Nick_crx Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 Hi guys, Ive just started started up a cichlid tank and have bought what i thought was an mpanga a couple months ago, but it isnt looking anything like i thought it would. Ontop is what i was expecting, and below is what i have. Whats the deal here ive looked around and cant find any that look like mine. Will my mpanga colour up eventually? Same goes for my acei, ive seen small fry that are brighter than my fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 I would have a guess and say the Mpanga is a female The acei looks more like like Acei tanzania. It should be more black then white. I have seen some poor examples getting around that are white Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogboy Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 either a female or a cross, how big is it? my males colour up well at about 3cm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick_crx Posted September 30, 2010 Author Share Posted September 30, 2010 I bought him/her from a what i thought was a reputable place so i hope it isnt a cross, mpanga is aroun 7-8cm acei is close to 10cm could be right about the acei tanzanian thing...is there still a chance they will colour up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brucem Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 The mpanga isn't a zebra long pelvic is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogboy Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 she might be a mpanga, she just looks a little more brown/red than the females i have but that could be the camera. the girls are dull im afraid, as are the subordinate males. even alpha males can be dull at times, untill they get fired up that is. if you where in Adelaide i could help you out with a nice boy for her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foti Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 both are extremely poor coloured and at those sizes poor examples of there breed The mpanga isn't a zebra long pelvic is it? brucem, sure does look like it ! nick at the sizes you mention they should colour up not be coloured all the time but yes most the times like feeding i would think its more there habbitate, do they have caves rocks suck things to defend protect? plus i would say there ph is very low! both cant of been bred poorly? best of luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick_crx Posted September 30, 2010 Author Share Posted September 30, 2010 Foti my tank layout is below, i thought i had enough structures...mabe not? Ph is around 8. All the fish i bought from this certain place have the least colour in my tank. Here are some pics of my other which i think havent coloured too badly since they are still very young. i know gt's dont like the high ph but i thought id give it a shot as they are one of my fav cichlids. brucem after looking at some of the pics of zebra long pelvic's....i get the feeling thats what i have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducksta Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 Nick, what were the fish fed in the store? Were all the fish in the tanks 'nice coloured males'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 long pelvic arent bad get a female and they can colour up nicely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foti Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 Nick, what were the fish fed in the store? Were all the fish in the tanks 'nice coloured males'? are you thinking that they might of been fed hormones? nick tank looks good, set up looks good aswell ! 2 fish both bad examples i thort it might of been somthing else but i guess not ! prohaps you should consider taking them back and letting the store know just dont try to get your money back give them the fish and tell them there breeder has bad stock! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducksta Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 That's pretty much my thinking, yes. If you're buying fish at that size and they were coloured in the store and not anymore, it's a reasonable bet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick_crx Posted October 1, 2010 Author Share Posted October 1, 2010 Hmm dont know what they were fed, but No the fish were not colourful in the tanks, they looked exactly the same when i bought them. The other fish were the same colour in the tank too, it was hard to determine which could be female/male. I was told they would colour up as they grow by the guy working there...which obviosly hasnt happened. But yeah, I really had no idea what i was buying at the time and now that i do i can do a little research before i jump into a purchase. Such is life, ill give them a year or so and see what happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yogie Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 I can safely say it's not your water quality or what your feeding them because i know what products your using. Give it some time. Maingano get there colours pretty much after the first couple of weeks from when they are born so you can't compare, your gt is an awesome example of the species and your peacock still has a lot more colour coming. Acei are generally very peaceful fish and it may not be colouring up fully because of aggression in your tank, the zebra might be waiting to flex his muscles as well, that said there is still a chance you did got poor quality fish/s which is sad because the store you got it from is quite 'reputable'. Your fish still have a lot more growing to do and your gonna see a whole lot more colour then what you see now. I was in the same boat when i started and got fish that didn't have colour right away so i gave it away, then i saw an adult of the same fish, same blood lines and asked what fish i was looking at, it was the same species just an adult. If your still not happy in a year your quite welcome to bring over some 'snacks' for my jag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick_crx Posted October 2, 2010 Author Share Posted October 2, 2010 LOL well said yogie, ill let em mature and see what happens. Dont like the idea of introducing my fish to your "problem solver" though lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick_crx Posted October 25, 2010 Author Share Posted October 25, 2010 Just thought id give you guys a little update. The mpanga i was complaining about has made a miraculous turnaround. He must of known i was talking about him because pretty much the week after i started this thread the blue has really started to come out! Looks like a different fish and i assume it will get stronger as he grows. So for all the guys out there worried about their fish colouring up...give them a chance Oh yeah and i assume what i have is a long pelvic and not an mpanga. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattrox Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 Looks like a long pelvic fin to me. Great pic and spectacular transformation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yogie Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 Haha I hate to say it... but i told you so! Looking good! Can you post an updated pic of your green terror? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick_crx Posted October 27, 2010 Author Share Posted October 27, 2010 Hey yogie, here are my GT's. Is the one on top a female? I included her so you can see what i meant when i said she didnt look so good. See how the scales look weird, like they are popping up...dont get it, it doesnt really get picked on or anything. The male is going well and is around 8cm. Can you post up a pic of yours?? Also i thought id show you my flavus. Female yeah? I thought the blue tinge was a little odd... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batty Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 I can't see pics at work, but your female GT is not egg bound is she, this happened to one of my Convicts, she was not able to lay her eggs and her scales seemed to stand up and she got all swollen eventually she died. By the way I have a pair of GT that have just spawned (wriggler stage now) and the female was chased a bit by the male and she lost the coloured stripe along the edge of her tail, but it's now growing back. The females go quite dark when ready to spawn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick_crx Posted October 28, 2010 Author Share Posted October 28, 2010 I can't see pics at work, but your female GT is not egg bound is she, this happened to one of my Convicts, she was not able to lay her eggs and her scales seemed to stand up and she got all swollen eventually she died. By the way I have a pair of GT that have just spawned (wriggler stage now) and the female was chased a bit by the male and she lost the coloured stripe along the edge of her tail, but it's now growing back. The females go quite dark when ready to spawn. Um im not sure....first of all i dont know if its a male/female and second he/she is pretty young and still around 7-8cm. it is pretty dark though... in short...i dunno lol check the pics when you can and tell me what you think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batty Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 Will check when I get home, my Green Terrors have just spawned and they are M 8 to 9 cm and f 7 to 8 cm. so she should be old enough to be carrying eggs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batty Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 I would say the top one is female Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yogie Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 Yeh the flavus looks like a female from the pic, stranger things have happened but i'm pretty sure it's a female. Your GT looks awesome! Looks like you have a M and F. I'll try post up some pics of mine but I can't get a clear shot. I went back to the aquarium where I bought my GT from and still can't pick out a clear male, looks like you picked the best one of the bunch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yogie Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 Here you go, it's a little blurry but I had to take it with my phone. GT and just for fun my Jag... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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