# Thoricthys Ellioti (Malcupinnis)



## madzarembski (Jul 3, 2008)

Hi

I just picked up five of these guys last week. Man, I think I am in love. I was worried about shyness, but they've been very gregarious and active. Plus, I think I like their markings better than Meeki (I kept a couple T Meeki almost 20 years ago -very shy). What can I expect? These are my only CA since my experince with Meeki. I was thinking of supplementing there diet with some worms. I like their digging. Thanks for the knowledge. I will try and photograph.

madzarembski


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## MacFish (Jan 4, 2006)

They are similar to meeki. They prefer sand or fine gravel as they like to sift. 
I found them to be very social. Mine were not very aggressive to any other fish I kept them with except their own kind. Males can be very hard on their mate as well. I had 2 pairs kill their females.

They are a very attractive fish and very fun. Are you planing on breeding them?


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## scrivz (Dec 2, 2008)

I've had a similar experience with _T. ellioti_. I bought six about a month ago, but one died in the first 12 hours. The other five have done splendidly, and they're a blast to watch. I've got them in a tank with pool filter sand as the substrate, and they're always sifting it.

The only tankmates they've had so far are a school of cardinal tetras, and they completely ignore them. They used to get pretty spooked by WCs, but with the addition of the tetras they seem much more secure.

I haven't seen any pair formation yet, but it's still early. I'd like to keep the first pair that forms and sell the rest, but we'll see how it all works out...

They're starting to color up, but hopefully they'll get a lot more:


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

Wow they are very nice scrivz!! Very BEAUTIFUL!! :thumb:


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## scrivz (Dec 2, 2008)

Thanks, cichlid lover! Seeing as how you're a salvini fanatic (as per your sig) maybe I'll round up a pic or two of my male sal as well. :wink:


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## madzarembski (Jul 3, 2008)

Hi

Here's an update. I still have them in my 20 gallon holding tank. 55 needs to be set up. I have a pair formed and they decided to munch on 2 of my dithers. Here are the eggs:









I could not get a shot of the parents. They are still spooked by the camera. But here's the crew pre- eggs.










I would like to breed them but not till I move them :? I'm hoping the eggs are infertile. A couple have already turning white.

Her breeding are nice. I will say for being in a 20 long, The pair has not trounced the other two. They are pinned in a corner, but don't seem to bad off. I removed the fifth about a week ago because he/she was getting it from everyone.


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## ACC in NC (Dec 27, 2003)

madzarembski said:


> Hi
> 
> Here's an update. I still have them in my 20 gallon holding tank. 55 needs to be set up. I have a pair formed and they decided to munch on 2 of my dithers. Here are the eggs:
> 
> ...


How big are these fish in inches head to tail???


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## madzarembski (Jul 3, 2008)

Hi ACC in NC
The female is about 3.5 inches. The male is around 4 inches, maybe slightly larger. Prior to the clutch, they were quite social except when I pulled out the camera. I wonder if it was the size of the water change that spurned on the breeding behavior? Normally I do only 25-30 percent water changes weekly, but I have been experiencing about 10% evaporation a week lately, so I decided to do a larger water change to try and get the water parameters closer to my tap again. The water change was 50% on Sunday....


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## MacFish (Jan 4, 2006)

Keep an eye on things. Mine got incredibly intolerant of others in the tank with them when they were breeding. A 20 Gal doesn't leave much room to escape. The male even got aggressive with his mate when there was nothing else to bully.


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## madzarembski (Jul 3, 2008)

A quick update.
The pair is pretty sneaky. I ended up removing the other Mallcupinnis from the tank. (Another pair has formed from the 3). The clucth is fertile but is very slow developing. I think its due to the tank temperature. I've been at 75 since I was not interested in spawning at this time. It appears they moved the clutch to a pit on 12/20 then too a smaller pit a couple of days later. They are currently in a large pit on the opposite side of the tank which is well covered by fake plants. I was able to spy the wiggling mass for the first time today (12/26). This places them 9 days from eggs. Still not free swimming. I would think they should be today? The eggs were on the shell an extra day (12/17, 12/18. 12/19, moved 12/20?) I'm hoping the platys will thin out the brood. Though I'm down to 2 

I will try and get some nice shots of the fry.

Heres the male










madzarembski


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## madzarembski (Jul 3, 2008)

Quick Update. It appears at 75 degrees, We are looking at 10 days till free swimming fry...

















Thanks for looking

madzarembski


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

Wow very nice! Congrats with the spawn! Hopefully you will have a ton of fry!

Keep up the great work! :thumb:

Beautiful pair and fry!


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## madzarembski (Jul 3, 2008)

Cichlid Lover128
Thanks for the compliment. Not sure where you are in Central Illinois but PM me if you want some in a couple of months. Here they are out for their first stroll. Mom is one stressed lady. Otherwise, I'll have a lot of feeder fry.  
Mom and Kids








Dad and Kids








Thanks for looking
Madzarembski


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Congrats on some beautiful fish!


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## madzarembski (Jul 3, 2008)

Update - Yesterday evening the parents became disinterested in guarding the fry. They still numbered 50-60. Today, they # about dozen. I watched closely for about 15 minutes. The parents basically ignored the fry. Some would huddle under them, others swam aound to their detriment. Those were picked off by the 2 remaining mollies. I watched them hunt and eat about 5-6 fry before pulling the mollies. Here's my question: Do you think 7 days guarding free swmmers is normal parental behavior for T Ellioti (Malcupinnis)? Or do you think the cramped quarters of the twenty accelerated their abandoning the fry? The parents are not fighting. 
madzarembski


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## MacFish (Jan 4, 2006)

Hard to say. They are a young inexperienced pair. They will get better. I had one pair in a 33 Gal and they cared for their fry for much longer than that. They were more experienced though.

I even had them spawn again while caring for fry and they raised both spawns at the same time for a few days. Eventually, the larger fry ate the smaller ones.

I think the longest I left them with the fry was about 6 weeks. As the pair got older, the male became more aggressive and I didn't trust them that long again.


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

I've yet to breed the Ellioti (but have some Juvis) but my experience with CA Cichlids in general is that young pairs often goof it up... and with experience they become better parents...

So I would guess each time they spawn they will do a little better. Removing threats, such as the mollies, will naturally make it easier until they get the basics down. But after a few months/broods I would expect you could reintroduce the mollies and the parents will then learn to defend the fry.


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

It might have something to do with the smallish tank, but I personally leave fry in with parents for ten days after free swimming then remove them. It takes a few times for a pair to reach the ten day mark though...


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