Perth Cichlid Society Forums

#367293 Pcs Meeting - Tuesday May 7Th

Posted by Stormfyre on 01 May 2019 - 12:35 PM

Terrariums, DIY 3D backgrounds & Daz's Saltwater Tank.

Everyone should head down to our Tuesday, May 7th - PCS meeting tonight. We have PCS Committee Members coming in to talk all about a few subjects.

Ash is going to show us his fabulous home made Terrariums. How to construct them and care for them. He will even give one away as a door prize!

Brett is going to tell us all about our Fish of the Month - Lamprologus sp. "Ornatipinnis" Kigoma.

Mike will show you how to make a DIY 3D background from foam.

Darryl is going to give a quick progress report on his new salt water predator tank set up and help explain things he had to overcome.

The next meeting of the Perth Cichlid Society will be on Tuesday, May 5th. The meeting will be held at our venue Atwell College, 201 Brenchley Drive, Atwell 6164. We will be opening doors at 7:30pm and starting at 8:00pm. Please park your cars in the car park marked, do not enter the school gates.

· We will have another Fish of the Month. This month's FoTM is Lamprologus sp. "Ornatipinnis" Kigoma. We will have 2 bags of these beautiful cichlids from Lake Tanganyika. Each bag has a pair of around 4-5cm up for grabs. Learn about the fish, bid to take them home. All proceeds go to Stuart Grant Cichlid Preservation Fund.

· Grab some raffle tickets for our Sponsor prize table full of awesome aquarium hobby items. Heaps of aquarium related prizes prizes to win!! See Darryl 'Dazzabozza and Mike Stormfyre' on the night to grab your tickets.

· Why not enter our PCS Showtable competition. Bring ANY cichlid or catfish down to the meeting and you could win sponsor prizes or vouchers. **Small tanks are available at the venue if you PM organiser Ash 'Ashram' on our forums at least a day before you come down. Feel free to bring you own tank and air, but no other items are permitted in tank for judging.

· The PCS Library will be open where you can borrow books, magazines and DVDs of all kinds of cichlid topics. See Craig 'Delapool' on the night to borrow items.

· In the PCS Kitchen we will have some awesome Warm Soups with Crust bread to keep you going. There will be 2 different soups to choose from and keep you warm. We will also have hot and cold drinks and snacks.

Please note -

You can pay cash or we can accept MasterCard, VISA Debit, VISA Credit and PayPal.
General public are welcome to attend, so please bring your friends along.
The doors will open just on 7:30pm to start setting up. Talks will start at 8:00pm.

All are welcome. Hope to see you there Tuesday, May 7th.

Doors open 7:30pm. Meeting starts 8:00pm at Atwell College, 201 Brenchley Drive, Atwell 6164.

Please take note of the new parking area and entry for Atwell College and PCS members.

Mattatkrta likes this

#367245 Photo Competition 2019

Posted by Stormfyre on 29 March 2019 - 10:51 AM

Perth Cichlid Society – Photo Competition 2019.

PCS will be running another Photo Comp this year with support from our premium sponsors. We have loads of prizes for you to win throughout the year.

You do not need to be a club member to enter, so please sign up to our Facebook page.

Similar to last year, an announcement will be made at the start of each competition advising the topic. From then, participants can PM photos to Brendan Rumball 'Brenno71' for screening. Photos that are found to be plagiarised or excessively photo-shopped will not be submitted. One major rule change this year is we are running this competition via Facebook

You may not have the flashiest camera, but that didn't stop people from winning previous photo competitions (Many using their smart phones), Subject is equally important as quality.

Photographs entered may be used in the PCS FB Banner and the PCS Calendar for upcoming years. Your efforts could me immortalised in print.

Submitted Photos are required to be:

Taken by the person entering the photo.
Water mark free and anonymous - sent from the Facebook account of the member entering.
Unedited Pictures - Minor Adjustments are permitted (white balance/ sharpen), but heavily edited for example 'colour enhancements' are subject to disqualification)
Relevant to the current topic - judgement may be at the discretion of PCS.
You are not allowed to use a photo you have previously entered into any PCS photo competition.

Club Members can only enter one photo each round into the competition.

Judging:

Submitted photos will be posted a few days before the end of the round. Entries will then be closed and judging will commence. All photos will be judged by the PCS committee and narrowed down to 1 photo selected per committee member. These 5-6 photos will then be put up on Facebook to vote on a poll. All of our PCS Facebook members can vote.

NB: Voting will be monitored and any of evidence of cheating will lead to an automatic disqualification and you will not be allowed to enter any comps for the rest of the year. This includes disqualification from the final round. Any entrant found guilty of trying to solicit votes i.e. through pm's or Facebook will also be disqualified.

Prizes/Points:

A Prize will be awarded to 1st place and 2nd place for each topic. We have many excellent items for prizes from our sponsors that we will be handing out at the PCS meeting following judgement. As some prizes are sponsor goods and to promote involvement in other areas of the club, prizes will need be collected from club meetings only.

Additionally, throughout the competition, entrants will be selected for a smaller prize for a great effort. That's right, even if you don't win each month, you could get a prize.

Remember: Photos can be taken anywhere (Even your LFS or friend's house with permission). As long as you took the shot, it's valid.

***Upon the announcement of the topic winners, the winners will need to arrange pick up from one of the upcoming monthly meeting as prizes may be bulky or unable to post. Come and be a part of this great club.

Monthly Topics:

March - Malawi Cichlids.

May - Breeding and Fry Shots.

July - West African Cichlids.

September - Tankbusters, Exotics & Oddballs.

November - Tanganyikan Cichlids.

If you have any questions, please post them here.

Good luck!

Mattatkrta likes this

#367224 New Meeting And Club Structure - 2019

Posted by Stormfyre on 14 March 2019 - 02:17 PM

We are moving to a new meeting structure commencing immediately.

Annual memberships have never risen since the club was started. They have always remianed $25.

Due to inflation and the need to maintain the club and it's fees we have raised the annual membership fee to $30. This has taken affect immediately.

Local stores will still provide 10% discount to PCS members as per before.

Meetings will run from March through to November only and will run every second month.

They will remain on the first Tuesday of every second month. See attached calander for reference.

Auctions will no longer be 4 times per year. From this point they will run 3 times a year.

Auctions will no longer contain 150 lots but have been reduced to 100 lots. Of this 100 lots only 2-3 of each identical type will be allowed.

This will reduce the workload involved for CM, will improve pricing and supporting breeders, help dimish repeated lots and put more focus on cichlids and make the night a shorter more on point experience for a Tuesday evening..

Photo competition will now be a Facebook item. It will be open to any person who wishes to enter every second month.

