Thomasi

[madzarembski]

Hi
I picked up two of these little guys at a lfs recently. I placed in a 15 moderately decorated. This one proceeded to harass the other to the point where I felt necessary to pull him. They've been seperated about 3 weeks now. Any tidbits on their care would be greatly apreciated.

Thanks in advance.
Madzarembski

 

[aquaticclarity]

I hate to tell you this but that is not an Anamolochromis thomasi. It looks to be a juvinal Green Terror although it could also be an "Acara" of some sort. My avatar is a picture of a wild female A. thomasi Guinea just for comparison. Here's the same pic but larger:
http://forum.apistogramma.com/showthread.php?t=7005&highlight=thomasi

Green Terror get large, EASILY 12", and can be a handful in a smaller tank or with peaceful tankmates. Even at the current small size a 15 gallon tank would need to be very well decorated to keep 2 of them together without one being picked on to the point of death. Having some other fish in the tank to help distract the more aggresive fish will also help-but may not work for very long in such a small tank.

The real Anomalochromis thomasi on the other hand would do well in a 15 gallon tank with a few small schooling fish overhead.

Jeff

 

[madzarembski]

Thank you for the information. This is very upsetting. My other one has the banding yours does but not the nice colors. I just assumed it was the difference in the light for the lack of bands on him. Now I have to find someone to take a Green Terror....

 

[tjudy]

A. thomasi is a very expressive species. The colors come and go. Also, the variant from Guinea is darker and has more pronounced barring than the commercially bred strains that are more commonly seen in stores. There are more images of the Guinea form at the top of this page:
http://www.tedsfishroom.com/wp/image-galleries/cichlid-galleries/west-african-cichlids

I am not sure your fish is a green terror. THere are other Aequidens species. If you got it at a store, and bought it as an A. thomasi (sometimes sold as Hemichromis thomasi or African butterfly cichlid in stores), I would take it back and ask them to exchange it.

 

[aquaticclarity]

Ted,

The Sierra Leone form of thomasi (the "original" form) has all but disappeared from hobbiests' and store tanks. Even the wholesalers have the Guinea form and not the Sierra Leone form. There are multiple people in search of the "origanal" thomasi so keep your eyes open for it!

Jeff

 

[tjudy]

They have the Florida-bred strain at Hoffer's....

 

[aquaticclarity]

Really! I'll head there today to check it out. Thanks.

 

[madzarembski]

A. thomasi is a very expressive species. The colors come and go. Also, the variant from Guinea is darker and has more pronounced barring than the commercially bred strains that are more commonly seen in stores. There are more images of the Guinea form at the top of this page:
http://www.tedsfishroom.com/wp/image-galleries/cichlid-galleries/west-african-cichlids

I am not sure your fish is a green terror. THere are other Aequidens species. If you got it at a store, and bought it as an A. thomasi (sometimes sold as Hemichromis thomasi or African butterfly cichlid in stores), I would take it back and ask them to exchange it.

Here is the guy I purchased with the "Green Terror"

Sorry about the picture quality. The camera totally sppoks him. They were sold as A. Thomasi. I feel kind of silly now that I really look at the 2 fish side by side thinking they were the same species. He kind of looks like Teds image # 4. Yes? AquaticClarity, Do you go to the GCCA swaps? If so will you be going to the February swap?

 

[tjudy]

That is A. thomasi... looks like the Guinea variant.

 

[viejo]

Ted,

The Sierra Leone form of thomasi (the "original" form) has all but disappeared from hobbiests' and store tanks. Even the wholesalers have the Guinea form and not the Sierra Leone form. There are multiple people in search of the "origanal" thomasi so keep your eyes open for it!

Jeff

Yes, I am one of those seeking them ..

 

[aquaticclarity]

Larry...I know:wink: They did not have any left. They had them since October. I did see them there but I didn't ever look that close to notice which form they were. I'll keep looking and let you know if I find some.

Madzarembski, I'm at the swaps. I usually have 2-3 tables and have a pile of Malaysian wood and O.S.I foods in addition to fish, filters, heaters, and other useless aquarium junk! If you see a fish (like wild thomasi) on my web site you want me to bring to the Feb. swap I can do that, but regaurdless please try to find me and say hi.

Jeff

 

[langosh]

What form is this one?

Roman

 

[aquaticclarity]

Roman,

That's the tomasi from Guinea. The dark vertical "bars" are the difference between the two fish. The Sierra Leone form don't get the bars, they have just the spots.

Jeff

 

[tjudy]

The Sierra Leone fish is also redder overall.

Jeff, I bet you would get the tank-strain form if you could convince one of the stores to get you some of the Asian farm fish imports or Florida stock that is listed as Hemichromomis thomasi. Most of the wild exporters from Guinea are using the correct genus name.

 

[viejo]

Ted.
I got some trans-shipped, Asian source Thomasi from an importer with that hope in mind but they were the Guinean race. I'm not sure if they are being raised in Florida but it is worth a shot.

 

[tjudy]

The fish I saw at Hoffer's in November were definitely not the Guinea form, so there are some available. I do not know where Hoffer's would have gotten then, but I suspect that they would have come from one of the truck-in wholesalers out of Chicago.... or maybe some place like Seagrest, if they order from flyin wholesalers for freshwater. Most of the wholesalers who are importing west Africa are gettign the Guinea form because it is the only A. thomasi available wild, and they are probably just as cheap as farm-raised fish... thus they make a good order filler when 10+ box minimums are required. I would suspect Aquatics in Chicago gets wild fish while A-pet gets the farm raised stuff... just speculation on my part though.

 

[madzarembski]

Larry...I know:wink: They did not have any left. They had them since October. I did see them there but I didn't ever look that close to notice which form they were. I'll keep looking and let you know if I find some.

Madzarembski, I'm at the swaps. I usually have 2-3 tables and have a pile of Malaysian wood and O.S.I foods in addition to fish, filters, heaters, and other useless aquarium junk! If you see a fish (like wild thomasi) on my web site you want me to bring to the Feb. swap I can do that, but regaurdless please try to find me and say hi.

Jeff

Hi Jeff

I was wondering if you had some of those left. I am planning on attending the swap and would love some of those. I think I bought a gropup of Guinicarara from you in at the Novemebr swap.

madzarembski

 

[tjudy]

If Jeff does not have any, I do, and can deliver them to Jeff at the January MAS meeting in Milwaukee.

 

[aquaticclarity]

I still have a handful for sale, 4 or 5. Just let me know how many you would like. I had Guianacara sphenozona at the last swap-I think-should have anyway. Still have a few swaimming around down stairs. How are yours doing?

Jeff

 

[madzarembski]

I still have a handful for sale, 4 or 5. Just let me know how many you would like. I had Guianacara sphenozona at the last swap-I think-should have anyway. Still have a few swaimming around down stairs. How are yours doing?

Jeff

They are doing fine. I've got them in a 75 with some cacatoides and 2 L. Buckelkopf. One of the 8 didn't make it. He had some issues, and my breeding cacatoides took a dislike to him:frown:

I'm not sure how many I should get. 3-4 to go with my 1 for a pair I think... Tank space is tough so I have a hard time with the extras.

madzarembski