catfishtabbi

Hi,

TedsTank

hi, what about Borelli?? I think they are one of the best apistos. Do search on internet, there is tons of info. Good in community tank til spawning time....a bit of aggression then. Can be kept in groups....my favorite is borelli opal.

catfishtabbi

Thanks Ted, i did that search and found a wealth of info. The only conflicting info was on feeding some seemingly expert appisto keepers insist they will only accept live food while others say freeze dried crab crustys? bloodwaorms and fr.shrimp. I'll be seeking answers at time of purchase by seeing what the breeder is feeding which i'll be purchasing from them, if i don't already have it. Do you know what they'll eat ? The opals are gorgeous but i've never seen them for sale. With summer coming perhaps well see some of the more difficult to find ones in the stores.

TedsTank

My Borelli's and the cacatuoides are all eating flake food....some soaked crab bits, etc. The deal is if you plan on breeding them, live foods condition them the best, and the variety of food you give them is always more healthy...sort of, would you like plain oatmeal 3 times a day forever....lol BUT you can condition any fish to eat anything. Even the place where I bought mine use flakes. and mixed with a variety of other foods. Flakes will work fine to a point....don't turn down some because of that only live food thing.

catfishtabbi

Thanks, thats good to know, really eases my mind. I don't want to culture live foods at this point. I'm picking my fish up on wednesday. I understand they're really small so i figure i'd give them an extra week to grow out. Thanks for all your help.

TedsTank

mine were small too...largest is almost an inch. Looks like I have 2 males and 3 females. Keeping them in RO water driftwood and live plants. In 50 gal tank with Cacatuoides too. Lots of running around establishing territorys but enouh different fish where no any one gets hurt at all....until one of them decides to spawn!!! Then I suppose it will be breeder tank time!!

catfishtabbi

Yes Ted i've realized that will happen, so i've read.Ha Ha what will we do with the fry, i have only one private shop around me,so getting rid of them may be a bit dificle. How old are yours ? i get mine tomarrow I gave them an extra week to eat up and grow out some.Have your males already found THIER spot ?

TedsTank

I'm not worried about sucessful spawning yet....waiting til they grow a good bit more. Have 2 males starting to show some decent color...always pushing and shoving but not hurting each other. I also got 3 females nice pleseant fish...loving them!! How many did you order? Your goal will be breeding the? They are all getting along fairly well (borelli's and cacatuoides) for now...the 50 gal tank is 48" long but i suspect I will be getting another tank when they really mature and start the egg thing. Hope all arrives well for you, I haven't tried mailorder yet...can't get over the fact of not actually picking out the fish I want.

catfishtabbi

Oh i'm picking mine up, i just had them ordered in is all, so they're holding them, i ordered 10 but i think i will take only 7. I may have to swap some as they grow, the more i read the more possibilities i find... i may try a male only group each with his own cave and area. I have 3 pots at different sections so well see how they split up or not. However it goes the entire floor is thiers, so i believe i can have an all male group? I can't imagine how many fry you may get with 2 females, do you have a place to sell them to ? I don't really want fry unless i could move them to a seperate tank to breed,which is hard on the fish & us. Plus a place(few) to sell them to. Your right to stay clear of mailorders, i ordered alot of hard to find fish and they setn them too small and the postage was $120 fish were $146 =$266 and several didn't make it. i'll post in a day or two i pick my fish up this afternoon.Glad to hear yours are all ok and progressing so quickly.

TedsTank

if you have only borelli cichlids in you tank...a group will be fine...even with females included. But it depends on too many things....you could try and just see how it works out. My males are displaying now, not full color, the little guy always looses but is never hurt............................yet....lol

catfishtabbi

Well sorry i left the post go for so long but as it turns out , the kid i spoke to was mistaken they had a similar type or they just sold mine by mistake. They swore i would get some soon at the same price of 4.99. I still spent 100 bucks in there but i am really disapointed in them, i feel i am a good customer and should be able to count on them. they also got in rainbows; signifiers, gertruedae but i was so upset i did not purchase them, I want to add the borellis first.I need to call them. I'll post if i ever get them.

TedsTank

Sorry to hear that....rotten deal!! Yes wait for the borellis...a subtle beauty...mine are changing noticeably every couple of days....the males are getting a purplish blue and females starting to yellow...the males are about an inch and females smaller. Try theamazonbasement.com....I went to visit them, very nice setup and they ship priority USPS....prices are, low I think, and the postage shouldn't be too bad.

catfishtabbi

I read a previous post that rec'd that site so i checked but they didn't have them. I didn't think yours were that young. WOW glad your enjoying watching them develop, thats the best part. Bigals said on thursday... i'm holding my breath...not! I rehomed a rainbow shark and my tanks peace and tranquility appreciated a good deal, i had no idea! he had a 8" slate cave that he rarely came out of, so the floor is waiting.Talk to you latre.

TedsTank

yes!! Borelli Opals in stock 16.00 a pair but they will sell you a trio.....later

catfishtabbi

I'm looking for the blue ones plain borellis. But thanks so much. Thursday is arrival day so i'll know tomorrow if they come in. Opals would look good on my black substrtae tho Perhaps i'll check it out, but i want the babies so i can watch them grow.Hmmm opals on one side, blues on the other? Moss covered coconut shell caves? Way too much time on my hands to think about it. Thanks to the punk whop sold my fish! ha ha

TedsTank

Either are wonderful fish, Opals or Blue,...I finally got some pics of them and hope to post it soon. Also just got a spawn of the cacatuoides triple red !!
Anyway, I'm waiting to hear that you got you fish!!!