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I was inspired me to create a Google Map on the collection points in the lake. This map can then be imported into Google Earth if you prefer.<br /> <br />Key for the map is based on the different types of Frontosa.<br /><br />Burundi (Blue)<br />Kigoma (Pink)<br />Zaire (Red)<br />Tanzania (Yellow)<br />Zambia (Green)<br /> <br /><img src='http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg527/Mountain_Ged/Cichlids/frontosa.jpg' alt='Posted Image' class='bbc_img' /><br /> <br />The Google Maps version can be found here.<br /> <br /><a class='bbc_url' href='http://maps.google.com.au/maps/ms?msid=201859743138472694616.0004b834da4373c7cf66a&msa=0'>http://g.co/maps/95cz9</a><br /> <br />If you want to import the map into Google Earth you can download a copy of the KML file, see below. It is fairly straight forward once you download the file. It will open up in Google Earth but will place it into your temporary places and you can then drag it up into "My Places" You will need to right click and save the file.<br /> <br /><a class='bbc_url' href='http://mountainged.net63.net/public_html/Forums/Frontosa%20Collection%20Points.kml'>http://mountainged.n...on%20Points.kml</a><br /> <br />I have tried to be as accurate as possible but if anyone spots a problem let me know.

Species information Species: Neolamprologus moorii Synoma: Lamprologus moorii, Neochromis moorii, Variabilichromis moorii Common name: Variabilichromis moorii Origin: Lake Tanganyika Localities/Morphs: Mbity Rocks and Kinyamkolo (Mpulungu), Lake Tanganyika, Zambia Maximum size: up to 11cm but some say that the female is the larger of the pair Natural habitat: In the lake, moorii are found in the shallow, rocky habitat. Maximum depth in this area is 10 meters. Natural foods/prey: Small invertebrates and plankton Water chemistry in the wild: ? Predators: larger fish Brood size: up to 500 Breeding method: Territorial cave spawner. egg layer Husbandry requirements Minimum tank size: standard 2ft for a single pair is the minimum, as these fish are a secretive spawner a standard 3ft would be much more preferred with lots of caves and hiding places for the pair to spawn. Sex ratio: 1m, 1f Tolerance of conspecifics: very aggressive towards its own kind but once a single pair has formed they are quite peaceful towards each other as a pair. Tolerance of heterospecifics: average - can be very aggressive towards other tank mates but in a large tank can be kept with other tank dwarfs such as Altolamprologus calvus or Altolamprologus compressiceps Water chemistry in aquaria: pH: 7.5-9, general hardness 12-20 gH, carbonate hardness 8-15 dKH Temperature range: 24-26 degrees Celsius, can tolerate slightly higher temperatures temporarily but optimum is 25 Foods accepted: omnivorous, they will take almost everything offered. Pellets, flakes, live black worm, live or frozen brine shrimp. Special requirements: no real special care is required with these fish as they are quite hardy but regular water changes and slightly harder water parameters are preferred. Notes some interesting points: - there are Several locality variants of this fish, but the only difference in appearance occurs in fry and juveniles. All varieties, as adults, are dark brown to black in appearance. The colour variation in the fry from different localities display from dark brown to pale yellow to a bright yellow/orange. - all fry show a very bright neon blue in the dorsal, tail, and pectoral fins, which stays with the fish into adulthood. - once the fish matures the colours display incredibly which is the reason why i decided to get a few. - one big factor which persuaded me into getting these lovely fish is that they are a substrate/cave spawner and guard the eggs and protect free swimming fry which was a welcome change to the very common mouth brooding technique that so many other African cichlids use. - this little African cichlid is a pleasure to keep and i find that they are extremely underrated and would recommend them to any keen cichlid enthusiast.

Species information Species: Cleithracara maronii Synoma: Aequidens maronii Common name: Keyhole cichlid Origin: Guyana, South America Localities/Morphs: Orinoco delta in eastern Venezuela, Ouanary in French Guiana (Kullander & Nijssen, 1989; Lasso, 1993). Maximum size: 10-14cm Natural habitat: clear water habitats Natural foods/prey: Omnivorous, micropredator. Water chemistry in the wild: pH: 7.2, gH: 4.9 degrees, kH: 4 degrees. Predators: larger fish. Brood size: 300 Sexual dimorphism: limited. Males grow larger, have a more developed hump on the head, longer and more pointed anal and dorsal fins. Difficult to sex. Breeding method: Open spawner. Husbandry requirements Minimum tank size: 2' Sex ratio: 1m:1f Tolerance of conspecifics: good - in larger tanks. Tolerance of heterospecifics: good - although the fish is extremely shy and peaceful. Boisterous, active tank mates should be avoided. Water chemistry in aquaria: soft, neutral pH. Temperature range: 24 - 28 Foods accepted: Unfussy feeder, pellets, flake, frozen etc. Special requirements: Planted tank or tank with extra cover. Notes To say this fish is shy is to make a serious understatement. Despite its size this large "dwarf cichlid" is not threat to other fishes and can be kept with a range of smaller fishes without incident. The fish is normally a even beige colour with a black "keyhole" like shape on its flank. When stressed, however, the fish displays an irregular brown colouration which can be bought almost on cue by the appearance of a net. Due to their extreme shyness this fish should be kept in a heavily planted tank with many hiding places. Over time the fish begin to feel safe in their environment and lose some of their initial shyness. The fish is relatively easy to spawn although it is a notorious egg eater - a practice which it will take up at the smallest provocation by the aquarist. The pair lay up 300 eggs on a large flattened rock or large flat leaves of plants such as Anubias. Again, parental care is dependant upon stress and the fish will readily abandon it's fry should the dreaded net threaten. This fish is a monotypic species - being the only species in the genus Cleithracara. The genus name is derived from two words the first the greek 'kleidos' meaning "key" and the native south american word for cichlids "acara". The species name "maronii" is derived from the river Maroni in Guyana from which the fish was first identified. Despite its unbelievable shyness - I have a great deal of enthusiasm for this much underrated, most peaceful cichlid. Large adults look amazing and have long flowing fins. Despite it's relatively well known status in the cichlid hobby - very few people have kept this fish to adulthood, let alone spawned them - and I can heartily recommend them to any new (or advanced) fishkeeper seeking something a little different.

