CountViffer CountViffer
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  • Posted on: 1/2/2008 19:06
Flag Cichlids #1
I have a pair of Festivums/Flag Cichlids, I think/hope!

They seem to change colour quite a lot though from what looks like normal markings through to something completely different, see below - is this normal or have I been sold a wrong 'un..or two?

Just to pre-empt: Ammonia and Nitrite are at 0, Nitrate is at 30ppm, (my tap is at 40!,) RO is next on the list though. Ph 7.6.

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TetraLinz TetraLinz
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  • Posted on: 1/2/2008 20:40
Re: Flag Cichlids #2
I understand from LHG and gwa that cichlids can have days of vivid colour and others of pale colour. This is certainly true with Ramses. He has black/grey stripes running from his dorsal fin to around mid-stomach area. His body is blue and his face is yellow/orange. Sometimes, his stripes are predominant and his colours are quite pale and other times he's a vivid colour and his stripes are almost indistinguishable. If that's what you're seeing in your fish, it's normal for a cichlid. Anything else, and I guess you'll have to see someone with Flag Cichlids

Also, a quick look on Google for Flag cichlids shows a wide variety of different colours/patterns.
T.L
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CountViffer CountViffer
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Re: Flag Cichlids #3
Yeah, I read that as well about the variety of colours, just wasn't sure if that was a variety of strains or whether the fishes changed, the pics above are the same fish, and they both do this, one minute the'll be silver with a black stripe, the next they're mottled.

I guess that's normal...just checking TBH
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longhairedgit longhairedgit
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  • Posted on: 1/2/2008 20:58
Re: Flag Cichlids #4
Yeah both those fish are showing normal colouration, my youngsters , which have been qtd and should be infection clear look like the lower fish most of the time. The classic stripe is something they will show more often as they get older. They change colour multiple times in a day, very communicative fish. Heres one of mine being exactly halfway between the two patterns yours are showing.

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CountViffer CountViffer
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  • Posted on: 1/2/2008 21:23
Re: Flag Cichlids #5
Is there an easy way of sexing Festivums?

I have to admit, I looked at about 12 different fish and couldn't tell any obvious diffrences.
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longhairedgit longhairedgit
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  • Posted on: 1/2/2008 21:39
Re: Flag Cichlids #6
lol not really no, not at this age anyway. I think you have males and I have females, sometimes the sharpness and length of topfin gives it away, but the guess its still up for grabs. Guess well find out for sure in about 3 months, our festivums are a pretty similar age. All the fun of the fair .lol. Thankfully theyre a peaceful enough species that in these tanksizes with some good cover, which you clearly already have, it doesnt really matter too much.

How are yours doing on the feeding front? Mine are taking a little flake, probably as a result of the petshop feeding, I wont use it with them in the end, I just like to make feeding transitions smooth, but they are already showing major preferences for meaty foods like bloodworm brineshrimp, and the hikari sinking cichlid formula, but one of them has taken a real shine to tetra prima.
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CountViffer CountViffer
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  • Posted on: 1/2/2008 21:52
Re: Flag Cichlids #7
They seem to eat anything I offer, so far flake, frozen bloodworm and brine shrimp, as well as live daphnia (well checked for beetle) and one has a particular liking for 'duckweed', the small floating stuff you get on a pond surface...I have it in my tank, must have come in with other plants, it eats the whole thing...then spits the little trailing stem back out...but not the leaf.

Oh, also have a go at Algae pellets intended for the SAE's...and an unfortunate money spider fell in, it lasted about 2 1/2 seconds I reckon.

I'm really pleased with my SAE's, I have one that appears a different shade though...more silvery, is this unusual?
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longhairedgit longhairedgit
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  • Posted on: 1/2/2008 22:54
Re: Flag Cichlids #8
Probably just unrelated, young from the same batch are like clones. Ocassionally females have paler fins, I assume a more silver one is just some natural variability, most are still wild collected after all. The colouration looks healthy enough, its generally blanching of the black lateral stripe in the mid part of a day you have to watch for in a SAE losing condition, though they will do it in the mornings before theyve really got going.
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