# P. phenochilus starting to speckle up



## bigfishferd (May 31, 2006)

It's taken some time but he is getting there. Another 6 months should do him justice.

Around 5" to 5.5"


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## Dave (Feb 9, 2003)

Looks like this one is turning out nicely. :thumb:


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## bigfishferd (May 31, 2006)

Dave said:


> Looks like this one is turning out nicely. :thumb:


Thanks Dave, I hope so!


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## Jake at River City (Jul 31, 2007)

He's looking good. Is he a Lupingu variant?


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## Dave (Feb 9, 2003)

My understanding is that there are only two "variants", the Tanzanian type that has speckles and those that do not have the speckles. Other than this, I don't think that collection points are as significant.


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## YDraigGoch (Aug 22, 2007)

My LFS just got a few small phenochilus in stock and it's the first time I've ever seen them for sale. They're had a fabulously beautiful one in their show/display tank for years that I've always coveted. How well does yours get along in your tank? The one they had in their show tank was always bullied even though he was larger than most of the other fish in the tank. Has yours grown fast? How long has it taken him to get to the color he's got now? I'm seriously wanting them but I'm having trouble deciding because I think my 55 mixed tank of mbuna would be too rough a crowd and while I have a 29 tall that I could start them out in just so that they don't get bought out from under me, I don't know how well they'd do in those quarters for how long. Any advice for someone with a chance to get his hands on such a beautiful fish but who's trying to decide what it'd take to keep them successfully?


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## chapman76 (Jun 30, 2004)

I got my phenochilus at about 1/4". It's about 2 years later and he's a good 6-7" and very thick. I have a 6" Mloto Midnight and the bulk of him isn't near as much. Mine is a wuss too. He's always getting picked on by my Mloto, but it hasn't affected his color at all. He's a gorgeous fish w/ lots of speckles.


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## tirzo13 (May 26, 2004)

They don't seem to do so well with most mbuna.

Temperament they work well with electric yellows, rusty's, peacocks, and frontosa.
I have had them with C. moori, but they really fought each other.

They nip frontosa fins, and can be very aggressive towards the frontosa when they are breeding.
A tank of phenos, albino eureka reds, and electric yellows is an impressive sight.


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## Sulfurhead (Jul 18, 2005)

I just got some myself, and just like many, *** always wanted these in my tank. I have 7 unsexed with sizes of 2.5" to 3.5". At what size can i expect any speckles? I cant wait, i plan on making my 125g a Tanzanian species tank once they get alittle bigger.

BTW, they are very submissive to anything else in the tank. My New Guinea Red Rainbow has more "street cred" than these guys


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## tirzo13 (May 26, 2004)

my males start spotting up at about 4.5 inches.
somewhere around 9-12 months old.
I would say you have about 2-3 more months for a couple of spots.
they grow fairly quick.
each week they look cooler with more spots!!!
They get more "wow's" than my Moba or Kitumba, or any fish i have ever owned, except salt.


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## Sulfurhead (Jul 18, 2005)

2-3months? Thats sooner than i thought! Excellent


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## tirzo13 (May 26, 2004)

do your weekly water changes, give them Dianichi XL, or Dianichi Ultima, or other brand that has spirulina.
Spirulina is preferred for black/blue/greens.
Krill is best for reds/oranges/yellow.

as long as you are not overpopulated or have fish that will be quicker to the food, your 3.5's should get there in a few more months.


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## bigfishferd (May 31, 2006)

I did notice a few spots coming in at the 4.5" size, as tirzo13 noted.
But my guy has *not* been fast to gain size. I'm not sure why because he eats well and is not harassed by my other fish.


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## bigfishferd (May 31, 2006)

Well it is a little over 6 months now and I have some new pics from today.
He has gained a decent amount of specks 8) , but not alot of size. I'd say he's around 6" now.




























Thanks for checking him out!


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## F8LBITEva (Nov 9, 2007)

oh awesome *bigfish*!! How much would you say a Pheno of that size would go for at a store?


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## jschulst1 (Apr 11, 2005)

I would estimate 60 bucks or more at the low end, but never seen one at the LFS. Best bet is at aquabid or the trading post.


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## Sulfurhead (Jul 18, 2005)

its good to see the progress. It kinda looks like the speckles spread from the initial spots. Im sure random ones show up too. I'll post some of mine as soon as i can get a good pic. My spots are very small, he's at +5".


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## chapman76 (Jun 30, 2004)

Yeah, they're beautiful. I'm thinking about selling my 9" male and was going to ask for about $60-$75. WC ones at about 5" are $50.


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## F8LBITEva (Nov 9, 2007)

Im definitely going to get one of these for my tank!


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## Sulfurhead (Jul 18, 2005)

im still lookin for a pic of some detailed pics of Pheno fry if anyone has any, im talking fry that are days to weeks old.


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## chapman76 (Jun 30, 2004)

Here is finally some crappy pictures of my 2 1/2 year old male.


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## Dewdrop (Nov 20, 2007)

They're both gorgeous!!!!!!! Makes me want one  ...or two or three or six.


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## bigfishferd (May 31, 2006)

Looking good *chapman*, real nice! :thumb:


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## sickchild (Jan 17, 2006)

Hello everyone, I hardly ever post here, but was drawn to this topic. I love this fish. This has got to be one of the coolest fish i've ever owned. They differ from other Haps in that they get their color/speckles with AGE rather than dominance. It is very rare to buy W/C specimens because they are collected on open sandy flats, which make it a headache to chase and corral. If in fact you find ligit W/C Phenos, do what I would do, but em' all!!!


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## chapman76 (Jun 30, 2004)

I had 3 W/C females. My male was too rough on them and they all died. It broke my heart.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

They look really great, guys!

