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I'm with the Maleri Red as well. Have you got any shot of females? Are they all the same? My baenschi females are darker grey while maleri is a lot lighter and silvery.

I haven't heard the Mutipunctatus called 'Leopard' before. Usually common name is Cuckoo. Was it labelled as that in the shop? If a cuckoo it would ideally like harder water than it's in and less temp. Off topic very slightly-I've noticed a couple of so called Network synodontis on trademe at the moment. But one was 20cm and the networks only get to about 4 inches, so would have to be hybrid I guess. The problems with Synos- they hybridise so easily. This is worth a read http://www.planetcatfish.com/shanesworl ... cle_id=269

Hi Snookie I found this. I was looking at these as potential tankmates for the Blue dempseys when they got bigger. http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/h ... noides.php

Hey cichlid mad Count how many rays/spines on the Dorsal fin. 10 or more and you've got a Pterygoplichthys species- Common plec, sailfin gibby , Redspot etc 8 or less and you've got something else. If thats the case a shot would be good, even better if you can get a mouth shot

For the smaller plecs look: The smaller panaques like L104,(Clown), and L204( Flash)- they were calling them panagolus for a while. they're smaller than the Royals, Papas and get to 10-12cms. You can get clowns for under $50.00. Pitbull plecs only get to about 6cms-Parotocinclus spp. Hypanancistrus species like Queen Arabesque or King Tigers,and L333 that are availble here get to about 12cm. The zebras and some other hypanancistrus only get to 8cms. Hemiancistrus species like blue and Green phantoms get 15- 18cm. Spotted orange seam which I've recently seen around gets to that. Unfortunately we don't get peckoltia species often if at all. There are quite a few really lovely fish in this species quite common in tanks overseas and only get to 7-12cm. there are a few exception like L075, para plec who get big (25cm) for that species. Baryancistrus species like magnum and Gold nugget as you Know get bigger up to 35cm as do the Scobiancistrus- Goldie pleco etc. The problem with some of these guys is the common naming. There are 3(?) differnt L numbered Gold Nuggets -all Baryancistrus species but one will get to 15cm and one will get to 30+cm. Depends how well labelled the fish is. I haven't seen or Heard of any Vampire Plecs around but I hope there are a few. The mouth is very unique so should be an easy ID. It's a snail eater and uses two long almost fang like teeth at the front of mouth to extract snails from shells. My experience with my fancy plecs is they seem to get to 70-80% of size in first 3-4 yrs then take forever to get the last 20%-30%. This is by no means scientific but from what I've read not a bad rule of thumb.

Some algae eaters. The shape of these tanks also makes cleaning difficult so, as suggested 2-4 Common brisltenoses or GBAS's. Get small ones as they are still active and not hiding out yet. They'll wizz around and clean the glass and everything - a lot easier than stretching down the top of the tank.

Beware as the young get older - Jewels are pack Hunters. A pair will be stroppy but nothing compared to what the group are capable of. I've heard of a pack taking out a large Oscar, and have seen a group devour some feeder fish in seconds. But the colours are awesome, I have a couple only in a African tank for colour. http://www.cichlids.com/wiki/index.php/ ... imaculatus

A longer than high tanker would be better as it suits most fish better including malawis. A column of coralrock rising vertically with some young demasoni(blue) and electric yellow swimming in amongst it ?. By the time they grow up you'll be onto your next tank for sure. Java fern or anubias nana wont get eaten, they can be attached to the coral and will set roots and grow on it.

I agree that the tank is on the small side. Put some rocks back in to give even more defendable spaces- divide the space a bit. All that has happened now is that you've made only one territory albeit a big one. I'd also try adding another yellow male, either another Maleri Red or maybe another Baenschi to change the dynamics between those two fish as they are of similar colouration. Or get a new tank leader, something with less of an Agenda that will intervene- a bigger Hap maybe, I think they are necessary in a male peacock tank. Has the chilumba colured up with the others bickering- he should be quite a bit more timid than other two, probably is saving him from worse abuse?

A few leleupi around at the moment, but will need about 5 young ones to start off- but cool fish- lovely colour. Or give the Jewel Cichlid a go- the most American looking African I think-easy and cheap. Both like hidey holes but also gregarious and fun to watch. Agree with the Daffodil option too -it's like someone did a custom paint job on a brichardi.

