Bumblebee Cichlids

The Bumblebee Cichlid

The humble Bumblebee cichlid is a fish that lives in fresh water and it belongs to the cichlid species. They are mostly found in the Lake Malawi in large caves. The Bumblebee cichlid is also called the Pseudotropheus Crabro. They are called the Bumblebee Cichlid due to the color of their skin. They have yellow skin with black bars almost like that of a bumblebee. The baby fishes are brighter in color but their skin gets darker as they grow old.

These fish are used to living in hard water so it stands to reason that they should be kept in hard water whenever held in captivity. When they are in the wild, the Bumblebee Cichlids are choosy eaters but when they are kept in an aquarium they eat whatever fed to them on daily basis. (SOURCE..)

Egg spots on Cichlids

Bernd Egger and coauthors report in a recent issue of the online journal PLoS ONE that female haplochromine cichlids exhibit a pre-existing sensory bias for egg-shaped structures and egg coloration (red, yellow and orange), which may have been enough to trigger the evolution of egg spots in the anal fins of the male fish.

Egg spots or egg dummies are round or oval-shaped markings found on the anal fins in males of approximately 1500 haplochromine cichlid species.  The markings consist of a conspicuous yellow, orange, or reddish inner circle and a transparent outer ring.

Given that these markings resemble real fish eggs, it has been proposed that they mimic freshly laid eggs in order to attract females and to maximise fertilisation success.

The authors test the hypothesis that the exploitation of a pre-existing bias in female haplochromine cichlids has triggered the evolution of this male trait.

Using the Egyptian mouthbrooder (Pseudocrenilabrus multicolor) as their experimental organism, the authors conducted a series of mate choice experiments to test if the females showed a bias for egg-shaped spots and egg colour. The Egyptian mouthbrooder is a basal (i.e. ‘primitive’) haplochromine whose males do not possess egg spots....READ MORE>>

Source:  Practical Fishkeeping
http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=4446

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Apistogramma cacatuoides

Apistogramma cacatuoides

THE GENUS APISTOGRAMMA This is a fairly large genus, boasting over 65 species of smaller cichlids that are rather localized in their natural distribution.  More commonly known as "dwarf cichlids", this popular genus spawn in the same manner as most of their larger cichlid family members.  The adults are easy to sex, as the males are much more brightly colored, and have extended dorsal and anal fins.  Although the juveniles look very alike, and are often sold as "mixed dwarf cichlids", as it's difficult to determine which species the young fish actually are, and if they are males or females.  This trait has been seized by cichlid breeders, and some interesting hybrids of Apistogramma (and other cichlid genera) have arisen over the past few decades.  Most eggs are ovid in shape, and are laid on the sides of rock, plants, and substrate rather than on top.  The egg colors range from a brownish-tan color to a white or clear color, and hatch in 2 to 5 days.  Most in this genus do well in 22 to 28 C and a pH range an acidic 6.2 to neutral 7.0.  Use light aeration, and don't keep this genus in an active room, as they get "spooked" easily.  They have a broad diet, but when ill, often require live foods to regain normal eating habits.

Source: http://www.versaquatics.com/southamericancichlids.htm

Continuous Illumination

I wonder how would MingMing survive, he doesn't drink dirty water and is very meticulous with what he eats. We had left him from the house move...Elijah tried to carry him here in our new place but my son said he was being scratched as it tries to escape. He will be missed.

Yagit a.k.a. MingMing

   As I said did the laundry today, cooked Spam luncheon meat, heated the left-over soup, and created some blogs for ArtLover Group: some ballpen arts of Babis Kiliaris and sharing the blogs of photographer JP Brandano. Posted my pictures with Elyona Jean... 
   I truly need to be with myself...things are not clear and blurry. This is something an artwork can not do. I have to see...more of myself and the real world that engulfs me. Are we loosing the people here? Time move so fast...with such urgency that I barely knew where I stand now. 

Maybe my son is on adjustment period and another migration

is confusing him. New friends to meet and missing old buddies

he had already made. 

Oh...this blog had been hanging for publication for about 4 days now...I feel there is more I should be writing. There's No new image either on After Image 8.2 and yet all I could do are explore my sketches...(see After Image 8.2, drawing within)

   The visit of my mother is a welcoming bliss, she didn't make it during my natal day and I truly miss her. She's so hard working and used to being independent that is why instead of staying with us she opted to live in her friends houses and being a strike anywhere-person who can do dressmaking and almost any chores from electricity to cooking. She doesn't want to stay idle and want her own income...which are more often given to my family. She should be crown as a hero for that. I want her to stay here with us...but it's in her blood to roam and never retire...it would drain her quick if she stop working. She is always looking for work. By the way MingMing is my mother's pet and was asking for him when she came...like his master, the cat needs the wild and choose to be a stray-cat for good. 

Painting must always be easy and enjoyable…free flowing and never stiff…once that important detail is entail then it is not an artwork anymore. A gift must always come as a blessing even from the giver.