Paracyprichromis nigripinnis

[CThompson]

I understand that these fish don't show their colour unless they are happy, and also needing possibly dark conditions for the male to display at their best.

Are there quality differences due to inbreeding and such in Australia?

Are these fish sold with a locality, and if so, are there better localities with some strains showing better colour when kept in conditions they like?

Craig

[griffin]

Yes I definitely think there's quality differences - we've had them from many different sources over a few years and have had plenty of nice ones but also had a batch of ordinary ones.

I've never seen them sold with a locality so far. But in my experience, even if the fish aren't being displayed to their best, the ones that have a more pinky body (as opposed to a browny one) seem to end up with the most intense blue/purple stripes on them.

The lighting definitely makes a difference, we have ours in a 5 x 2 x2 with a 2ft light in the middle of the tank (sideways not lengthway) this gives a strip of light which peters out at the edges of the tanks, we have rocks placed there and the males use that area to display, they look amazing. I think this sort of lighting looks great with Cyps too, and other Tangs as you don't get that glaring washed out look of too strong lighting.

I don't think inbreeding is a huge issue here, they are on the import list and do come in with shipments of Cyps from time to time so we do get new blood every now and then. I also haven't seen any big problems with deforities in fry, though albinos are a different story - I had them at one point and they were very weak fish that never thrived despite all our efforts.

Cheers,

Jess