"Mystery Cichlid"

[Julez]

Your welcome Julez.You will find out for your self as soon as she gets bigger and stronger.You have to excuse sinisterkisses,shes a little new when it comes too African Cichlids.She normally blogs in the goldfish section.

I will send you pics of my 6 juvenille kenyi,so you can see the resemblance.I got them on friday:My buddy breeds kenyi.

The fish store guy said something like a Blue Pacific Reef Cichlid when I bought him/her.... But I cant find anything about that... so I dunno... He/she is happier with the baby convict than with the dempsey.... He/she thinks he/she is top **** now... lol

 

[BadRedTerror]

The fish store guy said something like a Blue Pacific Reef Cichlid when I bought him/her.... But I cant find anything about that... so I dunno... He/she is happier with the baby convict than with the dempsey.... He/she thinks he/she is top **** now... lol

Cynotilapia afra "blue reef cichlid", i never took that in mind.Those are beautiful cichlids which can actually get a dark shene scales just like yours.The only ones i have ever seen are a vibrant white on blue.

LoL yeah its all apart of the territory!Wait tell your convict gets older and he/she will take care of his/her own.



Here is an old lab picture of Blue reef cichlid:

 

[Julez]

Cynotilapia afra "blue reef cichlid", i never took that in mind.Those are beautiful cichlids which can actually get a dark shene scales just like yours.The only ones i have ever seen are a vibrant white on blue.

LoL yeah its all apart of the territory!Wait tell your convict gets older and he/she will take care of his/her own.



Here is an old lab picture of Blue reef cichlid:

When we bought the fish, there was a large adult male that looked almost exactly like that ony BLUE BLUE.. We bought a baby becuase the price for the adult was outragious.... could it be a female and not have the vibrant blue?? I have also noticed that sence I move "Spike" from the tank with the black gravel to the tank with the blue gravel, his color seems to be changing..???

 

[Julez]

I found this pic of a juvenile reef cichlid... what do you think in comparison?

 

[FroggyFox]

Ok guys simmer down, leave the personal attacks out of it please.

 

[exhumed07]

it would have been helpful if u told us it was a juvie before lol. most young peacocks be it male or female look the same. after a while they will start to show color if they are male and not if they are female. I'll post some pics to so u.

 

[exhumed07]

the first pic is the dominant male in the tank but the cluster of fish is a mix of young males and females. the pic it's hard to tell but the males in the cluster have a light band across the dorsal fin.

 

[Julez]

I think that the fins on your fish are bigger... how long is a cichlid considered a juvi??

 

[exhumed07]

I consider it from the time it starts to show color till it's sexually mature.

 

[Julez]

Now that he is getting more aggressive, I will try and get another pic... we have had him for about 3-4 months now.... how much longer before he/she starts showing more color?? If it is going to?
He/she is a little over an inch long...

 

[BadRedTerror]

When we bought the fish, there was a large adult male that looked almost exactly like that ony BLUE BLUE.. We bought a baby becuase the price for the adult was outragious.... could it be a female and not have the vibrant blue?? I have also noticed that sence I move "Spike" from the tank with the black gravel to the tank with the blue gravel, his color seems to be changing..???

Yeah, there colors will change with there backdrops and gravel layout.I also noticed your black rocks from the picture,and im glad you switched him to the other tank so you could help me prove that "there colors change in different set-ups".

In my "opinion":i think itsa female.

 

[BadRedTerror]

When we bought the fish, there was a large adult male that looked almost exactly like that ony BLUE BLUE.. We bought a baby becuase the price for the adult was outragious.... could it be a female and not have the vibrant blue?? I have also noticed that sence I move "Spike" from the tank with the black gravel to the tank with the blue gravel, his color seems to be changing..???

Keep your little guy fed with a variety of foods,so you can establish a healthy life for your fish.Such as :shrimp(helps diguestion tract),bloodworms (the cichlids #1 source of food in wild),flakes,crisps.This will also help with the fishes color.*Variety*.Your little guy will have his colors change as he matures.Dont worry,time will fly.Trust me!

 

[Julez]

I got a mlae convict and put in with the female convict and the mystery cichlid... I also boutght a new "cave" for them so they would all have someplace to hid... well the mystery cichlid took over the cave and turned very very dark..?? And is showing aggression that I had never seen him/her exhibit before... could this be because it is a male?? Why would his color change so drastically....?

 

[BadRedTerror]

I got a mlae convict and put in with the female convict and the mystery cichlid... I also boutght a new "cave" for them so they would all have someplace to hid... well the mystery cichlid took over the cave and turned very very dark..?? And is showing aggression that I had never seen him/her exhibit before... could this be because it is a male?? Why would his color change so drastically....?

It really doesn't matter about the sex of the species.Your mystery cichlid is just trying to defend territory!Its very normal.But may i suggest:Not, adding 1 male and 1 female convict(since you already have an African cichlid).Convicts will "breed" your tank out of house and home.While in breeding:convicts will defend there nests at all cost,taking on fish 3 times its size.Veryyyy aggressive during breeding.The pair that i owned was in a 75gallon tank with a female Red Terror.If they can hold back an adult Red terror,then they can sure enough hurt/hold back your african.

Why did your mystery cichlids colors change?
1)You added him into a new tank(Different setting/gravel/background)
2)He is stressed out from the new arriving Convicts.

 

[Julez]

Mostly after we moved him as far as this territorial thing goes.. in the other tank he was very placid... the color change I noticed sence we got the other cichlid... Can stress cause color change?? I know my oscars get pail and faint when they r scared...

 

[BadRedTerror]

Mostly after we moved him as far as this territorial thing goes.. in the other tank he was very placid... the color change I noticed sence we got the other cichlid... Can stress cause color change?? I know my oscars get pail and faint when they r scared...

Absolutely! Stress can induce periodic changes in the schene(scales) of cichlids.Resulting to faint colors.There can also be other ways,as i stated above.In my opinion:sounds like a typical case of stress.

Your little guy will be just fine.Can you send me an updated picture of him in a month or so?I want to see the differences from your first picture you posted.

 

[Julez]

I will try to get a picture soon.. all my fish seem to be camera shy!!!! I have been trying... lol

 

[BadRedTerror]

LoL.It happens.Take your time Julez.

 

[blue_ram]

Keep your little guy fed with a variety of foods,so you can establish a healthy life for your fish.Such as :shrimp(helps diguestion tract),bloodworms (the cichlids #1 source of food in wild),flakes,crisps.This will also help with the fishes color.*Variety*.Your little guy will have his colors change as he matures.Dont worry,time will fly.Trust me!

Many african cichlids are herbivores and feeding them "meaty" foods will harm them as they lack the digestive structures to absorb nutrients from such foods.

If the fish in question is a "blue reef cichlid" then it is an herbivore and should be fed food appropriate for it dietary requirements.

If in doubt, spirulina is a safe bet.

 

[exhumed07]

taking pics is always a challenge for me. I'll take 20-30 pics and maybe 2-5 are good enought to keep.