Committee will choose 1 picture each from the entrants and then a poll online will take place to vote the winner each month.

Prizes MUST be collected at a PCS meeting, after a few months if uncollected they will go back into the prize pool.

PCS Library will still open to paid members. We will actually focus on investing more into this resource and attaining more books and documentaries for the collection to reward members.

Show table competition will still occur at meetings. Prizes will still be awarded for bringing in a cichlid or catfish type.

International guests will appear as they are available and may not always be in March. This may even result in an additional event being held for the guests.

Fish Of The Month will still run as before but will be reduced to every second month to coincide with meetings.

Support for Stuart Grant Fund will continue as normal.

There will be a more Facebook and online app driven focus to the club rather than the dated forums. This will become more interactive for the users and easier to manage and schedule.

There is likely other minor changes to the club to come after further discussion. The club is run by volunteers, please remember this and support us by coming to meetings and participating online.

topline, Mattia, Muttley and 1 other like this

#366952 What’S This?

Posted by Stormfyre on 07 December 2018 - 12:57 PM

To me it looks like scar tissue.

/insert Chili Peppers song here..

goldenswimmers likes this

#366846 Fish Of The Month - Placidochromis Electra

Posted by Stormfyre on 12 November 2018 - 11:29 AM

As the Fish of the Month for December, there will a bag of 5 x Placidochromis electra around 5cm available at the PCS Meeting for auction. These are special lots to raise money for Stuart Grant Fund for Cichlid Preservation.

Placidochromis electra.

Placidochromis electra is a beautiful, interesting and undemanding Malawi haplochromine.

Many varieties exist for this species. Some are more blue, some orange, and then some white with blue accents. This particular morph hails from Londo and is characterized by a white body and a powdery blue head. Its anal fin is a faint red. The dark vertical bars on its body vary in number and appearance based upon its mood. Sometimes only one is visible, and at other times, four can be easily spotted. The dark bars on some males look like they were painted on with charcoal and are very attractive.

Common names: Deepwater Hap, Haplochromis jahni,

Size

The male grows to a length of about 18" (20 cm) with the female being smaller at about 6" (15 cm).

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia, Phylum: Chordata, Class: Actinopterygii, Order: Perciformes, Family: Cichlidae, Genus: Placidochromis, Species: electra.

Distribution

Endemic to Lake Malawi. It occurs around Likoma Island and Mara Point, between Chiwindi and Lumbaulo, from Lumnessi to the Malawian border and down the coast of Malawi to Nekete.

Often reffered to as the "Deep Water Hap." The latter name was applied to this cichlid because it was believed until recently that its niche was restricted to deep water, but now it is known to occur at depths deeper than just 7 meters.

Fish belonging to this species are not territorial in the wild or in the aquarium. Mouthbrooding females occur in the same areas as those where both non-brooding females and males in breeding coloration forage. P. electra wanders through the aquarium or its natural habitat, never staying at any particular spot for more than a minute.

Diet

In the wild, Placidochromis electra is seen following foraging species, such as Taeniolethrinops praeorbitalis, just like C. moorii and P. phenochilus. These foot-long cichlids filter large amounts of sand through their gills and a lot of detritus is stirred up during the process. Placidochromis electra follows behind, like a dog on its heels, but T. praeorbitalis doesn't seem to mind. The amount of food exposed by the plowing activities of such diggers may not be sufficient for more than one adult follower, who depends exclusively upon this means of feeding. Consequently, individuals of the same species are wary approaching an "occupied" forager. An adult that has claimed a forager will usually signal ownership to others by taking on territorial coloration.

P. electra differs from these others in its foraging behavior in that it does not follow behind a forager that it claims as a "host," but rather is attracted to stirred up sediment. It behaves as an opportunistic feeder, rushing from one "dust cloud" to the next.

This fish is best raised on a combination of flake and pellet foods. Pellets that sink are preferred and even relished. These, of course, should be soaked prior to feeding. After they reach a size of 3" or more, flakes become too messy and might be discontinued.

Feeding Frequency: Daily - Offer several small feedings a day, what they can eat in about 3 minutes or less, rather than a single large feeding.

Maintenance

Keeping the P. electra poses few issues. It is a docile, yet active species; in my opinion, they require a four foot tank because of their activity. A 320 litre aquarium comfortably houses a breeding group of seven 4 - 7 inch specimens. Ideally groups consisting of larger individuals should be housed in six foot tanks of at least 450 litres.

There is need for some open sandy areas for their feeding habits. It is best to decorate the tank with a sand substrate and a few sporadically placed rocks.

Water Changes

Weekly - Water changes of 20-40% weekly are suggested, depending on the bio load.

Malawi Cichlids will deteriorate under poor water conditions. These fish eat a lot and are messy, so an established filtration system along with water changes of 20 to 40% a week depending on bioload, is needed for their health. Malawi bloat is a typical disease especially if their dietary needs are not met with quality foods.

The streams that flow into Lake Malawi have a high mineral content. This along with evaporation has resulted in alkaline water that is highly mineralized. Lake Malawi is known for its clarity and stability as far as pH and other water chemistries. It is easy to see why it is important to watch tank parameters with all Lake Malawi fish.

Rift lake cichlids need hard alkaline water but are not found in brackish waters. Salt is sometimes used as a buffering agent to increase the water's carbonate hardness.

Temperature: 78-82°F (25.6-27.8°C) pH: 7.8 - 8.6 dH range: 12 - 18

Character

After a period of about four years or more, males become very high-backed and a small "hump" may even begin to develop, but nothing like that of its close relative Cyrtocara moorii.

The only time you ever witness aggression in this species is during spawning, and even then it will likely be minimal. Like all Lake Malawi cichlids, hard, alkaline water is desired. I personally like to decorate the tank for this species with a sand substrate and rather few rocks in an attempt to mimic their natural habitat. Over a sand substrate these fish will actively search for food in the sand. P. electra is easy to mix with other Lake Malawi cichlids. Mild-mannered mbuna species, Malawi peacocks, or a docile Malawi haplochromines all make good tankmates.

Spawning

For the best results it should be spawned in a species tank. Adult fish tend to be quite expensive, so a more feasible option is to start with a group of 6-8 young fish. A 48×15″ aquarium is an adequate size and this should be furnished as suggested above. Be sure to provide some areas of open sand to act as potential spawning sites. The pH should be around 8.0-8.5 and the temperature 77-80°F. Condition the fish on a good diet of live, frozen and dried foods.

