Nannochromis dimidiatus

[Rod]

I'm excited... :blob

Just ordered 2 pair of a West African dwarf cichlid I last owned 36 years ago...and haven't seen since....and I've looked!

I'll let you know what they are when I get them.....Thursday.

In the mean time....Any guesses?

[Th0mas]

Some pelvichromis species - that would be my guess.

Without any photo would be rather difficult for anyone around here.

[Rod]

Not a pelvicachromis....but closely related

<<<<<<<< h i n t :D

I'll post a photo when I get them!

It's now Friday........I hopefully pick them up in a couple of hours and hope they look like my avatar!

[Rod]

Well they've arrived.... :blob2

They are Nannochromis dimidiatus (I think)

They don't look the same as I remember (these are more colourful)
But then perhaps my memory has faded after so long....and they are a bit different to the avatar :D
They look more like this image
http://www.cichlidnewsmagazine.com/issues/2003oct/images/37a.jpg
I've set up a planted tank with very soft acid water....but it is a bit more acid than the water they've come in so I plan to acclimatise them very slowly.

I think they are going to be very pretty fish once they settle in and feed up on live food.....mossie larva and white worms

[Rod]

Biggest malehttp://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n3/A_H_Sprite/N.dimidiatus2.jpg
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n3/A_H_Sprite/N.dimidiatus.jpg[/img]

[Merrilyn]

Lovely little fish. They deserve to be more popular.

[Rod]

Lovely little fish. They deserve to be more popular.

I agree....they are a very pretty little fish....Like a dwarf kribensis!

Seems they've been rare overseas for many years as Zaire....the West African country they are found in...has been isolated from fish exports due to Civil war!

They are still quite small...biggest male about 40mm...female 30mm....but apparently this is big enough to spawn?

They are quickly getting in condition....largest female has a fat belly and is following the male all over the tank....fingers crossed!
:D

[Rod]

Whilst this probably doesn't mean a lot to most viewers....I think the fish I now have are more correctly described as.....

Congochromis sabinae......?

[Merrilyn]

Have they gone thru a name change Rod, been identified as a new species, or are they different from the fish you had years ago?

[Rod]

It appears the Nanochromis Genus was separated into Large/small just a few months ago.

Nanochromis nudiceps/transvestitus being in the larger(70+mm) and retaining the Nanochromis name and the smaller(60-mm) N. dimidiatus,squamiceps,sabinae being renamed Congochromis.

From the scientific descriptions I think my current fish are Congochromis sabinae.....not dimidiatus.....because their colour description is spot on...red in the dorsal,red/orange top lip and around the eyes
Looking at photo's on the net can be very confusing....many fish being incorrectly titled.....but my conclusion has been after reading a scientific paper....not just looking a photo's

It seems there are quite a number of very similar fish all sold as N. dimidiatus....I did enquire from the wholesaler but they were unable to give any particulars....probably came into the country as morph of Pelvicachromis taeniatus as they look very similar to juvies of these fish.

I remember my original fish as being different....the female had more colour and the male a lot less....but that was quite a while ago....they may have been C. squamiceps not C.dimidiatus ???

[Rod]

I've got a skinny female that was fat last night camped in terracotta pot!

and I think I've got my identification all wrong!!!

My current female has no silver spot on her anal opening
My original female did...

so...

My current fish are most likely Congochromis dimidiatus
My original fish were most likely Congochromis(nanochromis) squamiceps

For the next few days anyway!!! :lol:

[Rod]

Oops.....double post!

[Merrilyn]

Keep us posted Rod.

Love to know how they go.

[Rod]

Just an update....

Definately have 2 pair.....both pairs have spawned.....both have eaten the eggs
One more opportunity each...then it's artifical hatching!

I'm feeding lots of live food.....mossie larva, blood worms and daphnia from some outdoor tubs. I noticed a female had a small white worm like parasite on her dorsal so I treated the tank with parablast....and it disappeared....then I noticed she had developed a white spot on her forehead....it seemed to be getting bigger and deeper....Hole in the head disease?

After some research I added some Indian Almond leaves...which I have for my wild bettas....to the tank....a week later it's all cleared up!

I've now added the leaves to all my softwater tanks....water is tea coloured....but colours in all fish have intensified....my Rams are showing unbelievable strong colours....They just dumped another load of eggs on one of the leaves!

Just Hope it stops them all from eating their eggs! :wink: