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Which cichlids are actually saleable?


carla

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My Julidochromis transcriptus have had 3 lots of babies so far, the non-paired up transcriptus are sitting in the corners of the tank and the whole lot needs to move into a bigger tank (I never anticipated that these will actually breed in the small tank they are in - let alone so quickly...).

Now that they will make the move soon into a bigger tank there is the option to give them some suitable tank mates, so they have some body else to beat up rather than their brothers and sisters. Or even get beaten up themselves and behave better ...

So I'd like to pick your brains as to

1. which fish would make good tank mates for Julidochromis transcriptus

2. and could these off-spring then be sold successfully (cause whatever they are they will most certainly breed...)

Cichlids are not so easy to sell in NZ, as most people seem to have community tanks with 1 of each fish they can find...

So any experiences (good or bad) would be very welcome to hear (in case you want to spill your secrets).

P.S.: Obviously convicts are out, they seem to be sold as feeder fish lately!

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I have successfully kept my maleri with all sorts of peacock's mbuna etc, however transcriptors are known for being more aggressive..

I would try a species or 2 of mbuna maybe yellow's and demasoni and one species of peacocks.. Of course this depends on your personal preference tank size etc, alot of people are very staunch about keeping tangs and malawi's together but I haven't had any trouble.

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Perhaps you could have some Pulchers or Brichardi with them?

Just saw you wanted to sell them so these guys probably wouldn't be that good I think at the moment Demasoni might be the only ones you could sell. Unless you sell them to alot of different shops for not much $ thats my 2cents anyway.

Fish can be like fashion different sp. come in and out its all a matter of time :roll:

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Everything goes in roundabouts :) If you can breed quality africans then you shouldn't have any trouble selling them, however how much you sell them for will depend on demand..

How big is your tank? And are you planning to put your breeders in there? I would say if you wanted to keep jullies and other bottom dwelling tangs like pulcher/brichardi you would need a fairly large tank as they can be quite agro and like to stake out their own place.

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Tank size is 225 liters (1.40 x 40cm and 40 high). Am just re-decorating it with nice white marble sand and lots of rocky caves in preparation for the transcriptus to move in.

Then what I will add is not quite clear.

Pseudotropheus saulosi looks very nice, but probably not in the country.

Pseudotropheus demasoni will be difficult to sex and "a minimum of twelve should be kept in any size tank to help disperse aggression..." - not very suitable I would think.

Aulonocara hansbaenschi looks good as an adult, but are they saleable as boring little kids?

Neolamprologus brichardi would be my favourite, but looks as if these are not very saleable :(

Hmmmm ....

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Your tank is on the smaller side but still a good size..

12 Demasoni and a trio of peacocks would be fine in that sized tank :) Basically you just have to buy 12 young fish and grow them out.. Why would you consider them unsuitable? They only grow to 2inches max so are good for smaller tanks, also you could stick yellows in with them no matter how many of them you breed they are the most common and always seem to sell well.

All depends on what you want..

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Dimidiochromis compressicep /Malawi Eye Bitter :bounce:

Must admit we did pay a fortune for the 4 adults and they need a BIG tank But they well worth it! Have a few hundred fry but too afraid to let them go want to grow them up and and establish a huge breeding colony for the 8F :roll:

Price them from the supplier and they were charging $75 , each at 3-4cm.

Great investment see below TM Auction number for previous sale of 4 fry 141060044 :wink:

Sorry all they are not for sale!! :D

This fish attacks other fish as it in its nature it's a predator in the wild, feeding on mabuna fry BUT it DOESNT actually eat or bite the eyes of its tank mates. so not a community fish!

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This is what I mean by "fashion" these fish were like $20-40 say a year or 2 ago from shops not "mates rates".

Seriously dont understand the price when others had them, I guess they died or they didnt have ratios or big enough tank?

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Yeah a few years ago I got offered 2 females for $20ea and could have walked into hollywood fishfarm Mt roskill and picked out any number of males for $45ea, but I wasn't interested due to their size and aggression...

They may sell well now, but there will be an end to the number of people who want to buy them and devote a huge tank to just them or to them and other big predators that get along..

I know there are a few pairs/trio's going around the place but haven't seen any babies apart from johannes :)

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Our Malawi Eye Biters will be accompany by our Polystigma Cichlids as they are growing up together and their aggression is more or less the same. :roll:

If things don't work out I will simply the move the Polystigma Cichlids in to a 6f by them selves. Having the tank space to breed the bigger more robust cichlids makes it a lot easier I suppose. Unwanted fry become much wanted and needed food for others. Do know of only a few others that have Polystigma.

They have grown since this pic and are now 6-8cm

fishtank732.jpg

Hope to have some stunning males like this

nimbochromis.jpg

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My Julidochromis transcriptus have had 3 lots of babies so far, the non-paired up transcriptus are sitting in the corners of the tank and the whole lot needs to move into a bigger tank (I never anticipated that these will actually breed in the small tank they are in - let alone so quickly...).

Now that they will make the move soon into a bigger tank there is the option to give them some suitable tank mates, so they have some body else to beat up rather than their brothers and sisters. Or even get beaten up themselves and behave better ...

So I'd like to pick your brains as to

1. which fish would make good tank mates for Julidochromis transcriptus

2. and could these off-spring then be sold successfully (cause whatever they are they will most certainly breed...)

Cichlids are not so easy to sell in NZ, as most people seem to have community tanks with 1 of each fish they can find...

So any experiences (good or bad) would be very welcome to hear (in case you want to spill your secrets).

P.S.: Obviously convicts are out, they seem to be sold as feeder fish lately!

With respect, none are worth bothering with if financial gain is your primary consideration. Breeding fish almost always costs more than they are worth (people seem to like to forget about water heating and feed costs), so unless you gain some other form of enjoyment or satisfaction from breeding fish, I wouldn't rush into anything. :wink:

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