When in spawning condition, the male(s) will select an area of the tank as their territory and will defend this against other males. They are far less aggressive in this than many Malawian species, however. In the centre of his territory the male excavates a pit in which spawning will occur. He will display around this spawning site, showing intense colour and attempt to entice females to mate with him. When a female is willing, she will approach the spawning site and lay her eggs there, after which she immediately picks them up in her mouth. The male fish has egg-shaped spots on his anal and the female is attracted to these. When she tries to add them to the brood in her mouth she actually recieves sperm from the male, thus fertilising the eggs.

The female carries the brood of up to 50 eggs for around 3 weeks before releasing the free swimming fry. She will not eat during this period and can be easily spotted by her distended mouth. If a female is overly stressed, she may spit out the brood prematurely or eat them, so care must be taken if you decide to move the fish in order to avoid fry predation. Some breeders artificially strip the fry from the mother’s mouth at the 2 week stage and raise them from that point as this usually results in a larger number of fry, although it must be said that this method is only for the expert. The fry will accept newly hatched brine shrimp or microworm immediately after they become free swimming.

Placidochromis electra juvenile.

Notes

The common name is derived from the fact that it was previously thought to be found only in much deeper water than we now know it inhabits. In nature, P. electra feeds from the surface of the substrate on invertebrates and other morsels stirred up by the action of digging substrate feeders such as Taeniolethrinops praeorbitalis. It is attracted to the clouds of sediment thrown up by these species.

Several colour forms exist and these should not be kept together in aquaria as they may hybridise.

Overall Placidochromis electra is a delightful species to keep. A truly breathtaking species, it would be a welcome addition to almost any Malawi show tank. Its undemanding and peaceful nature makes it a wonderful aquarium resident. This species seems to be popular in the aquarium trade at the moment and is usually available from aquarists as well as some fish stores.

Muttley likes this

#366689 November Fotm - Aulonocara Maulana

Posted by Stormfyre on 16 October 2018 - 10:49 AM

As the Fish of the Month for November, there will a bag of 8-9 x Aulonocara maulana "bi-color 500" around 5-8cm available at the PCS Meeting for auction. An instant breeding colony. These are special lots to raise money for Stuart Grant Fund for Cichlid Preservation and have kindly been donated by one of our PCS Members - Brenno71 (Brendon).

Aulonocara maulana

This species is from Africa: Lake Malawi. Only found in areas around Chitimba Bay.

Common names: Bi-color 500, Bi-color, Bi-color Peacock.

Named after Alfred Maulana, one of Stuart Grant's dive team leaders, who discovered this population at Chitimba Bay, Malawi.

Like many peacocks, A. maulana is found in areas with scattered rocks on a sandy bottom, but it is limited to just Chitimba Bay. It shares this location with another, very closely-related Aulonocaraspecies - Aulonocara masoni. They occupy different habitats, however, with the masoni occuring at 22 meters and the maulana occupying the habitat at just 5 meters depth. It is characterized by a broad yellow band around its collar and shoulder, which has earned the trade name "Bicolor." The designation 500 came about because this fish was listed as item number five hundred on Stuart Grant's stock list. The masoni differs from the maulana in that it is practically solid blue, with just a little yellow splash at the base of its ventral fins and on the ventral fins themselves.

Size

Maximum length is around 5″ (13cm).

Classification

Order: Perciformes Family: Cichlidae

Distribution

Aulonocara maulana is found in areas with scattered rocks on a sandy bottom, but it is limited to just Chitimba Bay.

Diet

Like all Aulonocara species, Aulonocara maulana has sensory pores on its face. With these they can sense movement underground on the lake floor from worms, snails, insect larvae, etc.

It feeds on invertebrates that dwell in the sand by lying motionless over the sandy bottom, sensing micro-movements in the substrate. When it finds a target, it darts rapidly into the sand and sifts it by shooting the sand out its gills while retaining the acquired treat.

They are carnivorous - as such, in the aquarium it prefers live foods such as blood worms, snails or brine shrimp, but will generally accept frozen, quality flake or quality pellet foods.

Maintenance

Semi aggressive. Generally peaceful but may become territorial, particularly while spawning. Aulonocara maulana is pretty easy to care for. The fish is generally shy and peaceful, but once in a while, a rogue male will develop.

In the aquarium environment, this cichlid species is best kept with other docile cichlids. Mbuna are too rambunctious for this slow-moving and peaceful peacock. Other peacocks and many of the gregarious Haps and Utaka (e.g., C. moorii, O. lithobates, and Copadichromis spp.) work well as tank mates. They should also be kept in tanks no smaller than 50 gallons if kept with other species as they reach adult lengths of 4-5 inches.

Larger sandy areas are required for feding and plenty of swimming areas. Some rocks to the rear and sides of the aquarium for aggression and breeding.

Water Changes: To prevent the water from becoming too polluted, it is recommended to carry out a monthly renewal of 20% to 30% of the volume of water. Be careful, the added water must be at a temperature close to that of the aquarium.

Water Changes: Weekly - Water changes of 30% weekly are recommended.

Temperature: 78-82°F (25-27°C) pH: 7.8 - 8.6 Hardness: 10-25°H

Character

The Aulonocara, along with the Utaka Cichlids Copadichromis and other non-Mbuna's, are members of the Haplochromis group. Haplochromis is the type genus of free-roaming browsers sometimes call "haps". They live in more sandy areas and open waters, and are generally larger cichlids than their Mbuna "rock-dwelling" counterparts. They also are more peaceful cichlids and should not be housed with the highly active and aggressive Mbunas.

The fish has a mellower temperament than other peacock cichlids. Even when spawning, they are less aggressive. Consequently there is a greater selection of tank mates you can keep with this cichlid species. They are also easy to care for, thus making them a desirable pet. Provide open space for swimming and a lot of caves in which to hide, sleep, or breed. Water changes that are frequent also help in keeping this cichlid. They will eat a meaty diet and have an almost puppy like excitability when being fed, thus adding to their appeal.

Male, Female and Juvies pictures -

Spawning

Aulonocara maulana is not hard to breed. Once you get the fish breeding they will spawn readily. Spawning is typical for peacocks.

The Bi-color Peacock has a mouth brooding term of about 21-24 days. The eggs are relatively small, and numerous. The females generally hold term with no issues. Fry grow quickly, hitting an inch within a month.

A 40-gallon aquarium with only 1 male and 6 females would be an ideal breeding set up. Males tend to be rather aggressive towards females; therefore, it is recommended keeping several females for each male in order to reduce the level of aggression directed at any one female. Broods for adult-sized females range anywhere from 20 to 40 fry.

