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Fry juvi male, Female young male These are Aulonocara Baenschi which were sold here over two yrs ago and which have adopted the common names here, and would be the fish you would get on TM and what other forumers tend to be calling sunshines. How well the young males colour up is up to what their tank mates are. Bigger peacocks particularly will hinder their colouring up but it will happen over time. They will start as drab female colouring but you will see hint of blue in gill plate and bit of colour in shoulders, belly, and might even start to show egg spots. Full colouring like most peacocks take many months to a year or more depending on environment. Hopefully others will add to whether they think these shots are indicative of that fish. As a matter of interest in some other counties "Sunshine' will be used to describe Aulonocara Maleri the shot in

Yeah I think we are all talking the same language here Nav. I'm really looking forward to the cobues growing out from the adult shots you've shown. This thread could easily have a subtitle 'Is the quality of imported African cichlids keeping pace with the increasing interest, knowledge, and expectation of those keeping them?' A totally different issue from what people do with them after they've got them.

Very diplomatic of you mate, but If well constructed opinions based on facts leads to a pile of feather on the floor then that is the way it goes. I'm interested in your thoughts particularly in term of the fryeri body shape aspect, and Utaka spot subject. They are breeding relatively consistently but showing characteristics of another genus. Like the Azureus could this be more a case of stock that was tainted some time ago rather than recent hybrid activity. Lets face it we know the general quality of stock here even when they are touted as something specific. I got mine 2 yrs or so ago and have yet to see one that doesn't resemble my shape. Even my original male and females were of this body shape so I can discount a mistake in my breeding program I understand that some might want to find that their fish is not pure, or not want. I have had them for two tears and bred multiple spawns so would have every reason to say nothing. But if by chance another lot of them came in it would be essential to keep the two as far apart as possible? They are still lovely fish.

Yeah I've caught heaps around the reeks at Three Kings. Even middle of winter What temp is tank LA. Are you using the SST chart to govern it? Fishing Nationals start tomorrow. Sure you not illegally keeping fish caught out of comp time limits alive? :evil:

Boban_nz Be interested to get your opinion. viewtopic.php?f=13&t=44276&p=480239#p480239

Do your Cobue fry have spot/marks running laterally down mid abdomen as well as vertical barring as per normal in Aulonocara. Have you seen this trait in peacock juvies before. As for Azureus. I tend to think we have a fish that has somewhere in the past been infiltrated possibly by fryeri. I would expect a different strain still to be representative of it genus in terms of fundamental body shape characteristics. Not sure where Boban_nz got his stock from but they also have the body shape that has a little of both fish. Look at eye position and convex shape of forehead down mouth of mine and of Boban_nz. Your a Fryeri man Ryan, does that not look a little fimilar. Look also at body shape of his females and mine -the same Here are images of Azureus from several lake location sourced off the net. I''m looking particularly at concave head shape into mouth, the shape of body from lower jaw running to abdomen and shape and eye position.

Yeah certainly the lighter or spotted one will flare up and going into a breeding look if in with females, and away from the orther I guess what I am alluding to is that these fish can show different patterning whilst both in "normal mode", something that probably has more to do with lineage rather than just environmental. But that lineage issue would appear to be more than just one individual getting into a hybridisation situation. I think that they were brought in like that. I'm sort hoping someone posts some pics of theirs that might support, or question that idea.

I lost one of my old girls just a few weeks ago and she was pretty knackered at he end, the younger ones coming through are of the more spotted ones I been saving. I 've kept the two boys and they do have mood swings, but still tend to maintain their individual patterning which would tend to indicate crossing somewhere. That only becomes more noticable as they get older. Perhaps by chance I kept the two that were going to show this out . The one with more defined Utaka spots is also deeper in body, more placid and is my choice as breeder. Interesting with the Cobues as juvies. I have never seen juvie peacocks that have that much of defined lateral markings almost showing through the vertical barring. I looking forward to seeing these guys grow.

