New Cyps

[Andrew_B]

Got an adult group of Cyprichromis Leptosoma Blue Orchid in today. 22 fish, 12/10 m/f ratio all 2.5-4". They're still settling in, so not fully colored, but it will only be a matter of time. They've been out of the box for only 3 hours and already look like this!

[johnnymisty]

Those are awsome looking cant wait to see some breeding action on these guys

[troy tucker]

Very nice pick up.

[mnemenoi]

Sweet fish, I have some Black Bees and they are stunning. Glad to see more cyp folks up on the North side!

[Andrew_B]

Thanks! They're still settling in, and kind of boring. It will be more entertaining when they're getting the giggity on and really showing their colors. What lighting do you use for your tank? I know they're pretty deep swimming (100+ ft below water level). Right now I was just using my led 6500k spotlights, considering adding a t8 50/50 bulb to darken it up a little and bring out the blues a bit

[mnemenoi]

We have a 6500K T8 on the tank now, but have a bigger tank in the build out stage with a 10,000K PC light at the ready. Ours breed quite well. Started with a colony of 6 and now we are up to 11. First few times they held the yields were small and it took us a bit to figure out the tricks of keeping them alive. They are quite big, but crushed flake seems to be their best bet. They kept getting sucked up into the filter intake, so sponges on them all now and gowing out with a multi colony helps.

[Andrew_B]

Awesome! Wouldn't mind swinging by and seeing your tank (as well as your others). The old owner fed these guys the .5mm NLS, so I'll stick with that for the time being. Anything special with the scaping? I was told/read that they like vertical rock work that goes up in the top half of the open water so they have something to hide behind to escape current and the breeding happens back there

[mnemenoi]

Ours swim right in the open (though the Eratmodus likely deter any spelunking on their behalf) and usually shoal togather. The alpha male runs the beta males from them though. They usually nip, but never do any real damage. They do like to congregate near rock and immediately go to rock when the lights go out. They love flake, far preffering it compared to NLS pellets. Otherwise they are the easiest fish to make happy. Water changes are the funnest days in the tank for them. I think they would breed like mad if we water changed every day. Usually breeding occurs directly after a big water change. I have witnessed shimmying and breeding behavior, but never the actual laying or catching of the eggs. Females hold 21-25 days and will only release the offspring when they look like they will die from starvation. The young are nearly an inch. Ours seem to like to hang near large leafed Anubias if offered.

[mnemenoi]

Hit me up this weekend and we can get you over to see the tanks, your not very far at all from us

[SunnyHouTX]

Re: New little buddies

Are these from Dane?

[Andrew_B]

Sounds good Roy, I'll PM you. Yeah Sunny, it was his larger group of the two orchids

[SunnyHouTX]

Re: New little buddies

very nice pick up. Beautiful variant

[Andrew_B]

Thanks! Just keeping an eye out for the rest of the fish for the tank. Looking at 6-8 Paracyprochromis nigripinnis as the low level/rock dwellers, then 4-6 little syno petricola to finish it up

[R_sustaita]

Nice fish man, keep he pics coming.

[mnemenoi]

Very cool, I always liked the Paracyps. We have Petricolas, Eretmodus, and multifasciatus in with ours. Gobies run the tank, though the Alpha male cyp can occasionally give them a run for their money