Re: Vierke definition

[Frauley/Elson <fraulels@minet.ca>]

Hemsath, Gay wrote:
> 
> Using your definition what about Hemichromis Lifalli.  They are
> described in "Complete Book of Dwarf Cichlids" by Hans-Joachim Richter,
> T.F.H. Publications, Inc. on Pg.87 with pictures Pg. 83 - 86.
> 
> Gay
> 
Hi Gay, and everyone,
Saturday night working on the computer becomes a kind of fish chat.

On a gut level, I hate that fish. I kept them, they were stunning and
they were the meanest, nastiest, most brutal beasts I ever spawned and
released fry into the world of. There.

Hemichromis are hard to see as dwarfs, beyond their nastiness. they
aren't small fish, in general. I wish they were, for their colours. The
books say 10 to 12 cm, but I've seen slightly bigger. They're round
bodied, heavy fish. In terms of aquarium care, they need large tanks,
heavy filtration and patience. I think, in this totally unscientific
subjective classification, that overall size, not length, is important.
An altispinosa is tall bodied, but lightweight, and a krib is torpedo
shaped. Hemichromis are fairly high bodied and have a fair girth. 

There are a lot of mid-range fish that make the dwarf books, on other
people's definitions. Hemichromis are, to me, like Chromidotilapia from
Africa, Herotilapia and convicts from central America, or even angels
from South America. Nice fish, but not dwarf enough for an apisto list
at least.

Um, I'd best bail out here. I know what a dwarf cichlid is to me, but it
is hard to establish criteria for others. Try it in a 20 gallon with
tetras. Maybe that's a way to get the fish to provide definitions?

Help.
Gary


-------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the apistogramma mailing list, apisto@majordomo.pobox.com.
For instructions on how to subscribe or unsubscribe or get help,
email apisto-request@majordomo.pobox.com.
Search http://altavista.digital.com for "Apistogramma Mailing List Archives"!