Variabilichromis moori
1 - 20 of 31 Posts
Joined
·
1 Posts
The V. moori is listed in a study of speciation due to hybridazation as being one of the oldest strains of cichlids in the lake. This, combined with it's high aggression would indicate that you may have trouble keeping anything with this specie except for catfish. There is not very much information on this guy, which is a possible implication that it's aggression has kept it out of acceptance in the aquaria hobby.
Joined
·
82 Posts
Well, after tons of research today I have found only one person who claims to have ever owned them and the info they posted wasn't much help. I have now found an importer who stocks them so i suppose it would be a special order for f0.. no thanks. I just loved the almost jet black look when fully mature and spawning.
I love Altos and was planning on adding those to the tank with a few redfins or whites.
I am also in the process of trying to find somebody locally who carries cyps. Sigh, the woes of a cichlid lover.. Almost have to buy everything online.
I love Altos and was planning on adding those to the tank with a few redfins or whites.
I am also in the process of trying to find somebody locally who carries cyps. Sigh, the woes of a cichlid lover.. Almost have to buy everything online.
I have maintained and bred V. Moorii off and on for years and never had a problem with aggression.
They have done well as a pair in a breeding tank, and were well-behaved members of Lake Tanganyika community aquaria. I found them to be an interesting fish. They are cave spawners and produce a large number of white eggs. I have a slide of a pair of them where the female is guarding the white eggs, and instead of hiding them inside the cave provided, she laid them on the outside wall of a dark brown cave. The white eggs stood out against the brown background. They are an interesting and attractive fish and have never caused aggression problems in my aquaria.
They have done well as a pair in a breeding tank, and were well-behaved members of Lake Tanganyika community aquaria. I found them to be an interesting fish. They are cave spawners and produce a large number of white eggs. I have a slide of a pair of them where the female is guarding the white eggs, and instead of hiding them inside the cave provided, she laid them on the outside wall of a dark brown cave. The white eggs stood out against the brown background. They are an interesting and attractive fish and have never caused aggression problems in my aquaria.
They're nasty, but not more nasty than, say; big Julidochromis marlieri, treto's and the like.
BUT in a small tank, they can get downright psychotic, whereas in a big tank, they can get very easy to maintain.
if you have a 400L/100G tank: NO problem.
if you "cram" them in a 55G or smaller: BIG BIG problem.
another trick is to keep them with sturdy fish.
friend of mine has his with Synodontis, Cyathopharynx foai (wich is a nutter), Triglachromis otostigma, trets and Spathodus; no worries.
it's a 135G tank with lots of open water, but a huge rockpile with plenty of PVC-pipe hidden as well.
works perfect.
they also mix well with Tropheus, Petrochromis, Juli's, Chalinochromis etc
BUT in a small tank, they can get downright psychotic, whereas in a big tank, they can get very easy to maintain.
if you have a 400L/100G tank: NO problem.
if you "cram" them in a 55G or smaller: BIG BIG problem.
another trick is to keep them with sturdy fish.
friend of mine has his with Synodontis, Cyathopharynx foai (wich is a nutter), Triglachromis otostigma, trets and Spathodus; no worries.
it's a 135G tank with lots of open water, but a huge rockpile with plenty of PVC-pipe hidden as well.
works perfect.
they also mix well with Tropheus, Petrochromis, Juli's, Chalinochromis etc
Joined
·
82 Posts
Well, I am curious now. I would be very interested to have the color spectrum vary a bit in my tank. My 100 gal is a high variety and I mainly designed it to accomodate a large school of cyps. Since then I have been trying to figure out what substrate dwelling species to put in. The v. moori was an option due to the unique look and black color. All of the altos are still high on my list Black and Whilte Calvs and Red Fins. I've not really looked into many of the fish you mentioned.. I'll have to do more research
well, if you like a black or very dark fish; you might look into Neolamprologus/Paleolamprologus toae.
This fish is also very beautiful in a "velvet" way, with big eyes, big scales and an unusual shape too.
it looks more like a Centrarchid than a cichlid! something dredged from the lower regions of a coral reef.
and unlike the tret, V moori etc; this fish is nice, peaceful, well-behaved.
![]()
V moori isn't black, but dark. BUT FYI it only turns that way after some years; adults are often just sand- or khaki-colored with a nice blue edge on tail and dorsal and anal fin.
