GeeTee

I have had a male Cobalt Blue for about 7 months and have just bought him a couple of females to see if they will breed. I have had the females now for 2 weeks and all he does is swim away from them and hide. After studying the breeding habits they seem to be doing things in reverse. The females dig in the gravel,one of the females got very fat as if to be carrying eggs and harrassed him no end.(If she was carrying eggs she dropped them for no result.Slimmed overnight.) He is meant to be chasing them all over the tank harassing them but both of them chase him. I know someone will ask am I sure it is a male,well he is very bright blue,has egg spots(and was sold as male) I have photos for venting if anyone thinks they can identify from a photo. Or maybe he is gay!!!!

It's worth a shot though Warren,thanks for your help. The plant was only collected 2-3 weeks ago, it may just have taken that long for it to come out of hiding so it probly did come in on the plant. Just hoping someone can help. After watching it for the day, there were a lot of lit green droppings in the container so it doesn't appear that it will be a danger to the fish

It is hornwart and am sure it is legal in Aus. There are acres of it in the local river,I get the tips off it, some of the fish like to eat it.

Woke up this morning to see this clinging to the side of my tank. It has made a cocoon like home and just moving around the tank. Have removed it now and in a container to study it. Any ideas on what it is?

Mine has recently died so I cannot help to much with that Caper.

Just looking through my photos and thought it was a good idea to see your favourite fish pics,not just 1 species like have been posted before,just fish in general. Mine just happen to be fish fighting.Displaying fins and colour well.

Not yet.I was after some female Cobalt Blues,first choice,the breeder got these for me I am now waiting to see what room I have and see what else I can purchase. How is it possible to age a fish that I bought? The blues I bought are full grown(5")and was just wondering if I can tell whether they are youngish fish or whether I have been sold old ones that are maybe over breeding. The fish look fine it is just a concern that you spend good money on a fish (the amount I would not spend normally)and have it die in a few months.

I only had the one Brichardi and it died a few months ago,but it was fine in the tank,well behaved.If it had a mate things would have been a bit different

Good point,I need a bit more patience.

Still chasing it round the tank after 2 days so I removed the female and changed the tank around. Will return her in a day or 2,if that doesn't work will have to exchange fish.

would it be possible to put them in the small tank to spawn and then remove the adult fish and hatch them yourself??

My original female I would think is full grown around the 70-80 mm,and this one is just smaller. There are caves and plants for it to hide,will see how it goes. It was the domanant fish in the tank at the lfs and it had less colour than most other fish in the tank.The females in the tank were GLOWING pink in the belly and were easy to pick.(Body shape) I guess i picked it on body shape, lack of abdomanal colour,character in the tank and thought the anal fin was pointy enough.

That was the main concern. Do the males get the colour in the dorsal fin like that? My other one didn't.

Bought this one yesterday as a male, because my other bloke died.It was the only one in the tank that looked like a male,body shape, fins (I thought),no pink belly and it was chasing everything from its spot in the tank. The other concern is the top fin of it,colour and shape.Anal fin seems pointed enough. The original female is chasing it around the tank now so I'm not sure. Did I get it wrong?

Thanks for the help Dan, I found some info on the Aulonocara family but was unable to locate the Red Ruben in particular.Didn't look hard enough. Mike, Do you keep them in the same tank or species only?They would cross breed I guess. Not sure they would travel well enough from Aus.Haven't got them yet either,just located them.

I have the opportunity to purchase some or these fish and am wondering if any one keeps them. I did a search on them and was unable to get a good profile on them,but the other Aulonocara seem to be a reasonably peaceful fish.Any info would be great. They are a nice looking fish. This is a link to a photo http://home.vicnet.net.au/~cichlid/GAL/ ... 0Green.htm

This is the RED ZEBRA?? or the fish in question.Sold to me as a female solousi. What's your opinion frenchy?

Thanks for that, I'll give it a good going over.

I actually registered with that web site,post a picture of the fish to try and get a positive ID.They reckoned it was the Red Zebra.They were helpful but didn't seem as friendly as you lot.(Maybe I just know the crew here fairly well now.) Might just have to get rid of one of them if I can get some females to go with the other one of them.

I have a male Metriaclima callainos(cobalt blue) and a Metriaclima callainos(red zebra).I'm guessing they are the same family and was looking for some females for the blue.If they are the same family would they cross breed? My brother had a Nimbochromis Venustus that died the other day and was just wandering if they are prone to any diseases, etc ?

Well I gave them a couple more days to sort themselves out,refurnished the tank and returned them. They are now defending their cave again and swim freely around the tank without the bully of the tank even bothering them. There is a lot to be said about moving the tank around. Here is a picture of the tank now the only fish I didn't get in was the female krib.But she is there and happy.

Mine is at 7.8 constantly but I think Billaney breeds them at about that ph. I'll just keep trying. I'd also love to take you up on the offer of a pair of fish but am guessing you are from NZ like most on this site,I'm from OZ Thank you though

Tanksman, the Kribs are only in the small tank to see if they can sort them selves out,they are normally in a 100 litre with some other cichlids.They will be put back soon. I originally had the male in there(small tank) by himself to let his tail grow back.After she unsettled him everything in the tank was picking on him. AMAZONIAN,what ph do your fish do this well in?

I have a 30 gal tank at the moment,I could get some small ones and then tell the wife I need more room for them when they grow. Another opportunity to get another tank.

What would be the minimum size tank for Severums?