A40 VCVCS S 40th Anniversary Convention 41:09 October 2012 Victorian Cichlid Society Inc rrp: $2.50 REGISTERED BY AUSTRALIA POST PP342780/0024 : @cichlids.org.au CONTENTS x So You Want to Breed Dwarf Cichlids? COMMITTEE [email protected] – Steve Chester . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2-15 John McCormick Dwarf Cichlid Show Eligible Species .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 15 [email protected] Greg Nicolacopoulos A40 . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 16, 28-30 [email protected] Presidential Patois – John McCormick .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 19 Graham Rowe 9560 7472 [email protected] The Four Stages of the Aquarium Hobby Uri Bouman – Albert J Klee .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 20-23 [email protected] Daryl Hutchins 9812 2799 Success with Dicrossus maculatus – Albert So . .. 24-27 0430 032 304 VCS Calendar .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 30 [email protected] Uri Bouman Minutes of the Previous Meeting .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 31 [email protected] The Last Word – Daryl Hutchins .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 32 David Green [email protected] THE NEXT MEETING of the Society, will be held at Debra Dickson 3 pm on Saturday, 13 October in the Empire Room of the Manhattan [email protected] Hotel, Canterbury Road, Ringwood. Incorporates the Elaine Turner David Green Memorial Art & Photographic Competition. SUB-COMMITTEES Main Talks: two presentations each by Alf Stalsberg (Norway) and [email protected] Peter Robinson Spencer Jack (Canada). Tickets: see Page 29. [email protected] Art Competition Prizes: courtesy of Cichlid Press Australia. Daryl Hutchins Raffl e Prizes: courtesy of Aquariums & Reptiles at Cranbourne, [email protected] Aqua-Pic’s, Cichlid Press Australia and VCS. See Page 28 for Daryl Hutchins complete details. [email protected] John McCormick [email protected] COVER PICTURE: A40 at the Manhattan. Vacant [email protected] FEES Correspondence to: Daryl Hutchins Ordinary $30 Family $35 THE SECRETARY Victorian Cichlid Society Inc LIFE MEMBERS Junior or Concession Graham Rowe, Heinz Staude, 23 Mangana Drive, Kevin Archibald, Keith Card Holder $15 Mulgrave, 3170 Victoria Patford, Danny Genovese, Overseas $35 Daryl Hutchins and John Ph: 9560 7472 or Resun and McCormick. (New memberships add $8 Joining Fee.) [email protected] White Crane HONORARY MEMBER VCS BANK ACCOUNT DIRECT DEPOSIT: aquarium products Max Davenport Acct Name: Victorian Cichlid Society Incorporated BSB: 06 3206 Acct No: 1002 3958 imported by: FELLOW Graham Rowe PUBLIC OFFICER David Green © Copyright, Victorian Cichlid Society Incorporated 2012 [email protected] Any non-profi t group may reprint material from this magazine for non-commercial PUBLISHING DLH Publishing purposes, unless it is copyright by the author, provided due credit is given to the author and TCM. A copy of the relevant publication (a pdf is fi ne) is to be @cichlids.org.au 0430 032 304 pub forwarded to the author, care of the Secretary. Enquiries re the use of material in ABSOLUTE PRINTING APS Print Solutions any other publications may be directed to [email protected]. apsprint.com.au 9872 3025 NB: the Society’s Website, including this magazine, is archived by the State AQUARIUM Library of Victoria’s Pandora system, an online archive in which selected Opinions in this publication are Australian websites and other online publications are preserved and made PRODUCTS those of the author/s, and do not permanently available to the public for research and reference. necessarily coincide with those of 20-24 Boola Ave, the Editor/Publisher or Committee of the Victorian Cichlid Society Inc. UPCOMING AUCTION: Yennora 2161 Contact the Author or Editor with any APRIL, 2013 at Mulgrave Neighbourhood House, (02) 9681 7011 www.resun-china.com concerns/comments/contributions. Wellington Reserve, 36-42 Mackie Rd, Mulgrave. cichlids.org.au 1 forums.cichlids.org.au : So You Want to Breed Dwarf Cichlids? BByy SSteveteve ChesterChester – BBritishritish CichlidCichlid AssociationAssociation EEnigmatochromisnigmatochromis lucanusilucanusi ppairair withwith ffry.ry. PPhoto:hoto: SSteveteve CChester.hester. n the past few years hobbyist. The time has never you have mastered keeping them, the keeper to have a good under- there has been a been better to give these wonderful they are also easy to breed. standing of the chosen species. So noticeable boom in fish a place in your aquarium! the available species They are small, easy to keep Before we start, let’s go over the let’s look at the fish that are classi- of dwarf cichlids to the UK if you follow the rules, and when basics. To breed any fish