Show me your favorite Victorian that you're keeping.

[dirk]

I'm super excited as I'm getting 12 Enterochromis paropius on friday. So lets see your Vics thanks.

 

[VElderton]

I have been raising Haplochromis thereuterion a species that was once thought to be extinct. These are really nice smaller cichlids from Lake Victoria. I have had two spawnings in the last few months and working towards building a bigger breeding group.

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Haplochromis thereuterion juveniles I have raised

 

[tsakdee]

Anyone have extra fry to share with others? I only have zebra obliquidens

 

[dirk]

My Enterochromis paropius group produce fry regularly. They are fairly popular though and I often sell them before they reach 1.5 inches. I have all of the ones I'm growing already sold up to ones that will be won't available until March.

 

[dirk]

VEldertonI would definitely be willing to trade for or purchase some Haplochromis thereuterion. Vics I'm currently keeping. Enterochromis paropius, Hap. sp "Kisuule", Hap. sp "Katiri point", Hap. sp "kk beach", and should soon be keeping paralabidochromis sauvagei (mwanza gulf), neochromis rufocaudalis saa nane, and xystichromis nuchisquamulatus. I also keep a some malawi groups and a few small tanganyikans. My E. paropius are the only vics breeding thus far I just started to switch over to breeding rarer fish from Lake Victoria.

 

[VElderton]

Thanks for your offer Dirk ... sounds like you have a number of great breeding projects ... I only have a small breeding group of Haplochromis thereuterion and they have not spawned in the last couple of months. I am beginning to think they like spawning in tanks with more than one species ... ever since I gave them their own tank I have had not spawning.

I also keep a trio of Astatotilapia latifasciata but have had successful spawning eventhough the male keeps trying. I have a pair of Xystichromis phytophagus (Christmas Fulu) that I are young ... no spawning there either.

Do you have any Victorian tips?

 

[dirk]

Hmm... not sure what to say I assume you keep tabs on your water parameters and do regular water changes. My Ent. paropius breed really regularly. I do keep mine in fairly large groups I have about 20 Ent. paropius in my breeding group. And my other groups are currently 12 to 15 individuals per tank. Maybe with the species you have and increase in numbers would help. lukily none of those species look anything alike so you could breed them in the same tank without the fear of hybrids that is typically high with victorians.Many of my current species have very bland silver females that look pretty much identical to eachother so I can't mix them at all. Maybe your idea of mixing them back up will help stimulate them. It's not something I usually recommend but in your case with the small dissimilar groups you are keeping it might actually work out better.

 

[dirk]

One of the reasons I want to keep Haplochromis thereuterion is because it's a low risk of hybridizing species I could breed with other victorians. I also like their shape and color somewhat different for a vic.

 

[VElderton]

Thanks ... when I had successful breeding of Haplochromis thereuterion I housed them with juvenile Red Zebra mbuna, there was no cross breeding concerns there.

My African regime is that I use caribsea substrates, SeaChem cichlid salts and weekly water changes. I am trying to work on a consistant means to reduce Nitrates ... they are under 20 ppm which is in the safe zone but I'd like them to be under 5 ppm ... I have been experimenting with BioHome and Hydroton media but still not 100% happy with the between water change Nitrate levels.

I think my major issue is I need more fish in the species breeding group, 1 male for every 4 - 5 females and lowering Nitrates ... I will work on those parameters.

 

[VickiK]

this is an awesome thread btw