outlaw

When we bought our setup in Jan. It has 3 female red fin, 1 male red fin, and a yellow lab Cichlid. The females were more of a light gray/silver and now are a dark gray with faint black vertical lines and very vibrant red/orange fins. Is this signs of happy fish or something else? I am going with the happy fish but just wondering if anybody else knows. I will try to get pics posted soon if needed.

blue_sable

that could also be a sign of them getting in the mood to spawn. my gold severums only color up when they get ready to spawn see my pics

outlaw

If that is the case, would they pretty much always stay like that? It seems that since we had them they got quite a bit darker/vibrant then after first purchasing. They did breed a month ago tomorrow. Nice looking fish btw!

steveangela1

Just about all of my malawi cichlids have changed colors since I have got them, more for the better as they have matured. My peacocks are absolutely beatiful right now after they have matured and if I could get them to be out and as active in their tank as my mbuna tank they would get more attention I think than the mbuna when people come over.
The only 3 that has stayed constant was the kenyi female, red zebra female, and yellow lab (except for the black he has developed which has allowed us to sex him as a he).

They are almost like camelons I think, my favorite fish above all the rest for their everchanging colors and you can never guess what they will turn out when you get them. I just happend to find a male kenyi and only knew he was a male because he was hitting puberty and half blue and half yellow changing colors....

outlaw

cool, thanks both of you.

outlaw

If anyone was curious:





Yes the one on the left is in a small tank. She seems to be getting picked on and had some gouges and some "skin" hanging off just under her mouth. I didn't have enough equipment for another quarantine tank so I submerged this 2.5Gal (I think) just enough to circulate water through it but not enough that she can get out or other ones in.