Sixty Gallon Journal

[gwand]

Have you seen pics of your butterflies ?

Just a generic picture. No pic of the fish I will receive.

 

[gwand]

Entry #17
Six Anomalochromis thomasi arrive Thursday. I performed a 40% water exchange today now that the tank is cycled and the nitrate levels were 25 ppm after several doses of ammonia. The tank is ready for guests after a quarantine.

 

[gwand]

Entry #18
Six Anomalochromis thomasi arrived today individually bagged and looking very healthy. They are shoaling as a group. I do not know the gender distribution.

 

[gwand]

Entry #19
It has been 10 hours since the African butterfly cichlids went into my tank. All six fish stay together in one group whether they are swimming or just hovering. They really seem to be getting along. This may be because they are young siblings. But I know a. Thomasi is a peaceful fish when not breeding. In a few weeks I will add six Alestopetersius caudalis. I’m looking forward to that addition. I still have not found a breeder or fish store that has Pelvicachromis kribensis (Moliwe).

 

[gwand]

Entry #20
It has been one full day since my African butterfly cichlids arrived. They are looking healthy and are exploring the tank which they own at the moment. I see the emergence blue speckles on some of the fish. Unfortunately the color doesn’t show up on my photo.

 

[JackGulley]

Those are nice looking! They remind me a little bit of keyholes or Laetacara. How big do they get?

 

[gwand]

Those are nice looking! They remind me a little bit of keyholes or Laetacara. How big do they get?

3 inches at maturity

 

[gwand]

 

[gwand]

Entry #21
The six a. thomasi are very active and beginning to explore more of the tank. For the first day and a half all six were swimming back and forth in tandem along the back wall of the tank. The outside of the back wall is covered by black vinyl. The dark covering must make them feel safe. I have been offering them small sinking Omega One cichlid pellets. They show mild interest. They do not rise to the surface for floating flakes. It may take more time for them to develop an appetite after their long journey from Utah.

 

[Fishfunn]

Entry #21
The six a. thomasi are very active and beginning to explore more of the tank. For the first day and a half all six were swimming back and forth in tandem along the back wall of the tank. The outside of the back wall is covered by black vinyl. The dark covering must make them feel safe. I have been offering them small sinking Omega One cichlid pellets. They show mild interest. They do not rise to the surface for floating flakes. It may take more time for them to develop an appetite after their long journey from Utah.

Are you using any fertilizer for your plants? I had great luck with using both Flourish root tabs and Flourish liquid. Until your aquarium gets established, I would consider that for your plants.

 

[gwand]

Are you using any fertilizer for your plants? I had great luck with using both Flourish root tabs and Flourish liquid. Until your aquarium gets established, I would consider that for your plants.

I have never used fertilizer in any of my planted tanks. The anubias, swords and cryptocoryne wentii are going on 2 years old and are lush. I do not maintain any other species of plant.

The anubias blossomed the other day.

 

[Fishfunn]

I have never used fertilizer in any of my planted tanks. The anubias, swords and cryptocoryne wentii are going on 2 years old and are lush. I do not maintain any other species of plant. View attachment 349774The anubias blossomed the other day.

My Amazon Sword in a 5" flower pot using Flourish root tabs.

 

[gwand]

Entry #22
The six a. Thomasi are settling in appropriately and starting to color up. Blacks are getting blacker and blues are showing up. There has been more exploration of the tank.

They are not aggressive eaters. So far they won’t come to the surface to feed nor have I witnessed them eating off the substrate. They feed when the food is drifting through the water column. They are hand shy and move to the opposite side of the tank when I offer up food. I assume it will take time for them to get used to my presence. Anomalochromis thomasi are shy creatures.

 

[gwand]

Entry #23
a. thomasi continue to be skittish and shy. Over the past days I have offered them cichlid pellets, flakes, frozen blood worms and a rapashy stick. They approach all food very cautiously. No food frenzy behaviors. Here is a pic of a butterfly arriving at a food stick. I have also seen these butterflies engaging in earth eating behavior. Fascinating.

 

[MaloK]