. THE MONTHLY

1­ PO BOX 25, PHONE: (03) 527 2546 BALACLAVA, VICTORIA 3183.

ALL BOUGHT AND SOLD (WHOLESALE ONLY) .. THE CrCHLIDMONTHLY

~ ~11""".~ COMMITTEE FOR 1986

President . DANNY GENOVESE 5272546 Secretary . GRAHAM ROWE .. 5607472 Treasurer . KEITH PATFORD .. 7162425 Vice·President .. JOHNEMMS .. 5605936 Show Secretary ...... AARTLANGELAAR , .. 786 1403 Trading Table Secretary GRANTHAYMES .. 7588904 Social Secretary ...... LEE COUSINS .. 8907073 Librarian .. SCOTT HAYMES .. 8907073 Editor , . AMANDA GENOVESE . 5272546 Committee at large .. BILL FORMAN .. 7363784 MARKLEE . 7916235 STEVE BUTCHER . 5469568 HEINZ STAUDE .. 546 1025 Life Members .. GRAHAM ROWE HEINZ STAUDE KEVIN ARCHIBALD

Front cover Artwork and Design by SCOTT HAYMES. Edited by AMANDA GENOVESE, assisted by STEVE MORTON.

The Cichlid Monthly is Registered by Australia Post ­ Publication Number VEH0291. The Cichlid Society is a member of the Federation of Victorian Aquarium Societies.

VOL. 15NO.9 CONTENTS T

Page 3 Editorial 4 Special Notices 5 November Minutes 6-8 .... Tilapia buttikoferi - Kevin Sorensen 9 •••• Fish House Report 10-11 Inbreeding - Gregg Reynolds 13-15 The Raw Beginner - Steve McCausland 16-17 Spawning Red Devils - Don Evans 18-19 Wanted Preferably Alive 20-21 Aequidens portalegrensis - R. Mearns 22-24 Rowemin 'round 25 Table Show Report 27 Cichlid Scene

The Victorian Cichlid Society was formed by Cichlidophiles in March 1972, thus becoming the first specialist aquarist . group in the State ofVictoria. The aims ofthe VCS are: to promote the keeping ofCichlids; to gain and disseminate knowledge of their habits through slides, films, books, lectures, overseas magazines, articles by members and discussion with fellowmembers or otherexperts in the field.

REPRI:FITS: Anyone wishing to reprint materials from any Cichlid Monthly, may direct their requests to authors, via the EdItor. The Cichlid Monthly is published monthly by: THE VICTORIAN CICHLID SOCIETY, C/- 23 Mangana Drive, Mulgrave, Vic. Australia 3170.

2 EDITORIAL

Yes it is that time of year - Christmas is upon uS and holidays for most. May I reHind you to prepare your fish houses now, before you leave them in the care of others. We have " few forthcoming events. "Please read the Club news page carefully so as not to miss anything. 1 must at this stage say how much of an imposter 1 feel in the position of Editor. Steven Morton, Steve McCausland and others have been doing so much work in the effort to bring this magazine to its current quality, and 1 still have my name in as Editor. I thank them for their continuing effort. At last we have what I consider the closest thing to an Editorial Committee, which is what I have tried to implore for a very long time. Wit_h the quality we have now, we must continue to pull together to keep it going. See you at the Christmas meeting

Amanda

3 SPECIAL NOTICE

CLUB EVENTS Don't forget the Baby Show in December. Bring along your best 'fry' and enter it. Catagories are Birth - 3 mths and 3 - 6 roths. Win a Silver Cup.

JANUARY POOL PARTY BAR-B-QUE January 4th at the Nunawading Swimming Pool, Fraser Place, Nunawading off Husband Road. We'll be there from 11.00 am till closing. So come along for the whole day, or lunch or dinner. Bring the family and friends. Volley ball, swimming, races. Great day for the kids, with special prizes etc. Byo food and drink.

DECEMBER meeting is our Christmas break up with a sausage sizzle for supper. A time to talk with friends after the meeting. Don't miss it.

FEBRUARY MEETING the commit tee is planning to have a very special VIDEO by Professor Gratzek, this is a special event and will go for the whole meeting, which means we may have a late meeting but believe me it wi11 be worth it. I implore you, you'll regret it if you miss it.

c PE I ION The ves is offering a $50 CASH PRIZE for the best article submitted to The Cichlid Monthly

Your article may be on any topic pertaining to cichlid keeping. Entries must be in to the editor by the December meeting date - (17 December). 4 NOVEMBER MINUTES

