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A pile of broken up coral can also work. If you can be bothered get a 10ltr tank with sponge filter and put female in at 14 days, then take her out when she has spat. On the Royal blue subject, what Aulononcara species are we talking about? A stuartgranti species such as this? http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... php?id=678 Does anyone with these fish have an idea or at least willing to speculate on a single species. Are the fish we're disscussing imported stock? The fact that they have come straight from 'a list' does not in any way validate their pedigree Excuse me for being sceptical but a fish with no scientific designation and a common name which by its terminology could encompass 1/2 of its genus has every chance of being a mongrel. I think they are a lovely fish as i think all peacocks are. But I also know what a spade looks like.

I think that there are a lot of RoyalXRed shoulders out there.

Never say Never. Pleco m.a.f.i.a?

Double your food and see what happens if your amonia is nil and the other parameters are good. Crush up some of those plec chips as well and put some of that green water in there.

Great Tank Simian. And Agree with Tropheus about the 'Nics' . Though when he's taliking peaceful I assume thats compared to the fish he's named himself after. I do tend with David- while all cichlids will vary in their personality, Texans are known as highly aggressive fish. It seems from the images, to be just one main open area, with line of sight from one end of the tank to the other unless of course, your hovering under the log in abject fear. Never had a Texan but a big Hap would just see that as all his.

Thats why I thought a permanent sticky at the top the catfish page would help, because this topic will drift down the page and out of view and will probably be missed by less frequent visitors to the site- the "Bobs and Janes". Let the topic hang around and build an environment where peolpe are encouraged and enthused by such an idea Of particular interest at the moment are Hypancistrus species because we are unlikely to see this genus again. we need female L260, and L66 as appears that there are plenty of males. We have here-L46, L270, L102, L260, L66, L333, L400, L136 Anyone got one, or another Hypan we missed. Y/N will do -don't need further info. Adodge- any imported plec old enough to sex is most likely to be male. So with juvi fish your chances greatly increase. The importers are buying the large ones as they are the same price or cheaper from supplier, because they are ID'd male.. End result -a adult L# will retail for the same price a 2cm juvi, but only one has a chance of being female

http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/my_c ... ask=keeper There are of course collectors/breeders out there who have no intention of listing what they have and that is to be respected. And unfortunately some of them have got the plecs we would all die for. Maybe start a register people can add their name too. Or a 'sticky' in the catfish section so This is in peoples faces.

I've tried to get some further info through the 'Ibama' site, but couldn't find much that wasn't Portuguese. It would seem the ban is already in effect. It has started as pretty much a blanket ban, hoping this crackdown will sort out a lot of other issues as certain fish incorrectly ID'd or claimed to be of another genus. So the final list could end up being everything. I agree that these fish and their environment need protection. I hope this happens and this limitation on exported stock helps. There are still issues of blackmarketing and smuggling through neighbouring borders that need to be addressed, this latest move will probably increase this activity as while there is demand there will be supply. Also one of the biggest threats to the plecs and the animals they share the environment with is the development of the areas by the Brazilian Govt itself. I remember reading an article where they were suggesting the amount of species lost to us when they cleared the Jungle to create Brasilia- the numbers were mindblowing. Damminig of Rivers for Electricity will wipe out population after population. With the chances that such fish will never come into NZ again we need to ensure we get them breeding and develop captive bred stocks otherwise they will be lost to us. L046 was available at LFS here 12 yrs ago and was being bred here. Then someone dropped the ball. Kinda makes you wonder why some people who claim to have bred fancy plecs only to feed out the fry would do such a thing.

Has you are probably aware Brazil is taking action in the protection of many of it plecs in the form of an Exportation ban. There still seems no real idea of which fish will be affected but more than just a few it would seem. This list of species has been put forward on another plec forum. L-2, L-74 L-168 L-328 L-4, L-5, L-28, L-73 L-171 L-332 L-10 L-174 L-333 L-11, L-35, L-108, L-136 L-172 L-345 L-16 L-175 L-347 L-17 L-178 L-353 L-20 L-179 L-354 L-21, L-23 L-185 L-360 L-24 L-186 L-361 L-25 L-197 L-363 L-27 L-198 L-365 L-30 L-216 L-366 L-31, L-176, L-300 L-208 L-367 L-33 L-210 L-373 L-36 L-217 L-374 L-46 L-221 L-375 L-50 L-223 L-380 L-53 L-238 L-381 L-56 L-250 L-383 L-58 L-251 L-385 L-63 L-254 L-391 L-64 L-256, L-258, L-259 L-397 L-65 L-260 L-398 L-66 L-262 L-399 L-67 L-263 L-400 L-68 L-270, L-307 L-69 L-271 L-70 L-272 L-77 L-273 L-79 L-275 L-82 L-283 L-83, L-165, L-196 L-290 L-86 (LDA-14) L-294 L-95 L-296 L-96, L-160 L-297 L-97 L-299 L-102 L-310 L-113 L-313 L-136 L-315 L-137 L-318 L-138 L-320 L-139 L-321 L-143 L-337 L-155 L-343

Have you given the tank a big re-arrangement, might make new territories and could help. A lot more hidey holes for all but an obvious 'prime spot cave', like a terracotta pot or rockwork cave under some wood for him. Might make him feel more secure and less nervous, and therefore less aggressive. What else is in the tank? with the two you've mentioned I guess the others have to have enough b@lls to handle them. Add more fish(s) of that aggression level to hopefully dissipate his influence. Give him his own space/tank and let the rest get on in harmony. Isolation- yes definitely worth a try but I would suspect that unless you make changes to tank dynamic while he's out he'll just start back where he left off.

