My funny little fish - dimidiatus

[Melanochromis]

About a year ago, I saw 6 weird-looking tiny cichlids in a fish shop and I bought all of them even before I was sure what they were since they were so unusual and adorable. The shop owner later told me the fish was labelled "dimiatus Lezas". Once in my tank, they were amusing little clowns that were so much fun to watch. They are shy, but curious, always poking their heads out of their shelters to look at me. They are just funny and very very cute, at least in my opinion.

Some months later, they paired up and spawned, and their small fry could be seen competing for food with adults who were not even their parents. These are some of the least aggressive cichlids I've seen.

Now, the babies have grown and become adults themselves. So, I'd like to show some pictures and hope that some people would find them cute like I do.

Yeah, they like to travel in a tight group, especially when you just put them in a new tank.

 

[Rod]

Beautiful......

Thanks for posting.....

 

[Melanochromis]

Beautiful......

Thanks for posting.....

thanks, Rod

 

[sasikan]

nice lots of color,were are they from?

 

[Melanochromis]

nice lots of color,were are they from?

From a certain local shop here in Bangkok. The shop owner also happens to be very good importer. He's been importing a very diverse array of fish including occasionally unusual little gems like these dimidiatus.

The dimidiatus I got have a more red and yellow but less blue when compared to most dimidiatus pictures in Google.

 

[Rod]

They are a riverine species from West Africa....Best maintained in soft acid water
One of the smallest cichlid species

These are the nicest I've seen...!!

 

[Noddy65]

Are they in Aus Rod?

 

[Rod]

Hi Mike

They have been here.....I've owned them before (not as nice as these)
but I don't think they are any still here ...not that I know of anyway

 

[Melanochromis]

Hi Mike

They have been here.....I've owned them before (not as nice as these)
but I don't think they are any still here ...not that I know of anyway

Do you happen to have pictures of the fish you owned? I'd love to see pictures of your fish

 

[Rod]

These are ones I had 5 years ago.....
The others were 40+ years ago

 

[Melanochromis]

Thanks Rod for showing your fish.

He looks very similar to mine, but it's interesting that his eye has a prominent red edge. I don't think it's that obvious in any of my fish. There are probably some other subtle differences too. There is probably some variation in this species. I know mine came with the label "Lezas" (some sources spell it "Leza" or "Lezias"). I don't know what other dimiatus populations are and how to ID them, but I'm guessing that the "Lezas" one is probably more reddish in color.

 

[Joe]

Wow those are gorgeous and so cute! Beautiful fish and good job on breeding them

I really wish we could get stuff like this in New Zealand

 

[viviDzire]

Nice fish & pic, Glad to see you at here.

 

[Melanochromis]

Thanks Joe

viviDzire, good to see you here. I hope more Thai hobbyists would join this forum. There's so much you can learn here.