Peacock Cichlids are ovophile mouth brooders that form a matriarch family. The pair should be conditioned separately on mosquito larvae, blood worms, and crustaceans. The water should have a pH from 8.0-8.2, a water hardness 10-18 dH, and a warmer temperature of 79-84F (26-29C). The female spawns a small number of eggs on the rocky bottom. These are fertilized by way of the dummy-egg method. The young should be raised on newly hatched Artemia and fine-grade flake foods.

Notes

Named after Alfred Maulana, one of Stuart Grant's dive team leaders, who discovered this population at Chitimba Bay, Malawi. It resides in the shallow, intermediate zone at a mere 16 feet.

Westie and Muttley like this

#366688 New Sponsor - Northfin Fish Foods Australia

Posted by Stormfyre on 16 October 2018 - 09:25 AM

I would like to take a moment to introduce our new PCS premium sponsor - NorthFin Fish Foods Australia.

PREMIUM INGREDIENTS IN EVERY PELLET.

NorthFin's formulas strive on being 100% Filler Free, Artificial Hormone Free.

Quality ingredients

All NorthFin™ formulas are made using Whole Antarctic Krill Meal, High Omega-3 Herring Meal and Organic Kelp as the main ingredients.

Less Waste

Feeding a marine protein based diet to your fish allows them to stay healthy, reach their full size and colour spectrum while producing less waste.

Professionally formulated

By adjusting the ingredient ratios NorthFin offers well balanced diets for a wide variety of freshwater and saltwater fish.

Why NorthFin™?

Because it has no Fillers, Artificial Pigments, no added Artificial Hormones and no By-Products.

The founder Darius Chodocinskas has been an aquatic specialist for over 30 years. Throughout his career Darius has experimented with many different feeding formulas but was never satisfied with certain ingredients (fillers, artificial hormones and artificial pigments).

Who is NorthFin and where did they come from?

Canadian Aquatic Feed Inc. is the first Canadian manufacturer of premium quality aquatic food pellets for ornamental fish.

The founder Darius Chodocinskas has been an aquatic specialist for over 30 years. Throughout his career, Darius has experimented with many different feeding formulas but was never satisfied with certain ingredients (fillers, artificial hormones and artificial pigments). He then decided to create NorthFin™, the first premium fish feed that consists of high quality easily digestible ingredients and is completely 100% filler, artificial hormone/ pigment free. Since then Canadian Aquatic Feed Inc. NorthFin™ products have set a new standard in the aquatic food industry.

Over the years Darius have been involved in different fish clubs in North America, Australia and Europe and participated in a lot of fish shows accumulating numerous Trophies, Plaques and Certificates including Best In Show, Best Cichlid and Best Catfish.

AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTOR

NorthFin Australia

New South Wales,2749 Australia

Email: sales@northfinaustralia.com.au

Check out their website here - https://www.northfinaustralia.com.au/
Check out their Facebook page here - https://www.facebook...thfinAustralia/

OUR MISSION

To enhance peoples’ aquariums by offering premium quality fish foods, by mimicking the natural feeding habits of all aquatic fish species throughout an easily digestible diet.

NORTHFIN’S FORMULAS
Only the highest marine grade proteins and additives are used in all of NorthFin’s product line. NorthFin does not use any low grade ingredients or fillers. NorthFin Premium Fish Foods are artificial pigment free and has no added artificial hormones.
ANTARCTIC KRILL
Antarctic Krill is a type of shrimp-like marine invertebrate animal. Each krill consists of about 15% high-quality protein containing vital amino acids and about 3% fat and vitamins. It supplies minerals such as iron, phosphorus, and calcium. It is human consumption grade.
HIGH OMEGA-3 HERRING MEAL (CERTIFIED)
About High Omega-3 Herring Meal is the highest grade fish meal. This Special Product has a higher concentration of DHA. Prepared from herring Clupea harengus (Atlantic herring). Freshly caught and frozen in minutes on well maintained Canadian ships, on arrival to port all catch is processed in around two hours.

WHOLE SARDINE MEAL
About The sardine is an ocean-going fish well known for travelling in large groups, or schools. The sardine is related to the herring, and sometimes small fish labelled as sardine is actually herring. The sardine is widely fished in the Pacific and Atlantic.
SPIRULINA PACIFICA
About Spirulina is 100% natural and a highly nutritious micro water plant. It is packed with raw vegetable proteins, minerals and multi-vitamins. Spirulina improves the immune system and provides optimal health.
ORGANIC KELP
Kelp is a type of marine seaweed. Seaweeds come in three different colour varieties, red, green and brown. Kelp meal on average supplies around 60 minerals, 21 amino acids and 12 vitamins. Kelp also provides sources of nitrogen and potassium, micro-nutrients, carbohydrates and essential plant hormones.

Delapool likes this

#366675 November 6Th Meeting - Auction

Posted by Stormfyre on 09 October 2018 - 02:37 PM

He met my ban hammer..

awwww ridge hasn't liked this post, must be something wrong with him ;-P

malawiman85 likes this

#366664 November 6Th Meeting - Auction

Posted by Stormfyre on 08 October 2018 - 12:24 PM

November 6th Meeting - Auction Night

The next meeting of the Perth Cichlid Society will be an auction night on Tuesday, November 6th.

We are now taking bookings for lots. Please PM your lots to Ben 'Muttley' ASAP on PCS Forum.

The auction will be held at our regular venue Atwell College, 201 Brenchley Drive, Atwell 6164. We will be opening doors early to get lots booked in. Please park your cars in the car park marked, do not enter the school gates with your vehicles.

·         We will have a new Fish of the Month for October. This month's FoTM is 'Aulonacara maulana - BC500' kindly donated by PCS Member - Brenno71. We will have a bag of 6-7 fish, around 7cm (instant colony), to discuss and auction off, with proceeds to Stuart Grant Fund for Cichlid Preservation. Learn about the fish and then take some home.

·         Grab some raffle tickets for our Sponsor prize table full of awesome aquarium hobby items. There will be 2 major prizes to win!! Don't forget 20% of raffle goes towards the Cichlid Preservation Fund.

·         In the PCS Kitchen we will have some tasty Bratwurst sausage sizzle with onions for you to buy. We will also have hot and cold drinks and snacks. Don't forget 20% of kitchen purchases goes towards the Cichlid Preservation Fund.



Please note -
·         There will be no PCS Library or PCS Show Table this meeting.
·         You can pay cash or we can accept MasterCard, VISA Debit, VISA Credit and PayPal.
·         All lots must be pre-booked, with no exceptions. See this guide before you book in - HERE.
·         General public are welcome to attend, so please bring your friends along.
·         The doors will open just on 7:10pm to start processing lots. Lot viewing will start at 7:45pm.
·         No lots will be accepted into the auction after 7:40pm.

