Melanochromis auratus

ritzgirl34 · 04-18-2006, 02:49 PM

How big do these guys really get? After looking at a few sites, some say 8 inches and others say 3-4 inches. Would be nice to know what to expect.

ron v · 04-18-2006, 03:00 PM

I don't know how big they get, but they are one of the meanest african cichlids I have ever kept.

**Osiris** · 04-18-2006, 03:18 PM

I dunno about that big, but most definetaly get 5-6" i've seen some large ones before i'd say were 5". 8" i think is a bit far fetched.

leveldrummer · 04-18-2006, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ron v

I don't know how big they get, but they are one of the meanest african cichlids I have ever kept.

those and kenyi's where my nightmares.

IME the ones i kept only got around 4 or 5 inches... but thats not saying they couldnt get bigger.

goodie · 04-18-2006, 03:22 PM

A 8" would be the "King Kong" of auratus. 5" is the norm. I'll second ron v on the aggression.

Melanochromis auratus INFO:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profile...ies.php?id=750

goodie · 04-18-2006, 03:24 PM

Ya, Kenyi are right up there too!

flamingo · 04-18-2006, 03:42 PM

Mine is about 4 inches at the moment lol. Have had it for a while now/

ritzgirl34 · 04-18-2006, 04:15 PM

Hmmm, I have 2 male Kenyis and 4 females and they get along with my other cichlids quite nicely. One pair has started breeding and still no trouble in the tank.

My fish:
Cynotilapia afra Cobue orange back (trio)
Red Zebras (3 males)
Melanochromis maingano (two - too young to sex)
Pseudo Elongatus Chewere
Kenyis (stated above)
M. auratus - 2 (too young to sex)

**Cichlid Man** · 04-19-2006, 06:12 AM

Unfortunatly I've just had all my 18 M. auratus die over the past week. I still have some out their babies though.
Mine all got to about three inches at adult size. Not really that big. However, if you keep thyem in a big tank and feed them lots of vegtable foods they can reach 6 inches. I have seen 8 inch specimens in the shops, but these are probably wild or have been breed selectively.

AshleytheGreat · 04-19-2006, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goodie

I'll second ron v on the aggression.

Ill 3rd that.

Ive seen one that was 8 inches before in a LFS. It was so ugly!

**Cichlid Man** · 04-19-2006, 12:24 PM

Melanochromis Chipokae is actually the most aggressive Lake malawi cichlid.

Melanochromis auratus is the second.

leveldrummer · 04-19-2006, 01:30 PM

IME bumble bees arent to sweet either, i wonder why all the ones that are readily available at petsmart are usually the meanest... (and labs?)

ron v · 04-19-2006, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leveldrummer

i wonder why all the ones that are readily available at petsmart are usually the meanest... (and labs?)

Cause they are easy to spawn, if you can keep them from killing each other, and the key to that is giving them lots of room. They are thrown into big outside ponds at the fish farms in Flordia.

**Cichlid Man** · 04-19-2006, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leveldrummer

IME bumble bees arent to sweet either, i wonder why all the ones that are readily available at petsmart are usually the meanest... (and labs?)

There is a pic of a bumble bee in my signature. There is a lot of dispute over weather it's in the genes pseudotropheus or melanochromis. I personaly have always seen them as melanos even before I new what genes they where really in.

**Osiris** · 04-19-2006, 03:43 PM

Petsmart if you notice, mainly carries mbuna for africans, as one they color very quickly and grow fast. Versus pea****s i think last time at petsmart had one tank of pea****s 2-2.5" rest were mbuna for africans.... And damn im almost at 2,000 posts. Beers on me when it rolls over!

ron v · 04-19-2006, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mala

Beers on me when it rolls over!

Gosh, if I leave right now..........

04-18-2006, 02:49 PM	#1
ritzgirl34 Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Merritt Island, FL Posts: 81	Melanochromis auratus How big do these guys really get? After looking at a few sites, some say 8 inches and others say 3-4 inches. Would be nice to know what to expect.

