I have some exciting news (well, it’s exciting for me). After acquiring new tanks, as well as considerable planning and rearranging, I have some new fish coming soon. What am I getting?
For starters, the bad news. What I am getting is not what I had originally planned. I was going to get a group of Triglachromis otostigma or a group of Lamprologus tigripictilis and a couple of other species. Why am I not getting either of those?
A couple of reasons. One is that I wasn’t confident that I could provide the necessary set-up to successfully breed them. The second reason was that these fish are not inexpensive, at least in my budget. Going back to the first reason, after some research, I wasn’t sure my largest available tanks (two 45g) would be large enough. Those tanks were custom made for shell dwellers. So why would I have tanks made specifically for shell dwellers and then not use them for those fish? Great question, and one that I asked myself as I was thinking about the two African species mentioned above.
What I am getting will check all of the boxes for me. Getting some species I have wanted to work with but haven’t? Check. Getting fish that my existing set-ups can easily accommodate? Check. Getting fish that I am confident I can breed? Check.
I am getting two species of shell dwellers and a species of julie. One of the shellies I have worked with in the past and have had success. I wanted to work with them again. The julie species is only one of a few Julidochromis that I have not worked with.
Where am I getting them from? Dave’s Rare Aquarium Fish. I have ordered fish from Dave Schumacher before and have had really good experience and success with his fish. He’s also a really nice guy. If you’re a keeper of east African cichlids, especially from Lake Victoria, Lake Malawi, or Lake Tanganyika, and you’re looking for some fish, I would highly encourage you to give Dave a chance. Visit his website and/or give him a call. You won’t be disappointed.
Yes, I have avoided telling what I am getting. Why? I am saving that for when they come in and I get them situated. I’ll post about them in the near future.