# Variabilichromis moori



## Rivermud (Nov 22, 2004)

Does anybody have any experience with these? The profiles say highly aggressive. I am curious as to what tank mates would be okay in a 100 gall.

48long, 24high, 20deep


----------



## Cichlid.Lover (Dec 17, 2003)

The V. moori is listed in a study of speciation due to hybridazation as being one of the oldest strains of cichlids in the lake. This, combined with it's high aggression would indicate that you may have trouble keeping anything with this specie except for catfish. There is not very much information on this guy, which is a possible implication that it's aggression has kept it out of acceptance in the aquaria hobby.


----------



## Rivermud (Nov 22, 2004)

Well, after tons of research today I have found only one person who claims to have ever owned them and the info they posted wasn't much help. I have now found an importer who stocks them so i suppose it would be a special order for f0.. no thanks. I just loved the almost jet black look when fully mature and spawning.

I love Altos and was planning on adding those to the tank with a few redfins or whites.

I am also in the process of trying to find somebody locally who carries cyps. Sigh, the woes of a cichlid lover.. Almost have to buy everything online.


----------



## elwood (May 2, 2003)

I have maintained and bred V. Moorii off and on for years and never had a problem with aggression.
They have done well as a pair in a breeding tank, and were well-behaved members of Lake Tanganyika community aquaria. I found them to be an interesting fish. They are cave spawners and produce a large number of white eggs. I have a slide of a pair of them where the female is guarding the white eggs, and instead of hiding them inside the cave provided, she laid them on the outside wall of a dark brown cave. The white eggs stood out against the brown background. They are an interesting and attractive fish and have never caused aggression problems in my aquaria.


----------



## hazard (Apr 6, 2003)

I got 15 or so F1's a month ago. They are in the 1" range now. I got a good deal on them and had never seen them before except for in books. So far an odd looking tang. Seem to go quick and are not to aggressive in my fry tank

Chris


----------



## SidGuppy (Sep 9, 2002)

They're nasty, but not more nasty than, say; big Julidochromis marlieri, treto's and the like.

BUT in a small tank, they can get downright psychotic, whereas in a big tank, they can get very easy to maintain.
if you have a 400L/100G tank: NO problem.
if you "cram" them in a 55G or smaller: BIG BIG problem.

another trick is to keep them with sturdy fish.
friend of mine has his with Synodontis, Cyathopharynx foai (wich is a nutter), Triglachromis otostigma, trets and Spathodus; no worries.
it's a 135G tank with lots of open water, but a huge rockpile with plenty of PVC-pipe hidden as well.
works perfect.

they also mix well with Tropheus, Petrochromis, Juli's, Chalinochromis etc


----------



## Rivermud (Nov 22, 2004)

Well, I am curious now. I would be very interested to have the color spectrum vary a bit in my tank. My 100 gal is a high variety and I mainly designed it to accomodate a large school of cyps. Since then I have been trying to figure out what substrate dwelling species to put in. The v. moori was an option due to the unique look and black color. All of the altos are still high on my list Black and Whilte Calvs and Red Fins. I've not really looked into many of the fish you mentioned.. I'll have to do more research


----------



## SidGuppy (Sep 9, 2002)

well, if you like a black or very dark fish; you might look into Neolamprologus/Paleolamprologus toae.

This fish is also very beautiful in a "velvet" way, with big eyes, big scales and an unusual shape too.
it looks more like a Centrarchid than a cichlid! something dredged from the lower regions of a coral reef.

and unlike the tret, V moori etc; this fish is nice, peaceful, well-behaved.









V moori isn't black, but dark. BUT FYI it only turns that way after some years; adults are often just sand- or khaki-colored with a nice blue edge on tail and dorsal and anal fin.









On the other hand; a pair or group of youngsters of Variabilichromis moori, in with a pair of Altolamprologus and a shoal of Cyps in a 100G will work perfectly.

don't expect any fry tough; the Alto's will eat it all!


----------



## Rivermud (Nov 22, 2004)

Thanks for the info


----------



## timbo jones (Oct 23, 2004)

No agression problems in my tang tank. yet


----------



## Throw_this_away (Feb 8, 2004)

Not that I have ever owned Var. Moori before, but I too was attracted to them, and I remember someone comparing their temperment to brichardi.


----------



## kolopedo (Feb 23, 2003)

Hey everyone, I have been keeping a pair of Moori for about 6 months now. I purchased them as an adult pair. I have kept them alone in a 20 g tank until recently when I moved them into a 38g with some jul. dickfeldi, leleupi a black calvus and a callinochromis macrops. I haven't had any problems with aggression from anyone. I have read that if you want this species to breed, you need to put them in a community setting.


----------



## 8092 (Oct 19, 2004)

Hi All,

I also recently became attracted to this v.moori's dark colours with that beautiful tinge on the fins. Yep, seems not all gets this colour as some are khaki coloured. Anyone knows why? 
Seems really limited info on them as I have been surfing around and found mostly German/Polish sites only....gibberish to me :roll:

Been meaning to add a few pieces into my 6 footer. Inhabitants mostly big fronts (7"), 3 N.pulchers, 1 auritus, couple of N.cylindricus, a pair of leleupis and a julie. Think its ok?


