# Protomelas Spilonotus Tanzania



## CICHLUDED (Aug 4, 2006)

I just picked this guy up Sunday (thanks Erik)... Heâ€™s about 3â€


----------



## Corey (Jan 4, 2008)

Im sure he will they are great fish and color up quickly for haps CONGRATS!


----------



## Dykemyster (Jul 30, 2003)

Enjoy the fish and give us an update pic in the future to see what the charmer looks like.


----------



## bartho14 (Feb 26, 2009)

*CICHLUDED* Hey Cichluded, hows your fish coming along? I recently got one very similar to yours but around 3.5"-4". Im not so sure he's gonna evolve into that awesome 2nd pick but i hope so. Any change happening with your guy yet?


----------



## CICHLUDED (Aug 4, 2006)

bartho14 said:


> Hey Cichluded, hows your fish coming along? I recently got one very similar to yours but around 3.5"-4". Im not so sure he's gonna evolve into that awesome 2nd pick but i hope so. Any change happening with your guy yet?


The fish is about 4â€


----------



## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

My boy is pushing 6in, I've had him for a year - I got him at about 2.0-2.5in. Hopefully, a preview of what is to come for you.


----------



## bartho14 (Feb 26, 2009)

hey, here's a pic of my guy, i think he's about 4" now


----------



## TheBanker (Jun 14, 2008)

not to hijack this thread, but is this fish a quality looking "Protomelas Spilonotus Tanzania", a local guy wants to sell him. Im looking at the pictures in this thread and it seem the fish body are more slender.
http://www.angelfire.com/cajuncichlids/fishforsale.html

maybe its just the picture though.


----------



## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

> not to hijack this thread, but is this fish a quality looking "Protomelas Spilonotus Tanzania", a local guy wants to sell him. Im looking at the pictures in this thread and it seem the fish body are more slender.
> http://www.angelfire.com/cajuncichlids/fishforsale.html
> 
> maybe its just the picture though.


That is one stumpy looking Liuli :lol:.

The guy also has a picture on his home page of one of his Protomelas sp. "Spilonotus Tanzania" (Liuli) "Royal" that is also goofy, I looked at the page source (yes, I'm a software enginerd), and noticed he changed the image size with html. See the correct image below,










I don't think anyone would say you got ripped off paying $30 for the fish above, my guess is that is the dominate male and the other two he is trying to sell are extra sub-dominate males.

The image in question seems sized correctly with the IMG tag but I wouldn't put it past him to have screwed it up to get it to fit on the web page originally.

I would ask him to email a better picture of the fish or see it in person before spending $30 on it.

BTW, and they aren't that rare. Heck, I have a female holding right now, and I know of a few places you can always get them online. I also gave away couple of 4+in extra males last month for future draft picks - too bad you aren't in Northern AZ  .

Good Luck.


----------



## Sir Syklyd (Jun 19, 2004)

Hello everyone. This past Saturday, I went to one of our local pet stores to purchase some cichlids for my four foot tank. After debating for a while between getting a half a dozen or so of juvenile Zebra Convicts or a half a dozen of juvenile unknowns -- I'll explain what I mean by "unknowns" in a minute -- I decided to get the unknowns at $5 each.

The problem was that some of the cichlid tanks at the store were poorly labeled; and by "poorly", I mean that they just had a "Cichlids" label on them, and nothing else, other than the price. No Latin name, no English name; nothing. Of course, being the experienced aquarist that I am -- -- I had my Barron's "Lake Malawi Cichlids" book with me, as well as the first volume of the Baensch "Aquarium Atlas", both of which I bought a number of years ago.

From looking at the Barron's book, I had narrowed down the "unknowns" as being one of four possible species; and I was happy with that, because they were all dwarf cichlids -- four inches at maturity -- and from the Lake Malawi area no less, which is what I had originally intended to purchase. I bred Copadichromis Borleyi -- aka Red Kadango -- several years ago, and I really enjoyed the male. Our water here is hard and alkaline, so African cichlids, such as Malawi cichlids, do quite well.