I can't tell you how many times I've almost picked up a wild trio! If the snow weren't so deep I'd go pick some up today! :lol:

Kim


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## Exodus1500 (Nov 16, 2007)

I love my pheno! I got him a few weeks ago at about 7" and he had just a couple really small spots. Every almost every day it seems like he has another speckle or one of the others has grown. I don't really have an exact number on what I paid for mine, but I paid 100.00 for it, a 5" Aulonocara stuartgranti (Usisya), and a 4.5" Aulonocara stuartgranti (Ngara).

It has quickly risen on my favorite fish that I have kept list


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## bigfishferd (May 31, 2006)

Well, its another 6 months and he continues to improve. Again the specks have increased but he has gained only a .5" in size.
I'am very pleased with how he's turning out.

9/5/08 at 6.5"


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## fishwolfe (Mar 27, 2005)

great another fish for my list :roll:  
he looks nice :drooling:


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## pkut (Feb 3, 2005)

Here's one of mine at about 2 years old and a second one at about 3 1/2 years old.


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## Dewdrop (Nov 20, 2007)

Wow bigfishferd! He is really getting the speckles now. Beautiful fish!
So is yours pkut!
I'm still wanting one..even more.


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## a82allison (Jul 17, 2008)

I REALLY want this fish too! It is awesome!


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## lotsofish (Feb 28, 2008)

At one time, I had 2 males and 3 females and fry galore. The fry were very cute.
Here is a picture of two juvies









The females are nice looking too


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## mmd (Aug 26, 2007)

Yesterday I was at an auction in Danbury Ct, there was a large bucket with a beautiful 7-8' male and two 4-5 inch females, I stole them for a winning bid of $45.00, and they look great in my 125........I will try to post pics soon


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## RiftCichlids (Jun 9, 2008)

Really beautiful fish, how is everyone getting along in that tank? Any issues between the P. Phenochilus and the C. Moori? How big are your Moori? I have a bunch of C. Moori myself that are about 1-1/2" that I'm growing out in a 90 gal. Eventually I plan to move them into my 240, and was thinking of picking up P. Phenochilus fry to grow out and add to the tank also.


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## bigfishferd (May 31, 2006)

RiftCichlids said:


> Really beautiful fish, how is everyone getting along in that tank? Any issues between the P. Phenochilus and the C. Moori? How big are your Moori? I have a bunch of C. Moori myself that are about 1-1/2" that I'm growing out in a 90 gal. Eventually I plan to move them into my 240, and was thinking of picking up P. Phenochilus fry to grow out and add to the tank also.


 My overstocked 180g has about 35 fish in it right now, with all coexisting well.
I have only this one male pheno and one 7" male moorii with no problems between these two.
I have not had large groups of these two species together, not sure how that would work out.


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## bigfishferd (May 31, 2006)

I had some extra time today to snap a couple of pics, about four months from previous pics.
Again he has not grown much but the speckles continue to progress.


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## tirzo13 (May 26, 2004)

At a store say 35-50 depending on your store.
about the same price as a large colored up peacock, maybe slighlty more.
rare online at aquabid for adult males.
seen them on aquabid for adults from 30 to 75 bucks.

i have 4 beautiful males and 30 fry, gotta get some picks up.


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## Sulfurhead (Jul 18, 2005)

bigfisferd, yours is about 8months ahead of mine. my beta male is slowly speckling too, he's 5". my alpha's growth has slown down too. just speckles increasing. I keep losing spawns. the rostratus in the tank keep getting involved.


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## bigfishferd (May 31, 2006)

Wow,  I can't believe it's a year already.......Here is a new pic of him. He still has not grown in size, but his speckles are crazy. Happy New Year.


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## Sulfurhead (Jul 18, 2005)

very nice! i have to try and get some of mine. my alpha has grown alot, probably 7-7.5" now


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## Reel North (Sep 23, 2006)

I just picked up a nice group of 2m 4 f for my 220g hap tank. The males already have spots n stuff, and they are around 4". Nice.... love these guys


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## thunderridge127 (Sep 12, 2009)

I recently acquired 4 Phenos. (2) 4+"Males with nice speckes starting to show & (2) 3+" Females. The smaller of the females has a speckle high on te back near the dorsal fin. Do the females ever get any speckles ? or do I have 3 males & 1 female. :-?


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## garett1020 (Apr 8, 2009)

my 6 inch male just died today :-? :-? dunno why


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## iCichlid (Sep 21, 2009)

Very nice!! What kind of sand is that??


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## Aislinn (Jul 31, 2009)

My son and daughter-in-law bought me twelve one inch fry for Christmas. They are so neat. They swim together with the exception of one who tends to play in the bubbles by himself (sponge filter bubbles) I have been wanting these guys for a long time. I can't wait to see who is male and who is female and to see the speckling start coming in. Does anyone know at what size with the males before I begin to have problems with the extra males? Can you keep more than one male?
Thanks
Aislinn


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## gmaschke (Aug 23, 2008)

I actually got a few of these and after a month got rid of them. Had too many fish had to weed some out. Mine were 1" fry and now after looking at this thread I really wish I had weeded something else out!


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

You can see from page one that the speckles start around 5". And the current pics with full speckles are two years later.


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## Kinsol (Dec 5, 2006)

Heres the link to my F1's he is way more speckled now at 4" the picture does him no justice
my males start speckling at 3" I currently have 3 females holding and tons of fry.
http://hillcountrycichlidclub.com/forum ... 556ffccef9


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## bigfishferd (May 31, 2006)

iCichlid said:


> Very nice!! What kind of sand is that??


Thanks to all for the replies. The sand is Caribsea- Ivory coast sand. :thumb:


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