Plans, Plans…

[GaryE]

I used air operated sponge filters in all my breeding and rearing tanks, including cichlid tanks so I didn't suck up any babies with a power filter.

Excellent point there- I added sponge prefilters to the power filters for the same purpose. Good sized sponge filters would also have been ideal, especially if the goal is to breed them. I don't think that's your hope, right? You didn't have the resources for rearing them.

 

[JackGulley]

I found my water provider’s quarterly analysis.
pH: 7.14
Total Hardness: 27 mg/l
Calcium Hardness: 22 mg/l
Alkalinity: 30 mg/l
Among a bunch of less relevant stuff.

Edit: OK 1 mg/l in water = 1 ppm so that makes things easier

 

[JackGulley]

Are these two images two different morphs of Altospinus or is one just colored up/more mature?

 

[Colin_T]

Wow the bottom fish looks really good. They are both the same species and not different colour forms. The brighter coloured fish is the more dominant and by the length of the fins on the pale fish, they might be both males.

The big colourful fish in the bottom picture also appears to have its ovipositor (egg laying tube) out so the fish is either breeding or preparing to breed.

 

[JackGulley]

Ok nice to know! Those are both pictures from google, but if they can get that bright when colored up that’s definitely useful information! I had never heard that before about them

 

[Colin_T]

Fish show their best colours when breeding. When they aren't breeding they look more like the pale one.