New additions to the basement!!

[Cichlids1]

Finally got synched up with the seller and recv'd my fish today. Still small, maybe 1.5 inches at best. Here is one of them and a picture of their new home. As always, my disclaimer...Ugly pictures of pretty fish...

http://www.iwaynet.net/~ken1/fish_pics/new_pics/Telocichla_monogramma.jpg

http://www.iwaynet.net/~ken1/fish_pics/new_pics/Telocichla_tank.jpg


Now...to keep them alive and happy...

 

[Neil]

Very cool 8) . Sounds and looks like you are on the right track. Hope it goes well. Keep us posted.

 

[Cichlids1]

Well, I lost 2 of the 6 the first night. They didn't look too good coming in, was hoping some nice water and a little time and they would snap out of it. Didn't happen. The other 4 appear to be adjusting well. They love bbs and grindal worms. Tried live black worms, but they just picked at them. Ended up sucking most of them out. They are out and exploring. Each has excavated a little cave under a rock and they then sit on top of that rock. If they get spooked, zoom, off the rock and into the cave. Nothing but little eyes peeking out at me. They like to chase each other. Haven't noticed anything more than chasing, and usually that only happens when they get on somebody elses rock.

Got the tank at 90 degrees, pH is at 7, TDS is running about 60. I've tried to give them what I read in the Romer Atlas and all appears to be working so far.

Z-man, are yours doing ok? Can you think of anything else I could do for them that you might be doing with yours? Going to try adult brine shrimp tomorrow. BBS they love, but it seems to take a net full of them. Going to try something a little larger.

 

[Z Man]

I started out with 6 and went to 5 quickly but I believe it was attacked. So into the 30-breeder I added 3 "killie" mops and 3 sections of Lok-Rocks I purchased at auctions. I've unsuccessfully had these guys before and know they are real nasty and I am trying to fix the tank so they don't see each other so often. I think I have a 3" pair and also 3 other much smaller ones. I feed mostly frozen brine shrimp but will get some blackworms next time at the store. I just have my fingers crossed. They do take any BBS I might have left over each day.

 

[Cichlids1]

Z-Man, are yours growing any? Mine seem to be real slow. They have filled out a bit. Might be a little over 2" now. What kind of size/bulk can expect from these guys? It almost seems their body size hasn't caught up with their heads. What a bunch of pigs! Anytime I care to drop food in the tank, they will eat every last bit of it and fast. Then they sit on their rocks, with bloated bellies, and just relax...almost like a family dinner around here. Haven't seen too much aggression between the 4. The largest, and I think a male, has claimed a large part of the back of the tank. Other than the occasional puff and bluff, and a little chase. Nothing un-dwarf cichlid like.

 

[Z Man]

No they're not growing very fast. But you must remember that the males barely reach 4" and the females only about 3". I too only see a lot of them whem it's feeding time.

 

[Cichlids1]

Sounds good. The only thing I have to compare them to are the T. cindarella I briefly had. They were in the 5 to 6 inch range and a little more beefy, more pike-like.

 

[Neil]

Hey Ken,
Your pic links at the top of this thread are no longer working. I assume that it has something to do with the fact that you are working on a new web site. Do you have anything for us to look at yet?

 

[Cichlids1]

oops...yes I do.

http://www.roundtownaquatics.com

Looks like it will be perpetually under construction I "Borrowed" the Apistogramma.com logo to place on the links page. If there is an issue about me doing that, give me a shout and I'll remove/modify or whatever you want done.

If you click on the Telocichla picture, I have a short write-up about them. Working on text additions now...trying to get the creative juices flowing...

 

[Neil]

Hey, that looks good. The logo use is fine. Can't wait to see some of the pics of your other fish. I will add the site to Apistogramma.com links page when I do the next update.
Neil

 

[Cichlids1]

I'm here to brag a bit

I had one female Telogramma that had a plump belly and was bright orange (Actually, bloated like a ripe Nannochromis would be more precise). Last night, before I left for work, I noticed what appeard to be her egg tube starting to pop out. I figured that must mean I'm getting close to the blessed event. I come home this morning, and she is rail thin and her tube is still somewhat out. Neither her or the dominant male were guarding any caves so I went on a hunt. Grabbing my flashlight, I start carefully lifting rocks. Guess what I found? Yep, an egg. A single, solitary egg!!! Of course, I picked it out of there and wll be trying an artificial hatching of my single egg. I'm also going to try to get a picture of it. The Meth blue makes it a little hard to see.

The setup is: 20g long, deep sand bed, several fist size rocks scattered about (A picture of the tank is on the webpage). Temp: 92!! pH: 7.0 TDS of around 65 the last I checked. Food: Frozen Brine, Bloodworms, Mysis and the occasional live leftover bbs and grindal worms. 30% weekly water changes with a mix of RO and Tap that keeps it near neutral. There is also some pretty good water movement via a small powerhead and an 8inch airstone with a sponge filter.

Based on my past experience, it always seems the first spawn takes forever. After that first one, they seem to come easier. I'll spend a couple weeks fattening them back up and hopefully be around for observation the next time it happens. I didn't get to see any courtship or actual spawning this time.

I'm off to stare at my egg!!

 

[Jeffery Doty]

LOL!

Yes, I would be excited about the "one" egg also! Sometimes I laugh at how wierd I am.

Good going, you are doing a great job to get them to spawn, from what I understand. I would like to try them someday.

Keep us posted on the "egg".

Jeff
Oregon

 

[Cichlids1]

Update: I am now the owner of 1 Fuzzy Egg...hopefully there will be a next time. If I came down one evening in the future and see her tube out again, I'm calling off work to stay home and witness the moment. 8O

The Apisto Macmasteri decided to help take my mind off the Telo's and give me a batch of eggs to hatch...


Further bulletins as events warrant