Minutes of meeting held on 19 November 1986 The meeting opened at 8.12 pm with the President in his chair. He welcomed all 37 members and 3 visitors present. Apologies were accepted. Minutes of October meet ing were taken as read on a motion moved by John Emms and seconded by Scott. Correspondence was tabled. John Emms then gave an excellent insight into Geophagus .. surLlamensis" - the fish of the month. In the quiz Matthew Riley narrowly defeated David Thorn - requiring 2 tiebreakers - and won a can of tablet food. Mark thanked for questions. Auction was a success. Heinz thanked for an excellent job. Art Photo Compet ition prizes presented. After a short break an ,extra brief mini auction was held. New members Ron and Cathy Phipps were welcomed and presented with badges etc. Main talk Maintenance of aquarium equipment was then given by Steve Butcher. Table show results were announced. Draw prizes 1st Peter Petrus - heater 2nd Lee Cousins - $10 A.A. Voucher 3rd Bill Foreman - Java Fern Door prizes were then pre-"sent"-ed. Volunteers are required for Expo 87. Meeting adjourned for supper at 10.17. vc~ _ B ILAPIA BUTT~KOFERI by Kevin Sorensen

When these fish first arrived on the market friends were able to purchase 3 youngsters of what is believed to be the original twenty fish. The young Tilapia were housed in a standard six foot aquarium with other African and American cichlids of similar size. Feeding was not a problem as they ate everything and anything offered, without showing signs of aggressiveness towards the other tank inhabitants other than not allowing them the necessity of eating. Future visits showed that the Buttikoferi were growing at a staggering rate and were now three to four times the size of the other fish, it was becoming very obvious that the continued housing of the Tilapia with the others was no longer viable. They were offered to me for housing in my fish room as more space and larger tanks were available. The offer was quickly accepted and the Tilapia netted and removed before any change of mind could occur. Searches for information in Aquarium publications shed very little light on breeding or their natural environment. What was available showed that Tilapia Buttikorferi is a medium substrate spa~ler with bronze and black vertical barring, irridescent blue lips and body length white pelvic fins. Natural diet consisting almost exclusively of water snails. They are found on the ivory coast of West Africa, inhabiting river systems such as the Aantje River River in Sierra Leone and St. Paul's River, conditions are started at hardness of 50-80 PPM, temperatures of 24 to 25°C and pH ranging between 6.5 - 6.8, with sizes in aquaria of 12" in males and 10" in females being common. Six months and a great deal of food later two of the Butt ikoferi began showing signs of forming a pair. Over the following few weeks the two proceeded to stake out a territory in the centre of the 6 x 2 x 2 tank they were housed in and both constantly harrassed the remaining third Buttikoferi while paying little attention to the other inhabitants except for the usual sparring and gill flaring. 6 Both fish began to clean and excavate a cave between two rocks, the ~ale seemed to lose interest with the preparatioT}s and preferred harrassing the remaining -Buttikoferi, the female would continue digging and cleaning, onlv leaving the ~hosen site to retrieve the male who continued to show less interest in the nrePArAtions.

These events continued for two weeks during which time the temperature was increased to 29°e to try and induce the spa~ning. The Tilapia spent more time together but sti11 no sign of the females breeding tube. Unfortunately "~or the remainder of the inhabitants the increase in temperature caused the spawning of a pari of Dovii and Synspilum on either side of the Buttikoferi site, leaving fewer remaining places where peace could be found. One week later with the addition of Epsom salts and cooking salts the Buttikoferi female laid approximately l50 200 tan coloured eggs. The male became a model parent, patroling the site and relieving the female with the fanning of the eggs. Many of the eggs showed signs of being infertile after 48 hours except for a small patch of 25 or 30 of which the eyes of the developing fry could be seen.

The rock and developing eggs were removed and placed in a smaller tank, hatching occurred in a further 24 hours at 27°e and pH of 7.4 with hardness at 90 ppm the fry became free swimming in a further 4 days at which time they eagerly accepted microworms and newly hatched brine shrimp. The fry continued to put on size quickly on a diet of grindleworms and prepared foods at f our weeks mosqui toe lavae and white worms could be accepted as well, the young reaching a size of 1 to 1 1/4 inches in 8 to g weeks. Future spawns increased in size and fertility and the adult pair were rehoused in a 48 x 18 x 18 inch tank, filtration was supplied by a side drop filter with twin air uplifts. vc 7 While attending spawns the male would change colour to a sooty black with the light barri~g becoming less noticeable and the checking pattern of t~e dorsal fin became more apparent. The female hecame a brilliant white and black fish which would violently attack the front glass of the tank when anyone approached. both continued to attend the eggs and free swimming young. Upon removal of the young from the parents after 8 to 10 weeks a partition was placed between the two fish to prevent the male attacking the female who seemed to be blamed for the disappearance of the young. After a week or so the partition could be removed and spawning would reoccur. One batch of young which were removed after 10 weeks umbered in excess of 600 fish. ranging in size from 3/4 to 1 inch in size. My experiences with the Tilapia Buttikoferi have shown them to be a truly magnificant cichlid and offer an excellent contrast in colour to a large tank containing species of similar size and temperament such as Cichlasoma.

