FishFolk

I just received my first wild! I am soooo excited. He's a handsome msobo deep. He arrived with two farm raised young ladies who are quite charming.

One of the male grey shakei became way too aggressive. We tried rearranging the tanks, but he was still going to hurt someone, so he had to go.

Then the other decided he would be a bully. He was on his way out, but he honestly had a right since the newcomers wanted his previous territory. We tried rearranging the tank again and that helped. It would really help if I could find some females.

Speaking of females, the female greshakei has started to color - she doesn't get blue but she does get dark stripes when around the msobos. When she's around the ice blue she loses her stripes. Is this normal? is she really a girl? We asked these questions on the fish id section. She and the known he still circle (not sure how they do that- makes me dizzy to watch.

The sahara sand didn't arrive yet, so that will be one more redo. Then the conditions will be much more conducive to breeding...

Allie

I love the msobo. They a super aggressive tho. We had a single male who killed our big male acei and one of our frontosas. Make sure you have 1 male 2-4 females...or an all male tank.

FishFolk

Whoa - Thanks for the tip. These guys seem very docile - compared to my ice blue. Gosh he is aggressive. Antway, the msobo has 2 females. I ordered 3 but one didn't survive the trip.

Angela_96

Pics? Congrats on the new fish!! When I get my new tank cycled (Im going to have to get this thing setup!, we will order some new guys/gals)

COBettaCouple

Sounds like some interesting cichlids and I'd love to see them.

Allie

The msobos will probably take over eventually. The greyshakei...just got upset with the newbies in the tank.

FishFolk

I'm ready to pull the greyshakeis - That one in particular. The poor he/she's tail is all split. I don't know if I can wait for females to show up. Wish I had another tank to put them in - (not MTS, just survival).

The greshakei looks like a bored child just picking on someome for something to do...He doesn't ever stay to claim a spot but just cruises, looking for someone to pick on. The msobo is smaller but seems to be doing okay for now - He's on the run a bit, but not so much as the he/she.

I checked craigslist for a used aquarium - nothing for now. Hitting petsmart in a few to see what they may have...cross your fingers.

Allie

You have a bored bully. Do you have some thing you could divide a space for the bully.

FishFolk

Not really - I could get something ? I am tornbetween getting a tank to hold him until I get females and just selling him. Especially with what I learned from the old owner!

For the next hour or so, I am going to put him in a 5 gallon to give the others a rest.

FishFolk

I ended up pulling the he/she and one of the males. It turned out the he/she was a male. He colored right up when in a place he could be dominant. The wild msobo and the ice blue male have turf stand offs everynow and then but both usually end up where they were and it isn't anything more than posturing. The ice blue digs all day so that I have a sandscape in the tank. The male msobo appears to be courting one of the females. The other still stays hidden. She is getting more comfy now and will come down to the bottom and mid tank area. I created a place where she is out of site from the other female. The tankmates can and do swim through, but she has ample places to hide. The only one who really scares her is the other female msobo. I was worried about her not eating, so I put some zucchini in her area. It has been eaten so I feel better about that part too.

I don't know how you all get such great pics. I haven't gotten that down. Plus these guys hide in the rocks a lot. I'm going to try now. I'll edit and post th epics if I get any!

sapphirebetta

oh wow! lucky! i want a wild betta tho congrats!

Slug

Msobos are a favorite of mine as well. I love the male and female contrasting colors. Can't wait to see pics of him!

FishFolk

Matt, Thanks for reminding me about pix! The fishes are "in bed" - Lights out early here as mornings start early andlights go on early too.Sooo, I will have to get pix another day.
They are doing well - or at least I think so...Yesterday the female stopped eating and has been in hiding. She came out once and tried to catch one of the tiny pellets. She held it on the edge of her lips and disappeared. She normally sucks down a couple of the big pellets with ease. I checked water and all pareameters are fine, s may be she is holding. The male has been very active and colorful for the past week - chasing her - so maybe, just maybe.

Still trying to get the msobo females from the contact at the ACA convention. If it is meant to be it will happen

Any opinions -anyone- on adding three yellow lab juvies to this tank? I took out one greshakei I thought might be male to avoid aggression - So peaceful noe thst I hate to mess it up.

MousePotato

Yours do this, too? We have three yellow labs I call the dizzy blondes. Sometimes they start circling each other in tight little loops, up and down the tank, for half an hour or more until I have to look away or I'm gonna hurl. I wasn't sure if it was mating behavior or if they just like to watch my face turn green!

Congratulations on your new fish!

FishFolk

I posted a few pix in my gallery.