Steatocranus irvinei

[Nebraska_cichlids]

Looks like many of us Westie enthusiasts acquired some irvinei when they became available in the U.S. for a short period of time a few months back, only to witness the males slaughtering the females. I'm stuck with one lone male in a 40G breeder. Looks like I finall located a source for a female, and will try my luck again. This time I will try to introduce the pair very slowly to each other, perhaps by using a divider for a few weeks. I'd also like to add some hardy West African tetras as dither fish. Any suggestions? How about A. spilopterus? I'd like to keep the tank West African. Thanks.

 

[tjudy]

I think that A. spilopterus is the best choice with mean cichlids. They can take a beating. Some of the larger barbs, such as B. walkeri or B. camphthacanthus would be good choices too. A. spilopterus is what I keep with my Teleogramma pair.

 

[Wingsrule]

I have been pretty lucky so far with mine. I acquired 6 of them and placed them in a 125. I have 3 M and 3 F and have a definte pair formed. I have not losy any of my group yet. The fish range from about 5" to 7". Here are a few pics

The pics are a little darker than I would like, but the blue is easily washed out with much light at all.I have not been able to capture it yet, but normally they are very dark and the blue lips contrast fantastically

 

[tjudy]

Spawn! Spawn! I have talked to a few people who say the tank-raised fish are not as nasty as the wilds. So get those fish to spawn so we can all have big, gray, mean cichlids! :biggrin:

 

[Wingsrule]

I am trying Ted. If everything goes well maybe I will have some fry for you to take back when you come down in December

 

[Wingsrule]

This is a crappy pic, the fry are wedged into a spot between breeding log and pile of sand parents created, but I have about 125 fry from a recent spawn

 

[aquaticclarity]

Congrats Dave!

Now when Ted is down there tell him you don't have any but be sure to send 8-12 back with him for me :biggrin:

 

[freshwaterfishfan]

water parameters?

What kind of water were you keeping them in? Fairly soft?
Great job.

 

[Wingsrule]

Jeff,

That is another month away so they should have enough size to send plenty back with Ted.

My water is liquid rock. pH around 8.4 with hardness readings off the chart

Right now I have 2 pairs in a 125. A pair has claimed each end of the tank.

 

[peterK]

Well done Dave, amazing fish.

 

[tjudy]

Very cool! Looks like a huge spawn too.

 

[jmtrops]

maybe enough for everyone?

Jim

 

[Wingsrule]

should be plenty for all

 

[Wingsrule]

OK..I got a few better pictures. It has been a struggle with lighting. That side of the tank has some large plants that prevent me from using the flash overhead and the tank is deep and they are always in the back..they may be a little darker than I like, but I will keep trying

 

[Mike Wise]

Just a curiosity question: is there any possibility that S. irvinei will be split from Steatocranus? I know in the past it was considered different and listed as Leptotilapia irvine. It certainly comes from an area far from the other Steatocranus.

 

[tjudy]

There is a team of scientists in Europe that are working on a revision of the entire Tilapiinae group, of which Steatocranus is included. Sittin' around over beers second guessing rumors and suspicions there is a chance that Gobiochromis will be reestablished with irvinei, tinanti and a couple undescribeds. Very debatable... especially the inclusion of tinanti. It is possible that Gobiochromis would be monotypic with just irvinei. Geographical separation from all the other Steatocranus has to be taken into account too.

 

[Nebraska_cichlids]

I finally spotted my first irvinei fry today. I don't have pictures yet, as the male keeps them under some driftwood in the back of the 40G breeder in which I keep my pair. The female was traded to me by Wingsrule who had one to spare a few months back. I hope to take some halfway decent pictures soon.

 

[Nebraska_cichlids]

Got my first decent picture of the male with some fry today.

 

[Nebraska_cichlids]

Originally, I thought I had a fairly small spawn. Now that the juvies are about 3 weeks old, they are all over the 40G breeder tank. The picture below captures only a small fraction of what I have. I was aiming at the open swimming area near the water surface. I'm guessing I have close to 100 juvies, but there's lots of wood and plants (not shown) in the tank, and it's impossible to get a good count. Not a huge number by irvinei standards but not bad for a first spawn.

 

[tjudy]

Now that Jeff and I have some thanks to Dave Hansen, I imagine the market is flooded!