Literature cited .­ Aquarium digest international No. 6 Buntbarsche Bulletin No. 113 April 1986 Kevin Sorensen

8 FISIH HOUSE REPORT

November Fjsh House night was at the home of Aart Langelaar in Seaford. Judging by the fact that only four club membe-cs attended, there must be a desperate shortage of Melway's around. Most of AartTs larger tanks are in the house. As you enter the front door, as' tank of young Discus greets you. To keep them company, there are young Blue Acaras, Green Severums, A. Rivulatus and C. Managuense. Their owner proposes to remove the visiting cichlids soon, and to leave the Discus in relative peace. To the right is a large capacity 6' tank devoted mainly to African cichlids. A group of active adult H. Compressiceps are the first to attract your attention, keeping company with one C. Frontasa, P. Tangerine Zebras, H. Moorii, etc. In the next room there is a 4' tank ~f mixed Africans, including H. Livingstoni, - H. Taeniolatus, J. Marlieri amongst others. The space taken up by his indoor tanks has reached the point where his tolerant wife Rosemary has said "NO MORE!". In the outside fish house, there are 14 tanks of various sizes and shapes. The variety of fish is equally extensive. Five tanks are devoted to members of the family, others include a pair o~ Oscars about to spawn, Angels, T. Maria, Patricky, P. Pindani, P. Tridentiger and H. Triaenodon. Aart has only seriously been keeping fish for a few years but is very enthusiastic' about his hobby to the extent that he is in the final stages of writing a book on African cichlids. Another area of considerable interest to our has t, is in qualifying for a breeders award, at which he is making good progress but even Aart now concede~ that he may be trying to keep too many varieties of fish at the one time. After viewing an interesting show of slides from England, the meeting finished with Aart and Rosemary inviting us to a most welcome supper for which we thank them sincerely. John Emms I BREEDING by Gregg Reynolds

In most populations the range of movement of individuals a ld hence the mobility of their genes is usually restricted. Individuals tend to mate with others close at hand. In many cases this leads to breeding with close relatives. (- Since selection forces quickly remove poor specimens, this inbreeding is of no detriment to m~ny of our species.) Examples of succes sfully inbreeding species abound. Killifish have a better than even chance of breeding with a sibling. African lovebirds live in small colonies where inbreeding is common. The entire breed of Santa Gertrudis cattle trace ancestry to a single bull. Some species or subspecies of Mbuna have a very restricted (though self-imposed) range where a degree of inbreeding is a consequence. And men have been selectively inbreeding horses and dogs for centuries to improve their spee~, colour or shapp.. When inbreeding occurs there is little change in the overall frequency of genes within a population. But if a recessive gene is rare then inbreeding will cause it to appear in greater frequency as the double recessive gene. Then selection can have a greater opportunity to react against a rare recessive gene. Outbreeding quickly covers those recessive genes. Selection is the key whether in nature or in our aquaria. Whether the recessive gene is for short fins, no opercula or the level of colour tonings in our fish, selection should play the maj or role. We need to be very selective with which fish we present to each other to gain the best advantage from the small gene pool that exists in some species in our aquaria. Thus with selective inbreeding we can actually improve the quality or colour of our fish. Outbreeding is the opposite of inbreeding where a new genetic mix is introduced to our bloodlines. As I mentioned earlier many populations are normally inbred to some degree, and hence a common ancestory is a direct result. Even with a small population we can produce a larger well bred and developed population by using a selective breeding programme. 10 A programrre of breeding which does not increase the degree of inbreeding is the system of second cousin matings.

It is recommended that no indiscriminate breeding at less than second cousin spacing be encouraged or allowed. To enable this we need to better control our breeding, and to record the ancestry of our fish and to only present the best fish to each other. Fish, and especially cichlids, can be choosely about a mate, but as wi th any selective force, we can bring together only the best. It's called selective breeding. Gregg Reynol?s

11 All ARuarium & Pet Supglies P/L (Cichlidarium) at 8 DUNOON CRT MULGRAVE 3170 (off Police road) VICTORIA We Specialise in CICHLlDS,NATIVES,KILLIFISH., MARINES and all other rare Species Everything for the Aquarium

PHO NE :(03)546-1025

Business Hours Mon - Sat 9am - 7pm Sun 11 am - 5pm Wed Closed Victoria/s First and Original Cichlid Centre

The Professionals at ~ M I C ROT E A C H * X do not sell Computers. , . , ;t do not sell Software . -X do not sell Anything . v0/ EXCEPT THE SMALL BIJSIi~ESS SOLUTIO;: The Professionals at MICROTEACH will .. , .. / evaluate your Management needs ./ help you choose your solutions ./ assist you to get it going and ,/ show you how to get the best from it,'! Call the Professionals today to talk it over ...

