Ducksta Posted September 18, 2004 Share Posted September 18, 2004 As a few people would be aware a shipment of these came to Sydney from Melbourne through me for interested parties. Being on the species preservation list, a few people like myself have decided to have a crack at getting them going again Anyway, of the fish I kept, I have a mouthful! It's a huge mouthful too! Being held by what I had picked as the dominant male of the crew (being the largest fish and having 2 eggspots It came after a stripdown of the tank to remove a few pesky Lab 'Hongi' fry which somehow hid in my java ferns for weeks without detection and a large water change. The spawning probably happened after the early hours of yesterday morning when I went to work (6am) and before feeding this morning (9am). Anyway, now that I know I'm in business with these guys - a few questions as online information seems scarce and unreliable at best on this not so common beauty. 1) Sexing. Any reliable way apart from venting or seeing them hold? I can't pick if a male has distinguishable features yet as I am not sure of the sexes of the other 15 fish 2) What constitutes a good quality Ps. livingstonii? Obviously I don't have a large number of fish to work with for quality but I am thinking uniform straight bars/markings like most other fish would be the general consensus? Apparently these fish were quite common some time ago (well before my time maybe?) but this is my first experience with them and I am quite looking forward to a long and prosperous breeding program to get them back on their feet. Oh and merjo, since I know you have a breeding group at home, feel free to chime in with anything you deem of importance, or some pics of what I should strive for I will go try and get pics of my fish now, particularly the larger ones which are semi-coloured and the girl with the big mouth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lepperfish Posted September 18, 2004 Share Posted September 18, 2004 ******awaits pics****** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducksta Posted September 18, 2004 Author Share Posted September 18, 2004 Well a very quick photography session has provided me with a couple of grainy but fairly OK pics. I so nadly want a nice fancy DSLR Female with a mouthful. It looks alot bigger for some reason in the flesh. Maybe I didn't get the angle right? Who knows. Very happy chappy anyway. And 2 shots of random fish. The left fish in this one is colouring up very nicely. Bit washed out in the pics though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mawfish Posted September 18, 2004 Share Posted September 18, 2004 well done ducksta make me wish I had gotten some of you now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducksta Posted September 18, 2004 Author Share Posted September 18, 2004 Well maybe I will have more available sooner than expected I am really having fun with these fish. Not quite as much fun as my demasoni, but they are really interesting to watch interect with each other, and the big fat Synodontis in their tank, and the last 2 weeks have been dancing about and displaying all the time, which is funny, since they are mostly pretty small still. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YeW Posted September 19, 2004 Share Posted September 19, 2004 Duck - Congrats - nice to see some P. livingstonii about. You should be able to pick the males out by eye. I can do it with most Pseudos - though you need to watch them to try and work out who is who (or which in this case). Try removing the dominant males 1 by one and putting them in floaties with a piece of ag pipe. Each time you do this more males with assume the dominate spot. As for what constitutes a good livingstonii - I am really not the person to ask, however, I'd recommend a quick look at Ad's books and therefore a look at some wild caught stock. HTH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anchar Posted September 19, 2004 Share Posted September 19, 2004 Hi Ducky, Well done with these guys. I find that the best way to judge a "good" fish is to the check the usual defects that have crept into many of the Pseudotropheus spp. In particular, make sure that the tail isn't droopy...this seems to be common in this group. There are a lot of poor Ps. elongatus making the rounds atm As YeW has already said, males are best picked out by observing behaviour. Also they have more of a bluish tint and grow bigger than the females. merjo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducksta Posted September 20, 2004 Author Share Posted September 20, 2004 Thats what i thought Re: sexing. But if thats the case my dominant male is holding a whopping big load of someone elses eggs. I guess I'll just keep watching and see how I go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducksta Posted September 22, 2004 Author Share Posted September 22, 2004 Seems she has swallowed or spat. As no holding fish in my tank anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeWs Fish Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 Sorry to hear that mate - I hate it when that happens! Better luck with the next few batches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducksta Posted October 1, 2004 Author Share Posted October 1, 2004 Well I have at least 2 females Not holding my breathe for them to hold full term but am happy that they are trying Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 Ducksta, The ones my mate has got are breeding now aswell. Well his fish have their first mouthfull. Josh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducksta Posted October 1, 2004 Author Share Posted October 1, 2004 Excellent. I wonder how Marks are going? Mark? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter_Gun_Riff Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 im keen to get a colony going would love to take on a few will take some fry if avaliable or when they are ready. got a 4fter here they can have love to look of them. id say it will take awhile to get a full term hold if their all first timers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crabros Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 Hi Ducksta and Crew, I have 12 wildcaught of these fish nearing breding size and the color is outstanding on them. Better luck next time these guys bred for you. Brett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cichlids_au Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 Yep Mine are doing fine. They are in the throws of courtship atm. I must admit though that I haven’t had much time with them since I got them. Thankfully that will change over the next few weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted October 9, 2004 Share Posted October 9, 2004 Hi John i got some of these at the VCS auction this afternoon 4 for $20, mine are only 4-5cm in size so not sure what sexes i have. cheers Sarah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducksta Posted October 10, 2004 Author Share Posted October 10, 2004 Good stuff Sarah, I have got 2 females holding as of this morning. They must have both spawned after I checked them yesterday afternoon. For one of them it is her 2nd or 3rd mouthful, but the other is a newb. I have removed 3 'males' into a holding tank now and the one I have claiming the tank now I think is my keeper Stunning little guy. But I will pull him tomorrow and see what else pops up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted October 11, 2004 Share Posted October 11, 2004 thats excellent John, i wasnt sure about them after i bought them but when i found a pic of them on the net , i can see they are quite stunning as adults. Could mine be from the same breeder as yours . cheers Sarah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducksta Posted October 11, 2004 Author Share Posted October 11, 2004 Hmmm I thought I wiped him out, but maybe he had a few more fry at that size saved for the auction There is a good chance they are from the same breeder, as I don't think they are really 'common' anywhere? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 well mine are about 5cm and i think there was only the one bag up for auction , i know i was bidding against Michael aka safeway trolley. did yours breed in caves or shells cheers Sarah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducksta Posted October 12, 2004 Author Share Posted October 12, 2004 I dont know, didnt witness the event proper. But they could have bred over shells, in a cave, or on a flat stone, they have options. However, I dont think they breed in/near the shells so much as just use them for cover when convenient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeWs Fish Posted November 6, 2004 Share Posted November 6, 2004 I got my first mouthful as of today. One of the smaller females. Ive removed her and put her in a holding tank. I think those flat rocks have paid instant dividends so thanks again Poxboy, if you're reading. Oh yeah - i'll be selling the eggs at $5 each *Jokes* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducksta Posted November 6, 2004 Author Share Posted November 6, 2004 They aren't still being housed with other Pseudotropheus are they? If they are - I wouldn't be selling anything Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducksta Posted November 6, 2004 Author Share Posted November 6, 2004 Of course if you have given them their own tank already - Congrats mate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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