Travel safe. Go up to the Wildlife Amusement park up the other side of the summit. All sorts of reptile fish etc exhibits .They had a cool tank with freshwater stingrays Nathan Road for electronics & Neon

and sadly you wont because it now lacks context. Even so you posted, I have the chance to hear your point, and I thank you for that. Somethings are worth the 2 mins Barrie.

I read an article where they were discussing variances of a vertical nature, ie: size and subtle differences in a species which inhabits several depths of a relatively small location. The differences were put down to more than just age.

Definition of- N.B - by definition this term would/could create a reaction. However, beyond this...the term irony seems to have a number of definitions depending on the person you ask. Why people use forums.

I don't neccessarily go by size, as, there are in all batches-' the leaders'-'their followers', and the runts. Shape and paterning for sure. It'd be nice too say -"yep, all good" and sell them off as pure bred chilumbas. Probably get some quick coin. But... The royal Blue or regal blue was also coming in at same time,( A.species Koningsi, or Mbjeni), a variant I think is now so mixed with Hansbaenschi it is a mess. So there is always a chance of a mix up. P.S This is what can happen 3-4yrs down the track when time blurs the facts. Just a point for all that have run up the road of giving their peacocks a locality definition such as 'lemon Jake' with nothing more than hope to support it.

Ryan I bought a royal blue to have a closer look and you're spot on. They are far higher and squat in the body, while the chilumba finer right through from head to Caudal Fin which is far taller in relation to body size. The flush shouldn't go anywhere near the shoulder either as alot of Kens do. It's the size thing that got me- 2mins research would have sorted all that mess out. Think maybe he thought red 'shoulder' was close enough to red 'flush' eh! Looking for Rubenscen females. One of my two died the other turned out to be very nice clean male peacock(not Rubens, and I have no idea)Anyone know the history of the rubens at HFF?

Yeah interesting keeping the yellowy's together, keeping colour up in that amount of males-well done As for Chilumba- thought this might be of interest. http://www.fnzas.org.nz/fishroom/here-v ... tml#335678

Here are my guys Female is holding so I'll be stripping her Thursday. This pair is now around three yrs- I got them at Jansens Botany back when they seemed to know what they had, you may remember the big display tank was a malawi tank. Also got the maisoni at a similar time Even at 3 years they are both only 10cm which tends me to think they are correct as they are one of the smallest Aulononcara species. They are also timid, my guy has spent most his time in growout tanks as he can't foot it with the bigger peacocks I saw recently the parents of the Chilumbas that caused a raucous a little while ago. ApparentlyThey were obtained from pupuke aquarium as a trio( 2M,1F), this would have been around the time frame I got mine. One male was discarded as turned out as red shoulder. The other two were bred as chilumbas. The male is now 15cm and a definite Royalblue/Hansbaenschi variant- his size for a start should have given clues, if not his body shape The female I believe to be chilumba, and I have taken her home. She is a dead ringer for mine although slightly bigger than my girl by 1cm .she was living in much larger tanks. Her introduction already has paid dividends as my Chilumbas never spawned but the new girl appearance has finally got my two going. The male is dominant over this new female- something he's only managed with my existing female- normally he's bullied by anything. I plan to breed both females and keep fry seperate and see how the growout. Would really like to get this peacock up and going as a pure strain.

Very nice pics- Who's the boss Is your Chilumba one of the ones that recently had all the hoo-haa about? If so then it is a Chilumba femaleX Hansbaenschi/Royal blue male

I do a mix in the blender-a few prawns, spirulina tabs, pumpkin seeds, frozen peas and broccoli, a few colourbits. Blend then bind with gelatine, and freeze into blocks. I keep some aside to mix in some bloodworms and JBL gala- this after freezing goes into the new world cichlids and pleco tanks.

A while ago-I started with 6, they tore into the tropheus before turning on each other. Found out later had too many males. Bloody Tangs!

Maybe it comes down to contacts our importers have as well. Do they have regular opportunity to get their hands on those fish. Then at what price? Are importers going take such a risk anyway. I've tried to keep young tropheus going and even in optimum conditions and they are delicate . And for the price to be realistic the fish are going to be young. The quarantine process would have toll for sure. Even with a deposit I could see that tank space could be better utilised to make money which importers are in the game to do. Getting certain fish here is a labour of love - and in a supply and demand game. What do the constitutions of local clubs allow? Under what Auspices can you mobilise a group to find a different way to achieve the goal? Unfortunately the system is the system here. I've still got 2 of the ikola going- and would still love a Tropheus tank. http://trophs.com/gallery/ Especialy when you see what is around.

There's heaps of plecs on the list, ( the list of fish that importers have available and LFS order off) Scarlet-L25 L114 leopard Magnum gold nugget Green phantom L200- only coined because of similarity to blue, and now some dimwit has determined to makeup "Gold". L128- big sized blue phantoms-99.9999% to be male. Royal pleco- but given L # 27, so should be Brazilian variant. L239 blue or blue finned panaque And probably plenty of "non fancies" on there too. Get a cost from Your LFS to order one in, they shoudn't mind, easy money.

LOL !

I have a concrete pond outside 150ltrs more or less. Has pump. 6yr old daughter who has claimed this as her own had raised guppies, leopardfish and platys during summer. She is now fixated by frogs after green bell arrived in it a week or so ago. living in Auckland, semi rural, pond gets what ever sun there is all day, frost not an issue. what's going to happen if we put some golden bells in there over Winter? and what can I feed ? Happy to furnish with stones, plants etc, and some netting over top. But even if they are cheap seems little point in doing if not a goer. Last winter we had some comets in there and recall the coldest it got was 11 degrees. ???? Cheers!