The store employees didn't have a clue what kind of cichlids they were, but then the store owner arrived; and after looking at her last order, plus her catalog, she identified them as juvenile Protomelas Spilonotus Tanzania. Currently, they are each roughly two inches in length, with steely blue and black body markings. The store owner may very well be correct, but I still have my doubts. If anyone here can post some high-quality images of juvenile Protomelas Spilonotus Tanzania at two inches in length, I would be most appreciative.

At this point, I suspect that my fish may possibly be one of the following, if they really aren't Protomelas Spilonotus Tanzania:

Melanchromis Johanni
Melanchromis Auratus
Melanchromis Vermivorus

Thanks!


----------



## TheBanker (Jun 14, 2008)

GoofBoy said:


> > not to hijack this thread, but is this fish a quality looking "Protomelas Spilonotus Tanzania", a local guy wants to sell him. Im looking at the pictures in this thread and it seem the fish body are more slender.
> > http://www.angelfire.com/cajuncichlids/fishforsale.html
> >
> > maybe its just the picture though.
> ...


I did go check it out in person today, it did look a little more thicker than normal, but not much. The one for sale was actually the sub-dominant. He did have one around 10" (not for sale) that look just like the profile pictures. A nice long slender body.


----------



## bartho14 (Feb 26, 2009)

*GoofBoy*
hey Goofboy, what exactly are you feeding your tanzania? cause my guys having a little trouble. he seemed fine for the first month or two on NLS 1mm and hikari pellets. Only reason im asking is because i switched to the 2mm NLS formula a few weeks back and noticed he's beginning to swim vertically at times. He appears to have the dreaded swim bladder ailment or perhaps trouble with the new food or gas issues? *** even noticed some bubbles are released at times, i hope he doesnt keep this up. Any ideas? He's looking pretty good still and quite frisky too. I recall a species article once stating 'be careful not to overfeed this species', i dunno, can you shed any light??


----------



## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

> hey Goofboy, what exactly are you feeding your tanzania? cause my guys having a little trouble. he seemed fine for the first month or two on NLS 1mm and hikari pellets. Only reason im asking is because i switched to the 2mm NLS formula a few weeks back and noticed he's beginning to swim vertically at times.


1.0mm NLS pellets, Chichlid Crisps (TetraMin I think), and I have some Dainichi 3.0mm pellets.

I think they get too much food with the 3.0mm pellets, so they only get those once a week or so.

I really only feed what can be eaten in about 15-20 seconds or so twice a day. Relative to others I may appear to underfeed, but they spawn and appear very healthy. I am sure I could get them to grow more if I fed more but I really don't like my fish to look fat. Too much spear fishing seeing healthy fish in the wild I guess.



> Only reason im asking is because i switched to the 2mm NLS formula a few weeks back and noticed he's beginning to swim vertically at times. He appears to have the dreaded swim bladder ailment or perhaps trouble with the new food or gas issues? I've even noticed some bubbles are released at times, i hope he doesnt keep this up. Any ideas? He's looking pretty good still and quite frisky too. I recall a species article once stating 'be careful not to overfeed this species', i dunno, can you shed any light??


I would scale back the food and stick with the smaller pellets personally. I don't really have experience with bloat or anything along those lines, lucky I guess, If feeding less doesn't help I would definitely post on the Illness board.

Good luck.


----------



## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

bartho14 said:


> *GoofBoy*
> hey Goofboy, what exactly are you feeding your tanzania? cause my guys having a little trouble. he seemed fine for the first month or two on NLS 1mm and hikari pellets. Only reason im asking is because i switched to the 2mm NLS formula a few weeks back and noticed he's beginning to swim vertically at times. He appears to have the dreaded swim bladder ailment or perhaps trouble with the new food or gas issues? I've even noticed some bubbles are released at times, i hope he doesnt keep this up. Any ideas? He's looking pretty good still and quite frisky too. I recall a species article once stating 'be careful not to overfeed this species', i dunno, can you shed any light??


