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Stocking 125g

Messages
33
Location
Phoenix Arizona
Gulf Coast Pygmy Sunfish, Elassoma gilberti, from northwest Florida. I took him out on my porch an hour before sunset and got the sun angle just right on him. With regular aquarium light the males look mainly black with blue body bars and fin edges, but not nearly this much blue! Females are tan and brown mottled.
Wow. He's lovely
 

ButtNekkid

Active Member
5 Year Member
Messages
315
Location
Finland
Gulf Coast Pygmy Sunfish, Elassoma gilberti, from northwest Florida. I took him out on my porch an hour before sunset and got the sun angle just right on him. With regular aquarium light the males look mainly black with blue body bars and fin edges, but not nearly this much blue! Females are tan and brown mottled.

I always thought that that was a drawing for some reason!

Edit: Had to google

Those are some badass moves!
 
Last edited:

gerald

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
1,491
Location
Wake Forest NC, USA
I used the "blur" tool to obscure the green net i was holding him in, which makes it look like a drawing, and used the back-light correction tool (dark fish on light background), but otherwise didn't mess with colors. The fish in Erica's video is a descendant of my avatar fish. Unfortunately they're shy and easily frightened if you're moving around in the room (even after many generations of captive breeding), and need live food to do well long-term. You need to sit still and quiet to enjoy them, but yeah their dance moves are awesome!
 
Messages
33
Location
Phoenix Arizona
I used the "blur" tool to obscure the green net i was holding him in, which makes it look like a drawing, and used the back-light correction tool (dark fish on light background), but otherwise didn't mess with colors. The fish in Erica's video is a descendant of my avatar fish. Unfortunately they're shy and easily frightened if you're moving around in the room (even after many generations of captive breeding), and need live food to do well long-term. You need to sit still and quiet to enjoy them, but yeah their dance moves are awesome!
When you said Sun fish I imagined the sun fish we have here. http://offerup.co/lLdq/Nuu8h9sIZF
Huge comparatively :p
Screenshot_2017-08-28-19-35-56.png
Screenshot_2017-08-28-19-36-01.png

I had no idea they were killi fish. I have so much to learn.
 

gerald

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
1,491
Location
Wake Forest NC, USA
They're not killifish, they're sunfish, although they do look and act similar to the South American Cynolebias "annual" killifish.
There's lots of different sunfish -- some big, some small -- like cichlids.
 

dw1305

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
2,755
Location
Wiltshire UK
Hi all,
The fish in Erica's video is a descendant of my avatar fish. ........You need to sit still and quiet to enjoy them, but yeah their dance moves are awesome!
They are lovely, and that is really interesting video.

When I had Dicrossus maculatus (also Perciform, but a cichlid), the male used to perform a very similar courtship display, at the time <"I wrote">.
...His display is quite interesting, I can't remember what the male D. filamentosus did, but he puts all his fins out, then only poses very briefly, before he flashes the fins up and down really quickly (almost like a male Thread-fin Rainbow) in front of the female.
But that is much closer to how he displayed.

cheers Darrel
 
Messages
33
Location
Phoenix Arizona
They're not killifish, they're sunfish, although they do look and act similar to the South American Cynolebias "annual" killifish.
There's lots of different sunfish -- some big, some small -- like cichlids.
gotcha
Similar life span and eating habits as well yes? Wow they are so cool. I'm dying to have some now :)
Hi all,They are lovely, and that is really interesting video.

When I had Dicrossus maculatus (also Perciform, but a cichlid), the male used to perform a very similar courtship display, at the time <"I wrote">.

But that is much closer to how he displayed.

cheers Darrel
Very nice. What pretty and interesting fish
 

gerald

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
1,491
Location
Wake Forest NC, USA
1-2 years in the wild; 2-3 years in captivity, but after 2 years they rarely breed (for me). They are more fussy than killifish regarding what foods they'll eat, and they eat slowly, so it's tricky to get enough food to them if you're trying to keep them with faster-eating fish. I usually keep them alone or with other super-tiny fish and feed mainly live worms, mosquito larvae, fresh-hatched brine shrimp, Ceriodaphnia, Cyclops, etc. They'll eat some frozen foods, but do better with live foods in my experience. They almost never eat dry foods. They're wonderful little fish for patient people, but if you want responsive fish that greet you when you walk in the room, you'll find these guys pretty boring. No heater or filter required - just plants and a little stream of bubbles to move water. Water can be hard or soft; they're not picky about that.
 
