Threafin Acara 2 (Heckelii)

[yarra2]

There have been some interesting developments with my Heckelii that I want to share with you and, at the same time, ask if anyone has idea what is happening in the colony.
As you may know I have 6 Theadfin Acara (Heckelii) in my colony. They are resident in a 3’ tank which was ample for them 6 months ago but is now becoming a little crowded. Because I opted for an undergravel filter system it became difficult to keep the water clean despite weekly water changes and two weeks a go I bought a new Fluval 205 and set that up. That works well and the water is now quite clean and seems to have taken away all the waste products that were constantly building up.
I’m feeding them pellets and frozen brine shrimp and, as a special treat give them some live brine shrimp which they absolutely love. Two weeks ago I put in a feeder fish (coldwater guppy) from my outdoor pond which they have studiously ignored and it is still there happy as larry.
What has happened over the past few days is raising my interest. 4 of the 6 turned very dark – not black but close to it. Then later on in the day the other two came back to their original colours - swim around a bit for a few hours and then retreated to the back of the tank and went dark again.
file:///C:/Users/Mike/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image002.jpg
This is what I call `normal’
Meanwhile, 2 of them remain in their dark colours. One has barely moved over the past few days where it has wedged itself into a corner and was not eating. I gently prodded it out where it swam around a bit panicky for a while and eventually went back to its corner. The last dark one (are you with me so far?) is doing some very interesting things. It has moved a prodigious amount of gravel into a pile over one night and then spent 2-3 days vigorously defending that particular area from the others. It has now moved away and is at the other end of the tank just sort of resting there (appears to be eating normally but is still retaining it’s dark colours). I’ve not been able to see any eggs in that area….
file:///C:/Users/Mike/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image004.jpg
file:///C:/Users/Mike/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image006.jpg
As I say, a huge amount of gravel for one fish in such a short time.
Finally, one of the smaller ones (in slightly darker colours) is happily swimming in and out of the flower pot `nuptial chamber’ that I originally made for them and I have no idea what is happening – maybe it has eggs in there or maybe it is just a bit bored with life.

[yarra2]

Been meaning to write a proper account of what has been happening with my Heckelii but I’m really out of action with my back. The older ones of you will remember Charles Laughton playing a hunchback swinging on the bell ropes of Notre Dame Cathedral. To see me walking at the moment is not far off that! ..:(( On Thursday I visited a number of aquariums and everyone has a different answer to what is going on – including one totally outrageous claim that he is breeding Heckelii in a tank with a single small straight PVC pipe in it. You can’t call people liars to their face…. Well, you can, but you want to have a gun or a machete (in that part of town) in your hands.
However, sitting down in front of my tank, coffee/whiskey and fag in hand I finally worked out why some were darker than others. It’s the temperature of the water. The new Fluval filter was circulating the water too well and although the thermometer was showing 30 in actual fact the water was closer to 24. I’ve re-directed the filter outlet, put in a second, bigger heater (Fluval), so the general temperature is closer to 30 all over. Four of the six immediately started looking better.
In my day a box of chocolates and a bunch of flowers was the way to begin a courtship – fish is different. The males charge at the females and say, “how about it baby?” If they reject his advances he goes on to the next one.
Apologies for taking so long to say what I wanted to say – my conclusions are:
1.Water temperature makes a difference to the colours of (some) fish.
2.Think about the water flow in your tank/s to make sure the temperature is even.
3.Give the females somewhere to rest out of the way with the temperature up and more to their liking. Am still working on that one.
I’ve got more to say, hope to get to it, with some photos later today or tomorrow….

Mike

[joz]

Nice work Mike.
i hope both you get better soon and the fish get even friskier,

[yarra2]

Following from my last post, here is the `new’ set-up in my tank. The old pipe to flower pot arrangement stays, the upended pot is now lying on its side with another at the back to give it some depth, and a new arrangement of PVC pipes that I got from Bunnings (about $2 each). They are actually 30 degree bends so the 6 of them make a full 180 degrees. And yes, the fish swim in and out of all three units without a thought. Guess they will settle on one or the other as `home’ sooner or later. BTW, I have deliberately left the tube dirty – they nibble of the growth.

http://www.thefishtank.com.au/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=696&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1261377096 (http://www.thefishtank.com.au/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=696&d=1261377096)

There is another query that I have. One them, I now believe to be a female, seems to be attracted to the corner of the tank – she is eating normally as far as I can see. Her colour is really dark. It lightens a little when she swims around for a bit but essentially she stays dark. Another one of them goes dark when he/she is near her so there is something going on…. But it’s a complete mystery to me.

http://www.thefishtank.com.au/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=697&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1261377121 (http://www.thefishtank.com.au/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=697&d=1261377121)

[fleshier]

Yara, i would really enjoy to hear, wether you have had seuccess or not with these beautiful fish?
as my three are living happily in there 4ft, starting to be a community tank.