4 replies to this topic

[DFishkeeper]

Livestock
Name: Melanochromis parallelus
Size: 9-10cm
Number: 10
Sex: 2m 8f
Price or a ballpark figure: $200.00
Shipping available? Yes, with Qantas Freight
Photos: none available

 

This is one of the rarer Lake Malawi mbuna that was in danger of disappearing from the hobby in recent times. I managed to track down a small colony a couple of years ago and have been breeding them since on the Gold Coast in Queensland.

 

I am very keen to see this fish re-established in the hobby Australia wide and not have the available stock restricted to one breeder or area. I have already passed on some stock to a few Queensland breeders and put them in a few specialist lfs in Brisbane. And earlier this year I got them re-established in Sydney through Andrew at Labyrinth Aquarium, who is a keen hobbyist himself and long-time member of the New South Wales Cichlid Society.

 

I have been growing out a new young colony for myself and have enough surplus to my needs to make up a colony of 2m 8f if somebody in Western Australia is keen to help re-establish them on the west coast. These are young fish at 9-10cm and just starting to breed, I stripped a few mouthfuls from the bigger colony today.

 

These are not a beginners cichlid, they are quite an aggressive fish when adults, mainly toward conspecifics. I have found them to have similar aggression levels to adult maingano, but these grow a little bigger and are deeper bodied.

 

I have bags and oxygen here and can ship to Perth or Adelaide with Qantas Freight overnight via Melbourne from Gold Coast airport at buyers cost and risk. I have previously shipped fish this way to Perth and Adelaide without any problems.

 

Cheers, Doug

 

 

[Ronny]

Here's a photo I took of one of the young ones at Labyrinth Aquarium while they were there (they sold quick).

 

 

Nice little fish. One of the few Malawis where the female isn't an ugly brown or grey colour lol.

 

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[rsevs3]

When you say conspecifics, do you mean towards other cichlids, or you would need to keep each fish in its own tank?

[DFishkeeper]

Conspecific aggression generally means they leave other fish alone but are aggressive towards others of their own kind, particularly males. Aggression isn't a problem with these fish at their current size, but can be when they are fully grown adults, just like it can be with maingano and some other mbuna.

 

I have had success managing their aggression by keeping the colony in a decent sized tank, minimum 4 x 2 x 2 with 50 or so smaller electric yellows 3cm or so as dither fish and plenty of structure for cover. They have never worried the electric yellows and their presence seems to calm the breeders down. I do this with a few of my Malawi colonies, and the bonus is I don't have to devote other tanks to growout my electric yellow fry

 

Cheers, Doug

Edited by DFishkeeper, 06 May 2014 - 01:46 PM.

[DFishkeeper]

ok, I have someone interested in 1m 4f if I split the colony.
 
Last chance to buy the whole colony, or maybe someone else is interested in the other 1m 4f if I split the colony, and share freight and quarantine inspection costs with the other member?
 
I can sell these quite easily on the east coast, but I really would like to see them get re-established on the west coast
 
Cheers, Doug



 

ok, looks like there is no interest in getting these guys re-established on the west coast.
 
I'll advertise and sell them over here on the East Coast.
 
Cheers, Doug

Edited by werdna, 31 May 2014 - 04:49 PM.