5275390 or try 5436333 pagers 15670 15651 10111 and David, Zipporah-Leah. Martin and Marc will show YOU ** ThE sr~iALL BUSIJiESS SOLUTIGrJ ** 12 THE:: RAW BEGINNER

by Steve McCausland

As a 'lew and raw beginner to this "fun" hobby I thought I'd try and write some sort of article, after a few words of encouragement from Graham Rowe. I started my hobby with only a few cardinal tetras (20) a "pair" of angels, P. Scalare for the more informed of you, and a few odds and sods because they were pretty and my wife liked them. All went well for a few months and the little lady decided that a marine tank would he the shot for our loungeroom. What a disaster that was, $1000 later and a tank full of nothing but nitrate ••• but, well thats another story.

I was "told" that tropical was the one and only tank I could keep, and in the interests of marital harmony I agreed. I still had my very-happy community 3ft tank with the angels etc and so being a bit devious, I thought, "Right IT 11 buy a 4ft because I have a fluval 302 from the marine set-up". So I installed the 4ft in the family room and put the 3ft in the shed - I can't call it a fish-house yet because my wife might read this!

A friend gave me a large, golden, male angel as he was leaving Melbourne. Now this fish had been in a tank allan his lonesome for some time, years I believe, so when I introduced him to my community tank it was on for young and old. Eventually I had to take out the male partner of my original pair and give him away (only 1 tank remember). vc_ 13 Within the space of a week I had 2-300 eggs sitting on a nice piece of slate and 24 hours later 2 most attentive~ prospective parents. Another 24 hours and the male must have figured I wasn't feeding him enough cos he ate them! "Oh well" ~ I thought~ "Next time". I didn't have to wait long~ 2 weeks and she had laid again. I rushed out and bought an 18" tank, pump etc etc, with permission I might add, and set up on the breakfast bar. I waited till dark and the fish had settled and then pinched the rock with the egg~ on it. Three days passed and I had a tank full of hatchlings; but then fungus set in and again I lost the lot! Two weeks later, thinking 0rd time lucky~ I dosed the 18" tank with Wardley's broad spectrum after reading an article about raising eggs. Anyway, within 6 days I lost the lot again. By that time I was a bit impatient and thought, "To hell with it - I won! t bother, just let them lay and have a feed", but of course as soon as she had laid again I was hooked (well you know what I mean). This time I took the eggs and the mother and placed them in the 18" tank to which I added a corner-filter this time and a small under-gravel filter with a small amount of gravel and some bits of Cobomba ("Got to make her feel at home", I thought.) Everything went well for 5-6 days; free swimming~ everything looked good. Next morning, "Horror - Where are they?", I thought, "Has mum eaten them?" No they were all in the filter, talk about frustration.

I could go through the following 8 layings and hatchings but in the interests of decency I won't because my frustration might tell, vocabulary wise that is.

One day, approximately 10 weeks ago, I was talking to Heinz Staude and recalling all the problems etc that I'd been having. Today I have 60-70 1"-2" beautifully marbled angels swimming quite happily. How? Well Heinz gave me a microworm culture to feed the young in their first week of free swimming and it worked wonders. My problem was that the young were so small that I wasn I t able to feed them any "conventional food" since that laying the female 14 cau?;ht or acquired", Cott(;mmouth disease and so my 3 ft tank came into operation as a quarantine tank. I treated her with Wardley's bls with no success and then triple sulfa. Eventually she was so bad. with a gI;owth under her chin and fun?;us growing from it, that I thought I would definitely lose her. I don't know how many eyebrow's will raise when I tell you that I removed the growth with a scalpel. and used a cotton-wool bud to dab the area with Wardley's bls but it worked! 1 went home at lunch today and she has been with her "old mate" for a week and 2-300 eggs have just been laid. I now have a tank of discus and I keep 3 tanks in the .. shed" • I bought 4 male bristlenose's at the auction of 25th October to put with a female, today 11th November I removed 40-50 free swimming babies to the shed. (the hoplo cats were chasing them).

The moral of these words is keeping fish is entirely different from breeding fish so when in doubt, ask, yeu'll find friendly advice some good some not-so-good but then what works for some people doesn't do for others and if the other half isn! t as keen on the he,bby as you are do it slowly!