Article by Paul Laurence Species information Species: Pseudotropheus socolofi Synoma: Pseudotropheus pindani Common name: Pindani, Eduard's Mbuna Origin: Endemic to Lake Malawi, Africa (East African Rift Lake) Localities/Morphs: Occurs along central eastern shore of the lake between Cobue (Cobwe?) and Tumbi Point Maximum size: 12cm Natural habitat: Shallow, intermediate (ie sand/rock interface) habitat, in depths between 2 and 10m Natural foods/prey: Herbivore. Feeds from the biocover on both rocks [aufwuchs?] and sand Water chemistry in the wild: pH: 7.7-8.6; GH 6-10dH (110-180ppm) Predators: No idea - perhaps RTBB zebras if poor tankmate selection is part of your set-up Brood size: 35-50 (75 exceptionally) Sexual dimorphism: Both sexes powder blue, but males tend to have larger, more clearly-defined, more numerous yellow-orange ocelli (egg-spots) on their anal fin Breeding method: Maternal mouthbrooder Husbandry requirements Minimum tank size: Standard 3ft for 2 colonies Sex ratio: 1 male to 2-4 females Tolerance of conspecifics: Ps. socolofi is definitely territorial. Some (IMO less well-informed) sources describe the males as highly aggressive in defence of their territories, Konings and Loiselle both consider them to be considerably less aggressive than other mbuna (eg Ps. lombardoi). The breeding territories can be very close (20cm) to one another and are only about 45cm square. Tolerance of heterospecifics: They seem quite happy in my tank with Labidochromis caeruleus and Melanochromis maingano and two Loricariidae catfish. The LFS where I bought them suggested that they might kill everything else in my tank, but I took that with a large dose of Lake Salt Water chemistry in aquaria: pH: 7.6-8.1; GH: 10-12dH; CH: ~100ppm. Water must be well-oxygenated and well-filtered. Temperature range: 24-26 degC (possibly higher eg 28 degC, for breeding) Foods accepted: Wide variety: HBH Veggie Flake (Spirulina), Tetra Bits (purchased BEFORE Nemo debacle), FishFuel Cichlid Dinner (frozen), Brine Shrimp (frozen) Special requirements: Mix of open sand AND rock Notes I think they look like powder blue versions of electric yellows. Same shape, and the black highlight in the finnage is similar too. They're happier to swim about in the open water than my other mbuna.

Species information Species: Apistogramma cacatuoides Synoma: Common name: Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid Origin: South Ameriaca ? Widely distrubted in the catchment of the upper and central Rio Ucayali of the Pervian lowlands. Localities/Morphs: Maximum size: Females: 6cm; Males 9cm Natural habitat: A. cacatuoides inhabits small streams, lagoons and lakes in the rain forest. This species typically prefers shallow zones where thick layers of leaf litter and pieces of wood provide shelter. Natural foods/prey: Zooplankton Water chemistry in the wild: This species typically hails from white or clear water habitats with gernerally a pH of between 6.5 ? 8.0, dGH 0 -18 and low salinity. Its environment can fluctuate between 16 ? 33 degrees celcius. Predators: Larger fish Brood size: More than 200 eggs. Sexual dimorphism: There is distinct sexual dimorphism. Males grow to about twice the size of females. On reaching maturity males develop a distinctly lyrate caudal fin, whereas females have round or at most truncated caudal fins. The dorsal fin of the male has remarkably long membranes between the scond and eighth spines, which looks similar to the crest of a cockuto. Breeding method: The males of A. cacatuoides exhibit a high degree of polygamy. They claim a superterritory within which several females establish and vigorously defend small territories against potential competitors. The males patrol the outer borders of their realms in regular intervals and visit the females at their individual hiding places. Sometimes occupying just a few tens of square centimeters the females territory has an easily defend shelter at its center. The clutch of egss is attached to the inside of the shelter and immediately fertilized by the males. All subsequent care of the clutch is left to the mother. The larvae hatch, temperature dependent, after two to three days. The larval phase lasts five to seven days. The fry are free-swimming seven to eleven days postspawning. In peaceful surroundings, the mother guides her offspring through her territory for upto three weeks, by which time she is ready to spawn again. Husbandry Requirements Minimum tank size: From 1ft to 4ft, I prefer 1.5ft or 40l aquariums. The larger the aqurium the more likely natural interactions will be observed. Sex ratio: 4:1 (Female:Male) Tolerance of conspecifics: As long territories are available they are tolerant. As soon as territory squables erupt they are very aggressive. Tolerance of heterospecifics: Very compatible Water chemistry in aquaria: Salinity <1,000ppm, Hardness <20 dGH, DO2 <4ppm, TAN <0.1 Temperature range: 16 ? 33, optimum 24 ? 26 Foods accepted: All small live and frozen foods, flakes and pellets. Special requirements: Suitable easily defendable shelters. Plants, slate, rocks, coconut shells, terracotta pots, PVC pipe, etc. have all been successfully used. I prefer 100mm diameter terracotta pots placed top down with the drainage hole enlarged and a slot made in the lip. Notes This species is one of the longer established dwarf south american cichlids established in the hobby. There are a number of varieties that have been developed. The hardest part to enjoying this species is finding well formed individuals. Due to the long term selective breeding of this species it is not always possible to find suitable individuals. The best way to enjoy this species and other Apistogramma species is to purchase a male and several females. Their home should be in a well planted tank with numerous shelters. They will soon be entertaining you with their particular intraspecific interactions.

Article by Andrea Watts Species information Species: Labidochromis caeruleus Synoma: Labidichromis sp. "Yellow Bar", Labidochromis sp. "Yellow", Labidochromis tanganicae Common name: Electric yellow, Yellow Lab, Lion's Cove Yellow, Lemon Yellow Origin: Africa-Endemic to Lake Malawi Localities/Morphs: Charo to Lion's Cove. Maximum size: Up to 15cm, usually 10cm and females are slightly smaller. Natural habitat: They are found in a sediment rich rocky biotope with dark caves and Valisneria beds at a depth of around 20m. Natural foods/prey: Insect nymphs, ostracods, mites, and gastrapods. Water chemistry in the wild: The pH varies between 7.8 and 8.5 and the temperature is between 23?C and 28?C. Predators: Malawi Haplochromines Brood size: 10-15 for small females and 20-25 for large females. Sexual dimorphism: No, but males grow larger and have darker, fuller, dorsal and anal fins. However venting is a more accurate form of identification. Breeding method: Maternal mouthbrooder. Husbandry requirements Minimum tank size: Above 150L. Sex ratio: One male to several females. Tolerance of conspecifics: Intolerant although no damage is done. Tolerance of heterospecifics: Relatively peaceful. Water chemistry in aquaria: Hard and alkaline water at 10-20? dGH and pH 7.2 to 8.8. Temperature range: 24-28?C. Foods accepted: High quality flakes and pellets, only occassional supplements of live food due to susceptibility to malawi bloat. Special requirements: No specific requirement. Notes Electric yellows sometimes display a brown/black 'mask' on their face, however the vertical black barrings that often appears are not natural. Some yellows also show a faded yellow colour, having half white and half yellow colouration. These maybe the points to consider while buying. Electric yellows are usually mellow and undemanding to keep. The fry tends to gain the yellow colour faster if fed on a diet of occassional brine shrimp. The brilliant colours are expressed if fed high quality food and spirulina products. IMO electric yellows are best suited in a tank with dark substrate or decorations as the contrasting colours make them stand out.

