New fish!

[Matt V]

First, big thanks to SGypsymermaid for these spectacular specimens of Victorianess.

Second, new fish dance.

:dance: :dance: :dance: :dance:

Third, pics! (and apologies for the ugly setting... it's the quarantine/grow-out/extra, so pardon the black pipes and ugly pots).

First, here's a whole bunch of Astatotilapia latifasciata checking out one of the pots...

http://www.cichlidforums.com/postimages/2006-01-25/126980-001.jpg

and one of the Haplochromis sp. Blue Bar (who's looking' pretty good considering he just spent 2 days crossing the country in a box)

http://www.cichlidforums.com/postimages/2006-01-25/126980-002.jpg

And two more blue bar males for good measure....

http://www.cichlidforums.com/postimages/2006-01-25/126980-003.jpg

[StructureGuy]

Matt,

I kept Hap sp "blue bars" a few years ago. At least that is what the LFS had them labeled as. Then a different LFS got a rather large shipment of blue bars fom Old World (aka Demason) and they looked a bit different from mine. So I got on the internet and looked around and started to wonder if mine was ever pure. The ones at the LFS (5" to 6" adults) matched other pictures pretty closely and mine were just a bit off.

So I was glad to see that you now have some for comparison. But yours are completely different from what I expected to see. I know that they are still young. Let me know if you can get a confirmation on your ID of the blue bars. I'd really be interested in solving my own mystery about this species.

Kevin

[SGypsyMermaid]

kevin, their father looks like the fish on your website...do you have pics of the other ones? i got those from sean, and i'm confident that they are in fact hap. sp. blue bar "hippo point". were the ones from old world from the same location?

[Matt V]

Originally posted by StructureGuy
I know that they are still young. Let me know if you can get a confirmation on your ID of the blue bars. I'd really be interested in solving my own mystery about this species.

Kevin

I'll keep you updated as they mature. They also just shipped across the continent and are still settling in. I should have put that big caveat in my original post. I haven't seen them yet today to see if they've colored up more significantly yet. They may not until they move into permanent quarters after the quarantine period is up.

It was your site that made me track down these fish and SGM saying "Yeah, I've got those".

[StructureGuy]

If you go to Stan's web site:
http://www.victoriancichlids.de/INDEXE.HTM

He calls them Pundamilia sp "Hippo Point Blue Bar" so look at those pics. That's what the blue bars from Old World look like that are still at the LFS (for $20 each!)

Mine have a much pointier snout but the coloring is pretty close.

Matt's last picture (pic #3) looks about right to me as juvies but the pic before that shows a whole lot of color that I've never seen. Is it just the way that the light is hitting it?

You mean Shaun from Oklahoma? I know his web site is still up but I haven't seen him around any forums anymore.

Kevin

[Matt V]

Originally posted by StructureGuy
Matt's last picture (pic #3) looks about right to me as juvies but the pic before that shows a whole lot of color that I've never seen. Is it just the way that the light is hitting it?


yeah, i think so. that fish in question is a bit darker than the rest, but not that blue in real life. Also, the lights in that room are a little blue for some reason. I've still yet to master the art of photographing a Victorian cichlid. I should just take a video of my limax and post that as it goes from grey to rainbow to bright purple to dark red and then back to grey in the space of about 15 seconds.

They appear to be a lot more settled in today. Maybe I'll try for another pic in a while.

Mine (and therfore SGM's as well) have the pointier snouts as well - like yours. They don't look like a Pundamilia in the head to me, more like a sp. 44 Thickskin. But the color is right - especially with that broken link picture on the bottom left of the link you posted.

[SGypsyMermaid]

here's a not-so-good pic of the dad. http://www.cichlidgallery.com/Katfish-Korners/hap_sp_bluebar_s_angelicus

[Matt V]

Yeah, kinda blurry. But it does look like a bigger, more colorful version of what I've got swimming about...

[SGypsyMermaid]

i'll try to get some better pics with my new camera in the next few days.

[SGypsyMermaid]

Originally posted by StructureGuy
Mine have a much pointier snout but the coloring is pretty close.

