Today In The Fishroom~10/9/11 NEW Parachromis managuense

I received a new batch of managuense from my good friend Rusty Wessel. I got ten fish about 3-4" in length. I immediately split the group into two 100 gallon tanks. One of the tanks I prepared specifically for photos, painting the back with Frosted glass and black paint...the bottom with frosted glass paint...this to help diffuse any light from the bottom of the tank. Really pleased with the results. The other five are in a tank that is just basically pots, rocks and silk plants...plenty of room for cover. On Thursday when I went down to the fish room and was surprised to see that the NON-photo tank had already had a breeding pair...with fry. The parents are 4 inches.

Here's pictures of the fish from the photo tank. Here's the largest male:





Female peeking up at the light between two large Meynsis dithers.



Another small male:



I always strive to get something different. Here's the male giving a quick turn to the font of the glass.



And one of the females that has started posturing to the large male. I can tell by her coloration that they will be breeding soon.





More pictures to follow. I also picked up a half dozen Hericthys bartoni, half dozen Chuco micropthalmus "Rio Copan" and some Archocentrus panamensis.

Really very nice!

How many species do you keep?!

Thank you. I have a couple dozen different types of fish...all of them Central American cichlids plus some catfish and various characins.

Here's three more of that male fish. Usually I use three, sometimes four of the flash units. The difference it makes here is keeping some of the dramatic shadowing in the photo. I like it.

!!!! That male is already stunning.

very nice pics & fish !

Awesome fish!
Any ideas on Central Americans that I could keep in my 36x13x20 high heavily planted
tank? I have nothing in there now but one small pleco. Something that wouldn't grow too big for that tank?
I'd like a CARES species if possible, I'm looking at West African fish, but am open to
suggestions. After watching my red jewels with their fry, I think I'd like a fish that actually "parents" their offspring.