Sneak Peek
- Thread starter Big Vine
- Start date
Vey nice! I'd bet that little looker was a sheila. 
I wonder if the substrate in their new home will affect their color in the long run. Only one way to find out huh? lol
Either way I think they'll love the new digs. Looks very relaxing.
The uro is a exCichlasoma urophthalmus. I lost the male salvini while moving. Stress I believe. I lost other fish too. Total bummer.
So far I haven't gotten fry out of the uro x salvini pairing but I'd be tempted to see what came it if indeed they succeeded in producing fry. I doubt it's gonna happen anyway though. I plan on moving the female salvini out of the 135 and into a tank of her own just cause of all the stink she makes.
I wonder if the substrate in their new home will affect their color in the long run. Only one way to find out huh? lol
Either way I think they'll love the new digs. Looks very relaxing.
The uro is a exCichlasoma urophthalmus. I lost the male salvini while moving. Stress I believe. I lost other fish too. Total bummer.
So far I haven't gotten fry out of the uro x salvini pairing but I'd be tempted to see what came it if indeed they succeeded in producing fry. I doubt it's gonna happen anyway though. I plan on moving the female salvini out of the 135 and into a tank of her own just cause of all the stink she makes.
Thanks Helena!
Unfortunately it shows-off the scratches better too, but overall it's an improvement, so I can't complain too much, I suppose.
Heh...yeah, it sucks when they're in the 'prime pic taking zone,' lol.
I know I'll end up upgrading at some point anyway, so I'll be able to 'demote' this tank from a 'display tank' to a grow-out tank or something later on down the road.
BV
Unfortunately it shows-off the scratches better too, but overall it's an improvement, so I can't complain too much, I suppose.
Heh...yeah, it sucks when they're in the 'prime pic taking zone,' lol.
I know I'll end up upgrading at some point anyway, so I'll be able to 'demote' this tank from a 'display tank' to a grow-out tank or something later on down the road.
BV
LMAO
In that case I'm glad to hear that they don't wreak too much havoc! lol
Actually, I'll be removing/re-shuffling most of the decor anyway in the next week or so once I get a bunch of driftwood put in there, so no worries. I really want to try to 'mimic' their natural environment as much as I can...within reason, of course. From my understanding, driftwood is a major part of it (I can cover that one), as is 'leaf-litter' (not sure what I can do about that!?).
I'd welcome any suggestions!
I managed to add a second AC 50 today---with a very well-seeded sponge from a different tank (from yet another AC 50 filter), so the salvini should be ready to add tomorrow!
Thanks for the comments!
BV
P.S. straitjacket...I'll 'tackle' your comments later---gotta go! *thumbsups
In that case I'm glad to hear that they don't wreak too much havoc! lol
Actually, I'll be removing/re-shuffling most of the decor anyway in the next week or so once I get a bunch of driftwood put in there, so no worries. I really want to try to 'mimic' their natural environment as much as I can...within reason, of course. From my understanding, driftwood is a major part of it (I can cover that one), as is 'leaf-litter' (not sure what I can do about that!?).
I'd welcome any suggestions!
I managed to add a second AC 50 today---with a very well-seeded sponge from a different tank (from yet another AC 50 filter), so the salvini should be ready to add tomorrow!
Thanks for the comments!
BV
P.S. straitjacket...I'll 'tackle' your comments later---gotta go! *thumbsups
Last edited:
Thanks Katie and silver dollars---I'll definitely post pics once they're in there!
Hehe...so it looks like a female, eh?
Judging from the way she's coloring-up, I'd have to agree.
Two of the others seem to be remaining a darker, more greyish color, although they do have lots of prominent blue streaks on the sides of their face/around their eyes...I'm guessing males?
The 'runt' is paler than the rest, but if I had to guess at this point, I'd be inclined to say female because of the slight yellow coloration I'm starting to see.
LOL
BV
straitjacket said:
Vey nice! I'd bet that little looker was a sheila.
Judging from the way she's coloring-up, I'd have to agree.
Two of the others seem to be remaining a darker, more greyish color, although they do have lots of prominent blue streaks on the sides of their face/around their eyes...I'm guessing males?
The 'runt' is paler than the rest, but if I had to guess at this point, I'd be inclined to say female because of the slight yellow coloration I'm starting to see.
LOL
BV
Looks like a lady ineedy. Someone else mentioned a black spot on the operculum, it wasn't till they mentioned it that I noticed that my female had a very obvious one while the male's was hardly visible (if it was in fact there at all).
Might be another sexing tool. Maybe not. For now I find the black blotch on the dorsal most reliable. That's gonna be one hell of tank with all kinds of action if it turns out you get 2 pairs.
Might be another sexing tool. Maybe not. For now I find the black blotch on the dorsal most reliable. That's gonna be one hell of tank with all kinds of action if it turns out you get 2 pairs.