You will have a short period in which to view the lots commencing at 7:45pm. View the lots carefully before bidding as once you win, you own it. The lot area will be sectioned off and we ask that everyone remain behind the sectioned off area at all times, with the exception of the viewing period. Lots will only be dispersed at the end of the auction. This means you will need to remain until the end and be patient to collect your winning lots. The lots will be collected by PCS Committee members for you. Nobody is permitted to collect their own lots.

The PCS Raffle will feature great items and as major prizes -

1st prize - from Rob's Aquariums.
SunSun HW-3000 Canister filter. 1200-3000LPH adjustable - 4 stage filtration with accessories included.

ABS engineering plastic, fashionalble design.
Siphon styple intake, easy to use. With water stop switch, easy cleaning.
Low noise operation, large out flow. 6 gears adjustable outflow from 1200-3000LPH.
With touchable screen.
With 9W UV sterilizer. UV Lamp working hours adjustable.

2nd prize - from Rob's Aquariums.
Indiana Aquariums T8 LED - 4FT 15W light. This light is T8 style LED in a great colour ratio to make your fish POP! - 3Red-2Green-2Blue.

The auction will be capped at *150 lots at the discretion of the PCS committee. In the interests of fairness, variety and smooth running, sellers may be asked to modify their lots at the organisers' discretion.

    *All lots must be pre-booked, with no exceptions. See this guide before you book in - HERE.

                                                       HOW TO BOOK YOUR LOTS
                                       Please list the following:
                                              :Number of fish
                                              :Scientific and common name of fish
                                              :Size of fish
                                              :Sex if known and a reserve if wanted.

                                                        PM your list to Ben 'Muttley' via PCS Forums.

                                                         For example -
                                              3 x copadichromis virginalis "Mloto firecrest" 5-6cm
                                              5 x aphyocharax anisitsi "bloodfin tetra" 4cm
                                              1 x scobinancistrus aureatus "sunshine pleco" M 20cm (res $50)

                                         Lists of lots missing the above information will be sent back.

***NEW AUCTION GUIDELINES

The number of auction lots will be at the discretion of the PCS Committee, however to ensure the evening does not run too late, the number of lots will be capped around 150.

To assist sellers in determining what lots to submit, the following should be considered:
·         Cichlid lots will take preference to any other lots;
·         To encourage sellers to submit cichlid lots, the PCS has discounted the commission it will take from the sale price (5% vs 10% for non-cichlid lots);
·         While duplicate lots will be accepted, at the discretion of the PCS committee, lots may be removed in the interest of fairness and variety. Duplicate lots from the same seller will be those initially selected for removal. Duplicate lots from different sellers will be accommodated as best as possible. Sellers will be notified should this occur;
·         PCS will attempt to include all sellers submitting lots, however preference will be given to those submitting lots 2 weeks prior to auction night; and
·         All perishable items (e.g. food, chemicals, water treatments) will not be accepted unless they are sealed (i.e. unused).

There are a few things people need to be aware of for auction -

General public are welcome to attend.
·         All lots will be inspected on the night and any lots with deformed,unidentifiable or undersized fish will be removed.
·         All lots will have the seller's forum name listed on the bag.
·         Fish bagged incorrectly will not be accepted. No sandwich bags or zip-lock bags allowed.
·         Please make sure your fish are adequately bagged. If they are large fish, put each in a separate bag.
·         When booking lots, please use reserve prices sparingly for the expensive stuff. No reserves will be accepted below $20
·         When bidding on the night please remember that collection and payment of lots will only take place at the end of the auction.
·         At the end of the auction your lots will be collected and given to you by a committee member. Do not touch any lots.
·         Only club members can sell lots at the auction but you can become one on the night. Anyone can bid/buy.
·         The PCS takes a 10% commission on all sales at the auction.
·         Non PCS club members pay an additional 10% of total sale price per lot.
·         Atwell College is not a licensed venue and alcohol is not permitted. Anyone drinking at the site will be asked to leave.
·         No smoking is permitted at Atwell College, you need to go out the front away from the entrance.
·         There are limited lots in the auction and cichlids then other fish take priority. The committee has discretion in refusing lots and reserves in the interests of balance and pacing.

*** PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN BOXES TO TRANSPORT FISH AND GOODS - THESE WILL NOT BE PROVIDED***

Please bring your own boxes and bags to the auction to transport fish and goods home with you. If you bring your own boxes, please ensure you write your name on them to identify that they belong to you.
Please keep your eyes on your boxes if you leave them in the room, PCS is not responsible for taking care of them for you as we are too busy on auction nights. PCS will not have a stock pile of boxes for you to pack fish into at the end of the auction, it is important to bring your own.

All are welcome. Hope to see you there Tuesday, November 6th.

Doors open 7:15pm. Veiwing starts 7:45pm. Auction starts 8:00pm at Atwell College, 201 Brenchley Drive, Atwell 6164.

New parking area. Do not drive into school gates unless you are dropping off large deliveries.

Early Lots List

Aquarium 48cm*45cm*35cm

1 x Painting of cichlid by Amos from Nkharta Bay, Lake Malawi.

10 x Tropheus Red Katete @ 5cm

10 x Tropheus sp Maculatus Lusingu - Yellow (Yellow Murago) @ 5cm

1 x PCS Supporter pack - Bottle openers, nice pens, stickers

1 x Box of second hand Aquarium books and magazines

1 x Halfmoon Plakat (1m & 1f sibling pair)

1 x Bag Vallisneria Nana

1 x Painting from Lake Tanganyika

1 x Tanzanian Masai Mask

1 x Astro 2212 canister filter - brand new, never taken out box

4 x Callochromis macrops Ndole Bay red 3 cm

5 x Tropheops sp. Chilumba 3-4 cm

10 x Tropheus sp. red Chipimbi 3-4 cm

1 x Neolamprologus brevis sunspot molwe female 4cm

5 x Protomelas sp. steveni Taiwan Taiwan Reef 4-5 cm

4 x Metriaclima sp. msobo Magunga 4-5 cm

10 x Ancistrus sp. Common Bristlenose 3-4 cm

1 x Enantiopus sp. kilesa male 8 cm

1 x Enantiopus sp. kilesa male 6 cm

2 x Steatocranus casuarius Blockheads 10-7 cm

4 x Neolamprologus multifasciatus Multies 2cm

1x 3 Neolamprologus Ocellatus Gold 1.5 to 2 cm

1x 5 Electric yellow 4cm Labidochromis Caeruleus

1x 2 block head cichlids 4 to 5cm Steatocranus Casuarius

1x 3 Normal bristle nose 5cm

1x 2 Marble bristle nose 5cm

1x 2 Calico bn female 7 to 8 cm

1x 4 Albino bn 4 to 5 cm

1x 2 Lemon blue eye female bn 7 cm

1x 2 L007 pleco 4 cm

1x 3 L333 pleco 3 to 4 cm

1x Tri-color lotus

1x Windelov java fern

1x Christmas moss

1x Java fern narrow leaf

1x Anubias nana

1x Lagenandra meeboldi "pink"