Species information Species: Cichlasoma salvini Synoma: Heros salvini, H. triagramma, Nandopsis salvini, Cichlasoma tenue Common name: Salvin's cichlid, tri-colour cichlid, yellow-belly cichlid Origin: Atlantic slope of Central America from Rio Papaloapam Veracruz Mexico, southward to Sulpher River near Puerto Barrios, Guatemala (Miller, 1966). Localities/Morphs: Different colour variations are only recently being "noticed" on collection from the wild. Remain un-named. Only one "varient" (all tank reared) appears to be in Australia Maximum size: 7" Males, 5" Females Natural habitat: Any area of plentiful cover - among rocky cliffs to vegatation and driftwood tangles. Natural foods/prey: Predatory: Small fish, inverts. Water chemistry in the wild: Neutral to slightly alkaline Predators: Quite at risk to predation due to small size, though aggressive and skillful enough to hold its own against substantially larger fish. Brood size: Up to 500 Sexual dimorphism: Females brighter yellow body colour. Females front half of dorsal black in colour. Males larger, develop a nuchal hump, and have longer, pointer finnage. Breeding method: Cave spawner in general. Will occasionally spawn in open, on cleaned rock/surface. Males tend to guard a perimeter around spawn site and rarely get too close to the fry. Husbandry requirements Minimum tank size: 3' generally accepted as minimum. The aggressive nature of the fish means some pairs will require a little less or a little more. Sex ratio: 1 pair Tolerance of conspecifics: intolerant Tolerance of heterospecifics: intolerant Water chemistry in aquaria: Very adaptable: slightly acid through to relatively alkaline. Hardness of little significance. Temperature range: 72-82F (22-28C) Foods accepted: Most prepared foods, small lives foods. Special requirements: Plenty of cover. Notes * My recently acquired pair have spawned in a 2' tank and show no aggression toward one another. Once the parents have reared the fry a few weeks though, parents will be moved to a larger tank. * Salvini are known to be highly aggressive and do not tolerate tankmates in small quarters. In a large enough tank they can be housed with similarly aggressive cichlids, and can hold their own against larger opposition. Known to be highly beligerant toward any fish it is dominant over. Loiselle calls it " a pocket battleship."

Article by Hung Tran Species information Species: Melanochromis johanni. Synoma: Pseudotropheus johanni, Pseudotropheus daviesi. Common name: Johann"s Mbuna, Blue-grey Mbuna, Blue Striped Mbuna, Cobalt-Orange Cichlid, Electric blue Johanni. Origin: Africa-Endemic to Lake Malawi Localities/Morphs: Metangula, Chilucha Reef, Masinje Rocks, Cape Ngombo; South of Cape Ngombo, Makanjila Point. Maximum size: 12cm, females slightly smaller at 10cm. Natural habitat: Demersal, freshwater along rocky shores, with water less than 6m deep. Natural foods/prey: Mostly vegetable matter. Water chemistry in the wild: pH range: 7.2-8.8; dGH range: 12.0 - 18.0; Climate: tropical; 22 - 25?C Predators: Big fish that can fit them in their mouth. Brood size: Up to 60 eggs, usually 25-40. Sexual dimorphism: Males are black with electric blue stripes and females are orange-yellow in colouration. Breeding method: Maternal mouthbrooder. Husbandry requirements Minimum tank size: Above 200L due to territorial temperament. Sex ratio: One male to several females. Tolerance of conspecifics: Males will fight for territory with other males and will hassle females. Tolerance of heterospecifics: Males will display aggression against fish of similar colouration and fight for dominance. Water chemistry in aquaria: Like other mbunas they prefer hard and alkaline water with pH > 8 and a kH between 8-12. Temperature range: 25-28C. Foods accepted: Herbivorous, high quality flakes and pellets are accepted, although spirulina flakes and pellets. Special requirements: They are quite hardy. Notes They are regarded as the 'peaceful' mbuna, however when only when requirements are not met the aggression is displayed. To combat this problem many hobbyist often provide a large ratio of females to only one male or simply overstock the tank (depends on filtration capability). Melanochromis interruptus is a species that is very similar to the johanni and unfortunately sometimes can be mistakenly sold as one. The main distinction between the two is that M.johanni exhibit very straight stripes whereas the M.interruptus does not compare. In addition the females of the latter species undergoes age-related colour change similar to that seen in the female Melanochromis auratus, i.e masculinisation of their colour pattern.

