# Gloating Thread...



## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

Have to! One of the best photos I've taken.. one of these days I need to stop buying fish and tanks, and buy a decent lens...

My Male Ellioti around 4-4.5" at a guess, think there is a chance we will see some spawning behavious soon!


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

Great pic and T. mac! When I first saw the title my first thought was that you had a typo and meant to say bloating! Glad there's no bloating issues. :lol:


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## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

That's a gorgeous fish, skurj! If you're able to raise any fry, I'd love to get on the list to get some.


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## rgr4475 (Mar 19, 2008)

Beautiful!


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Great looking fish! I can't find any so this is actually making me jealous. ..


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## FedEXguy (Feb 24, 2005)

I'd love to have a group of these, gorgeous. (you can definitely gloat!)


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

The picture doesn't really do him justice the blue spots are brighter and more metallic than the photo lets on. Looking forward to my pair aging well, I hope they don't get to fighting I dunno where I would find another. I already lost the larger male to an internal parasite that it looks like I have cleansed from the tank. (he wasted away) Not sure if I should be thinking of removing the dithers I have some Red Eye Tetras and some cherry barbs in with them. Think I'd lose my mind if they ate the fry if I ever get any..


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

How large are they? I'm surprised they haven't spawned already for you..

If/when they do spawn, you should be fine with those dithers. I'm sure they can defend the majority of fry from them.


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

I'd say she is 3.5" TL and he is 4.5" I am steadily creeping the water temp up, I read 82 might encourage them, hovering around 80 atm.
It looks like they maybe considering it, but I can't say for sure from their actions. I might need to step up their water changes. I finally got a python 100ft'er at last, so no more buckets and can step up the routine to change more, more often.


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

I'd step up the water changes (even cool water changes) before I tried bumping up the temp, especially to 82. That is about as warm as you'd ever want to have it for Thorichthys.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

I believe Maculipinnis prefers cooler temps, as CJ said. Like 72-78 degrees F.


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

skurj, have a glance at the Thorichthys article here: http://issuu.com/nuttycichlids/docs/central_scene_5


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

Good call on the article I've read it before.. time I did it again. I know my Tangs always go nutty breeding sort when I do water changes and I usually do try and be cooler.


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

Ok dropped the temp, and tomorrow I try out the python so they gonna get a decent sized water change


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

Well did approx. 50% water change an hour ago, temp looks to be around 77 or so now, and the dancing has begun it looks like. Until just now they were looking like they were hiding and a little skittish (a first for them)


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## FedEXguy (Feb 24, 2005)

Cool! (pun intended) Maybe you'll have babies for the holidays.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Play some Al Green...


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

Love for these 2 to spawn, the female is getting really round!


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## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

Iggy Newcastle said:


> Play some Al Green...


 :lol:


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

Well the female just keeps expanding! (today I can see the tube) I may have to go away this weekend.. I bet that's when she will lay eggs (if at all)


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

Well the weekly 50% changes have been paying off, lots more dancing and these 2 are really coloured up now. Unless something untoward happens mebbe I will have eggs by the weekend, from the look of her maybe even tomorrow.. I'd love to have a few to grow out for the 180.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Good luck. That would be sweet. Mine are coming Saturday. What size are yours skurj?


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

Male has to be around 5" female 4" though its a corner tank that curved glass maybe magnifying things. These 2 are amazing, I thought I was buying firemouths at the time, didn't realize these were just a relation, and soo much prettier fish. Eyes open locally and they are not going to be easy to replace so really hope these 2 can produce some fry for me. I need to get the 180 going to free up a small tank for the fry if they happen though. I guess I probably shouldn't count my chickens... I should likely plan on letting them try parenthood at least a couple times before I think about intervening.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Yea I remember your story about when you bought them. Hope mine turn out as nice as yours.


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)




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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Those are sick. Gorgeous.


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

Pictures don't do them justice and they are just off to my 10 oclock about 6ft away so I can watchem while I play geek. Wonder if I should just scrap all my other plans for the 180 and see if these 2 can populate it themselves with mebbe some swordtails a few raphaels and some rainbow cichlids for company.. will never have enough tanks..


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## FedEXguy (Feb 24, 2005)

Those are gorgeous! I hope they make you some babies over and over so you can get them out locally. Never see them around here.


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

Great looking pair for sure. Good luck with the spawn!


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

Well the female has a few bruises after the last couple of days, and she is also staying in a back corner of the tank seemingly watching over something. I can't see what it is.. (**** corner tank) opcorn:


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## FedEXguy (Feb 24, 2005)

:drooling: opcorn:


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

Well today they are digging a pit... :thumb:


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

and now the male is chasing the female all over the tank... if they keep at it, I may have to separate the 2...