20x Ninja shrimp

5x Bamboo Chaco cave

1x Unistar air pump air 2000-5

1x African water fern bolbitis heudelotti min

5 x Neolamprologus leleupi 7 to 8cm

5 x Chindongo flavus 5 to 6cm

1 x 3 Ft led light

1 x 3 Ft t5 light

2 Pairs Poecilia Reticalata ( Japanese blue swords)

10 x Neocaridina davidi ( carbon rili shrimp 1cm+)

10 x Neocaridina davidi ( red cherry shrimp 1-2cm)

10x Neocaridina davidi (red cherry shrimp 1-2cm)

1 x Breeding pair peppermint bristlenose male 13cm female 9cm

2 x Neolanprlogus brichardi (princess cichlids 2-3 cm)

2 x Corydoras (peppered Cory catfish 4cm plus)

4 x Pelvicachromis Taeniatus (kribensis dwarf cichlids 3-5cms)

5 x Copadichromis borleyi (Red fin borleyi) 3-4cm unsexed

5 x Astatotilapia burtoni 3-4cm Males

5 x Copadichromis borleyi (Red fin borleyi) 3-4cm unsexed

5 x Astatotilapia burtoni 3-4cm Males

4 x Julidochromis Reganis 3-6cm

2 x Julidochromis Dickfieldi 3-5cm

1 Display Male Electric Blue

1 Display Male Metriaclima sp "msobo" Magunga

1 Display Male "Star Sapphire" Placidochromis

1 Display Male Nibochromis Fusco

1 x Breeding pr Xenotilapia bathyphilus Kekese @ 8- 10cm

4 x Callochromis macrops Ndole Red @ 4-5 cm

5 x Neolamprologus multifasciatus @ 2 cm

3 x Exochromis anagenys @ 4 cm

5 x Ptyochromis sp. hippo point salmon @ 4 cm

5 x Metriaclima estherae Minos Reef @ 4 cm

1 x Windelov Java Fern

1 x Large decoration mangrove root @ approx 3ftx2ftx1.5ft (when assembled)

3 x Psuedotropheus williamsi @ 8cm.

3 x Neolamprologus cylindricus

3 x Maylandia Lombardi

5 x Albino princess cichlid

2 x Sciaenochromis Fryeri (m+f)

1 x Sciaenochromis Fryeri (M)

4 x Julidochromis transcriptus

5 x Julidochromis transcriptus

5 x Neolamprologus Multifasiatus

4 x Xenotilapia bathyphilus Kekese

5 x Princess cichlid (Neolamprologus pulcher)

3 x Julidochromis Regani “Kipili”

2 x Goldspot Pleco

3 x Goldspot Pleco

4 x Neolamprologus leleupi

3 x L144 Lemon Bristlenose

2 x Sucking catfish Gyrinocheilus aymonieri

3 x Sucking catfish Gyrinocheilus aymonieri

8 x Neolamprologus pulcher (brichardi) @ 5 cm

6 x Lethrinops marginatus Red Flush @ 4 cm

6 x Julidochromis transcriptus @ 4 cm

6 x Aulnocara sp Lwanda @ 4cm

6 x Xenotilapia bathyphylus kekese @ 4 cm

6 x Cyprochromis leptosoma Mpulungu @ 4 cm

Super Black Halfmoon Plakat Pair 5-6cm male and female

Red Koi Giant Halfmoon Plakat Pair 7-8cm male and female

Butterfly Halfmoon Betta 7cm male

Dark Blue Feather Halfmoon Betta 7cm male

Platinum White Dragon Halfmoon Plakat Betta 6cm male

Black Orchid Crowntail Betta 7cm male

Emerald Wild Pair 5-6cm male and female

Black Dragon Halfmoon Plakat Betta 6-7cm male

Red Dragon Halfmoon Plakat Betta 5-6cm male

5 x Hemitilapia Oxyrhyncha @ 3-4cm

6 x Otopharynx Lithobates @ 5-6cm

10 x Tropheus Mpimbwe Orange Cheek @ 4-6cm

5 x Iodotropheus Sprengerae @ 4-5cm

5 x Geghyrochromis Lawsi @ 4-5cm

5 x Cynotilapia Zebroides Likoma @ 4-5cm

5 x Labidochromis Nkali @ 4-5cm

5 x Labidochromis Perlmutt @ 5-6cm

5 x Metriclima Pulpican @ 3-4cm

5 x Neolamprologus leleupi @ 4-5cm

3 x Cyphotilapia Frontosa Kigoma @ 4-5cm

4 x Ophthalmotilapia Ventralis Chituta @ 3-4cm

Poncho, Westie, Stormfyre and 2 others like this

#366662 New Energy

Posted by Stormfyre on 08 October 2018 - 10:34 AM

me too.. i thought pics of Brett pooping in his new 'methane burner'. ;-)

Westie likes this

#366641 October Meeting - Diy & Build A Fish Room

Posted by Stormfyre on 02 October 2018 - 01:17 PM

DIY & Build a Fish Room.

Everyone should head down to our Tuesday, October 2nd - PCS meeting tonight. We have PCS Committee Members coming in to talk all about a few subjects.

Brendan is going to show you how to build a fish room at home and all the things to look out for. He will explain how to save money building and maintaining a fish room.
Brett is going to go through his current fish room build and why he made decisions through experience and research.
Brendan and Brett will both discuss and explain DIY solutions to save you big money to spend on more fish. You can ask any questions you may have.
Darryl is going to give a quick demo on how to bag your fish properly so they can be transported home. Great for those putting in lots in the PCS Auction next month.

The next meeting of the Perth Cichlid Society will be on Tuesday, October 2nd. The meeting will be held at our venue Atwell College, 201 Brenchley Drive, Atwell 6164. We will be opening doors at 7:30pm and starting at 8:00pm. Please park your cars in the car park marked, do not enter the school gates.

· We will have another Fish of the Month. This month's FoTM is Metriaclima sp. msobo. We will have a bag of 5 of these beautiful cichlids from Lake Tanganyika of around 4-5cm up for grabs that were kindly donated by PCS member - Poncho (Brett). Learn about the fish, bid to take them home. All proceeds go to Stuart Grant Cichlid Preservation Fund.

