Salvini

[fishme]

I think this is one of the more overlooked fish in the hobby. It doesn't have spectacular colors like a lot of the Africans and even some of the New Worlds, but it does have a subtle beauty. They do take on some really striking colors when they are breeding. I only have one about four inches long. They get about six inches when fully grown. As for care, they're a lot like some of the other New Worlds. I have this one in a tank with a small oscar and a small green terror, and the Salvini took ownership of the tank the second he got there. He's not brutal, but he won't let the other fish get too close. Just chases them away, though. This one is just starting to show colors. They're pretty drab as juveniles.

[nebelhund]

That bottom photo is great. It clearly shows those subtle colors you mention. I'd bet it will be really nice looking.

[jgentry]

Very nice! Salvini can have some great color on them. Yours looks like a male to me. If I remember correctly the males can get close to 8" and the last one I owned was vicious. It attacked me threw the glass, all other fish, and any reflection on the tank.

They are very nice fish but just be ready for trouble as it grows. Sometimes they do fine with other cichlids, but in a smallish tank it is probably going to start looking at the oscar as the first elimination.

[fishme]

Yeah, I never planned to keep all these guys together in a 45 gallon permanently, but for now they're doing fine. The one big drawback I'm learning about with New Worlds as opposed to Africans is that individual fish take up a lot of aquarium real estate. Compared to Africans, they seem to need bigger tanks for fewer fish. In some instances you can only safely keep one or two in a fairly big tank. Still, I do like them, and the more I research, the more species I find to like.

One species I'm currently interested in is the Nics. The gold variety, which doesn't get all that big and isn't overly aggressive, is a beautiful fish.

JD, I'm still interested in the Super Red Severum, but after searching for pics of them, I can honestly say I've not seen a single one that approaches the beauty of yours. Most of them have more of an orange or yellow tinge to their color. Not only does yours have the reddest color I've seen, but the pattern of the color is unmatched by anything I"ve found.

[angel]

ALL of JD's fish look exceptional. You need to see them in action! They're highly colored, unusual in type, and well worth the visit.
The salvini I've seen in PetSmart and Franklin Aquarium but we didn't get around to getting them because of the amount of space needed to house the New Worlds we've got. Can't have everything! We saw some bolivian rams at the Critter a couple days ago and I wanted Dennis to get some of those! But we need to get another tank up for that as they're dwarfs and wouldn't hang with the big dogs.

[fishme]

The rams are beautiful. I think eventually I'll have a ram tank with maybe a few corys. I think they're neat looking little guys.

[tomtom]

good lookin fish

[jgentry]

Yeah, that is the unfortunate thing about new worlds. They just need a lot of space per fish and crowding them doesn't seem to help the aggression. This is especially true with most CA. Some of them have to be kept alone even in huge tanks once mature. Some of the SA cichlids are a little more peaceful but there are still some super aggressive ones. I've seen some stunning salvini's and they can be as colorful as anything. Great little fish with tons of personality and grit.

Thanks for the kind words about my severum fishme and angel. Any of you are welcome to stop by anytime. Hopefully my breeding room with be up soon so I will have some more fish to offer. I have definately seen some red severums that are as nice as mine and a few from the ACA last year that made mine look like crap. Blazing red, they almost hurt your eye's to look at. Insainly red!!!

[jgentry]

www.tedsfishroom.com/wp/visits/aquarium-conventions-shows-and-workshops/aca-2008-atlanta

Here is a link to someones page that has several cichlid photo's from the ACA convention. There is a picture of the top super red severum. It is definately more red then mine, has a better shape and fins. I think mine has a more uniform color pattern and overall color appeal though.

About the gold Nics. Not sure what you are talking about. All I know are the normal nics which get very nice looking as they mature and the piebalds (might be what you are talking about). The Piebalds are extremely rare, I have never seen one in person but have seen a few pics online.

[fishme]

This is the fish I'm talking about JD....



Here's a profile:
www.fishprofiles.com/files/profiles/312.htm

They also seem to come in different color variations, all of them very attractive.

Also, the Super Red in that link is beautiful, but I still don't think he has anything on yours. The Rotkiel right below it is a stunner, isn't he? Looking at those fish, it seems they are from a different world than the fish I've always kept. I mean, THAT"S what a firemouth is supposed to look like?

[jon carman]

I like it

[reagan]

I have a wild pair they are great. Unlike others in the hobbie great color and male gets a hump. Here is a video befor they went into breeding color.

smg.photobucket.com/albums/v116/mackis60/?action=view¤t=MVI_1405.flv

[fishme]

Gorgeous Reagan. I'm betting the breeding colors are really something.

[tomtom]

way cool pair, very pretty

[jgentry]

Those are just regular Nics Fishme. They are wild caught and Jeff has the collection local listed. Some will be more green, blue or gold depending upon genetics and were they are caught.

I thought you talking about these www.tangledupincichlids.com/images/nicpie1.jpg

Nice pair of Sals Reagan!!!