Google.

Maybe I'll try a bit of both. With the terra cotta pots i could layers gravel and soil maybe use coco fiber to filter it a bit. and it be easy for root to penatrate. I think i would work better then the paper idea.

I've been pondering this idea for a while, but i can't deside what direction to go. I want to improve the substrate for the plants, eventhing is under water so a dry start is outed. Currently is a sand > gravel mix naturally colored. I want to try and add soil or moss or something with out causing issues. I have top soil/potting mix, peat moss, and coco nut fiber at my fingers. Not sure if the fiberous part of the coco will do anything but rot, and according to so pinned articles the moss would do the same. I have 2 ideas to get the fine stuff in the water under gravel and hopefully without clouding everything. One - use of current terra cotta pots. I have various sizes and with spring there's plenty more at the dollar store or micheals. They are <1 inch to 4 inch. The <1 and 2 inch I think would work best. I could put the soil in and prevent leakage via reycycled paper products ( aka eco friendly ones) that may dissolve easier that those made of newer product. The same could be applied to a couple of pots from aquarium plants, benifit to both is that plants can be inserted through the hole/slots and help prevent soil leaks themselves. Over time the pots can be shifted and soil spread under the gravel/sand. Two - Using fibric to make pouches or tubes with soil in them. Not sure what to go with... panty hose/ carbon bags/ cottny stuff?? Not 100% sure how to get the soil spread, but currently thought perforations on the top and bottom would do. Top ones could be made large enough for plants, which it made easier with baby java ferns that i've had difficulty to root on there own in the gravel. So what do the more experenced minds think? Anything you'd change? Articles/links that point out a better direction? Am i even on the right track? hahaha. Anything is good, Thanks!

What about hardware store lights that are daylight or full spectrum?

I have regular Kribs, and I've been seeing a few members with Scarlets. After looking at some posted pictures i'm not 100% sure what makes them different. I think i'm seeing suttle differences with their fins, but I'm hoping to get more detailed information on the two of them. Thanks

Dipped into reveiwing some ameca breeding info. Found my temp maybe higher then they like. It was at 75F so i lowered it to 72. Closer to 20C. If they like this new temp, what behaviour changes could i see?