· Grab some raffle tickets for our Sponsor prize table full of awesome aquarium hobby items. Heaps of aquarium related prizes prizes to win!! See Darryl 'Dazzabozza and Stormfyre' on the night to grab your tickets. Don't forget 20% of raffle goes towards the Cichlid Preservation Fund.

· Why not enter our PCS Showtable competition. Bring ANY cichlid or catfish down to the meeting and you could win sponsor prizes or vouchers. **Small tanks are available at the venue if you PM organiser Ash 'Ashram' on our forums at least a day before you come down. Feel free to bring you own tank and air, but no other items are permitted in tank for judging.

· The PCS Library will be open where you can borrow books, magazines and DVDs of all kinds of cichlid topics. See Craig 'Delapool' on the night to borrow items.

· In the PCS Kitchen we will have some awesome Buffalo Chicken Wings with Ranch dressing to keep you going. We also have Plum Sauce Chicken Wings for those who can't stand the heat and other snacks for you to buy. We will also have hot and cold drinks and snacks. Don't forget 20% of kitchen purchases goes towards the Cichlid Preservation Fund.

Please note -

You can pay cash or we can accept MasterCard, VISA Debit, VISA Credit and PayPal.
General public are welcome to attend, so please bring your friends along.
The doors will open just on 7:30pm to start setting up. Talks will start at 8:00pm.

All are welcome. Hope to see you there Tuesday, October 2nd.

Doors open 7:30pm. Meeting starts 8:00pm at Atwell College, 201 Brenchley Drive, Atwell 6164.

Please take note of the new parking area and entry for Atwell College and PCS members.

Westie and Delapool like this

#366551 Fish Of The Month - Metriaclima Sp. "msobo"

Posted by Stormfyre on 10 September 2018 - 10:42 AM

As the Fish of the Month for October, there will a bag of 5 x Metriaclima sp. "msobo" around 4-5cm available at the PCS Meeting for auction. These are special lots to raise money for Stuart Grant Fund for Cichlid Preservation and have kindly been donated by one of our PCS Members - Poncho (Brett).

Metriaclima sp. "msobo"

This species is from Africa: Lake Malawi. Particularly noted from Magunga, Lundu, Ndumbi, Pombo Rocks, Tanzania..

Common names: Msobo Magunga, "Deep" Magunga.

M. "Msobo" is another zebra cichlid. Males have a blue/black base color with light blue bars and spots against the dorsal fin. Females are orange/yellow. This species is found in the higher areas of the lake.

Size

Maximum length is around 5.5″ (14cm).

Classification

Order: Perciformes Family: Cichlidae

Distribution

Metriaclima sp. "msobo' is a Mbuna from Lake Malawi. It is a rock dweller. It can be found in rocky habitats across the lake and on lake reefs.

Diet

Omnivore, takes both pellets and flakes and occasionally frozen foods. Feed mostly vegetable matter to avoid bloat. It feeds on algae and plankton in the wild. When hungry it will also eat the plants in your tank.

Maintenance

Active rock-dwelling Cichlid, provide plenty of hiding places. Lots of filtration would be best to keep the water clean. Tank should be setup with lots of rocks so the males can have territories to avoid too much aggression.

Water Changes: Weekly - Water changes of 30% weekly are recommended.

Temperature: 78-82°F (25-27°C) pH: 7.8 - 8.6 Hardness: 8-25°H

Character

Metriaclima sp. "msobo" can be quite territorial, keep with other agressive Rift Lake Cichlids of equal size. Males dig holes against the rocks and will protect them at all cost. This behaviour can be very aggressive whilst spawning.

Mostly stays on the bottom of the aquarium digging in caves. Average lifespan is usually 4-10 yrs but can live longer.

Spawning and Fry pictures -

Spawning

Mouthbrooder: after spawning, the females incubate the eggs in their mouth until the fry are free-swimming. Males will mate with multiple females. The fry are easily raised with first foods such as baby brine shrimp.

The males will begin to court the females when he wants to breed and will take over a spot in the tank and begin to dig. Shortly after the pair will breed and since these fish are maternal mouthbrooders, the females will hold the eggs in her mouth(bucal cavity). The females will continue to hold the eggs in their mouth until the eggs become wigglers which can take about 18-21 days.

Notes

This is a very beautiful species of Mbuna. The Metriaclima sp. "msobo" Magunga is a colorful African cichlid that comes from Lake Malawi. They need to be kept with other aggressive Mbuna types. When mature, the males are bright blue and females are more of an orange color as seen in the photo. At a young age, they are all orange.

Magunga Deep variant -

Poncho likes this

#366549 Ticket Sales - Larry Johnson - Tuesday March 5Th

Posted by Stormfyre on 10 September 2018 - 09:53 AM

Tickets for our international guest - Larry Johnson (Canada) are on sale now.

Tuesday, March 5th at Atwell College. $12 includes fees and free catered food and drink on the evening.

Please support the club and come along. It'll be a great evening.

BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE!

Atwell College, 201 Brenchley Drive, Atwell 6164.

New parking area. Do not drive into school gates unless you are dropping off large deliveries.

dazzabozza likes this

#366519 Sept 4Th Meeting - Snail Pests, Freshwaters Rays, Plant Maintenance

Posted by Stormfyre on 03 September 2018 - 08:47 AM

Snail Pests, Freshwater Rays & Plant Maintenance.

You ALL need to come to our Tuesday, September 4th - PCS meeting. We have PCS Committee Members coming in to talk all about a few subjects.

Mike will talk you through Snail Pests and show you how to avoid the infestation and what to do if you have an outbreak.
Craig is going to show us all Plant Maintenance and how to keep those planted tanks looking pristine and avoid things that can destroy your planted world.
Brendan is going to talk about his experiences with keeping Freshwater Rays. Learn about these freindly and beautiful tank mates and ask any questions you may have.
Darryl is going to give a quick demo on how to bag your fish properly so they can be transported home. Great for those putting in lots in the PCS Auction.

The next meeting of the Perth Cichlid Society will be on Tuesday, September 4th. The meeting will be held at our venue Atwell College, 201 Brenchley Drive, Atwell 6164. We will be opening doors at 7:30pm and starting at 8:00pm. Please park your cars in the car park marked, do not enter the school gates.

· We will have another Fish of the Month. This month's FoTM is Neolamprologus similis We will have a bag of 8 of these beautiful cichlids from Lake Tanganyika of around 2-4cm up for grabs that were kindly donated by PCS member - Ashram. Learn about the fish, bid to take them home. All proceeds go to Stuart Grant Cichlid Preservation Fund.