Article by Daniel Lesich Species information Species: Aulonocara baenschi "Nkhomo reef" Synoma: none Common name: Baenschi benga, sunshine peacock, benga yellow, yellow Regal peacock. Origin: Lake Malawi, Africa, Nkhomo reef Localities/Morphs: Nkhomo, Malawi, which is 8 km east of the town of Benga Maximum size: males 10-15cm females slightly smaller Natural habitat: sandy bottoms that have a few rocks around Nkhomo reef Natural foods/prey: small invertebrates found in the sand and other small fish Water chemistry in the wild: pH ranging from 7.7 to 8.6 and carbonate hardness of 107 to 142 Brood size: 20-40 Breeding method: maternal mouthbrooder Husbandry requirements Minimum tank size: standard 3ft for a small colony but a larger tank is preferred Sex ratio: ideal would be 1m and 4-6f Tolerance of conspecifics: usually quite peaceful with only the occasional chase when a males territory is invaded. Tolerance of heterospecifics: good - should only be kept with other peaceful Malawis. Water chemistry in aquaria: pH: 7.2-8.2, general hardness 10-20 gH, carbonate hardness 4-9 dKH Temperature range: 23-27 degrees Celsius, can tolerate slightly higher temperatures temporarily but optimum is 25 Foods accepted: omnivorous, they will take almost everything offered. Pellets, flakes, live black worm, and their favorite live or frozen brine shrimp. Special requirements: no real special care is required with these fish as they are quite hardy but should be kept as a single peacock species per tank as hybridization can and will occur. Using sand as a substrate in your tank is best for these guys as they prefer shifting the sand around for either building spawning sites or just looking for food and they seem happier for it. Notes This particular peacock has one of the most stunning yellows hence its large popularity. One of the biggest problems to date with these fish is the confusion between two other peacock variants the Aulonocara stuartgranti "Maleri Gold" and the Aulonocara stuartgranti "Chipoka" as they are so close in resemblance colour wise. The best way to tell them apart providing the fish is not a hybrid is the male Benga has blue to under the eyes, the male Maleri has blue to just over the eyes and the male Chipoka have a full blue head. so close inspection is required when purchasing either species to make sure purity in the species is retained. steer clear of any fish that you are unsure about. Another thing people don't realise with Aulonocara is the way they hunt their food which i find quite fascinating. they will hover over sand sensing their prey just below the surface with their mouths. Aulonocara have developed an advanced way of hunting and catching their prey by using their jaws as a sonar sensor and when the prey is found it will dart its mouth into the sand while sifting the sand through its gills while still being able to attain its food. all said and done this is one of my favorite species of Aulonocara due to its peaceful nature and its intense colouration i would recommend these beauties to any keen fish keeper.

Article by Daniel Lesich Species information Species: Protomelas sp. steveni "Taiwan reef" Synoma: Protomelas sp. "steveni taiwan", Protomelas fenestratus "taiwan reef", Haplochromis steveni Common name: Protomelas taiwan Origin: Lake Malawi, Africa, Taiwan reef, Localities/Morphs: Taiwan Reef, 9 km NW of Chisumulu (Chizumulu) Island, morphs are found at Tanzania at Higga Reef and Mbamba bay Island Maximum size: males 14-15cm females slightly smaller Natural habitat: It inhabits the very clean water rocky biotope of the reef. males are found at a depth of more than 20 meters protecting large boulders which they use as spawning sites Natural foods/prey: algae, small invertebrates, and small fish Water chemistry in the wild: pH 7.5-8.5, 200-270 Gh Predators: as these fish are the most commonly found none mbuna in the reef predators are unknown but would assume larger fish Brood size: 10-70 Breeding method: maternal mouthbrooder Husbandry requirements Minimum tank size: standard 4ft for a small colony but a larger tank is most welcome Sex ratio: ideal would be 1m and 5f Tolerance of conspecifics: usually quite peaceful with only the occasional chase when a males territory is invaded. Tolerance of heterospecifics: good - as above. Water chemistry in aquaria: pH 7.4-8.6, general hardness 15-20 gH, carbonate hardness 4-9 dKH Temperature range: 25-28 degrees Celsius, can tolerate slightly higher temperatures temporarily but optimum is 26 Foods accepted: omnivorous, they will take almost everything offered. Pellets, flakes, live black worm, and their favorite live or frozen brine shrimp. Special requirements: good quality water is a must with frequent water changes keeps this beautiful fish at its best. a larger tank is recommended with rounded furniture as the taiwan is a bit on the clumsy side and can easily get eye or body injuries with sharp rocks or tank decor. Notes some interesting points: - This fish would have to be one of the most beautiful fish i have kept to date. The males having extraordinary colouration while the females have a colouration that is nowhere near as stunning they still have a colouration that makes them stand out. - as mentioned above this fish can be quite clumsy at the best of times so great thought has to be put into selection of tank decor. - taiwans can be an extremely shy fish but when a male comes out to sway a female into breeding his personality and colours shine at there best. - one big factor in keeping this beautiful fish is that the correct locality/morph is chosen as mixing the locality/morphs can be very easy and should not be done. There is very little separating the locality/morphs other than slight colour differences such as the "Taiwan yellow" or "taiwan tiger" so care in selection for breeding purposes should be considered greatly to keep this beauty as pure as found in lake Malawi itself. - overall this fish is a joy to keep and is guaranteed to catch the eye of any fish keeper.

Article by Jessica Drake Species information Species: Dimidiochromis compressiceps Synoma: Haplochromis compressiceps Common name: Malawi Eye-Biter Origin: Lake Malawi Localities/Morphs: Lake-wide distribution, there is a "gold" morph where the females are a gold colour (males are normal colour) but it is thought that this colouration may relate to a particular diet as when this morph is kept in aquarium conditions they revert to the normal silver colour. Maximum size: 25cm Natural habitat: Shallow waters near the lake shore (less than 10m depth), particularly amongst Vallisneria beds (a reed-like aquatic plant) Natural foods/prey: when small (less than 4cm) they eat plankton, when larger they become an ambush predator mainly eating juvenile fish and fry. They hang around in shallow waters and Vallisneria beds because this where other mouthbrooders relaese their fry. Apparently they will adopt a "headstanding position amongst the Val plants when waiting to ambush prey. Water chemistry in the wild: pH 7.5-9.0, 10-11 dH Predators: larger fish and other Dimis when they are small, when they are fully grown probably only large birds are likely to eat them Brood size: very large for a mouthbrooder, can be upwards of 150 Sexual dimorphism: Males have an iridescent sky-blue body, the dorsal fin has red colouring caudally, the anal fin is red and has egg spots. Females are silver with a horizontal black stripe which bisects the body although they can "turn off" the black stripe at times and be completely silver. "Gold" morph - females have a distinctive gold colour to the body and fins. Breeding method: maternal mouthbrooder Husbandry requirements Minimum tank size: Standard 4ft for a small well-behaved colony; in many cases this is probably too small and at least a 4ft x 2ft x 2ft would be minimum. I have bred mine in a standard 4ft (at one time 2 males and 4 females, as they became older and bigger the subdominant male had to be moved) but I was fortunate to have a very non-agressive male. Sex ratio: 1 male to at least 4 females is best Tolerance of conspecifics: Can be quite variable - some individuals are relatively placid and tolerate each other well provided they are in a large tank and females have adequate hiding places. Some individuals (particularly males) can be extremely agressive and will kill other males and may seriously injure or kill other females. Tolerance of heterospecifics: very good with other large species. Will eat any fish that can fit in their mouths as they are predatory in nature. Water chemistry in aquaria: pH 7.5-9.0, dH above 8 Temperature range: 23-26 is ideal, can tolerate a couple of degrees either side of this Foods accepted: practically anything, for adults preferably "chunky" food such as pellets rather than flake Special requirements: none in particular other than water chemistry Notes Watch out for deformities when buying fish for breeding purposes - in particular of the head area. A good specimen should have a straight nose as opposed to have a bump on the nose. I have seen some mouth deformities where the corners of the mouth looked like they had been stretched sideways - making the fish look like "The Joker" from the Batman movie! In my experience the females can be prone to spitting their eggs very easily (so when catching them to strip then do it as quickly as possible with least stress) particularly when hassled by the male or other females. Give holding females a number of hiding places so they can get away. Despite being a mean-looking predatory fish they can be skittish in aquariums. Sometimes giving them Val plants (real or fake; fake ones can be made pretty effectively using strips of green garbage bag tied to a weight - just make sure it can't get into filter intakes) to hide in can make them feel more secure as it mimics their natural habitat. Tight fitting lids for their tank are a must as when spooked they can easily jump out. The name "Malawi Eye-Biter" relates to a belief that this fish hunts by attacking and eating the eyes of other fish, however it is now widely accepted that this is actually a rare behaviour for this fish. They prefer to just "gulp" a whole fish down... In some of my fry raising tanks however I have noted that fry kept with Dimi fry tend to end up with a few one-eyed or no-eyed fry, which doesn't happen in tanks where there are no Dimi fry! I have never caught them in the act of eye biting but I have learnt the hard way that even very small Dimi fry have all the predatory instincts at a very early age.....even if only slightly smaller fry are put in with them, if they fit in their mouths the Dimis will eat the other fry, or at least try to.