15 . It was not long thereafter that the stores • in the Miami area began selling pairs of Red Devils'for $50. I was pleased that I had pawning gotten such a buy, but by this time my Red Devil had reached eight inches and was eating me out of house and home. I was unable to afford a $50· pair of fish, Red Devils but I was lucky enough to be given a "female" by someone who had lost their male. My fish did not like his new tankmate and I soon had to separate the two fish as they fought constantly. Not being content with Have you ever been looking through the having two rather large fish, I bought tanks in one of your local pet stores and another which was bright red, with the large come across a fish that you are sure is a thick lips. The new addition got along with cichlid but you don't know what type? both the other fish and I decided to try to This was my experience a little over a spawn the bright-red one with my pink one. year ago when I happened upon a pretty I placed them in a 29-gallon tan.k, and as four-inch pirk fish. When I questioned the they came from Central America and owner I was told that it was given to him by according to the book I had they liked soft a patron, it was getting too large for his tank water - I adjusted the pH, hoping this - I was sure that I had chanced upon a would induce spawning. rather rare fish and I immediately purchased it for 79 cents. In true cichlid fashion, they spread their I took my little gem home and placed him fins, shuddered and circled constantly ­ in atank witn some of my rather mean but, a month later, the still had not spawned. cichlids (big Jewel fish, Congas etc). I then Frequent water changes, a special diet, and proceeded to scour my fish books for TLC could not induce them to spawn. pictures trying to identify it. Finally, I gave up and brought the water As is normally the case, I was unable to back to the natural conditions of the Miami identify him (her? it?), I did not pursue it any area which is extremely hard and alkaline. further. After :;everal days my pink cichlid Two days later, when I offered them their with the funnv mouth had become boss of food, they almost jumped out of the water the tank and ile kept all the other fish at the trying to get at my hand. I was not sure if top. Inside of '1 week I was forced to give they were hungry or actually trying to bite him his own 20-gallon tank as he had me. That evening I found that they were completely destroyed the tank he was in. trying to bite me ... and they did. Several months later he had become a . It was the first time I had been bitten by a real pet and was eating out of my hand, and fish and I could not understand their continuing to grow. When he reached six behavior - until the next evening when inches in length I placed him in my 55­ they began to spawn around 7.00 pm. At gallon tank with my large C. severums. He 11.30 pm they were still spawning and the was much happier - he had quite a few next morning they had covered a large rock other fish to pick on. and most of a corner of their tank. Several months later, looking through a Two days later the fry hatched and in fish book, I discovered that I was fortunate another three days they were free­ enough to have a Red Devil. What did not swimming. As I have not been able to please me was that, according to the book I successfully raise live baby brine shrimp, was reading, they grew "larger than they were fed crushed egg-yolk, Tetramin Oscars". ! did not want to get rid of the fish baby food, and frozen baby brine shrimp. as I had grown rather fond of him, instead I I might add that the parents were set out to find him a mate. extremely protective and nipped at me 16 whenever I came near the tank. The parentsv' Their size prevents them from being an not bothered by their young, SODn spawne.d ideal community fish, although I kept mine again - 17 days after their first attempt. I in a 55-gallon tank with gold severums now have to separate m'{ fish to keep them without any trouble. from spawning. ,- J There are no great differences betWeen As mostot YQl:J are probably aware, there the sexes and the only way I was able to sex is very I~ttle written abollt the Red Devil. them was during spawning when the From what I can ascertain, there are several female's tube is noticeably thicker and species - such as Cichlasoma erythraeum rounder. and C. labia tum, which ,fe sold as Red I have found that they prefer a water Devils. temperature of approximtely 80 degrees. Coming from Central l\merica, they are They spawned for me during the summer said to prefer soft water (although mine do months when the temperature in my fish well in hard alkaline). house has risen to 86 degrees as well as C. erythraeum can be classified as one of during the winter months when the the" larger" members of the cichlid family. temperature is about 75 degrees. In nature they reach up to 16 or 17 inches, I do not find C. erythraeum to be fussy and like the Oscar, they grow almost as eaters, in fact, they will eat anything from large in the aquarium. J thought that my fish earthworms to gambusia or Tetramin tablets were large until I saw the one that Stan (they will eat a full box at a meal). Doyle has (his takes up a29-gallon tank Like most large cichlids they are avid leaving very little room for anything else!!!). diggers and it is impossibleto keep any They are available in many assorted plants in the tank. What they do not eat, colors from bright-red, to gold or pink. I also they root up. _ have seen specimens th 1t have black marking on their body, Lns and/or lips. Some of them have thicl< rubbery lips that By Don Evans almost look as if they are deformed, while others have small nondescript mouths. Reprinted from Buntbarsche Bulletin, Feb 1971

HAVE YOU GOT YOUR COpy

OF THE CICHLID BOOK THE CICHLID AQUARIUM

by PAUL LOISELLE ? ASK AT YOUR FAVOURITE CICHLID STORE

17 WANTED-PREFERABLY ALIVE ..Q These fish are some of the species that the sub-committee feel are threatened in Victoria if not Austr~iliia. We do not profess this to be a complete list, by any means, 'but it is a starting point.