I'm with The FX5 option as well. With the help of a powerhead down low it handled the poos of some big wood eating Panaques in my 5 footer. Now it laughs at me as I ask it to handle the same tank which is now a rock laden Male peacock/hap tank. I wish catfish pooed as little as Malawi's.

Nyassa!!!--Ha. Hey mate glad to hear about the arrival of 'Pretty lil Paige'. They are nice- but not sure about Hansbaenschi. I think you ended up with a red shoulder of mine a while back- the one that ended up 'old white eye", and even though I've seen lighter ones the amount of yellow/Orange going into head and cheeks doesn't seem right, but as already mentioned the consistency of females is a favourable sign to discount Hybrids. comes down to how well do you trust the supplier I guess. look pretty clean in the fin patterning too -Aulononcara Stuartgrandi ?

Find out about your local fish society/club, see if you can find a likeminded person. Healthy fish in healthy tank are good for 5 days with no food, so would only need one visit. Better that than someone not knowing what they are doing feeding them. Post this in Private trade and exchange- you'll get someone to help you for sure.

Good point Ryan Lake Malawi was called Lake Nyassa for over a hundred years before they opted to go with Malawi when that country was formed in the sixties( used to be nyassaland), so was probably a generic term for peacocks not just a specific fish as your link to Cichlid forum showed. Even though outdated as Frenchy said the term seems to have become a handy all encompassing option. I note CF only had an image of wild specimen of that fish - not a heap of colour variants being discussed here.

I wonder if Nyasse is being used now as a general classification of a peacock whos history is 100% accounted for. Anyway that was my take on its use, as I've seen a few different coloured Nyasse, and if you google for images you might find two that look the same. Maybe we could lob into that classification things like "blue fusions( are these Dragons bloods), red peacocks etc. Nothing wrong with a Hybrid peacock, thet are as cool as any-as long as it isn't given a 'real' name for the sake of it, for convenience or to bolster its value.

Plecos because they are the Dinosaur fish and so the coolest for me. Chances are, if you like what you see swimming around then you'll love what you dont see underneath. Still plentyof species to try yet, maybe marine when I win lotto- cause if I do marine it has to be huge( so when I get bored of it I't'll be a huge pleco tank)!!!!

Plecos because they are the Dinosaur fish and so the coolest for me. Chances are, if you like what you see swimming around then you'll love what you dont see underneath. Still plentyof species to try yet, maybe marine when I win lotto- cause if I do marine it has to be huge( so when I get bored of it I't'll be a huge pleco tank)!!!!

Plecos because they are the Dinosaur fish and so the coolest for me. Chances are, if you like what you see swimming around then you'll love what you dont see underneath. Still plentyof species to try yet, maybe marine when I win lotto- cause if I do marine it has to be huge( so when I get bored of it I't'll be a huge pleco tank)!!!!

From what I 've heard first lot came in and importer decided to keep them to grow up breed whatever. 2nd lot came in from another importer and went to market. 1st lot then released so were bigger From what I've seen the smaller ones or the first to hit shops seems cleaner. DNA testing: http://bluejax.14.forumer.com/viewtopic ... cbca865ac7 seems to draw same conclusion.

Not a Hybrid. http://www.elacuarista.com/secciones/tfhblue.htm

I Took out a big female giraffe which in turn got the male giraffe going with the rest of the girls, which in turn got Mr "lonely" Nimbo Fusco in good colour.Wouldn't be so "lonely" if he didn't murder his girlfriends.

Convicts and Jewels! Next you'll tell me your day job is as a prison warden! Ha!

I agree. I would say that the $825.00 paid on TM will look cheap, and how big is the market here for that priced fish anyway.Big enough to bring numbers? Hope someone will try to get L134 in then, might be more realistic pricewise. Anyway good to see Erma got some common sense.

I wish!

Got camera out tonite. This is the 4cm little male who thinks he own the boss, which he does over smaller siblings and tetras. I notice that some more have come onto the market. Older and slightly bigger but not nearly as vibrant as the smaller ones that came on the market earlier. I love these guys -real characters and still too small too realise they should be meaner.