----------



## Ryan B (Feb 18, 2003)

To me V.moorii has been readily available, but gets stocked less and less because they are just plain brown fish. Not really any interest in them in the hobby, they simply don't have anything that really makes them unique or stand out. There are many tangs that rarely get imported for this exact reason. This was one of the earlier tangs available, but since that time many more showy fish have been imported - that's just the nature of this hobby.


----------



## robotlove1 (Sep 16, 2004)

I found this species two weeks ago on this site and was immendiantly drawn to them for the black color they display. If they are mostly Khaki where are the black ones? the article I read stated they become black with age/breeding. So where can we find WC already sexually mature?


----------



## JoseRiv (Dec 15, 2004)

Not sure if you will find black. I've noticed that Tang pictures are always more colorful than the real thing. When you go the the pet shops the fish look just as dull as the ones at home. I think these pictures are taken with Blue lighting or maybe even touched up a bit. To me, it's not the color that I'm lookng for in Tangs but range of behaviour. I have also been to THREE tang importers and breeders and the fish looked dull there also. So if you are going to rebut this comment please bring prove of otherwise. If you want these Moori - it would be because of their behaviour otherwise you might be disapointed when they don't turn into that magical black coloring that we are all lusting over :wink:


----------



## Throw_this_away (Feb 8, 2004)

Interesting point. I won't challange your comments on this species... as I have never seen one in the flesh... but regardless of species... I think you will find that people try to post their best images, so you usually see a bias (i.e breeding colors, or whatever).

With that being said, many species look far more beautiful in real life.


----------



## JoseRiv (Dec 15, 2004)

Good point.


----------



## sainttucker (May 22, 2004)

Here is a pic of one i found in St. Pete, FL. (he's the dark one in the backround obviously). Its a horrible pic, but you at least get the idea of the color. I thought they (he had 5), were pretty attractive, entertaining the idea of going and getting them actually. They weren't jet black obviously, but pretty dark. I would imagine they might get a bit darker over a black/dark substrate, similar to other tangs do.










Tucker


----------



## 8092 (Oct 19, 2004)

robotlove1 said:


> I found this species two weeks ago on this site and was immendiantly drawn to them for the black color they display.


Exactly! Me too!!


----------



## gatohoser (Jan 30, 2004)

This subject seems to be dead but I see that it was left a little open as to the color. I have 3 wild V. moori and the dominant one be it male or female takes on a black color and the others take on a lighter shade that quickly changes shades as other africans do when you remove the dominant one. They can also turn black under stressors.

They are little devil fish. Having trouble keeping 3 adults alive. If its not one its the other getting beat to a pulp then fixed up then put back. They really are awesome fish none the less though. Go try them if you have a tank to set aside for them.


----------



## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

I had some many years ago. When dominant, the male went jet black, just as you see in the pictures.


----------



## crusht (Jan 7, 2005)

I too am wanting to get a few of these if I can find some space in the house for a new tank. I have read they appreciate a little more veggies in their diet, is this true?


----------



## gatohoser (Jan 30, 2004)

They search through aufwachs for inverts but they of course eat lots of it in the process so they do like some more veggies in their diet.


----------



## congodrew (Jul 25, 2005)

Jim at www.Riftlakespecialties.com has a trio of wild 3" V. moori. They may have been sold but im sure he could find more.


----------



## gatohoser (Jan 30, 2004)

That's where I got my wild trio. I think he still has more. If not now I know he will have some eventually as they bred when he got them in.


----------



## caudopunk (Feb 10, 2005)

*sainttucker*


----------



## caudopunk (Feb 10, 2005)

Sory about that last post, I was wanting to ask sainttucker what variety of cylindricus those are in the pics, they look pretty cool.


----------



## gatohoser (Jan 30, 2004)

Hmm for any of you out there having trouble with them the trick is to hang something in the corners for the submissive fish to hide in. I hang an unscrewed reverse osmosis membrane canister from the top with filter floss. You could use PVC. This was recommended by somebody recently and I should give credit but I'm lazy and dont wanna find his name haha. If he sees this he should call out to be thanked


----------



## BioG (Oct 12, 2008)

I have 2 of these and they are territorial, even toward my Calvus. However they tend to focus any aggression on fish smaller than they. Most of the time they look like a hershey bar tone until they are stressed then, sure enough, they go black and are stunning for 5 minutes. I would compare there tempermant to Helianthus except for the fact that helianthus will rule the entirety of the tank and attack even large fish.


----------



## Joels fish (Nov 17, 2007)

i have one of these guys, and I find mine to be very well mannered. Of course all cichlids have unique personallities but my experience with mine has been very good . I'd get a couple more if I could find them again localy.


----------