SPECIES MAINTENANCE COMMITTEE ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST

Key to groups: No 1 = Lost to the hobby No 6 = Threatened by inbreeding No 2 Existence doubtful No 7 Endangered No 3 Extremely rare No 8 Allowahle import but rare No 4 Very rare No 9 Watching No 5 Rare

Group No 1: Group No 2 cont: Biotodoma Cupido Haplochromis Labrosus Chromidotilapia Guentheri Haplochromis Trimaculatus Cichlasoma Alfari H. 3p "Dtake Green" Geophagus Daemon Haplochromis Woodi Haplochromis Chrysonotus Elongatus Haplochromis Frenestratus Limnotilapia Dardenni Haplochromis Grandeosos Pelviachromis Subocelatus Haplochromis Horei Pseudotropheus Elongatus "Blue" Haplochromis Niger Pseudotropheus Zebra "Albine" Haplochromis Straeleni Lamprologus Furcifer Limnochromis Auritus Group No.3: Nanachromis Dimidiatus Aequidens Tetramerus Pelvicachromis Taeniatus Cichlasoma Motaguensis Simonchromis Diagramma Cichlasoma Sieboldi Etroplus Maculatus Group No 2: Haplochromis Annectens Eretmodus Cyanostictus Haplochromis Polystigma Geophagus Balzanii Lamprologus Brevis Haplochromis Boadzulu Lamprologus Compressiceps Haplochromis Brownae Nanochromis Nudiceps Haplochromis Epichorialis Pseudotropheus Lucerna Haplochromis Johnstoni Telmatochromis Bifrenatus

18 _Group No 4:- r Group No 6 cont: C{~hla"s~~~ Atronaculatum Cichlasorna Maculicauda Cichlasorna Faceturn Cichlasorna Septernfaciatum Etroplus Suratensis Cichlasoma Trirnaculatum Haplochrornis Fu~;cotaeniatus Cichlasorna Umbriferus Haplochromis Mola Cynotilapia Affra "Yellow" Lamprolo~us Lelaupi Geophagus Surinarnensis Lamprologus Heeli Haplochromis Compressiceps Lamprologus Tretocephalus Haplochromic Livingstoni Melanochromis Vermiverous Haplochrornic Nigricans Petroltilapia Tridentiger Haplochromis Symodeess Trernatocranus Reginae Hernihaplochromis Multicolour Group No 5: Melanochromis Crabro Melanochrornis Similans Cichlasorna Fred~ichsthalii Pseudotropheus Dinghanni Cichlasoma Salvini Pseudotropheus Minutus Geophagus Jurapari Larnprologus Christyi Pseudotropheus Elon~atus Group No 7: "Golden" Haplochromis Lividus Pseudotropheus Elongatus "Likoma Island" Group No 8: Tremotocranus Apistogramma "Species" Jacobfreiberr.;i Crenicara Filamentosa Nanacara Anomala Group No 6: Uaru Arnpicanthoids Aeouidens Itanyi Aequidens Portalegrensis Chilotilapia Rhoadesi