Species information Species: Copadichromis borleyi " Kadango " Synoma: Common name: Haplochromis Booleyi, Kadango Red's, Ref Fin Hap Origin: Lake Malawi, from Nkhata Bay I Believe Localities/Morphs: Yellow fin, Kadango Red and Gold Maximum size: 20-25 cm male 15-20 female Natural habitat: Shallow to mid depth range Natural foods/prey: plankton in the wild Water chemistry in the wild: ph 7.8 - 8.4, KH - 8-10dkh, GH - 8-10 dgh Predators: none Brood size: fully grown female up to 40 ( ive never seen that many though ) Sexual dimorphism: males have the colour, females silver/dark silver with the orange fins Breeding method: usually over a rock Husbandry requirements Minimum tank size: 150 litres for a trio, lenght of tank is more important Sex ratio:1 male to 3-4 females works well Tolerance of conspecifics: will tolerate another male if the aquarium is big enough. Tolerance of heterospecifics: goes well with other "haps" or Auloncara Sp. Water chemistry in aquaria: 8.4PH, 8KH, 12GH Temperature range:my tank - 27degrees Foods accepted:Mysis shrimp, Brine Shrimp, Cichlid frozen food, Spectrum cichlid formala. Wont eat hebivore food stufs Special requirements: none Notes Great fish, breeds often in the rigt conditions. Provide heaps of rocks in the center of tank and leave some open areas for spawing ( with a rock or something for the females to scatter the eggs on )

Article by Roland Tarr Species information Species: Labeotropheus fuelleborni Synoma: Labeotropheus curvirostris Common name: Fuelleborn's cichlid Origin: Africa Localities/Morphs: In Lake Malawi Maximum size: 12-18cm Natural habitat: Rocky coasts, oxygen rich water. Natural foods/prey: Fuellebornis have under-slung mouth like the Tropheus. Their mouth is specialised for algae grazing from rocks. Water chemistry in the wild: pH 7.5-9, dH 10 a 18 Predators: larger fish, birds Brood size: 20-80 Sexual dimorphism: None. With the OB morphs the male can be distinguished from the females after a few weeks. Females have an orange-yellow body with dark blotches (OB), the males on the other hand have bluish body with orange dorsal fin. Breeding method: maternal mouthbrooder and very prolific Husbandry requirements Minimum tank size: Minimum tank size is 4ft. Sex ratio: 1 male with at least 3 females Tolerance of conspecifics: aggressive towards other males of its kind, females can also quarrel. Tolerance of heterospecifics: Not really aggressive towards other cichlids. Water chemistry in aquaria: quite tolerant of a range of conditions so long as pH is above neutral. Temperature range: 25-28 degrees Celsius. It can also tolerate 30 degrees Celsius. Foods accepted: Readily accept most foods, but their diet should mainly consist vegetable matter. They are voracious eaters just like Tropheus, they would always beg for food, so make sure that you do not overfeed them. They also constantly scrape algaes off the rocks and glass. Special requirements:none other than water chemistry Notes: Good quality OB females have a strong orange-yellow colour with dark blotches. Unfortunately, have seen many OB females with pale yellow almost white colour. These fishes should not be bred. The males bodies change from dark blue to sky blue when excited, their snout changes to dark blue and the dorsal fin fiery red. Fuellebornis should not be kept together with L. trewavasae, because they could easily cross-breed. They look very similar except the L. fuelleborni is deep bodied, while the L. trewavasae is slender and also the L. fuelleborni grows bigger. There are many colour varieties of the M. fuellebornis: Marmalade cat(males are OB as well), Albino fuelleborni, Mango fuelleborni, Yellow-sided fuelleborni, Ochre fuelleborni. I strip my holding females after 13-14 days and the fry are quite large, larger then any mbuna fry I have seen.

Article by Misty62 Species Information Species: Sciaenochromis fryeri Synoma: Sciaenochromis ahli, Haplochromis ahli, Haplochromis serranoides, Haplochromis "Big-Eye", Haplochromis "Electric Blue" Common name: Electric Blue, Electric Blue Haplochromis Origin: Africa Localities/Morphs: Lake Malawi. The species is considered an old species because of its lakewide distribution and also because of it's breeding technique. It is found mostly in the northern end . Most specimens caught are usually from Likoma Maximum size: 20 cm or 7 inches Natural habitat: Electric blues are a Malawian, found in deep water, over rocky areas. Natural foods/prey: In the wild this fish mainly eats the fry of other species and will do so in the confines of an aquarium should the opportunity arise. Water chemistry in the wild: pH 7.5-9, 10-11 dH Predators: No Idea Brood size: The fish are mouthbrooders.Spawns average about 50-60 eggs, but can be up to 100. Spawning takes place on a flat rocks/surface in the wild but in the aquarium males usually make a nest. Fry are released after 3 weeks. Husbandry requirements: Minimum tank size: Minimum Tank Size: 70 gallons Sex ratio: 1 male with at least 5-7 females Tolerance: aggressive towards other males of its kind. Tolerance of heterospecifics: The Electric Blue African Cichlid can and probably will be aggressive toward smaller fish. Water chemistry in aquaria: 72-82?F; pH 7.8-8.5; dH 10-15 Temperature range: 25-28 degrees Celsius. It can also tolerate 30 degrees Celsius. Foods accepted: The Electric Blue Cichlid needs both meaty foods and greens such as brine shrimp, blood worms, small fish as well as a quality flake or pellet food containing vegetable matter. Special requirements: none other than water chemistry Notes: The Electric Blue African Cichlid does well with other Lake Malawi cichlids when provided with a spacious, rocky tank of 70 gallons or more. Although plants are extraneous for the Electric Blue African Cichlid, they may be beneficial for other tank members; however, fish larger than three inches will often uproot live plants. The Electric Blue African Cichlid can and probably will be aggressive toward smaller fish.