![]()
On the other hand; a pair or group of youngsters of Variabilichromis moori, in with a pair of Altolamprologus and a shoal of Cyps in a 100G will work perfectly.
don't expect any fry tough; the Alto's will eat it all!
This fish is also very beautiful in a "velvet" way, with big eyes, big scales and an unusual shape too.
it looks more like a Centrarchid than a cichlid! something dredged from the lower regions of a coral reef.
and unlike the tret, V moori etc; this fish is nice, peaceful, well-behaved.
V moori isn't black, but dark. BUT FYI it only turns that way after some years; adults are often just sand- or khaki-colored with a nice blue edge on tail and dorsal and anal fin.
On the other hand; a pair or group of youngsters of Variabilichromis moori, in with a pair of Altolamprologus and a shoal of Cyps in a 100G will work perfectly.
don't expect any fry tough; the Alto's will eat it all!
Joined
·
1 Posts
No agression problems in my tang tank. yet
Joined
·
21 Posts
Not that I have ever owned Var. Moori before, but I too was attracted to them, and I remember someone comparing their temperment to brichardi.
Hey everyone, I have been keeping a pair of Moori for about 6 months now. I purchased them as an adult pair. I have kept them alone in a 20 g tank until recently when I moved them into a 38g with some jul. dickfeldi, leleupi a black calvus and a callinochromis macrops. I haven't had any problems with aggression from anyone. I have read that if you want this species to breed, you need to put them in a community setting.
Hi All,
I also recently became attracted to this v.moori's dark colours with that beautiful tinge on the fins. Yep, seems not all gets this colour as some are khaki coloured. Anyone knows why?
Seems really limited info on them as I have been surfing around and found mostly German/Polish sites only....gibberish to me :roll:
Been meaning to add a few pieces into my 6 footer. Inhabitants mostly big fronts (7"), 3 N.pulchers, 1 auritus, couple of N.cylindricus, a pair of leleupis and a julie. Think its ok?
I also recently became attracted to this v.moori's dark colours with that beautiful tinge on the fins. Yep, seems not all gets this colour as some are khaki coloured. Anyone knows why?
Seems really limited info on them as I have been surfing around and found mostly German/Polish sites only....gibberish to me :roll:
Been meaning to add a few pieces into my 6 footer. Inhabitants mostly big fronts (7"), 3 N.pulchers, 1 auritus, couple of N.cylindricus, a pair of leleupis and a julie. Think its ok?
To me V.moorii has been readily available, but gets stocked less and less because they are just plain brown fish. Not really any interest in them in the hobby, they simply don't have anything that really makes them unique or stand out. There are many tangs that rarely get imported for this exact reason. This was one of the earlier tangs available, but since that time many more showy fish have been imported - that's just the nature of this hobby.
Joined
·
2 Posts
I found this species two weeks ago on this site and was immendiantly drawn to them for the black color they display. If they are mostly Khaki where are the black ones? the article I read stated they become black with age/breeding. So where can we find WC already sexually mature?
Not sure if you will find black. I've noticed that Tang pictures are always more colorful than the real thing. When you go the the pet shops the fish look just as dull as the ones at home. I think these pictures are taken with Blue lighting or maybe even touched up a bit. To me, it's not the color that I'm lookng for in Tangs but range of behaviour. I have also been to THREE tang importers and breeders and the fish looked dull there also. So if you are going to rebut this comment please bring prove of otherwise. If you want these Moori - it would be because of their behaviour otherwise you might be disapointed when they don't turn into that magical black coloring that we are all lusting over :wink:
Joined
·
21 Posts
Interesting point. I won't challange your comments on this species... as I have never seen one in the flesh... but regardless of species... I think you will find that people try to post their best images, so you usually see a bias (i.e breeding colors, or whatever).
With that being said, many species look far more beautiful in real life.
With that being said, many species look far more beautiful in real life.
Joined
·
1 Posts
Here is a pic of one i found in St. Pete, FL. (he's the dark one in the backround obviously). Its a horrible pic, but you at least get the idea of the color. I thought they (he had 5), were pretty attractive, entertaining the idea of going and getting them actually. They weren't jet black obviously, but pretty dark. I would imagine they might get a bit darker over a black/dark substrate, similar to other tangs do.
![]()
Tucker
Tucker
1 - 20 of 31 Posts