Have be meaning to post thread for a while and another thread with great pics has prompted me This is my first male from a couple of years ago showing both types of patterns. Barring and the three "Utaka" spots. I has two spawns from him and fry were relatively consistent but will have some with more defined spots than others. This was one of original females one of his sons at young age two sons different patterning and more recent shots. I would tend to question how pure these fish are. While there is always chance of hybridisation at any stage I wonder if these were a combination of something like Fryeri sometime ago, perhaps even in the lake( long shot but these two fish are well known to 'Consort"). like their parents these guys breed fairly consistently. Looking at the head shape of Mine, then 'Boban_nz' which appear to be the same and more fryeri like in terms of rounded over top lip as opposed to a more even shape top and bottom as per Kadango. Body shape is more slender than perhaps I would expect, perhaps more fryeri like although definitely get deeper in body as they age and pelvic fins can get lovely and long as per Kadango. One of my males is developing a beautiful blaze, something Azureus can get but not perhaps this young. I have been for a while culling off fry that have less defined spots and more barring. Hopefully move toward the sotty ones that seems to get the deeper body and better colouring although less aggressive fry than the ones with less defined spots. I did bring this up sometime ago but thought I'd raise it again as there seem to be more around and would very interested in others experiences of this fish. I see that these fish are on the list so wonder if there is new stock or they are all part of original stock. At the end of the day they are a beautiful mild mannered addition to any tank no matter what.

One of my Azureus females was very male looking and wa infact the most prodigious breeders. Don't think she was quite that male in colouration though. The fact you have another male in there doesn't discount it though. Did you see the actual spawning?

I would argue that EBJD is Genetic morph of regular JD, so I'd call it a morph, or even mutation rather than hybrid. Jaxxnz- I'd say it would be up to the Jd as much as EBJD if they were to spawn. But I would tend to think he's an inch or so too small if my memories of my reading on EBJD forum are correct. PM me.

Thank God! It's just you. Saw the thread title and thought Slim Shaddy had joined. Tibetan Porridge eh!

I like the idea as a whole. My first point would that with the poly structure you have turned the tank into two long tanks that are effectively only 25cm wide if the poly is 100mm thick. Seems a shame to limit the open water space that much. I know the reasons for it but wouldn't a more broken reef structure do similar. This would also open up areas of the tank which might also make more harmonious feel. If you make such defined spaces then by definition the fight for ownership will be more defined. I also think clusters might have more natural look. I once decided to line rocks along back wall of tank with open space in front and all I did was make one space and the tank was never so out of balance as it was then. As for layout- would you have room to have the tank as a divider of two booths- would sort out people looking at each other if that is really a problem.

Perhaps the parents are imported stock and there has been an assumption that means wildcaught?

Yeah I'm with Ryan. It's obvious how enthusiastic you are and that is great but you seem to be running like a freight train with the plans and claims etc. I like Ryan hope you have stumbled on F1 E yellows. These fish would be extremely rare not just in NZ but worldwide. Did they come from the Caravan, Magpie Lady?. Does the importation document ID them as F1 stock? If you got them for $47 plus extras then you have probably used up all your valentines day pressies all in one go. Those fish need their own tank if they are as claimed. The powder blues - what were they sold to you as? or have you ID'd yourself and we did the ID come from. I am worried that you seem so sure that all three spawns you have at the moment are pure strains considering the environment they've been bred in. As you can see the importance of the E yellows been pure particularly such rare ones as you've got then it is as important to be 100% positive the blues didn't breed with something else. You mentioned peacocks in a post also, in that they aren't going to be bred from. How are they with those tankmates. What variety(s) have you got.

Oooh-white Calvus so white they are black, cool! Plecs are the classic simple leather jacket that never goes out of style but looks ridiculous if it's a cheap pirated copy of a known label.

Hey What Sorry, musy of passed out. Was only a tipple honest :oops: ISBN-1877246859 :oops:

Hmm! great Idea if you got the will power. Only got a few of the 2001 stonyridge 'Larose' left. maybe a hiccup emoticon too smidey

Exactly Nav. Like any industry, good customers get first choice of pickings. The wine industry sell some vintages 'En Primeur" where the wine is sold off way before it gets to the market where punters get a chance to even see it. You don't think there are people out there in the fishy world that do the same Charlie?

you want to see what came in 3-5yrs ago! Interesting to see the interest grow in plecs especially on he forums in the last 1-2 yrs. L46 were sitting in HFF tank for all to see only 4yrs ago and most people just walked passed. Imagine the talk on this site if that happened now.

They came in as I said as L128-over 1 yr ago. Supplier was the same supllier as we've talked of before. 6 came in and were never made 'the list' because of ID. A friend and I were happy to give some a home. There is ( or at least was), one thing with the situation of plec importation here. The odd random will get in, if you keep your ear to the ground.

I'm with LA. If the tank is big enough then they will survive OK. Hybrids are are distinct possibility though. I have seen and read about orange and estherae crossing with yellows and no way to keep the powder blues pure in that setup

Is that smell your 'google' overheating

I was trying to speed things up by skipping a step.

- it's Hypan No- these guys don't get that big, and mouth different clue-Thorn= canthicus