Species information Species: Paraneetroplus hartwegi Synoma: Veija hartwegi, Cichlasoma hartwegi, Paratheraps hartwegi, Theraps hartwegi Common name: Hartwegi, Tailbar Cichlid Origin: Central America Localities/Morphs: Rio Grande de Chiapa, between Tuxtla Gutierrez and Chiapa de Corzo, Chiapas, Mexico Maximum size: males 30cm, females 25cm Natural habitat: fast flowing mountain streams and rivers and inhabits sandy, rocky, silty, and muddy areas. pretty much inhabits all areas within its territorial boundaries. Natural foods/prey: Omnivorous, native aquatic plants, shrimp, small fish, and insect larvae. Water chemistry in the wild: ph 7-8, general hardness 10-30 dgH, carbonate hardness 12-18 dkH Predators: birds other fish. Brood size: anywhere from 100 up to 1000 eggs can be layed in a single spawn Breeding method: prefers to lay eggs on rocks sitting vertically, but will lay eggs on drift wood and sometimes on the side panel of a fish tank. Husbandry requirements Minimum tank size: for full grown adults 4x18x18 but anything bigger would be preferred Sex ratio: 1 male, 1 female Tolerance of conspecifics: They often pester and kill their own kind, but they are also fiercely devoted parents Tolerance of heterospecifics: medium - can be kept in a very large community tank. at spawning times best to remove the pair from the community due to their aggression at these times. usually will pick out a spot in a tank and defend its territory fiercely. Water chemistry in aquaria: pH 7.0-8.0, general hardness 12-30 gH, carbonate hardness 4-9 dKH Temperature range:24-28 degrees Celsius, can tolerate slightly higher temperatures Foods accepted: omnivorous, they will take almost everything offered. Pellets, flakes, live black worm, frozen brine shrimp, frozen blood worm and will eat most aquatic plants Special requirements: keeping in mind that hartwegi are very aggressive especially at breeding time plenty of hiding places for the female is a must and if kept in a community separation might also be required. Notes Many people see the hartwegi a boring washed out coloured aggressive fish, but not so if you have ever had the pleasure of keeping one of these magnificent species. This species is extremely intelligent and will often play games for example a male i used to keep played hide and seek with me which i found very amusing he also used to take food out of my hand and many times refused to eat if i didn't feed him this way, they can also be real sooks and hide if they are upset or if their partner was removed or separated. One of the biggest problems that can arise in keeping hartwegi and many other American cichlids is they are very easily susceptible to hole in the head (HITH) which can be successfully treated with a medication that has the ingredient Metronidazole or using the med Octazine combined with the usage of higher temperatures (30 degrees celcius)is very affective from personal experience. also making sure good water quality are provided and good foods are fed will prevent this problem from ever arising. One big factor with hartwegi is when selecting allot of research must be done in picking out good quality fish as the quality has decreased allot over the years from inbreeding and or crossbreeding. allot of hartwegi available these days are either crossed or deformed due to poor breeding and bad selection in breeding parents one last problem is that the hartwegi are near disappearing due to very small numbers available so go out and get a pair as these fish are one of the most enjoyable fish i have kept to date.

Article by Micks Fish Species information Species: Nimbochromis linni Physical Description: The coloration of the Elephant-nose Cichlid is virtually identical to that of the Polystigma. The main difference between the two being that the Elephant-nose Cichlid possesses large lips, that when opened make the mouth look like a small trunk. This cichlid also has a slightly duller body coloration. Origin: Lake Malawi, Africa Localities/Morphs: N.polystigma and N.fuscotaeniatus Maximum size: 30 cm/12 inches Natural habitat: large rocks and caves foods: Carnivore. Raw fish, shrimp and a small amounts of pellets Water chemistry: PH:8 GH: 300-400 KH 5-7 Temp: 25c-28c Brood size: up to 80 Breeding method: Use water with a pH from 7.8-8.5, a water hardness from 10-18 dH, and a temperature of (26-28 C). Conflicting numbers to the amount of eggs that are laid are given (20-200?), but usually 20-30 are mouthbrooded by the female. The eggs are fertilized by the dummy-egg method. Remove the other fish for best results. The eggs are incubated for 21-25 days. The young can be raised on Artemia and dry foods. The female continues her care for the young, taking them into her mouth at times of danger and at night. Minimum tank size and set-up: 48" (122 cm) or (209 L) is sufficient for young fish. Adult fish require large open swimming areas in order to prosper. A tank of 60" (152 cm) or (342-378 L) is usually adequate. Use large, sturdy rock structures, including caves, in the back of the tank. Sex ratio: 1 Male 2 Females Socail Behavior A predator that will eat small fish. Males are aggressive and territorial towards females, although not overly aggressive towards other species. Keep one male with several females. Sexing: The male is more brightly colored, has more distinct egg-spots, and has a more colorful dorsal edge

