Lamprologus ocellatus I need first hand knowledge....

[jnorris]

I just ordered 3 F-0 Females and 1 F-0 Male. I have some extra space in my tang tank and wanted to give them a whirl.....

Any difference from the brevis? (except for color).

I need to get some more shells before next week.......

I just wanted to know what to expect....These will be the last fish I buy I swear!

[Gir]

sorry I dont have any first hand knowledge, but Ive read they are similar to brevis but with cooler personalities :)

I am actually looking to buy some ocellatus and I cant find them anywhere !! Where did you get yours and at what price ?
Ive seen multiple videos of these fish and they look awesome. Im setting up a sand tank for them right now.

Only place Ive found them is on an auction site and Im a little weary of doing that.

[jnorris]

My LFS did a special order for me with their order (so I don't have to pay for shiiping). Mine were $17 a piece plus there is a 30% markup for them to be sexed.

So around 23 dollars a piece I guess. Which is still much cheaper than ordering them, plus they are F-0

[Gir]

wow my lfs said he couldnt specifically order them, maybe I need to talk to him again, or find a new lfs :shock:

[jnorris]

I am pleased with my LFS. She is cool. THis only happens when she is making an order too. She has started to carry wild caught only. She has a good Tankanyikan selection too.

[finz]

My LFS did a special order for me with their order (so I don't have to pay for shiiping). Mine were $17 a piece plus there is a 30% markup for them to be sexed.

So around 23 dollars a piece I guess. Which is still much cheaper than ordering them, plus they are F-0

Wow If I had known I would have gotten some too!! are you getting the gold ones? Do you know if she ordered any extras to sell?

[jnorris]

They are the golds.....They have some fancy name I just can't remember it.

[Gir]

Does your lfs ship ?
Or would they be willing to tell you where they ordered from :twisted:

[jnorris]

Problalbly not it's a small shop. Have you tried Armekes or Russ Ustlers Fish?

She won't tell me her wholesaler. Can't blame her though.

[Gir]

Not familiar with Russ Ustlers Fish, I did check armkes and they dont say if they are f0,f1 ect... They pic they have is crappy too, but I guess that might not reflect their actual product.

Ill check Russ Ustlers and see whats up

[Gir]

yay I found an lfs that is getting some on thursday :)
doubt they are f0 but they should be fun nonetheless

[finz]

Not familiar with Russ Ustlers Fish, I did check armkes and they dont say if they are f0,f1 ect... They pic they have is crappy too, but I guess that might not reflect their actual product.

Ill check Russ Ustlers and see whats up

Here are some places to check. Bluechip aquatics has them.
http://directory.google.com/Top/Shopping/Pets/Fish/Livestock/Freshwater/Cichlids/

[Gir]

Sweet, thanks finz !
Has anyone ordered from Bluechips before ?
Are they good ?

[NFish]

I live in CO too and a friend of mine got me some ocellatus "gold" through a breeder in Denver or Aurora for $4 each. They weren't F0, but cool nonetheless.

You might end up with just a male and a female but maybe not in a big tank. I had 6 and am down to 2 (looks like a pair; one is a good bit bigger then the other). I'm hoping to breed these fish. They are really cool fish. I suggest that you use sand, and have a few extra shells so they don't fight over them

[jnorris]

Welcome aboard! If you have a contact PM me...Finz is interested (look him up on this forum!)

Also I would like to discuss LFS's

PM me and FINZ (another Coloradian).....The more the better!

This forum is a good forum to be on!....

[jnorris]

I need a local place for snail shells....any local suggestions would be super!

[jnorris]

The only issue with not getting F0 with this species is that the blue and gold variations can mix. But if you know your breeder than you know the outcome.

The lil bulldogs.....

I have started a shell midden on one side....the julies and lamps are hovering now....

I want to intermittenly do a shell midden (shell layer its a past life archaeology term) with a few large snail shells in patches.

Can I mail order a 10,000 tank?

[NFish]

I just bought shells at hobby stores like michaels, and one of my LFSs had some shell too. Or you can order some on line at www.shellsaplenty.com I think any torbo shell will work good

[finz]

The Hobby Lobby just northeast of Liquid Kingdom has shells in assorted packages for $1.99.

[jnorris]

I will add that to my shopping list today...Thanks guys...

[jnorris]

Now I have to many shells ...lol

I had to buy large packages to get the shells I wanted.....unfortunately they had a bunch in there that I didn't want....I guess I will throw those in the yard...

It will be interesting to see what happens when the Shellies get in there. The Julies seem to like the shell area too...

Note to self...stay away from arts and craft stores on a saturday..

[finz]

:lol: I bought some shells there today too craft stores are insane on Saturdays. You could always crush the shells you don't want and add them to the media in your filter.

[finz]

Here is the 20 long I bought today
http://home.earthlink.net/~jimkphoto/20long.jpg

[jnorris]

What are you using for gravel, black stone?

I like the black sand, I mixed it with the white and it looks great....

Are you going to put Africans in it?

[SGypsyMermaid]

finz--how beautiful!! :D :D :D

[finz]

What are you using for gravel, black stone?

I like the black sand, I mixed it with the white and it looks great....

Are you going to put Africans in it?

The substrate is Seachem Grey Coast Calcite - expensive and a real pain to wash. It took most of the day just to clean the stuff. Most of it was extremely fine, so fine it looked like mud. The rocks are sandstone and granite. It will have julidochromis and shellies if I can find some.


finz--how beautiful!!

Thanks SGypsy!

[jnorris]

Ya thats what I used for black sand. It is a total pain to wash, most of it went down the sink when I did.

The tank looks larger than 20 gallons!

Should make a great dwarf tank!

If I figure out where I can make the room I might consider getting a 29 gallon..... The price is right. Did you get a stand too?

[finz]

I already had a stand made. I haven't bought a stand in ages. Home made ones are much more substantial and a lot cheaper.

[jnorris]

I need power tools..lol

What do you use for materials?

[finz]

2x2 's ,2x4's, plywood, 1x3's, and screws.

[jnorris]

Sounds easy to find....If ever find a house I like I want to build a false wall in the basement and flush mount the tanks . Then I can leave enough room for filters buckets and a sink for the python.

I would consider centralizing my filtration sytem for that. Plus it would make it silent being behind the wall. I will problalby use sheetrock and 2x4s and cinder blocks for the stands...

And put the canopy on backwards.....or perhaps I can just do without one and have overhead lights on a chain.

I would have to water proof and re-enforce the sheet rock though....

[jnorris]

Anytime I stick my hand in the tank and get remotely close to the Ocellatus they attack my hand. THey actually cling on for a few seconds. I am glad my Comp isn't like that. I bet his teeth hurt.