Calling all cichlid experts! Identification needed

[[email protected]]

Hello,

This is a long shot -- but I am trying to find out what the name
(identification) of a cichlid that I saw awhile ago at a pet store.
There were several names of cichlids on the tank and the sales people
were busy with other customers at the time so I was not able to find
out before leaving the store.

The cichlid was all black with small white specs all over it's body (no
it was not ich, LOL) the contrast was striking! The size of the cichlid
was about the size of an adult Kribensis. I've done searches on google
for "black cichlids" and "black cichlids with white specks" but came up
with nothing. I did find one fish photo online that seemed similar but
I'm pretty sure that it is NOT the same cichlid because the that I saw
did not have stripes and it was entirely dark black with the white
specks. http://www.cichlids.com/gallery/album13/Eretmodus_cyanosticus

If I can't figure it out I'll just go back to the aquarium store, no
biggie. I was just wondering if anyone could come up with any ideas.

Thanks,

Jenne

[Ed VanDyke]

how about Tropheus duboisi. This is a fairly popular cichlid, so it is
likely to be found in a LFS.

here's some pictures
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/t_duboisi.php
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/universal-viewid132.html
http://www.malawicichlidhomepage.com/other/tropheus_duboisi.htm
http://www.ohiexchange.com/armke/fishpages/fpage_tropheus_duboisi_maswa.html


> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hello,
>
> This is a long shot -- but I am trying to find out what the name
> (identification) of a cichlid that I saw awhile ago at a pet store.
> There were several names of cichlids on the tank and the sales people
> were busy with other customers at the time so I was not able to find
> out before leaving the store.
>
> The cichlid was all black with small white specs all over it's body (no
> it was not ich, LOL) the contrast was striking! The size of the cichlid
> was about the size of an adult Kribensis. I've done searches on google
> for "black cichlids" and "black cichlids with white specks" but came up
> with nothing. I did find one fish photo online that seemed similar but
> I'm pretty sure that it is NOT the same cichlid because the that I saw
> did not have stripes and it was entirely dark black with the white
> specks. http://www.cichlids.com/gallery/album13/Eretmodus_cyanosticus
>
> If I can't figure it out I'll just go back to the aquarium store, no
> biggie. I was just wondering if anyone could come up with any ideas.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jenne
>

[Jen]

I think you are right!! The picture found here
http://www.aquarticles.com/images/Fincinatti/t_duboisi1%5B1%5D.jpg of a
Tropheus duboisi seems to look almost exactly like the one that I saw
at the LFS.

Thank you for your help!

Jen

[Jen]

Wow, the more I look at the pictures of this cichlid the more I can
tell that what I saw was definitely a Tropheus duboisi. From what I
have read, this is only a temporary "uniform" for the juvenile?
Eventually, they get their stripes. I'll have to read up on this more,
I may want to make a purchase. :-)

[Jen]

After doing some reading, I think I'll pass on this fish. It seems
they are one of the more difficult cichlids to keep. I'll just enjoy
them on my trips to the LFS. Thanks for the links, they were very
informative!

[Amateur Cichlids]

"Jen" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> After doing some reading, I think I'll pass on this fish. It seems
> they are one of the more difficult cichlids to keep. I'll just enjoy
> them on my trips to the LFS. Thanks for the links, they were very
> informative!
>
Tropheus species are not difficult to keep when kept in large groups and
housed in reasonable sized tanks. Feeding herbivore pellets and spirulina
will help the fish stay healthy. Most people try to mix in other stuff with
the food or try only keeping a couple with other fish. This is usually where
they run into trouble. Tropheus make for an attractive, active species tank.
http://www.fishaholics.org/tanks.php?TankId=58 Here's the link to my
Tropheus tank. I recommend minimum size tank of 75 gallons, but I know a
number of people keeping colonies in 55's.
Tim

[Jen]

Thank you Tim for your information. Your tank is beautiful! I do have
a 55 gallon that I have not setup yet. I was thinking of having a tank
of African Cichlids because they are so colorful when kept in groups.
I used to have the 55 gallon with Convicts and a pleco just because it
was impossible to keep the Convicts with other fish. It sounds like
Tropheus should be kept with Tropheus, am I right? I'm just not sure if
I want to setup the 55 gallon as a community tank or not yet.

I also read that it is recommended to have one male Tropheus with
several females because the males are always wanting to breed. Have
you noticed this? I was also wondering since I am very fond of live
planted tanks; if this species which is herbivore will leave the plants
alone?

[Amateur Cichlids]

"Jen" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Thank you Tim for your information. Your tank is beautiful! I do have
> a 55 gallon that I have not setup yet. I was thinking of having a tank
> of African Cichlids because they are so colorful when kept in groups.
> I used to have the 55 gallon with Convicts and a pleco just because it
> was impossible to keep the Convicts with other fish. It sounds like
> Tropheus should be kept with Tropheus, am I right? I'm just not sure if
> I want to setup the 55 gallon as a community tank or not yet.
>
> I also read that it is recommended to have one male Tropheus with
> several females because the males are always wanting to breed. Have
> you noticed this? I was also wondering since I am very fond of live
> planted tanks; if this species which is herbivore will leave the plants
> alone?
>

Most Tropheus keepers keep an even ration of males and females. When keeping
Mbuna from Lake Malawi, Haps or most other polygamous mouthbrooders, having
one male with several females is preferred. With Tropheus they seem to treat
each other all the same. It's typically the female who initiates the
breeding process with these guys.
If you want a colorful cichlid community tank, look at some of the
Labidochromis and Cynotilapia species for your 55 gallon. Try to avoid the
Psuedotropheus, Metriaclima, Melanochromis and Labeotropheus species.
With the Tropheus being generally more expensive than Mbuna from Lake
Malawi, I'd avoid trying your hand with Tropheus in your 55. I'd get your
feet wet with the easier Mbuna and possibly look for that 75 gallon or
larger in the future.
Tim

[Jen]

Tim I think the Labidochromis and Cynotilapia would be a great idea.
Looking at some pictures online, I can see they'll fit right in with my
French Country (yellow and blue) decor! Seriously though, their
coloring is striking and I have been interested in trying mouth
brooders out for some time. A long time ago when I first started with
aquariums I tried my hand at a blue Mbuna with the characteristic egg
spots on the anal fin. However, at the time I had a 20 gallon not
knowing anything about this species and attempted to introduce him to
my community tank. I only owned him for two days, he was a terror! He
actually would charge and bite any fingers that came near his cave. You
can imagine what he did to the resident fish. LOL

I do think that with a larger tank and some planning I could have a
species tank with the Mbuna. Thank you again for all the information.

Jen