Article by Ben Moremon Species information Species: Pseudotropheus polit Synoma: Pseudotropheus sp. polit Common name: Polit Origin: Africa ? Lake Malawi Localities/Morphs: Lion's Cove Maximum size: 12cm Natural habitat: Some males will defend a territory several meters in diameter while others will happily defend a small cave. Females will school around the outer perimeter of the male?s territory until enticed by a dancing male. Natural foods/prey: Vegetable matter. When you look closely you will notice their white lips. The pigment is lighter due to their consistent greasing. Water chemistry in the wild: Ph 7.8 ? 8.5. Temp 25-28 Degrees Celsius. Up to 20dH. Predators: Anything with a large enough mouth that?s quick enough to catch one. Brood size: Depending on the time between spawns, can be anywhere from 6 to 25 fry. Commonly only 12. Sexual dimorphism: Males have light blue bodies and dark heads with two conspicuous white interorbital bars. However, males are known for their ability to change colour from full spawning dress to female colouration in a second. Females have a light purple-brown colouration without bars once they reach sexual maturity. Breeding method: Maternal mouth brooder, incubation about 26 days. A brooding female will hide amongst rocks or will school with large numbers of other females. Husbandry requirements Minimum tank size: 280 litres ? due to the males territorial behaviour. Sex ratio: 2m/10f works well. 1m/3f would be fine. Tolerance of conspecifics: Males will hassle females to spawn even while they are brooding, a good size colony is required to dissipate aggression and to give the female a chance to hold full term. Two males will fight mouth to mouth however, rarely damage each other, in fact they often don?t even make contact. Tolerance of heterospecifics: Even though a small mbuna, the dominant male polit will rule the tank over fish twice his size. Water chemistry in aquaria: A very hardy fish that will tolerate most water conditions with a ph above neutral. Given the right conditions they will breed like rabbits. Temperature range: 25-28 Degrees Celsius. Have had them, in times of heater problems, survive temps between 24 and 32 Degrees Celsius. Foods accepted: Everything I have tried they have eaten. Special requirements: Don?t require any special attention. Notes I have read many articles about the aggression between males and between the dominant male and his females, but haven?t seen any signs of increased aggression with polits over any other Pseudotropheus. Have had huge success keeping two males and 11 females in a 4x2x2 with a large cave at each end of the tank and some PVC piping in the 2 top back corners of the tank. In fact my males tend to allow the females to swim freely around the bottom of the tank while each male will take over one side of the tanks group of PVC piping. Still quiet a new fish to our shores, they require company in the aquarium. Preferably an open water species like a furcifer to help entice them out into the open water. I have four 5 to 6cm furcifer in the 4x2x2 with my colony and ever since I introduced the furcifer the polits have been much less skittish.

Article by Roland Tarr Species information Species: Melanochromis chipokae Synoma: Melanochromis chipoka, Melanochromis loriae Common name: Malawi Pike cichlid Origin: Lake Malawi Africa Localities/Morphs: Chidunga Roks near Chipokae, Mbenji, Nakantenga in Lake Malawi Maximum size: 8cm maximum 14-16cm Natural habitat: Sandy patches around rocks. Natural foods/prey: Opportunistic feeder. Although, its elongated snout enables it to pick out small fishes from rock crevices to prey on small fishes it also eats algae and zooplankton. Water chemistry in the wild: pH 7.3-9, dH 10 a 18 Predators: larger fish, birds Brood size: 20-80 Sexual dimorphism: Females can colour up almost like males. Breeding method: maternal mouthbrooder and very prolific Husbandry requirements: Minimum tank size: 4ft, but I would recommend 6ft or above. Sex ratio:1 male with at least 3 females Tolerance of conspecifics: aggressive towards other males of its kind, females are just aggressive with each other as males. Tolerance of heterospecifics: they not aggressive towards other cichlids as long as they know who is the boss. Water chemistry in aquaria: quite tolerant of a range of conditions so long as pH is above neutral. Temperature range: 25-28 degrees Celsius. It can also tolerate 30 degrees Celsius. Foods accepted: Readily accept most foods. Pellets, flakes, frozen and live food. Special requirements: none other than water chemistry Notes: I used to admire this fish in the fish shop as they are very interactive and males are very beautiful. Since, I have read many horror stories about M. chipokaes such as "they are killers" and overly aggressive and will kill even bigger fishes in the aquarium. One day I have decided it that I will not know how these fishes really are until I try to keep them. I had bought a small colony of 1 male and 3 females and later on added 2 more females. I have put them in a 4ft tank with tankmates, such as albino zebras, orange cap perspicax. The chipokaes were around 5cm and smaller then the others in the tank. Slowly, the male worked himself up the ranks in the tank as he was growing. My chipokae male is 12cm and the king of the tank. As soon as his authority is established he is quite peaceful with other mbunas, they only give the other fishes the occasional ?do not get in my way? nudge. He did not kill any fishes in there, but I have to add that my tank is densely populated and is full of hiding places. Females are very aggressive with each other. I have lost one female to the aggression of other females. First I thought the male killed her, but a few months later I have found a badly beaten female chased by another female. On the other hand this only happen if you put back a holding female with the colony too soon. Make sure that the female regains its full strength before you reintroduce her with the colony, this way you will not have a problem. When they are young they are very similar to the M. auratus except the fry are yellow black, compared to the yellow, black and white base colouration of the auratus. Also the auratus has stocky body, while the chipokaes have slender body with an elongated snout. Mature females colour up almost males they also develop a dark body, but while the dorsal fin of the males are completely white females retain a yellow border around it. Also tail of a mature male is black on a white background and the females? tail have yellow background.

Article by Jessica Drake Species information Species: Paracyprichromis nigripinnis Synoma: none Common name: Blue neon or neon cichlid Origin: Lake Tanganyika Localities/Morphs: Found throughout the lake; there is an albino variety of this fish available Maximum size: 10cm Natural habitat: Tend to hang around rocky areas and caves in the lake unlike the similar shaped Cyprichromis species which swim out in mid water Natural foods/prey: zooplankton Water chemistry in the wild: ph 8.6-9.5, total hardness 11-17dH, carbonate hardness 16-19dKH Predators: larger predatory fish e.g. frontosa Brood size: tends to be small, average of 5-10 fry but can have 20 or more occasionally Breeding method: maternal mouthbrooder Husbandry requirements Minimum tank size: standard 4ft tank Sex ratio: 1-2males to several females is best Tolerance of conspecifics: a very peaceful species, very little agression though males will occasionally fight Tolerance of heterospecifics: very good Water chemistry in aquaria: pH8.0-8.5 (can tolerate higher ph), carbonate hardness above 7dKH Temperature range: 25-27 degrees Celsius Foods accepted: flake, brine shrimp, dahnia, various live foods, all so long as the particle size is smallish as they have small mouths. Special requirements: very good water quality and correct water chemistry, also see notes below Notes a very beautiful species that needs the right lighting to show them off to their best. The blue neon stripes down their bodies (brightest on males) are best shown off in shadowy half-light. In my 5ftx2ftx2ft tank I only have a small 2ft fluorescent light over the middle of the tank. The nigripinnis hang around the sides of the tank where the light is not at its brightest and swim sideways to catch the light to best effect. They like to have rockwork in the tank - particularly vertical walls with caves and will spend much of their time hanging vertically next to the rockwork and will use it as a spawning area. I have heard of them spawning in bare tanks, too, but any time I have put more rockwork in their tank they instantly gravitate towards it and seem most comfortable around it. Females have a reputation for not holding well on their first attempts of breeding but should get better as they get older. If kept in a species tank they can be allowed to release their fry into the tank and usually do not prey on them. They are most comfortable when kept in large groups of at least 8-10, these large colonies look more spectacular than a small group of 3 or 4. They can be kept with Cyprichromis species (which stay out in mid tank and don't bother the nigripinnis hanging around their rocks) and smaller sand-sifters. Larger Tanganyikans such as frontosa or feather-fins are not recommended as tank-mates because of the potential for them to be predatory or agressive towards the nigripinnis. It has often been said that this species does not tolerate water changes very well particularly when greater than 20% a week but I have not found this to be true of our own fish and I have also read reports of people finding that 20-25% weekly water changes have been tolerated well with no breeding problems.

