Companion Fish???
- Thread starter ChilDawg
- Start date
My texas grew from two to five inches in about three months, but then he died through my own negligence. I added to much of a herbicide to kill a green water algae outbreak that was my own fault to begin with.....anyway. I belive the escondido is just a color morph, but a mighty impressive one (don't quote me on that). My texas was, well, everything you would imagine texas to be.
So, about an inch a month...hmm...I wonder if my parents would have kittens over that growth rate?
Don't get me wrong, I think that the Escondido is impressive, but I wouldn't pay extra for it, especially if I could find a Carpinte with "book colouration." I've looked back, and it looks like most of the Carpintes in books are collected from that region, but I think that I've seen some impressive ones from elsewhere. I'll have to ask Mr. Rapps about that, eh?
Don't get me wrong, I think that the Escondido is impressive, but I wouldn't pay extra for it, especially if I could find a Carpinte with "book colouration." I've looked back, and it looks like most of the Carpintes in books are collected from that region, but I think that I've seen some impressive ones from elsewhere. I'll have to ask Mr. Rapps about that, eh?
definately ask him. I can not find any info on it being a seperate species and coming from him I doubt it is a hybrid so I am left with only the assumption of the morph, like I said don't quote me on it. But I think the extra (dollar?) is worth it for such a fine looking fish. Of course you have to cover the fifty dollar minimum but hey, I want to check out that "undescribed" dwarf he has. I want to get five four my 29 and get a pair, I'm sure the LFS would take the rest in trade.
From what I read over there, it cannot be a hybrid because of where it is found in Mexico, and, yeah, I can't see Jeff carrying a hybrid fish...especially since he goes out of his way to nail down the geographic variant-elevated-to-species names for his Oscars! That's dedication...
The $50 thing is a little much...I was hoping for a fish which could be found fairly cheaply at an LFS.
I still can't remember why the Jag isn't on my list, so I may just put it right back on there!
I am forwarding the thread to my parents as they are helping me pick the fish as well...this way they have less of a problem with certain fish being in the house!
Also, the Firemouth point--I agree that there are much cooler fish, and I am starting to lean away from them!
The $50 thing is a little much...I was hoping for a fish which could be found fairly cheaply at an LFS.
I still can't remember why the Jag isn't on my list, so I may just put it right back on there!
I am forwarding the thread to my parents as they are helping me pick the fish as well...this way they have less of a problem with certain fish being in the house!
Also, the Firemouth point--I agree that there are much cooler fish, and I am starting to lean away from them!
The jags are definately cool but I would check out the tigers, motaguense, you can find them at an LFS in the city (I've seen them in Atlanta for about $12) and they are also guapotes. A littler rarer but similar personality, more of a converstion piece with the same attitude so to speak. Of course Jeff also has them.
Caz - I meant a single Jade eye or Rainbow cichlid in a 10 gallon not a pair. I wouldn't go with anything less than a 20 long for either fish (convicts, too, again one in a 10 or 2 in a 20 long).
Carpinte is the species of Texas I had. He was great. Jumped from 1 to about 5 inches in somewhere around 5 months, then grew another 2 inches the rest of his life. Some get bigger, actually, there is a very good chance he was a she...but since I only had the one I never took the time to figure it out (which is strange since she/he lived a decade with me). I do know some stay smaller than the books list.
A 55 is a very nice size tank, but it's a real bear to move. I moved my tank back on forth from my dorm during the breaks, so back then I only kept a 20 gallon high. I kept a parade of cichlids (single specimen) in the tank. I'd buy babies, raise them until they were getting to large for the tank, then trade them in for another baby and some supplies...it kept me in fish for 4 years. If I were to do it over again, I'd go for the 20 long or 29 with convicts, jade eyes or rainbows with 3 small dither variatus platys. That way, you get more natural behavior, you'll probably get breeding behavior, plus if you can get a nice pair (which is what makes convicts great - they're so easy to sex and they pair up easily) you may get some fry surviving to trade in size for supplies...
Carpinte is the species of Texas I had. He was great. Jumped from 1 to about 5 inches in somewhere around 5 months, then grew another 2 inches the rest of his life. Some get bigger, actually, there is a very good chance he was a she...but since I only had the one I never took the time to figure it out (which is strange since she/he lived a decade with me). I do know some stay smaller than the books list.
A 55 is a very nice size tank, but it's a real bear to move. I moved my tank back on forth from my dorm during the breaks, so back then I only kept a 20 gallon high. I kept a parade of cichlids (single specimen) in the tank. I'd buy babies, raise them until they were getting to large for the tank, then trade them in for another baby and some supplies...it kept me in fish for 4 years. If I were to do it over again, I'd go for the 20 long or 29 with convicts, jade eyes or rainbows with 3 small dither variatus platys. That way, you get more natural behavior, you'll probably get breeding behavior, plus if you can get a nice pair (which is what makes convicts great - they're so easy to sex and they pair up easily) you may get some fry surviving to trade in size for supplies...
A jag will get BIG, IMO too big for a 55 - IME they are also stalkers and as cool as I find them I really don't see them as an owner interactive fish .
I have heard good things about the Texas for what you are looking for.
One I would highly reccommend would be Midas/Red Devil/labiatus/citronellum . I clumped them together as it is hard or almost impossible to find true purebred labiatus or citronellum and most people feel that the production of these fish in florida and the far east has led to some of each species being involved.
You can usually find them locally and small. They seem to grow well and eat well on almost any food - even veggies. Mine are very interactive and curious about what is going on any time I'm near the tank. They chase eachother and the dithers allover .
I think that is a great fish for a pet.
I have heard good things about the Texas for what you are looking for.
One I would highly reccommend would be Midas/Red Devil/labiatus/citronellum . I clumped them together as it is hard or almost impossible to find true purebred labiatus or citronellum and most people feel that the production of these fish in florida and the far east has led to some of each species being involved.
You can usually find them locally and small. They seem to grow well and eat well on almost any food - even veggies. Mine are very interactive and curious about what is going on any time I'm near the tank. They chase eachother and the dithers allover .
I think that is a great fish for a pet.
inxs, that is a good grouping, too, but my parents did rule it out as "Red Devil" complex was not something with which they wanted to deal...
So I'm hearing mostly Carpintes and "True Texans", with votes for the Rainbows, Cons, or Jade-Eyes if I stay with a smaller tank...is this about right?
Keep posting, please, guys...I'm excited to be getting a new fish soon!!!
So I'm hearing mostly Carpintes and "True Texans", with votes for the Rainbows, Cons, or Jade-Eyes if I stay with a smaller tank...is this about right?
Keep posting, please, guys...I'm excited to be getting a new fish soon!!!
