Lake Victoria Basin, West African, Madagascar & Asian Species • What west and central Africans do you keep?

[ahud]

Hello,

I think west and central Africans will be my new addiction for many years to come. In my opinion, the behaviors are similar to South American fish as well as the other more popular rift lake cichlids. After spending some time researching, I'm shocked some of these fish are not more popular.

I'm wondering what species do you keep? Feel free to provide the tank size and if the fish have bred or not.

(SIDE NOTE)
Please do not list Pelivachromis Pulcher AKA the Krib. Great fish and I have some myself, but they are a very popular fish and most people have kept them at one time or another. I'm more interested in the less common species since nobody seems to be interested in them.

Thanks,
Aaron

[Aulonocara_Freak]

Pelvicachromis taeniatus "nigerian red"
20g LONG
Temp. 81*
Sand
Aquaclear 50 HOB
Planted and rock cave's
Tank mate's: 5 black neon tetra's

[prov356]

**spawned and raised fry
anomalochromis thomasi - 4 in a 30B, 4 in a 6' community
nanochromis parilus - 2 pair in a split 30B
congochromis sabinae - 10g
**steatocranus tinanti - breeding pair in a 30B with fry, 5 in a 6' community
gobiocichla ethelwynnae - 6 in a 42*10*7
teleogramma brichardi - breeding pair in a 30B - female keeps laying eggs, but male hasn't figured things out yet
benitochromis nigrodorsalis - 4 in a 30B, 4 in a 6' community
**pseudocrenilabrus nicholsi - 2m/2f in a 6' community, 6 fry in a 10g
myaka myaka - 6 in a 6' with etia nguti
etia nguti - 6 in a 6' with myaka myaka

I'm shocked some of these fish are not more popular

Not as easy to come by although that seems to be changing. Also many get pricey and can only be found as WC.

[prov356]

FWIW, here's my wish list:

nanochromis transvestitus
pelvicachromis suboocellatus
pelvicachromis taeniatus 'wouri'
nanochromis consortus
nanochromis nudiceps
pelvicachromis rubrolabiatus
chromidotilapia melaniae
pungu maclareni
pelvicachromis humilis 'Liberian Red'
orthochromis stormsi
chromidotilapia kingsleyae
lamprologus congoensis (or any other in the genus)
divandu albimarginatus
sarotherodon caudomarginaltus
hemichromis frempongi
tylochromis trewavasae
tilapia brevimanus
oreochromis mossambicus
sargochromis giardi
tilapia buttifkoferi
serranochromis macrocephalus
serranochromis altus

[ACC in NC]

I keep Nanochromis teugelsi

[oldwheat]

I am still in hopes of finding the Sierra Leone race (species?) of anomalochromis Thomasi. It HAS to be still available somewhere!

[irondan]

i keep lifalil jewels. tough and beautiful. they breed like cons and i always have people waiting for them. this is my male.

[bernie comeau]

lifalil jewels.

According to Anton Lamboj's book, The Cichlid Fishes of Western Africa, just about all the "lifalil" in the hobby are actually just a colorfull strain of H. guttatus. Very nice jewel, though.

[irondan]

it is my understanding that guttatus and bimaculatus colour down when they are not in spawning mode. mine are blood red all the time. thanks Bernie, i'm going to research this some more

[Chromedome52]

irondan, maybe your pair is just in spawning mode all the time!

BTW. virtually all hobby references to bimaculatus are actually guttatus. I only know one person who has had the real bimaculatus, Randall Kohn, who sometimes stops by these forums.

The only West African I'm keeping right now is a bunch of young Pelmatochromis buettikoferi from my breeder pair. Unfortunately, the male suddenly took out the female after a couple of years of these fish living together and breeding multiple times.

[ahud]

My wish list is growing and growing. A local auction is coming up (25th) and I am going to clean out a few tanks. I'll have a 33 long, 110g, 20 long, and possibly a 29g to play with.