Article Roland Tarr Species Information Species: Melanochromis maingano Synoma: Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos Common name:none Origin: Africa Localities/Morphs: Around Maingano Island, between Mbako Point and Membe Point in Lake Malawi. Maximum size:8cm maximum 10cm in captivity Natural habitat: Rocky habitat between 3 and 10 meters Natural foods/prey: Zooplankton and small invertebrates. Water chemistry in the wild:pH 8-9 Predators:larger fish, birds Brood size:10-60. They start to breed from 4cm size. Breeding method:maternal mouthbrooder Husbandry requirements Minimum tank size:standard 3ft for a small colony with one male Sex ratio:1 male with at least 3 females Tolerance of conspecifics: aggressive towards other males of its kind. Tolerance of heterospecifics: they can hold their own against other cichlids, even larger ones. Water chemistry in aquaria:quite tolerant of a range of conditions so long as pH is above neutral. pH 7.0-8.6, carbonate hardness 4-12 dKH Temperature range:25-28 degrees Celsius. It can also tolerate 30 degrees Celsius. Foods accepted: Most cichlid flakes and pellets. Special requirements:none other than water chemistry Notes: The base colouration of the mainganos is blue with horizontal black stripes. The blue can change from navy blue to sky blue depending on their mood and the that depends on the quality of the fish as well. The pattern is the same as for the real Melanochromis johanni males, the difference between the 2 males is that the johanni has deeper body while the maingano has a slender elongated body. Females have exactly the same colouration as males, females also have eggspots on their anal fins. The only difference that I could find between males and females that males tend to have pointy anal fins while the females rounded, also males have stronger colours. The fry of the mainganos show their beautiful colouration after a few weeks. I have seen some pictures of mainganos that had checkerboard black pattern on their body instead of horizontal black stripes. This leads me to 2 conclusions. One, is that the maingano has crossbred with the Melanochromis interruptus and these are hybrids. Two, that there are 2 different kinds of mainganos, just like the Melanochromis johanni (johanni and interruptus). This needs to be further investigated.

Article by Daniel Lesich Species:Pseudotropheus saulosi Synoma:Pseudotropheus sp. "Taiwan" Common name:saulosi Origin: Lake Malawi, Africa, Taiwan reef, Localities/Morphs:Taiwan Reef, 9 km NW of Chisumulu (Chizumulu) Island Maximum size:males 9-10cm females same or slightly smaller Natural habitat:It inhabits the rocky biotope of the reef at a depth of between 5 and 20 metres Natural foods/prey:It feeds from the biocover, from which it nips and combs algae Water chemistry in the wild:? Predators:as these fish are the most commonly found in the reef predators are unknown but would assume larger fish Brood size:10-60 Breeding method:maternal mouthbrooder Husbandry requirements Minimum tank size:standard 3ft for a small colony with two preferably three males Sex ratio:ideal would be 3m/4-7f Tolerance of conspecifics:can be aggressive towards others mostly at spawning times the male will chase off other males and females and can be very protective of females a good balance would be having one dominant male and two sub dominant to balance out aggression Tolerance of heterospecifics:low - can be very aggressive towards other fish nipping and chasing constantly and do not tolerate other fish invading their territories Water chemistry in aquaria: pH 7.4-8.6, general hardness 15-20 gH, carbonate hardness 4-9 dKH Temperature range:24-28 degrees Celsius, can tolerate slightly higher temperatures temporarily but optimum is 26 Foods accepted: omnivorous, they will take almost everything offered. Pellets, flakes, live black worm, and their favorite live or frozen brine shrimp but should only be fed seldom as a treat Special requirements:keeping a balanced ratio of males and females as mentioned above otherwise stress and/or fatalities can occur from server harassment and aggression, so having lots of caves and hiding places is a must. Also making sure a good balance in food is fed ie. lots of veggies and spirolina. Feeding foods such as frozen blood worm should be avoided particularly with fry as feeding this food can cause bloat due to the worm having a hard spiky exoskeleton that pierces the lining of the intestine hence the fish developing bloat Notes some interesting points: - these fish are a gem and extremely enjoyable as they enjoy interacting with my hand when cleaning the tank (like playful little children), they are far from skittish and are always at the front of the tank wanting food. When young (fry) they are all the same colour (orange) and at around 3-4 cm usually you will find a male that will start changing into adult colour, this process can take quite a few months to achieve full colouration (usually up to 6 months) Males end up being a brilliant solid blue with black baring and slight black underbelly, females stay a strong solid brilliant orange all round which makes these dwarf mbuna so desirable. One of the most unusual things that can happen with these fish is with the absence of a male a female can start changing her colours into a males colouration, this odd behavior can also occur when a female is not willing to breed and the male keeps persisting, the female never fully changes to the males colouration and ends up having a dark purple to violet body with dark baring which still does not appear too fool the male.This behavior is often unexplainable why a female will stop breeding and try to take on a males colouration but can be partially put down to the female trying to avoid constant harassment. Another major problem with these magnificent fish is that the quality has declined considerably due to inbreeding and hybridization so when purchasing allot of consideration should be taken into acquiring quality, always try to get different fish from different trusted breeders to ensure good bloodlines are used so that this little gem stays pure as best as can be kept for future generations to enjoy