Curviceps Cichlid.

[friend of oscar]

I got two of these cute little cichlids last night for my 20 gallon. I had to take out the australian rainbows to make room for them. While I was looking at the tank with the curviceps in it a guy walked up that knew some about them because he has some and he helped me pick out what I believe is a male and female. They are doing pretty good so far but are very shy. I knew that they would be a little shy for awhile but I didn't think they owuld be this bad. When my mickey mouse platys get close to either of the curviceps, the curviceps dart off and act scared of them. I have a little rock cave in the tank and a castle/cave thing but they seem to want to hide in the plants more.
I just wanted to see if anyone else has or has had these little cichlids before? Have you ever had them to breed. The guy I talked to said that if you have a male and female then they breed easier than convicts.

[peifc]

I have a few of these guys. One pair are tank raised. Another pair are wild caught.

Surprisingly mine are never scared. They chased my juvi Carpintes around the tank (Carpintes are in the tank for now to grow out). I've seen them flared at each other. As I'm typing, they are at it again :D

Aside from the Curviceps, do you have other fish in the tank? How long have they been in the tank?

[friend of oscar]

There are 3 cories, 2 platys, and 2 gouramis in the tank with them. The curviceps are doing much better today. The one that I believe is a male is still pretty shy but the other female is doing better. I thought about maybe going and getting another 1 or 2 curviceps so that I would have a better chance of getting a pair and so the ones I have now won't be so shy.

[peifc]

That's a good idea. :)

[friend of oscar]

The curvs are still doing pretty good. I called the store back to get them to hold a couple curvs but they said that they only had one left and it was the runt of the group so I'll try a couple other stores for 1 or 2 more. The one that is soposed to be a female is the dominant fish of the tank, chasing away anything that gets to close to it (even the gouramis which are 3 times the size of it). The one that is soposed to be a male is still pretty shy and it trys to hide alot. The female will flare up at him but not really chase him.
Oh yeah so would it be ok to get a couple more to have a group? I mean like that I could keep in there even if a pair forms and if their is not much fighting? All the ones at the store were getting along real good and swimming together.

[andruboz]

i had a pair. they spawned once on a flat rock but there was too much traffic in the tank. none hatched. then one of them died.
the one thats left has very little color he once had.


here's what they looked like when spawning.

[peifc]

Originally posted by andruboz
i had a pair. they spawned once on a flat rock but there was too much traffic in the tank. none hatched. then one of them died.
the one thats left has very little color he once had.


here's what they looked like when spawning.

That looks like L. Dorsigerus not Curviceps.

[andruboz]

i think the dorsigerous stays red all the time. mine only turned red when spawning. you might be right though.

[peifc]

Originally posted by friend of oscar
Oh yeah so would it be ok to get a couple more to have a group? I mean like that I could keep in there even if a pair forms and if their is not much fighting? All the ones at the store were getting along real good and swimming together.

Yes, it will be ok.

In fact, L. Dorsigerus and Curviceps are harem spawners (a male and few females).

[peifc]

Originally posted by andruboz
i think the dorsigerous stays red all the time. mine only turned red when spawning. you might be right though.

The reason I suspected that your Laetacara is Dorsigerus because it looks exactly like mine :)