Tank is Cycled!!!
Ammonia = 0
Nitrites = 0
Nitrates = 20 PPM
The only part I'm a little uncomfortable with adding them right now (which I think I'm going to do anyway) is having to switch their decor around on them once I gather up the driftwood I need in about a week or so. We're not talking a few objects moved around here and there---we're talking entire rescaping of the tank!
I just hope it doesn't throw them off too much (i.e. if a pair starts forming prior to the rescape, then the rescape puts their pecking orders, etc., all outta whack). Probably I'm just fretting needlessly here.
Yup, it will be utter mayhem!
I'll only be keeping one of the pairs though, so the chaos will be short-lived.
Those sexing methods you described sound about right based on what I've read. The blotch on the dorsal fin seems to be the prime indicator that only females possess, whereas the spot on the gill-plate seems to appear much more erratically to be used for accurate sexing purposes, as you pointed out.
Right now I'm guessing the two larger, darker sals are male. Middle, yellower one shown in the previous pics I'm guessing is female. 'Runt' I'm guessing is female as well.
Guess we'll find out soon enough! Wish me luck.
BV
Ammonia = 0
Nitrites = 0
Nitrates = 20 PPM
The only part I'm a little uncomfortable with adding them right now (which I think I'm going to do anyway) is having to switch their decor around on them once I gather up the driftwood I need in about a week or so. We're not talking a few objects moved around here and there---we're talking entire rescaping of the tank!
I just hope it doesn't throw them off too much (i.e. if a pair starts forming prior to the rescape, then the rescape puts their pecking orders, etc., all outta whack). Probably I'm just fretting needlessly here.
straitjacket said:
That's gonna be one hell of tank with all kinds of action if it turns out you get 2 pairs.
I'll only be keeping one of the pairs though, so the chaos will be short-lived.
Those sexing methods you described sound about right based on what I've read. The blotch on the dorsal fin seems to be the prime indicator that only females possess, whereas the spot on the gill-plate seems to appear much more erratically to be used for accurate sexing purposes, as you pointed out.
Right now I'm guessing the two larger, darker sals are male. Middle, yellower one shown in the previous pics I'm guessing is female. 'Runt' I'm guessing is female as well.
Guess we'll find out soon enough! Wish me luck.
BV
Thought the nitrates could be a little lower, so I did a 15% WC.
I also did some rearranging to create two spawning sites; one at each end of the tank.
The middle serves as the 'neutral zone.'
Here's a shot with the flash on so that you can actually see everything.
A closer look at the (hopefully) future spawning sites:
The rock cave has only one opening, which extends all the way to the back glass.
Look in the reflection on the glass to the far right and you'll see how the driftwood cave is hollowed-out, which should leave plenty of room for spawning---at least for now, anyway, while the fish are still relatively small.
BV
I also did some rearranging to create two spawning sites; one at each end of the tank.
The middle serves as the 'neutral zone.'
Here's a shot with the flash on so that you can actually see everything.
A closer look at the (hopefully) future spawning sites:
The rock cave has only one opening, which extends all the way to the back glass.
Look in the reflection on the glass to the far right and you'll see how the driftwood cave is hollowed-out, which should leave plenty of room for spawning---at least for now, anyway, while the fish are still relatively small.
BV
Pair already!?
Thanks guys!
The substrate is just regular old black gravel.
Won't get in new driftwood for a while, but I can give you some salvini pics.
You might think it's a little premature to claim that a pair has formed within the mere span of a few hours, but I'd be willing to put money on it! Here's what's happening...
The two largest salvini are hanging out together---swimming together, scavenging together, chasing other fish away.
The darker one (in the back/left)---which I'm thinking is the male---does most of the chasing of other fish and following of the female. I'm thinking the lighter one (front/right) is the female. She's got a sizeable dark blotch in the middle of her dorsal fin (typically indicative of a female), and most of her fins are 'rimmed' with red. The male's fins, on the other hand, are rimmed with blue.
Of course I could be way off on this one...
BV
Thanks guys!
The substrate is just regular old black gravel.
Won't get in new driftwood for a while, but I can give you some salvini pics.
You might think it's a little premature to claim that a pair has formed within the mere span of a few hours, but I'd be willing to put money on it! Here's what's happening...
The two largest salvini are hanging out together---swimming together, scavenging together, chasing other fish away.
The darker one (in the back/left)---which I'm thinking is the male---does most of the chasing of other fish and following of the female. I'm thinking the lighter one (front/right) is the female. She's got a sizeable dark blotch in the middle of her dorsal fin (typically indicative of a female), and most of her fins are 'rimmed' with red. The male's fins, on the other hand, are rimmed with blue.
Of course I could be way off on this one...
BV
