Lake Victoria Basin, West African, Madagascar & Asian Species • Paralabidochromis chromogynos Zue Island - juvies

[cichlid-gal]

Update Christmas 2012....two dominant males and a few holding females...they seem happy

Hope to get this tank into the house after the tree comes down

[malawimix]

Looking great! Just be sure to pull those females out in time to save fry. Mine would spit by 15-16 days.

[cichlid-gal]

Going to try yet again in the fry tank...have not had any luck with that yet (tried my polits and maingano...both ate the babies right after they spit and before I even saw the babies) so maybe 3rd time is a charm - right?

[witamygreatdanes]

Hi Cichhlid-Gal! I just got my P.Chromogynos tonight!!! 8 juvies. Can't wait for them to grow up! I love looking at yours so then I know how mine should look!!! I'll do pix once they calm down and adjust to their new environment!!

[cichlid-gal]

I'm so happy for you. I know you will enjoy these guys. We can share notes ... that's what owning Vics is all about right?

[AlphaWild]

cichlid-gal--have yours spit yet?

[cichlid-gal]

Of the three I had holding, the largest, which I was the most hopeful of getting spit before I could get my fry tank set up for her. That left 2 younger ones. Because I have so many young ones when I tried last weekend to catch one of them, I couldn't even tell them apart. They are small and although holding it is tough to see when the lights are out on the tank and you are chasing around trying to catch them. So since that debacle last weekend I have just resigned myself to waiting for the next go round on these guys. Of the two that were still holding, another has spit and I know have only one holding. She will probably spit soon too I'm sure. Know I'll get another chance and hopefully I'll do better next time. My mistake, having so many young ones that all look alike just makes a huge pack of them that move from one end of the tank to the other. And no way to single out the one that is holding. I'm at a loss. When they get bigger maybe it will be easier. I won't give up just yet.

On the flip side, I also found that I had two of my M. zebra golds holding. I did manage to catch one of them yesterday on the water change to the tank (I got the wrong female on the 1st removal...geez...just shoot me...had to catch the right one and throw the wrong one back in...talk about stressing out the tank) and put her in the fry tank. I'm pretty sure she is not real far along but her jaw is jutting out quite well so with this attempt I'm hoping to get my feet wet and be ready for the next go round with my P. chromogynos...at least that's my plan.

Wish me luck!!! Ha

[AlphaWild]

Good luck! Yeah, catching the one you want in a fully stocked tank hasn't gotten any easier for me either. I can just about guarentee I'll catch every male in the tank without trying to, when I want the holding female.

[denske]

Beautiful fish cichlid-gal, these have become my favorite Victorians as of late, I noticed in the video it seems you have them also with a sunshine peacock? I wanted ask if the p. Chromos would fair well in a tank with maybe some peaceful peacock/hap breeding groups, I'm setting up a 55 very soon, and was planning on a peacock/hap breeding setup, think the chromos would be ok in there as well? Any suggestions to a good ratio?

[cichlid-gal]

Thanks denske for the compliments. And yes, these guys are beautiful and always active. These fish are quite aggressive with each other males vs males and females vs females, facing off pretty regularly but with the big tank they have lots of room to retreat if needed. So far, knock on wood, I have not had any problems due to the activity.

I originally had the P. chromogynos juvies in with my dragon's blood peacock. They did not fair well with him. He was far too aggressive for them and I think his size also bothered them as he was quite large. I moved him to another tank where he terrorized the sunshine so I moved the sunshine to the 125G. The sunshine is actually dominated by the P. chromogynos males. He tries to stand his ground on occasion but the P. chromogynos males run the tank.

The 55G is of concern to me as I would think that the P. chromogynos would be better off as a species only in that tank or doing a small group species only of peacocks. I am never one to say to never but do believe they would not fair well together in a 55G tank. And if you do decide to try this combo (as with any combo) always be prepared by having another tank available if necessary to remove/move fish or a group of fish if necessary.

Others may have more experience with combo groupings of these fish so hopefully they will chime in if their recommendations are different.

[cichlid-gal]

Here we go again...this time I have a fry box for the main tank on order and have spoken to a couple of different (wonderful) people trying to get things figured out...so hopefully this time around I'll get it done...these guys sure are

oh and if you don't like techno you might want to turn down the sound

[cichlid-gal]

OK...long story and this is another Mom that was holding...after about 45 minutes of catching fish (Mom was the last one), I got her and put her in the bucket to await the tank refill and box setup and she spit the babies. Five (5) of them. I was so excited. I gave her a little time and dipped her a couple of times but didn't see any other little ones so put Mom back in the main tank.

Babies were put into a floating fry box (I was worried about the temp in the bucket as it had been sitting for a while) until I got the new box set up. While working on it, my husband was refilling the tank and when done I told him the water level was too high as the water was flowing over the top of the new box on the front. He lowered the water level and start priming the HOB's for refill while I was putting the babies into the new box (I opted to pour them in from the small box). My husband was directly across from me at the back of the tank filling one of the HOB's so there was flow coming towards the front. It didn't occur to me that that might be a problem. Worried more about the babies in the small box coming out of the box I was not watching the big box...as I put the babies in apparently the water level went over the top again and when I looked down I saw a baby in the main tank water. FREAKOUT. I quickly grabbed my net and caught up a couple of babies and lowered the water level in the big fry box. I was only able to recatch two (2) babies out of the five (5).

If you are not a woman you might not understand this, but I cried. I just sat down and looked at the two babies that were left and cried. So now, tears shed but still not feeling any better ....I now have my 1st two Paralabidochromis chromogynos babies. Not much or many but at least its a start. And I was proud of the mom as she was very young still and held those babies very well.

Drumroll...here they are



and a big thanks to Bassetman for talking to me one day on the phone and giving me some pointers and ideas on how to make things work in my big tank with its tons of filtration and decorations and fry eating syndontis...thanks again. Hopefully next go round I'll get a couple more out of the spawn and maybe be able to start growing a few of these to share.

[witamygreatdanes]

I get it cichlid-gal. I am so sorry. I get attached to the fish and the babies and if anything happens I cry too. don't worry you are not alone. I haven't said much about it, but my Christmas Fulus ended up being hybrids and I had over 40 fry....all gone. I had a very rough 2 or 3 days cuz you know what had to happen, can't have them out in the world representing Christmas Fulus if they aren't. so I'm starting from scratch with them, but I have gotten my new ones yet. So I'm very sorry about your babies and I know you will get more as your fish are young and they have lots of babies to have yet!!!

[cichlid-gal]

Thanks Kathy...and sorry about your Christmas Fulus...really

[denske]

Sorry for your loss Cichlid-gal, had a question about the chromos, in your group do any females have egg spots on the anal fin, or is it only males with these markings? Thanks in advance