requires fied as ‘dwarf’ cichlids. cichlids.org.auI forums.cichlids.org.au cichlids.org.au forums.cichlids.org.au 2 3 Photos: Steve Chester. Steve Chester. Steve Chester. Photos: Apistogramma baenschi – Adult female Apistogramma baenschi – Adult male Apistogramma barlowi – Adult female Apistogramma barlowi – Adult male, displaying broodcare colour pattern. specimen, neutral mood. displaying broodcare colour pattern. neutral mood. The term ‘dwarf cichlid’ has no scientific measurement and many differences in water parameters. come across as you research this scientific meaning, it is a hobby- ‘dwarf cichlids’ measure under (In case this is confusing, a list vast group of small cichlids. In ist term generally used to describe 75 mm and a few reach slightly of Dwarf Cichlids eligible for the total there are well over 500 spe- the small, peaceful cichlids from larger than the 100 mm that is VCS Dwarf Cichlid Table Show in cies and forms of dwarf cichlids, South America and West Africa usually regarded as the maximum. June, follows this article – Ed.) with many more new fish dis- that measure less than 100 mm Several Rift Valley lake cich- The dwarf cichlids from South covered in the jungles of South in length. Again, this is not a lids can also be classed as dwarf America and West Africa are America and West Africa every cicichlidsichlids bbutut ddoo nonott fifitt numerous and consist of many year. Many species are spread iintonto the general genera including Apistogramma, across vast stretches of water and bbracketracket due Apistogrammoides, Biotoecus, have developed individual colours ttoo majomajorr Congochromis, Dicrossus, Laeta- and patterns, these morphs add to cara, Mikrogeophagus, Nannacara, the complexity and interest of this Nanochromis, Parana nochromis, huge group of fish. Pelvicachromis and Taeniacara. So where are these fish found? To Neolamprologus brichardi Pemba. There are several more groups, but understand this, is the first leap into Photo: Wikimedia. the genera listed here are amongst the world of successfully breeding the more popular aquarium fish dwarf cichlids. The vast majority and are the fish you are likely to of these small cichlids are found in Steve Chester. Steve Chester. Photos: Apistogramma eremnopyge – Adult Apistogramma eremnopyge – Young female displaying broodcare colour. adult male. cichlids.org.au 4 forums.cichlids.org.au cichlids.org.au 5 forums.cichlids.org.au Photos: Steve Chester. Steve Chester. Steve Chester. Photos: Apistogramma hoignei – Female. Apistogramma hoignei – Male. Apistogramma sp ‘Kelleri’ Diamond Apistogramma sp ‘Kelleri’ Diamond Face – Female mouthbrooding Apisto. Face – Male mouthbrooding Apisto. two of the world’s largest tropical tributaries. As we move through crystal clear. This water deserves most if not all dwarf cichlids are rainforests, the Amazon rainforest the jungle, the rivers gradually special mention as it is the most naturally adapted to very soft and in South America and the Congo become smaller, narrower and important part of breeding dwarf acidic water with plenty of cover rainforest in West Africa. These slower-flowing. It is in these shal- cichlids in the aquarium. The rain- in the way of leaf-litter and fallen, huge rainforests are truly epic in low and slow-moving waterways forests of the world are usually sit- decaying wood. scale and are fed by two of the that we can start to look for the uated on giant floodplains, due to There have been very few detailed world’s largest rivers, the mighty small species of cichlid. the geology of these areas it is usu- studies done into the natural diet of Amazon River and the huge Congo These fish are mainly found in ally found that the earth is made up dwarf cichlids but a few details can River that runs through the Congo small rivulets of still water, jungle of mainly sand and many millions rainforest. These vast waterways pools and small streams. These of years worth of fallen debris are gigantic in size and are gener- waters are usually characterised by from the rainforests themselves, ally poor in fish species; only the a sand substrate overlain with fall- this means that any neutral and largest and strongest fish survive en leaf-litter and driftwood from very soft rain water that falls onto the main river that is often dirty, the jungle canopy above. Aquatic the jungle remains very soft due to silt-laden, very deep and very fast- plants are rarely encountered due running over inert substrates. The flowing. To find the small cichlids to the lack of sunlight and the water pH is dropped naturally by decay- we need to move away from the is quite often dark with tannins ing vegetation and debris from Anomalochromis thomasi. main river and travel the numerous leached from the