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

Nah, she's probably just playing hard to get! Give it time. :wink:


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

I hope so.. I figured they were done all their egg laying. In the last 3 days she has developed nipped fins and scars above her mouth, she has never been marked by the male before... and I have no local sources of more so a bit worried...


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

Hmm.. you said she was getting plump and showing her tube right? Does she look thinner now? Maybe she did lay already?


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

tube still showing but a lot thinner yes. I assumed with her not leaving the corner and the male wandering the tank that she was done for this round, maybe not... I hope he isn't getting impatient to try again so soon, she is definitely showing the stress


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

Ah yeah, that may very well be the case. One (or both) of them may have ate the eggs and the male now wants to go for round two. If it persists and she's looking bad, separating them may be a good idea after all.


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

Found her in rough shape when the lights just came on, I've put her in a 15g. I don't think she is near death or anything so drastic.


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

Well the 15g was a mistake... Unfortunately that 15g also housed 2 gold ocellatus.. my poor female ellioti now doesn't have much of a tail left  
She got the better of one of the occies and the other has now been removed. There are some swords in there as well, but hopefully they will be removed next week once I get some water in the 180.

She has perked right up swith the occies gone and eating well.


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

Well the female seems quite happy in the 180g, she is the biggest fish in the tank. Unfortunately it looks like her tail may not grow back to its old shape. Its like half of it is growing back but the other half isn't. Not sure how much longer she will stay in the 180, probably another month at least, and then we'll see. The male just keeps getting bigger, probably going a little crazy with just a few tetras and barbs in the 55g corner, but he's looking good. The corner tank is a dilemma, its a *************** to catch fish, and impossible to divide... I thought the breeding pair would be the ultimate setup, but I was proven wrong... its a beauty tank but a b#tch to stock comfortably.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Have any pics of her?


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## pablo111 (Dec 10, 2013)

Sorry about your female, Skurj. I hope that ripped caudal fin doesn't develop any fungus or bacterial problems.


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

This pic is a little old, I will see if I can get a better one this weekend. The top half of the tail looks to be growing back, but not the lower half. oops this pic doesn't show any growth at all.. I'll get a new one.


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

here she is as of yesterday:


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Her dorsal seems improved from the older photo. Unfortunately I'm on an iPad, which likes to chop off the far left of all photos for me, so I can't see the tail in the old pic.

Short of placing her in her own tank with Melafix I think you're doing the best for her.


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

yeah it looks like just the tail isn't healing so well, rest are coming along ok. The 180 is currently being treated for ich, but she is handling the high temps and salt just fine.


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

High temps and salt should actually help her heal. Biggest thing to keep an eye out for is any kind of fin rot/fungus that may take hold.


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

Well I put her back in with the male a little over a week ago. Think I see one new mark on her. Most of the time they look ok, he started doing the jiggy dance within 20 minutes of her going back in. Everyday after I feed them he gets pushy and she ends up in the top back corner (its a corner tank). Her tail for the most part did not grow back, likely never will. I have seen some people suggest cutting the tail so it can grow back.. sorry not gonna do that no way no how.

I think the footprint of the tank certainly is not ideal and I'd like to relocate them to a longer tank, but as there is no guarantee it would help... for now things stay as is. The little ones are coming along, if the current planned stock for the 180 gets out of hand, maybe one day the ellioti will have it as a home. For the first time I have found some rainbow cichlids local... if I could just fit a 125 down here I'd put the pair in with a few rainbows.. arg.. WHo needs books and book cases when ya can keep fish in that spot.. books just sit there..


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

Today.. it definitely looks like she is ready to lay eggs again.. I have no interest in the fry this time, I just hope the male doesn't tear her up again..


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

Came home today to find a cloud of free swimmers! Looks like the parents are tolerating each other better this time around. I am not going to interfere at all and just let them do their thing. They have moved the fry into a sheltered pit under a fake ornament and are chasing off everyone with the exception of the BN plecos who they let within an inch of the fry while I was watching. Hard to get pics of the fry, so here are the parents again.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Gorgeous skurj. That's awesome.


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

Congrats on the spawn! Hopefully things go better this time around.

That male is a looker!


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

Well the fry vanished over a week, none left as of last weekend. The male is harassing the female, not as bad this time around so I will just leave them to work things out.

I have some red eye tetras, some cherry barbs and a single female sword in with them.. wondering if the tetras were just too fast for the parents to fend off.. I never did see anything near the fry with the exception of the BN plecos.


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## Donchawunder (Jun 6, 2014)

Pretty fish ^^


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