# Thysochromis ansorgii



## Jayhawk (Sep 21, 2002)

I was wandering around the LFS circuit today and came across a store with Thysochromis ansorgii! I'd been wanting a smaller African cichlid for my 36" long 33 gallon tank, and I picked one up. Why one? Simply because I don't want to mess with spawning in this tank which is primarily a tank for my Ctenopoma acutirostre.

Anyone else kept T. ansorgii before?

Now, if only I could find some African glass catfish (Eutropiellus buffei), my tank would be complete. Right now, some platys are filling in for dithers...simply because I haven't found anything else I like better.

Eric


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

If you have the room, buy more! These are for some reason hard to find in the hobby, we can always use more breeders! I've never been able to track them down to keep them myself, but have wanted them for years.


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## Jayhawk (Sep 21, 2002)

Well, it turns out it was a good thing I only got the one...he's a genetic anomaly. One of his pectoral fins is normal, but the other is 3mm or so higher and near the top of the gills. It would be like a human with a fully functional arm coming out of their rib cage.

Oh well, he's my own little misfit toy...and can live out his life in my tank.

Eric


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## Jayhawk (Sep 21, 2002)

Well, I like the first guy so much (deformity and all...it gives him a bit of character) that I went and picked up the remaining two.

I can't tell, but one possibly may be a female. The store owner said a local breeder brought them in, so if they're from the same spawn the other two are nearly 1/2 the size of the first. However, if from different spawns, who knows. Truly only time will tell.

Behaviorally, the large for sure male does this head shake thing at other fish, and he did it to the two other Thysochromis when they were in the bag. All three are hanging out together again (they were doing so in the LFS when I bought the first one a bit back).

Very nice fish overall. If they spawn, they'll feed the leopard bush fish. If they're all males, they seem to be betting along very well. Either way, I really like them. They have a lot of hidden colors.

Eric


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## cornbread_5 (Oct 2, 2007)

i have a pair of these guys a friend of mine that works at a lfs came across them and got my a pair hopefully they will breed soon


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## Jayhawk (Sep 21, 2002)

The more I look at mine, the more I'm convinced they're all males. They get along really well, though...and obviously appreciate the company of their own species. They're making great dithers for the Ctenopoma acuirostre.

Eric


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## cornbread_5 (Oct 2, 2007)

there one of the of the most easiest species to sex the female has a mark right after her belly i will try to take a pic to prove it to you


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## cornbread_5 (Oct 2, 2007)

here are pics of my female notice the marking right before u get to the belly there a little mark like a small circle or what not


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## Jayhawk (Sep 21, 2002)

Yah, I'm aware of that spot as the main sex ID, and none of mine have that. One is about 2" long, but the other two are only about 1" SL. Did your female have that spot even when it was an inch long?

Even if they're all males, I'm OK with that as long as they keep getting along this well.

Eric


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## cornbread_5 (Oct 2, 2007)

i did not have them at that small of a size


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## Jayhawk (Sep 21, 2002)

Thanks...there is still hope!


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## Nebraska_cichlids (Dec 16, 2005)

Jayhawk: A friend of mine has been breeding this species regularly. I'm not sure whether he still keeps them around. He lives in Kansas City, like you. If he hasn't contacted you by PM, would you like me to ask him whether he has any spare females for you?


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## Jayhawk (Sep 21, 2002)

That's a nice offer...your on the HAAS forum, too, right? I'm jayhawk there as well.

However, I'm not actively trying to breed them. If it happens, great, if not, I'm OK watching my leopard ctenopoma grow larger, and larger.

Eric


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## Jayhawk (Sep 21, 2002)

Well...2 months after buying the last 2 in the store, I now have two males and a very definite female. Now, so far, no breeding signs, but when they get down to it having a Ctenopoma in the tank will test their parenting skills.

Eric


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