A question about Auratus Cichlids

Walker Anderson

Walker Anderson

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Dec 12, 2005
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www.walkeranderson.com
I have posted about this the other day in regular freshwater, before i stepped in it. My LPS had the usual Cichlid tanks labeled by type and they were generally largish fish except the dwarfs. They also had a tank labeled Misc. Cichlids. There were many kinds in the tank. They were all about 1/2 to 1 inch in length. I was wanting some showpiece fishes that were a little larger than my stock. The only ones that look similar were 2 yellow ones with black stripes running nose to tail. (I hate it but am an impulse shopper.) I got them both.

So now I have these little ones in a tank w/ 10 neon tetras, 5 black skirt tetra, and 4 bronze corys.

Now I do more reading when I finally found out what I had, it seems I may have made the worst possible choice. Does anyone have experience with these guys?

Thanks for any help or suggestions. I know at worst I have to buy a new tank if there is nothing else that can be done. Or since they grow up around the other fish, will they become acclimated to them and not kill them all in a frantic rage?
 
Unfortunately you are right, you made the worst choice. Auratus are probebly the most aggressive Malawi Mbuna out there. Even with other aggressive Malawis, the auratus will dominate and kill off weaker fish. I would NEVER NEVER add them to MY Malawi tank, let alone one with tetras!

In a tank with tetras, they will have a feast! Not to mention they need a water chemistry with high pH (8.0+) and are mostly vegetarian, and will suffer from normal tropical foods.

Take them out asap, and return them. If you wanted to start a Malawi tank, then you will need at least a 55 gallon for them. But even then, it would have to be a species-only tank because these guys are m-e-a-n. IMO, I would take them back in either case. Let us know what you are thinking and we can help you plan out a malawi tank if thats the way you want to go.

HTH
-Diana
 
I am thinking of just taking them back to the store. Even though they were swimming in the shoal with the tetras, I suspect its so later when they out grow them, they can sneak attack. Bah, shoulda stuck with the Gouramis anyway. Its just hard to get one because I had a Fat Blue one that lived many years. Maybe some dwarf gourami. I think I could come out about even on the trade in. I gotta call the LPS and find out the procedure.

Thanks for the advice. I appriciate it.
 
you could have a melanochromis chipokee instead of melanochromis auratus. etheir way you need a diff. tank for them. the difference is very small at a small size. M. auratus grows to 3"-4" . M. chipokee grow to 9"-10". at a small storesale size they diferentiate by the tail. M. auratus tails have 2 petterns split around the middle, one blank and and the other spotted and lined. M. chipokee has only the blank transparent, look. Both are trouble but contrary to Diana, M. chipokee is by far worst
 
Auratus are far more common than chipokae, which is why he likely has auratus. Although, I have seen chipokae labelled as auratus before.

Either way, no matter what mbuna you would have, they are not compatible with your current setup ;).

You'd probebly get a few bucks for the auratus, especially if you mention to the LFS that they sold you fish that weren't compatible with your setup ;).

-Diana
 
Actually on another side, I was looking online and these Julidochromis ornatus also look alot like what I got from the store. I hate feeling so darn ignorant, but how many yellow black striped cichlids are there? I see now the danger of buying from the suspicious "Misc. Tank" in the store that had 8 or 9 different breeds in it.
 
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