04-18-2006, 03:18 PM	#3
Osiris Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Wisconsin Age: 24 Posts: 3,688	I dunno about that big, but most definetaly get 5-6" i've seen some large ones before i'd say were 5". 8" i think is a bit far fetched. __________________ Reality is for people who can't handle Science-Fiction

04-18-2006, 03:22 PM	#5
goodie Babysitter for hire Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: S.E. MO Age: 34 Posts: 475	A 8" would be the "King Kong" of auratus. 5" is the norm. I'll second ron v on the aggression. Melanochromis auratus INFO: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profile...ies.php?id=750 __________________ Every two seconds, someone in America needs blood. Please! Give blood. Click to find local BLOOD DRIVES .................................................. ............ good time killer http://www.mafiadeath.com/r/16982.php

04-18-2006, 03:24 PM	#6
goodie Babysitter for hire Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: S.E. MO Age: 34 Posts: 475	Ya, Kenyi are right up there too! __________________ Every two seconds, someone in America needs blood. Please! Give blood. Click to find local BLOOD DRIVES .................................................. ............ good time killer http://www.mafiadeath.com/r/16982.php

04-18-2006, 03:42 PM	#7
flamingo One Word: Croutons. Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Wisconsin Age: 17 Posts: 1,897	Mine is about 4 inches at the moment lol. Have had it for a while now/ __________________ If you put "u" instead of typing out the actual, shocking, three letter word... i'm not going to read your ramblings. I'm so behind it's not even funny.

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04-18-2006, 03:00 PM	#2
ron v Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Alabama Age: 61 Posts: 1,123	I don't know how big they get, but they are one of the meanest african cichlids I have ever kept.

04-18-2006, 04:15 PM	#8
ritzgirl34 Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Merritt Island, FL Posts: 81	Hmmm, I have 2 male Kenyis and 4 females and they get along with my other cichlids quite nicely. One pair has started breeding and still no trouble in the tank. My fish: Cynotilapia afra Cobue orange back (trio) Red Zebras (3 males) Melanochromis maingano (two - too young to sex) Pseudo Elongatus Chewere Kenyis (stated above) M. auratus - 2 (too young to sex)

04-19-2006, 06:12 AM	#9
Cichlid Man Super moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,100	Unfortunatly I've just had all my 18 M. auratus die over the past week. I still have some out their babies though. Mine all got to about three inches at adult size. Not really that big. However, if you keep thyem in a big tank and feed them lots of vegtable foods they can reach 6 inches. I have seen 8 inch specimens in the shops, but these are probably wild or have been breed selectively. __________________ If you have a big enough tank with enough hiding places, pH of around 7, you can keep virtually any fish together as long as all the fish are around the same size and these two groups of fish are avioded: Serrasalmus Tetradon(figure eights and dwarfs are the exception). I keep a successful community of fish in a 4 foot tank including the following families: Cichlids, tetras, loaches, gouramis, barbs, rainbows, livebearers, killiefish, catfish, puffers.

04-19-2006, 12:24 PM	#11
Cichlid Man Super moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,100	Melanochromis Chipokae is actually the most aggressive Lake malawi cichlid. Melanochromis auratus is the second. __________________ If you have a big enough tank with enough hiding places, pH of around 7, you can keep virtually any fish together as long as all the fish are around the same size and these two groups of fish are avioded: Serrasalmus Tetradon(figure eights and dwarfs are the exception). I keep a successful community of fish in a 4 foot tank including the following families: Cichlids, tetras, loaches, gouramis, barbs, rainbows, livebearers, killiefish, catfish, puffers. Last edited by Cichlid Man; 04-19-2006 at 12:27 PM.

04-19-2006, 01:30 PM	#12
leveldrummer something like a pimp Join Date: May 2005 Location: atlanta Age: 29 Posts: 1,933	IME bumble bees arent to sweet either, i wonder why all the ones that are readily available at petsmart are usually the meanest... (and labs?) __________________ The meek shall inherit the Earth. Big deal. By the time they get it the rest of us will have messed it all up.

04-19-2006, 03:43 PM	#15
Osiris Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Wisconsin Age: 24 Posts: 3,688	Petsmart if you notice, mainly carries mbuna for africans, as one they color very quickly and grow fast. Versus pea**s i think last time at petsmart had one tank of peas 2-2.5" rest were mbuna for africans.... And damn im almost at 2,000 posts. Beers on me when it rolls over! __________________ Reality is for people who can't handle Science-Fiction**

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