If you are asking if this might be causing bloat disease, it is unlikely except for overfeeding in general. If he is eating he is not sick.


----------



## bartho14 (Feb 26, 2009)

Thanks Goofboy/noki, ya *** been scaling back the food a little, i just want to be sure all 35 fish or so get a chance at some food is all. Everybody in the tank is quite healthy, zero bloat or illness of any kind for over a year, just the poor Tanzania seems to be struggling 

****ty, i just bought a 5lbs tub of 2mm NLS too, so I hope he can adapt, ill keep u posted....

thx guys


----------



## PiePuncher (Feb 1, 2005)

Dude, feeding twice a day is not underfeeding. I feed once a day and it is plenty for very quick growth. My male is awesome and I wish I could take photos as well as you. Food does not matter, as long as it is a good quality food. I too only feed as much as they can eat in a few seconds, which is quite a bit. My fish feed very aggressive and the water just boils with fish.

What type of camera did you use goof. I need a new one and am thinking digital SLR


----------



## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

> Dude, feeding twice a day is not underfeeding. I feed once a day and it is plenty for very quick growth. My male is awesome and I wish I could take photos as well as you. Food does not matter, as long as it is a good quality food. I too only feed as much as they can eat in a few seconds, which is quite a bit. My fish feed very aggressive and the water just boils with fish.


I said relative to many on this board. I am sure I would agree with you on the statement - 'most people overfeed their fish' - any leave it at that.



> What type of camera did you use goof. I need a new one and am thinking digital SLR


Nikon D40 with the standard 18-55 Lens. Here is a good review. He says D40 hands down or if you have lots of money D90. I have found the standard Lens does not work well for my small juvie tangs (105mm Micro Lens maybe :drooling but for Haps - the standard lens as awesome.


----------



## CICHLUDED (Aug 4, 2006)

Here is an update on the fish...

6" now....


----------



## BigFish77 (Feb 1, 2009)

nice to see he is still alive and kicking :thumb: 
I have a male in my tank as well, he is a pig and is growing like a weed.


----------



## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

My guy is around 7in and now is in an all male tank. He has been great and peaceful - though I just tried to add a 3in Taiwan Reef male along with two other new males - this guy hated the Taiwan and I had to remove it - first time he has really shown aggression - Taiwan gone, aggression gone - go figure.


----------



## BigFish77 (Feb 1, 2009)

Had to add my pic, my boy is finally looking good. I got him when he was 2 inches, Easter this year from the oyers.


----------



## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

BigFish77 said:


> Had to add my pic, my boy is finally looking good. I got him when he was 2 inches, Easter this year from the oyers.


Nice fish. Do you have a coloured up male Fosso also?


----------



## BigFish77 (Feb 1, 2009)

not yet growing have been growing some up for sometime waiting to id a male.


----------



## Reel North (Sep 23, 2006)

I just got a group of 9 of the tanzania. They are pretty much alone in there right now. It looks to be 4m and 5f, but one is a little borderline. They are around 3-4" i suppose. Stunning colouring starting to show up on two of them, and some hues on maybe 2 more. One was courting a female tonight, and I only got them a week ago. I would like to add rostratus to it in a month or so. Opinions?

Tank is a 125g


----------



## CICHLUDED (Aug 4, 2006)

Update....

8" and still growing.... What a HAUS...










:fish:


----------



## tony2323 (Jun 26, 2010)

GoofBoy said:


> My boy is pushing 6in, I've had him for a year - I got him at about 2.0-2.5in. Hopefully, a preview of what is to come for you.


stunning :thumb:


----------



## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

tony2323 said:


> stunning :thumb:












Same guy a couple of inches bigger - taken last month.


----------