· Grab some raffle tickets for our Sponsor prize table full of awesome aquarium hobby items. Heaps of aquarium related prizes prizes to win!! See Darryl 'Dazzabozza and Stormfyre' on the night to grab your tickets. Don't forget 20% of raffle goes towards the Cichlid Preservation Fund.

· Why not enter our April Malawi PCS Showtable competition. Bring a cichlid or catfish down to the meeting and you could win sponsor prizes or vouchers. **Small tanks are available at the venue if you PM organiser Ash 'Ashram' on our forums at least a day before you come down. Feel free to bring you own tank and air, but no other items are permitted in tank for judging.

· The PCS Library will be open where you can borrow books, magazines and DVDs of all kinds of cichlid topics. See Craig 'Delapool' on the night to borrow items.

· In the PCS Kitchen we will have some good old fashion Aussie Sausage Sizzle to warm you up and other snacks for you to buy. We will also have hot and cold drinks and snacks. Don't forget 20% of kitchen purchases goes towards the Cichlid Preservation Fund.

Please note -

You can pay cash or we can accept MasterCard, VISA Debit, VISA Credit and PayPal.
General public are welcome to attend, so please bring your friends along.
The doors will open just on 7:30pm to start setting up. Talks will start at 8:00pm.

All are welcome. Hope to see you there Tuesday, September 4th.

Doors open 7:30pm. Meeting starts 8:00pm at Atwell College, 201 Brenchley Drive, Atwell 6164.

Westie and Delapool like this

#366495 Fish Of The Month - Neolamprologus Similis

Posted by Stormfyre on 29 August 2018 - 08:29 AM

As the Fish of the Month for September, there will a bag of 8 x Neolamprologus similis around 2-4cm available at the PCS Meeting for auction. These are special lots to raise money for Stuart Grant Fund for Cichlid Preservation and have kindly been supplied by one of our PCS Member - Ashram.

Neolamprologus similis.

Neolamprologus similis is a tiny shell dweller from Lake Tanganyika. This fish for its size really packs a punch, and are fearless. Over the years, this neat little shellies has become more and more available. They are a pleasure to have in an aquarium, and show magnificent behavior.

This species gets its name from its similarity to 'Lamprologus' multifasciatus. The differences for telling the two apart are as follows (Buscher, 1992):

'Lamprologus' similis has a larger eye than 'Lamprologus' multifasciatus.

'Lamprologus' similis has one more stripe, located across the head.

Neolamprologus similis is one of the less frequently seen shelldwellers in the hobby but has no less personality than its cousins. The territories it establishes are very small, usually measuring no more than 6″ across, but they are defended vigorously. The tiny fish will even bite hands or fingers that invade their ‘personal space’! It can be distinguished from the similar N. multifasciatus by the presence of additional barring on the head and neck and also in this species the stripes appear to be light in colour while in multifasciatus they appear dark.

SIZE :

Male to 4.5cm. Female to 3.5cm.

CLASSFICATION :

Cichlidae. Subfamily: Pseudocrenilabrinae

DISTRIBUTION :

Endemic to Lake Tanganyika. It inhabits fairly deep water around the shoreline. These areas are characterised by soft substrates, where the empty shells of snails collect.

DIET :

Live and frozen varieties should form the bulk of the diet, although dried foods are usually accepted.

MAINTENANCE :

The aquarium should have large open areas of sandy substrate, to which should be added a good number of empty snail shells (see breeding section below). More shells should be provided than there are individual fish. The substrate should be at least 2″ deep as the species likes to dig.

WATER CONDITIONS :

Temperature: 24-27°C pH: 7.5-9.0 Hardness: 8-25°H

CHARACTER :

A territorial fish that will defend its shell and the small teritory around it vigorously. It can be combined with other species that inhabit other areas within the tank. Good tankmate choices include small rockdwellers such as Neolamprologus brichardi or smaller species of Julidochromis and open water species such as Cyprichromis. If a number of fish are kept, it will form a colony. If keeping it in this type of situation make sure there are enough shells to go around and try to buy more females than males.

SPAWNING:

Quite easy. Shell brooder. It may breed in the community tank but if you want to raise a full brood of these, a separate tank should be used. Set it up as suggested above. Provide plenty of snail shells, as the females will lay their eggs in these. Escargot shells are a good choice and can be obtained from most decent delicatessens. Water should be hard and alkaline with a pH of around 8.0-8.5 and a temperature of 77-80°F. Keep several females per male and spacing the shells out a little. This helps to reduce aggression between males. Males may also spawn with multiple females if they are available. Condition the fish on a varied diet of live and frozen foods.

Females will attempt to catch the attention of males by displaying at the entrance of their chosen shells, which they bury until only the entrance is visible. When a male is sufficiently interested, the female swims into the shell where she deposits her eggs. When she has finished, she begins to back out of the shell at which point the male releases his sperm. This is ‘sucked’ into the shell by the action of the exiting female, thus fertilising the eggs. Alternatively, if the shell is large enough the male may enter it before releasing his sperm.

After fertilisation the male plays no further part in brood care and is no longer welcome in the female’s territory. The female sits on the shell, covering the entrance and fanning the eggs with her fins. These hatch in around 24 hours, becoming free swimming at around the 6-7 day stage. The fry now start to make forays away from the shell, venturing further and further as they grow. Eventually they are evicted by the female after another fortnight or so.

The fry are big enough to accept brine shrimp nauplii or microworm once they become free swimming. It is probably better to remove them to a separate rearing tank at this stage to ensure the best survival rate. Although the parents do not usually harm them other fish in the colony may eat them.

NOTES :

This is one of the smallest known cichlid species and exhibits truly fascinating behaviour. The territories it establishes are very small, usually measuring no more than 6″ across, but they are defended vigorously. The tiny fish will even bite hands or fingers that invade their ‘personal space’! Highly recommended to anyone wishing to observe some unique behaviour on a small scale.

Poncho, sue, Westie and 1 other like this

Stormfyre

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#367293 Pcs Meeting - Tuesday May 7Th

#367245 Photo Competition 2019

#367224 New Meeting And Club Structure - 2019

#366952 What’S This?

#366846 Fish Of The Month - Placidochromis Electra

#366689 November Fotm - Aulonocara Maulana

#366688 New Sponsor - Northfin Fish Foods Australia

#366675 November 6Th Meeting - Auction

#366664 November 6Th Meeting - Auction

#366662 New Energy

#366641 October Meeting - Diy & Build A Fish Room

#366551 Fish Of The Month - Metriaclima Sp. "msobo"

#366549 Ticket Sales - Larry Johnson - Tuesday March 5Th

#366519 Sept 4Th Meeting - Snail Pests, Freshwaters Rays, Plant Maintenance

#366495 Fish Of The Month - Neolamprologus Similis

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