Sixty Gallon Journal

[gwand]

Entry #31
The TR a. thomasi and WC a. caudalis are quite pretty and their colors are evolving. This is really apparent when the light strikes them on a certain angle. The WC p. pulcher male remains very drab but I rarely see him. I never see the female. None of the fish are comfortable with me when I come close to the glass to watch and/or feed. Even though I only feed three days a week, there is still no mad dash for the food. I offer Omega One pellets, Tetra flakes, Repashy and frozen blood worms.

 

[gwand]

Entry #32
I caught the briefest glimpse of the female p. pulcher. She has a pink, purple and lavender belly. I wish she would stay in view for a longer period of time.

 

[gwand]

Entry #33
I am seeing more of the p. pulcher female. She approached the front glass for the first time. She has yellow streaks on her head and a pinkish lavender belly. Unfortunately she doesn’t hang out long enough for me to get a pic. The male makes an appearance only to chase other fish away from his cave. He is really drab; grays and black striped. He was supposed to be chocolate and yellow.

 

[gwand]

Entry #34
P. pulcher female finally revealed herself. Also was able to get a pic of the male.

 

[gwand]

Entry #35
A breakthrough. All of the fish fed in front of me for the first time since their arrival. Even the p. pulcher couple are out feeding.

 

[gwand]

The p. pulcher female is revealing herself more often. She arrived an ugly duckling but has now colored up. The a. thomasi rule the tank.

 

[gwand]

Entry #35
The male p pulcher has bilateral proptosis with a cloudy right eye. Water parameters are fine. Maybe an injury. I’m not sure. I added aquarium salt to the water following Colin’s instructions. API Melafix arrives Wednesday. If the eye condition is not improving I will transfer him to the QT tank for treatment. He will be hard to net. He is almost always hiding.

 

[gwand]

Entry #36
The male p. pulcher died. I’m not certain if the death was a result of injury or infection. He was exceedingly territorial in the absence of spawning. So I suspect combat injuries with Anomalochromis thomasi. Water parameters are fine. All other fish in the tank appear healthy.

 

[gwand]

Entry #37
The wild caught yellow tail Congo tetras, Alestopetersius caudalis, have really come into their own. Beautiful silver creatures with a black and yellow tail. I wish they would swim in the front of the tank glass so I can get a picture for you. But alas they prefer the rear glass wall. When they briefly come to the front glass they disperse as I draw near with my camera.

 

[gwand]

Entry #38
I tried to get pics of the three African species living in the tank. Very skittish and camera shy.
Widowed p. pulcher, a. thomasi and a. caudalis

Dominant yellow tail Congo tetra and mate

 

[gwand]

Entry #39
Anomalochromis thomasi fry appeared this morning. The parents are guarding expertly.

Widowed Pelvicachromis pulcher looking pretty this afternoon.

Alestopetersius caudalis wary of thomasi aggression

 

[gwand]

Entry #40
Anomalochromis thomasi fry hatched unexpectedly on Christmas Day. I’m not certain what triggered the hatch since a. thomasi have been in the tank since September 12 and this is the first hatch. Unfortunately I left for vacation the day after the hatch so I’m not around to feed them. I doubt there will be survivors upon my return. I hope this can be replicated when I’m in town.

 

[gwand]

Entry #41
I am back from vacation and see Anomalochromis thomasi fry. Not sure these are the same fry I saw Christmas Day right before I left on vacation. I do not know how they survived. Here is a video.

 

[gwand]

Entry #42
As I mentioned in the previous post, In my west African Congolese tank Anomalochromis thomasi fry have hatched. I never saw the eggs. This is a community tank so I don’t know how many fry will survive. The parents have been vigilant. I estimate that there are about 50 fry. Very tiny. So vulnerable. I have six a. thomasi adults. I can’t tell males from females. I would like to put a breeding pair in the breeder tank once the Apistogramma cacatuoides have completed their mission in the breeder tank. I will make my best guess for a breeding pair.

 

[gwand]

Entry #43
I am pipetting infusoria in the direction of the fry. They are two weeks old and still tiny. I have been looking at the parents to observe for sexual dimorphism. I want to place the pair in the breeder tank to maximize survival of the fry during the next spawn. I think the male is slightly bigger than the female and the dorsal fin is slightly more pointed whereas the female’s dorsal fin is more rounded. These differences are subtle to my eye.