Started down the Tropheus hole

[sir_keith]

Happy to see that! It took them a while to settle in, but they seem to be doing well now. Nice color on several of the fishes, and one of the co-dominant males definitely has his eyes on one of the females. That was already starting here, so hopefully things will pick up where they left off and provide you with some fry. I'd really like to see this colony grow up to 18+ individuals. You will get only 6 or so fry per brood.

Here is a short video of this colony that I took in 2021. If you look carefully you will see that there are two fishes that are not T. sp. 'black' Bemba, but rather T. moorii Mpulungu (front center at ~0.35) and T. sp. 'black' Lunangwa South (ditto at ~0.50), respectively. These were moved in with the Bemba temporarily to recover from skirmishes in their own colonies. Interestingly, I have never had to do that with Bemba over the 16+ years I've been keeping them. They do get into jaw-locking battles occasionally, as you can see in this video, but these never seem to escalate into more serious encounters.

 

[fishguy1978]

I popped into the fish room this evening and they didn’t run and hide

 

[fishguy1978]

 

[sir_keith]

Nice. Are the two on the left engaged in pre-spawning behaviours? It sure looks like that, which would be great.

How are the J. regani holding up in there?

 

[fishguy1978]

Nice. Are the two on the left engaged in pre-spawning behaviours? It sure looks like that, which would be great.

How are the J. regani holding up in there?

I’m not sure. What would I be watching for?
The tropheus appear uninterested in the regani but the regani don’t ignore each other. The one I removed must have gotten nailed hard in the side as it sat on the bottom of the tank after removing. I had to euthanize it yesterday.

 

[sir_keith]

I’m not sure. What would I be watching for?

Look at the two fishes in the center of the tank at substrate level at the very beginning (~6-11 seconds in) of the video I posted above. This kind of shimmying display is essentially 'flirting'; when it gets more serious they will start the head-to-vent circling that is part and parcel of both pre-spawning and spawning behaviours.

 

[fishguy1978]

Look at the two fishes in the center of the tank at substrate level at the very beginning (~6-11 seconds in) of the video I posted above. This kind of shimmying display is essentially 'flirting'; when it gets more serious they will start the head-to-vent circling that is part and parcel of both pre-spawning and spawning behaviours.

Ok, I have seen the body shimmy flirting. I didn’t notice it happening when I took the pictures I posted but periodically when observing. Fingers crossed they start getting more friendly.

 

[fishguy1978]

I pulled the reef and went open concept with the death of the third regani. One of the dominant males is trying to entice a female to spawn too. Even after changing up the tank!!

 

[sir_keith]

Have you lost any more fishes; I'm only seeing 10?

Tropheus spawn out in the open; they don't require privacy.

 

[fishguy1978]

Have you lost any more fishes; I'm only seeing 10?

Tropheus spawn out in the open; they don't require privacy.

No, there are still 12.

 

[fishguy1978]

They’re fully settled in now. The little beggars

 

[sir_keith]

Nice! They are looking good! I'm really happy that they are doing well. I had this colony going continuously since 2005, and it wasn't easy letting them go, but I just didn't have space any longer, and I'm glad they went to a good home.

 

[fishguy1978]

Nice! They are looking good! I'm really happy that they are doing well. I had this colony going continuously since 2005, and it wasn't easy letting them go, but I just didn't have space any longer, and I'm glad they went to a good home.

Wow. Now that’s a high bar.

 

[fishguy1978]

Male or Female?

Article on sexing cichlids

www.fishhead.com

 

[sir_keith]

Male or Female?

Article on sexing cichlids

www.fishhead.com

Pardon the expression, but who are you trying to sex?

 

[fishguy1978]

Pardon the expression, but who are you trying to sex?

Bemba, but I was also bookmarking the article for later.

 

[sir_keith]

Just curious as to why; the colony is stable, so what does it matter?

 

[fishguy1978]

Just curious as to why; the colony is stable, so what does it matter?

Curiosity. I’m not catching them to vent.

 

[sir_keith]

This is tricky with Tropheus. I've never done it myself, but apparently the differences between males and female can be subtle, and not nearly as obvious as one might expect given the pics posted online (which likely represent the most extreme examples, as usual). You can usually sex these fishes pretty reliably (as adults) based on their behaviours.

 

[fishguy1978]

This is tricky with Tropheus. I've never done it myself, but apparently the differences between males and female can be subtle, and not nearly as obvious as one might expect given the pics posted online (which likely represent the most extreme examples, as usual). You can usually sex these fishes pretty reliably (as adults) based on their behaviours.

I tried looking for upturned or curved noses as that is supposed to be one way. They have become such beggars that I can’t keep them separate while they try to clamber through the side of the tank.