Messages
33
Location
Phoenix Arizona
1-2 years in the wild; 2-3 years in captivity, but after 2 years they rarely breed (for me). They are more fussy than killifish regarding what foods they'll eat, and they eat slowly, so it's tricky to get enough food to them if you're trying to keep them with faster-eating fish. I usually keep them alone or with other super-tiny fish and feed mainly live worms, mosquito larvae, fresh-hatched brine shrimp, Ceriodaphnia, Cyclops, etc. They'll eat some frozen foods, but do better with live foods in my experience. They almost never eat dry foods. They're wonderful little fish for patient people, but if you want responsive fish that greet you when you walk in the room, you'll find these guys pretty boring. No heater or filter required - just plants and a little stream of bubbles to move water. Water can be hard or soft; they're not picky about that.
That's so awesome. I just love the idea of it but I should chew on it a while more before diving headlong. I have an empty 10g tank. I could start setting it up and let it cycle and such then decide How to stock it. What substrate would you recommend?

I tried mosquito larvae once for my angels and wound up with a ton of mosquito bites. Something went awry . :D

I'm still no closer on this 120g tho lol. I sent a message to someone about lake Victoria haps and still waiting on a reply. Not sure why I can't come to a decision. Maybe just because it isn't ready.

Does anyone have much experience with Australian rainbows? Also where would you buy a. agassizii and A. cacatuoides
 

gerald

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
1,491
Location
Wake Forest NC, USA
Yes, Lake Victoria cichlids are nice. I'm keeping Hap. "ruby green" - one of the less aggressive ones. Is there a local aquarium club near you? Local breeders are the safest bet. If not, there's folks on here or other online breeders/vendors. Using mosquito larvae, you need to put in just the amount you're sure they'll eat, and watch out for any that hide in floating plants! Riccia (plant) is especially bad for skeeters to escape being eaten.
 
Messages
33
Location
Phoenix Arizona
Yes, Lake Victoria cichlids are nice. I'm keeping Hap. "ruby green" - one of the less aggressive ones. Is there a local aquarium club near you? Local breeders are the safest bet. If not, there's folks on here or other online breeders/vendors. Using mosquito larvae, you need to put in just the amount you're sure they'll eat, and watch out for any that hide in floating plants! Riccia (plant) is especially bad for skeeters to escape being eaten.
Thanks. Ruby green is my favorite after research. Of course I've never had any. I'll see what I can find out about an aquarium club. Never even looked.
 
Messages
33
Location
Phoenix Arizona
Yes, Lake Victoria cichlids are nice. I'm keeping Hap. "ruby green" - one of the less aggressive ones. Is there a local aquarium club near you? Local breeders are the safest bet. If not, there's folks on here or other online breeders/vendors. Using mosquito larvae, you need to put in just the amount you're sure they'll eat, and watch out for any that hide in floating plants! Riccia (plant) is especially bad for skeeters to escape being eaten.
Hi @gerald I was wondering if you knew' where I might be able to get these little guys? I've been working on an aquarium for them. Getting pretty close to ready. Just need to start some live food cultures now.
 

gerald

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
1,491
Location
Wake Forest NC, USA
Not sure about Ruby Green Haplochromis. The guy who gave them to me (he got sick and couldnt keep them) got them from a US breeder, but I don't know who or where. "Flamebacks" are pretty similar, and easier to find, but a little more rambunctious. I also responded to your P.M. about the pygmy sunfish.
 
Messages
33
Location
Phoenix Arizona
Not sure about Ruby Green Haplochromis. The guy who gave them to me (he got sick and couldnt keep them) got them from a US breeder, but I don't know who or where. "Flamebacks" are pretty similar, and easier to find, but a little more rambunctious. I also responded to your P.M. about the pygmy sunfish.
Thank you Gerald!
 
Messages
33
Location
Phoenix Arizona
Not sure about Ruby Green Haplochromis. The guy who gave them to me (he got sick and couldnt keep them) got them from a US breeder, but I don't know who or where. "Flamebacks" are pretty similar, and easier to find, but a little more rambunctious. I also responded to your P.M. about the pygmy sunfish.
Does this tank look planted enough for ellasomma yet? Also wondering about using this small filter instead of an air stone. Will it work? I'm not a fan of air pumps. Unfortunately the vibrations bother me.
0915172203b-1.jpg
0916170652.jpg

I'll try to upload a video and pm you. I can't figure out how to do it on the site. Thank you !
 

gerald

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
1,491
Location
Wake Forest NC, USA
Looks great for Elassoma, except for the large intake slots on the filter that may kill smaller ones. Big block of foam will fix that.
We've drifted a long way from Apistogramma now, although their care is really pretty similar.
 
Messages
33
Location
Phoenix Arizona
Looks great for Elassoma, except for the large intake slots on the filter that may kill smaller ones. Big block of foam will fix that.
We've drifted a long way from Apistogramma now, although their care is really pretty similar.
Indeed we have :) and my 120 has been put on a back burner. I'm actually using it as a grow out tank for fry currently lol. I'll get back to it eventually
 

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