chocolate cichlids - Corphynoides or Temporalis (pic enclosed)

[gregga]

Took this guy off a friend's hands. He's about 3". I know there are 2 varieties of Chocolates (Temporalis & Coryphanoides). Which is this? He's currently in a growout tank.
http://www.printroom.com/_vti_bin/ViewImage.dll?userid=gregga&album_id=106482&image_id=15&courtesy=1

[Marcus]

It's really difficult to tell from that pic as the fish is so washed out. Does it ever darken up? My guess is H. temporalis.

With that said let me go over some of the differences. :)

H. temporalis is by far the most common of the two in the hobby. In fact, I would say that H. coryphaenoides is almost non-existent in the hobby. Only rarely is it imported.

Temporalis have a reddish colored face and fins when young with a slight greenish brown sheen on their bodies when young. As they mature the face and fins develop a deep wine red color and the green on the body becomes more enhanced. They are deeper bodied and males develop a pretty impressive 'lump on their noggin'.

Coryphaenoides are more of a dark brown and tan coloration. This stays true as the fish mature. They are more slender with a shallower body and a much smaller cepahlic hump. Here's an article on them:

http://www.cichlidae.com/articles/a113.html

Very small H. coryphaenoides

http://www.cichlidae.com/articles/a150/a113-05.jpg

Adult with normal coloration

http://www.cichlidae.com/articles/a150/a113-02.jpg

http://www.aquariana.be/Hypsolocara_coryphaenoides.JPG

Adult in breeding coloration

http://www.cichlidae.com/articles/a150/a113-01.jpg

Adult territorial coloration

http://www.aquanet.de/privat/albering/coryphaenoides-2-th.jpg

[Marcus]

Continuing...

Adult temporalis with breeding coloration

http://www.aquanet.de/privat/russegger/galerie/temporalis3.jpg

http://www.aquanet.de/privat/russegger/galerie/temporalis2.jpg

Adult normal coloration

http://www.aquanet.de/privat/russegger/galerie/temporalis4.jpg

Juvenile

http://www.viaje.net.ph/benedick/gallery/h_temporalis_01.jpg

Hope this helps!!

Let me add a bit of info. I currently have 4, wc H. temporalis that are approx. 3". They are funny to watch as they are always facing off with each other, slapping tails, flaring gills, etc. Nothing ever comes of it however. They are incredibly curious and are always poking around the tank looking for something to eat. They are the first to the top when I feed and in fact, follow my every move when I enter the room. Yesterday I watched one of them jumping out of the water trying to get at something he could see through the glass top. These fish remind me of Oscars to a great extent. Very personable and outgoing.

Harry T. has lots of experience with Chocolates. What say you harry? :D

[Harry Tolen]

I agree with Marcus. For one thing, H. coryphaenoides is not commonly available in the hobby. And for another, even though your fish looks pretty pale, I can still see traces of the pattern that mine display when in a particular mood (horizontal stripe and single large spot on/above it, as shown in the picture posted by Marcus attributed to b3n3d1ck).

They are great fish. Interesting to look at (especially as they get older), easy to care for, and not aggressive at all.

[AikidoGuy]

what kind of tankmates can that thing live with? festaes,jags, green terrors, depseys?

[gregga]

Marcus/Harry...very informative guys, thanks.

I have only had him a few days, so he's still acclimating to his new environment - a 30G growout tank. Hopefully, he'll color up soon. He'll eventually be in a 180G with Centrarchus, Sajicas, Polleni, Nicaguerense...and a few other moderately agressive species.
BTW, what would be the size of a mature male?

[Marcus]

Akido, I think that most of the fish you mention would shred a Chocolate Cichlid. The Dempsey would probably do OK as would a GT if the tank were large enough and the fish of equal size.

Gregga, The fish you mention should be great tankmates. Mine are in a 125 with my 6" P. 'Large Spot' and 3 Pikes. They are getting roughed up a tad but are the smallest cichlids in the tank. This certainly hasn't dampened their attitude or appetite!! I feel bad as they have pretty neat finnage at just 3" and I'd hate to see it 'torn beyond repair'. I've been considering moving them into a 75 by themselves so they can grow to their full potential.

I've read where large males can grow up to 12". Once again, Harry has a couple of beasts. Maybe his are bigger?

[Harry Tolen]

Although I'm not good at estimating length, I believe my "retired" pair measure 10" (male) and 8" (female), not including the tail. Although they are fairly large, their laid-back nature (they move more like angelfish than other cichlids, at least as far as I can tell) makes them ill-suited to a very competitive tank.

I keep my breeding pair with some Gymnogeophagus species, and they do fine, however.

[AikidoGuy]

aahh very cool, i thought they were aggressive, but now i know better. i have never seen one in person except for little 1" guys. So i fgured that a 10incher would hang with some of the rougher crowds. I like the combo Gregga has going. very nice

[Harry Tolen]

Picture of my "retired" female (someday I'll learn to clean the glass before I take the photo):

http://www.harrytolen.com/images/aqua/Chocolate01.JPG

[Marcus]

Harry, why do that? Then we would just see your fish more clearly? :D