Matt's last picture (pic #3) looks about right to me as juvies but the pic before that shows a whole lot of color that I've never seen. Is it just the way that the light is hitting it?

You mean Shaun from Oklahoma? I know his web site is still up but I haven't seen him around any forums anymore.

Kevin

the juvies have pointy snouts, but the old man's snout looks much blunter to me. the light makes it look like there's more color than there is. the fish are grayish blue with black bars, the fins are scarlet-tipped, and the dorsal has that sort of electric sky blue running through it. aside from the egg spots, i think that's it for color, except the females have yellowish anal and tail fins.
yes, it's sean from oklahoma that i got them from, plus 1 additional male from another source.

[Matt V]

Originally posted by SGypsyMermaid
i'll try to get some better pics with my new camera in the next few days.

new camera? congrats!

New camera dance!

:dance: :dance:

[SGypsyMermaid]

Originally posted by Matt V
new camera? congrats!

New camera dance!

:dance: :dance:

nothing fancy, just better than my old one--kodak easyshare 310.

[Matt V]

Originally posted by SGypsyMermaid
the juvies have pointy snouts, but the old man's snout looks much blunter to me. the light makes it look like there's more color than there is. the fish are grayish blue with black bars, the fins are scarlet-tipped, and the dorsal has that sort of electric sky blue running through it. aside from the egg spots, i think that's it for color, except the females have yellowish anal and tail fins.
yes, it's sean from oklahoma that i got them from, plus 1 additional male from another source.

That's about what I expect.

How old/big is the "old man"?

[Matt V]

Originally posted by SGypsyMermaid
nothing fancy, just better than my old one--kodak easyshare 310.

We use one of those at work for website photos and non-print stuff.

It's a good camera and really does a nice job!

[SGypsyMermaid]

Originally posted by Matt V
We use one of those at work for website photos and non-print stuff.

It's a good camera and really does a nice job!

good to hear. the old man is about 4" excluding his tail.

[StructureGuy]

Okay, so here is part 2 of my self-doubting thoughts. These were sold to me by a reputable breeder from the Ohio Cichlid Association as Haplochromis sp "blue obliquidens" (which is a true species.)

http://www.african-cichlid.com/HapBlueOblique.htm

I don't see a whole heck of a lot of difference between these and my old blue bars either.

Kevin

[Matt V]

Originally posted by StructureGuy
Okay, so here is part 2 of my self-doubting thoughts. These were sold to me by a reputable breeder from the Ohio Cichlid Association as Haplochromis sp "blue obliquidens" (which is a true species.)


One of the things that struck me last night as I was watching the new fish is how similar they are in behavior and pattern to the Hap. sp. Thick Skins that I had pre-transcontinental move.

Having gotten used to more open-water, mellower Victorians since the move, I forgot how true bruisers like these act and look. I missed that! :D

But yeah, I don't see a heck of a lot of difference either. I don't remember my females being that dark, but I haven't paid them a whole lot of attention yet, either.

[SGypsyMermaid]

old man

[SGypsyMermaid]

another

[SGypsyMermaid]

don't ask me why that last one is so small.:confused:

[SGypsyMermaid]

the fish appears more gray than in these pics.

[SGypsyMermaid]

that last one is a truer color.

[StructureGuy]

Looks like you have a very nice strain there, Gypsy.

[SGypsyMermaid]

thanks!

[RustyNut]

Yes! That is a vice fish you have!

[Matt V]

Originally posted by StructureGuy
Looks like you have a very nice strain there, Gypsy.

Very nice, indeed! I wish I had some of those.


Oh... wait... I do! :D

I'm getting them a new tank tomorrow. I can't wait to get them out of quarantine and into a new rocktropolis of their own.

[Seedy]

Originally posted by Matt V


I'm getting them a new tank tomorrow. I can't wait to get them out of quarantine and into a new rocktropolis of their own.

:dance: :party: :dance:

[Matt V]

Now all they need are friends... :D

[Matt V]

The biggest male that you sent me is starting to look just like the "old man".

And I couldn't be happier!!! I have to get some new pictures of them in their new home - they've really taken to it and the color on the top two males is just terrific.

[SGypsyMermaid]

:dance: EXCELLENT!! i can't wait to see the pics.