If anyone knows the whereabouts of any of these fish, please contact a member of the Species Maintenance Comm. (John E, Scott, Grant or Steve) whose phone numbers appear in the front of the magazine. When submittin~ requests please select 4 or 5 species as possibly some of the above species may already be lost ••• vc 19 Females are smaller; males have longer, flowing points on their dorsal and anal fins. They are a bit choosy when picking a mate Aequidens, - so you should raise up six or eight and let them Dick their own mates. At three inches in length, they w[ll become mature and ready to breed, they'will "pair off". By portalegrensis finding their own mates they will be more compatible. To really appreciate this fish you must have alarge tank to give to a pair of them as their own. Do not try to aquascape, they will do that, for they are diggers. 1iS month I would like to write about my Water conditions are not critical, just keep Port Acaras, which are sometimes called it clean. They do not need a lot of heat, 62­ Black Acara or Striped Cichlid. Their 68 degrees is sufficient in winter - 75-78 scientific name is Aequidens portalagrensis. for breeding - otherwise about 72. They come from South America. Their A halved pot is their favorite spawning range is from Brazil and Bolivia to Rio site. They are constantly moving gravel from Uraguay in the south, especially in calm still the back to the front, and end to end. places with a slowly-flowing or standing Mouthful after mouthful is shifted from one water. They are named for Porto Alegre, spot to another. Pits are dug and filled again Brazil. when they feel like it. Ports are always They grow to about five or six inches in active. length and are moderately peaceful cichlids They have a robust appetite, like live - but do not try to keep them with smaller foods, beef heart and canned dog food, etc fish. and will also take flake and freeze-dried The book descriptions do this fish an foods. injustice in describing its colors. The sides Definite spawning sites are sought out are basically a greenish brown, scales are and prepared. One will do the cleaning while large, each scale having a darker border, the other one moves the graveL Sometimes, giving the effect of a reticulated pattern. The the role is reversed. This goes on all through chin and belly regions vary from an almost the spawning, one takes care of the eggs black to some beautiful shades of purple while the other one digs pits. (sometimes white) Black Acaras have large spawns, eggs are The nasal area is usually yellow which kept under constant surveillance and this turns to golden-orange with changing duty is shared by both 'Parents. The eggs are attitudes of the fish. There is a broad black moved to a pit before hatching, they mouth stripe along the lateral line from the gill them, as they are washing them - which cover to the base of the tail with a black they are. vertical bar at the tail-end. Young hatch in four or five days and are Dorsal fin greenish, as is the upper part of moved from pit to pit, while washing them the tail. Other fins greenish and marbled in their mouths, til! they are free-swimming. dark. The eye is golden and the front of the The fry are closely guarded and kept in head yellow to golden. As with most these pits for several days, after hatching. If cichlids, this fish can vary its color one should escape the parents it is quickly remarkably fast. grabbed and spat back into the pit. This species is easily recognised by its The sight of a well mated pair herding blunt face and the peculiar pattern in the tail. their young, like a mother hen fussing with They spawn very easily, a well her chicks, is really a sight to see. Newly conditioned pair will spawn and raise their hatched fry feed on the body mucous of the family with little trouble. parents. ao In the Innes book Exotil; Aquarium Fishes, In September 1974 my Ports spawned it is said, "Owing to its e2sy~isposition and again, a very large spawn this time. When sure-fire breeding qualitie~;" the species was they were six weeks old I took the parents chosen for the series of eight pictures out. They had taken excellent care of them. appearing in the introduction to the present They herd their babies like a mother hen and section on "The Cichlids", in which the it is fun watching them. progressive steps in the care of spawn and In 1975 I got rid of all my Ports, but this eggs are shown. Althougr they were in all last month (February 1977), I inherited three 20 of these pictures, made at extreme large ones from a friend. They are actually close-up (with four flashbulbs to each the parents of the fish that I had. exposure), covering a penod of several I have them in an 86-gallon aquarium with weeks, the breeders neve' lost their poise . Tilapias a severum and other medium-sized nor relaxed in their duties. Few cichlids cichlids with lots of rockwork and driftwood. would have gone through this ordeal without They are enjoying it. destructive reactions. My son, Kenn won six Port Acara fry from If you want an easy cichlid to spawn ­ the raffle table of our club meeting in April try some Ports. . . _ 1974. He gave them to me and I raised them. In July two of them paired off and laid a bunch of eggs in a flowerpot. They took very good care of the eggs and fry. They were in a 20-gallon aquarium. I fed the fry microworrns, Liquifry and a By Rosemary Mearns powdered baby food. They were the tenth Reprinted from Kitsap AquariulTI 1980 fish that I had spawned -- my fifth cichlid.

Cichlids,Tropical and Cold water Fish

7 Days 11 am - 6 pm

8 Railway Parade Highett 10% Discount if you

Tel 5559781 bring this Ad I L i:;LMarine Wholesale Enquiries Welcome ~ vc 21 ROWEMIN' 'ROUND

" Welcome aboard for our last f1i~ht in" 1'986. Surprisingly the pos ties been busy and we have one or two places to visit. So fasten your seat belts, sit back, relax and enjoy your trip!! (And remember, smokin~ is permitted only in the designated areas no pipes or cigars please!) First stop is close by Eastern Districts Aquarium Society in response to a double invite in their August and October issues of FISHTALES. Alex Caughey explains to mpmhpr<: ;:H1 ;nrrnnllrt;nn tn Afri,

Another enthrallin~ talk is Delores Ichehr's 'The Black Belt Cichlid' in All Cichlids Dec P.3 - MCA. Maj or problem seems to be ne t t i ng (young or adult) • Hint­ lower water level before catching S0 they don't end up on the floor. Joe Gray then tells us about "The Cri.chlid The Cornmon Convict" - very interesting talk from someone who obviously enjoys this fish. Aart Huddleston and Rose Anne Fazio both give some interesting hints on avoiding the number one cause of fish deaths in the home aquaria - Ammonia Poisoning. Then we can all be absorbed by a reprint of Heinrich Scheuermann's, 'The Fishes of Lake Tanganyik6' from B.C.A. Cichlidae. A must for all Tanganyikan freaks. Our next port of call is Nassau Country AS in response to the in~ite in their Aug-Sep issue. Bruce 8ier has some excellent advice 'for all of us "If at first you Don 1 t Succeed - Don; t Give Up!" Our next stop is in response to a triple invite in Sep, Oct and Nov issues of Hamilton and District Aquarium Society's MONTHLY BULLETIN. Karl Schwartze delights us all with 11is account breeding 'Apistogramma pertensis'. He then shows it was no fluke by telling us about Julidochromis dickfeldi. Bob Durrant wishes to put in a word for the big blue blobs and tells of his successful spawn:img of Haplochromis pleurospilus (Red Top Aristochromis). Larry Johnson then prevails upon us his spawning story of his latest love 'Lamprologus tetracanthus'. All that remains now is to sit back relax and enjoy our" "MUST READ" IN-FLIGHT LITERATURE.

CICHLID CIRCULAR CAOSC Mar/Ap & Sep/Oct ALL CICHLIDS MCA Jul, Aug, & Sep CICHLID CHATTER GCCA May-Jun, Sep Oct CICHLID CIRCULAR NSWCS Nov '86 BUCKEYE CICHLID LOVERS BULLETIN OCA Jul & Aui'; FWCA BULLETIN FWCA Sep & Nov Our magic carpet is required throughout the remainder of this month by a jolly gentleman dressed' in red aud white (C~ptain Coca-Cola?) so you'll just have to sit back and relax until our next trip in February. Seasons Greetings Graham

24 TJ'BLE SHOW REPORT

Our Rth for the Current Show Year, with only 3 shows to go, December, February and March. The Novembe r show was for pairs of Ci chlids, which were aptly judged by Heinz to whom I would like to convey my thanks. I think his task was made easier due to the fact that one pair was head and shoulders above the rest of the competitors! Tank 1. Pseudotropheus-pindani A. Langelaar 2. Pseudotropheus-minutus L. McCrae 3. Haplochromis-mlotto S. Haymes 4. Pseudotropheus-livingstoni A. Genovese 5. Pseudotropheus-pindani G. Haymes

The usual General condition, Fins, Shape, Scales, Maturity, etc, appraisal was not applied on this occasion so the judge used his personal opinion about the pairs as a unit. His comments were as follows :­

1. Good breeding pair, excellent fish. 2. Lacked a lot in condition as well as very young. 3. Top pair in every aspect. 4. Male OK. Female out of condition. 5. Young pair, good condition.

1st place went to tank 3 as well as the.Popular Choice 2nd went to tank 1 3rd went to tank 5 I would like to remind, ney •••• IMPLORE ••• some of our seniour members to bring an unusual fish to the NON COMPETITIVE SECTION. As it is our last show in 1986, I believe that it would be of immeasurable value to the newer members to see some of these bigger, rarer and more expensive fish. To all the novice competitors how about bringing a fish along •••• Don't let Luke McCrae "swim" away with the Trophy. Aart

26 Bayside Aquariums & Pet Sueplies - , - 786 - 1617

tropical marine CICHLIDS goldfish

all accesories Tanks made up to ANY SHAPE or SIZE Plants Live Food Open 7 Days Rocks Nepean H'way -- Station St, SEAFORD

64·9 Warrigal Rd Chadstone Phone 568 - 6962 We BUY & SELL CICHLIDS !

10% OFF #IF YOU BRING THIS ADVERTISMENT

26 CICHLID SCENE The next meeting is 17th December at the Ashburton Primary School, Fakenham Road, Ashburton at 8.00 pm Special Christmas Break up. Supper - "Sausage Sizzle"

MINI TALK - FISH OF THE MONTH ­ PINDANI - by Grant Haymes

MAIN TALK - A special talk to be given by Heinz Staude

DOOR PRIZES - From All Aquarium and Pet supplies

DRAW PRIZES - Vouchers from "Sea Horse Aquariums"

CHRISTMAS HAMPER - CHAMPAGNE

BABY SHOW - Please note our special 'BABY SHOW' with a silver cup to be won for the best fry shown.

Catagories 1 BIRTH - 3 months 2 3 rnths - 6 months

TABLE SHOW - Africans and Asians

JANUARY POOL PARTY - our annual Pool Party is to be held on January 4th Sunday. At the Nunawading Pool, Fraser Place, Nunawading. Corne along and bring the chilclren and friends for a great day.

Swimming Volleyball Bar-B-que FUN FUN FUN

27 Invite a friend to join the Society

FEES:

Ordinary membership $12.00 Joining fee $5.00. Family membership . $13.00 Junior membership . $7.00 No joining fee. Overseas membership . $A12.00 Plus handling charges. APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP

The Secretary Graham Rowe Victorian Cichlid Society 23 Mangana Drive MULGRAVE AUSTRALIA 3170

Dear Graham, I Wish to become a member of the Victorian Cichlid Society. Below I have included the required informa­ tion, and I enclose a cheque for the correct amount.

Name in full: .. .. ., ...... , ...... Age next birthday (if under-18): . Address ..

Postcode: Telephone: ' .. Date: Signature: .. Area/s ofinterest: ..

Nominated by: .. .Sec_onded by: " .. 28 THIS ADVERTISING SPACE IS AVAILABLEI If you are interested, please contact Amanda Genovese on 527 2546 or Graham Rowe 560 7472. (There is also space available on the inside pages.)

vc ..