Stunted Chocolate cichlid

[Lab_Rat]

Picked this guy up last night when I went to buy a light from someone off of craigslist, along with a couple of other fish. I know he looks like crap, there were some battles last night when this guy thought he could take on my male nic and his gf. Everything seems to be sorted out now, so I have no doubt he'll heal quickly. Plus, the tank he came from was pretty stinky, I don't think he was living in the cleanest of water.

Do y'all think he's severely stunted? Any chance with great water conditions he can reach his potential? He's 6-7" from snout to caudal peduncle. For comparison, I'll post my juvie chocolate that I've had since Nov/Dec (got him at 1", he's now 4"+).

New guy:

Old guy (slightly turning in the pic, not that compressed irl):

New guy:

Old guy:

 

[Lab_Rat]

Looking at them side by side, I'm wondering if my old guy is Hypselecara coryphaenoides (Rio Negro Chocolate cichlid) and the new guy is Hypselecara temporalis (Chocolate cichlid) cuz they don't even look like the same species.

 

[GEV83]

I don't know bout the species but the New guy is pretty dang stunted. The head formation in to compressed along with the rest of it's body. Also if you look at it's eye youll notice that it's way to big for it's body. A clear indication of stunting. Stinky water it came from means it was probably high in ammonia or super high in Nitrates. Either way only odor any clean aquarium should give off is not a strong potent smell but rather a soft earthy smell.

 

[Lab_Rat]

Yeah, those were my thoughts as well. The guy I got him from said he's had him for 4-5 years, and he kept trying him with his flowerhorn (in a 125g) who would beat him up pretty badly (from what he told me at least). The fish was in a 55g. I think it was probably pretty high in nitrates, though I didn't measure. The other fish I got from that tank look healthy. You think with good care he'll grow, or do you think he's permanently damaged? Either way though, at least he can live out the rest of his life in a clean habitat.

 

[platytudes]

I wouldn't doubt that he'll grow a little, probably never be quite as big as he should be...

This is one of those situations where I would recommend Stress Coat. I know it's kind of hokey, and I certainly wouldn't use it as a dechlorinator (healthy fish don't need their slime coat stimulated!) but check out this study:
http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q...ng-study.pdf+promote+healing+in+aquarium+fish

In summary, 9 out of 12 aquariums (10g in size) had been treated with SC, 3 were left untreated. 40 days later the fish were compared and indeed, the fish in untreated tanks had not healed as well. I don't doubt some kind of DIY solution could be made with aloe vera, but since Stress Coat is so cheap anyhow....

 

[Lab_Rat]

I'm thinking with clean water he'll heal up quite fast. I'll probably go to twice weekly water changes on that tank for a while. I've never been a big fan of stress coat for some reason. Prime claims to stimulate the slime coat a bit as well. Thanks though. I do hope he's able to grow a bit more, poor guy. I'm just still shocked looking at the side by side pics of my baby chocolate and him, the difference in proportions of the features.

 

[nano cichlids]

Hey lab! Awesome looking coryphaenoides! There are two different types of chocolate cichlids the more common one is shown on the bottom, the new one you just got is a coryphaenoides. There more from Peru while the temporalis are from Colombia I believe. Might be reversed, I'm a little rusty. As you know I have 6 of the Peruvian caught ones. If you need a mate for yours just let me know! I'm looking to sell a few when I get back anyway. He or she doesn't seem to be stunted should be fine! Keep us posted

 

[Lab_Rat]

Hey lab! Awesome looking coryphaenoides! There are two different types of chocolate cichlids the more common one is shown on the bottom, the new one you just got is a coryphaenoides. There more from Peru while the temporalis are from Colombia I believe. Might be reversed, I'm a little rusty. As you know I have 6 of the Peruvian caught ones. If you need a mate for yours just let me know! I'm looking to sell a few when I get back anyway. He or she doesn't seem to be stunted should be fine! Keep us posted

Which one is the coryphaenoides? I was thinking the bottom one (the juvie I've had, the one that is not beat up looking) was the coryphaenoides based on looking at the cichlid-forum profiles. The new one (the beat up looking one on top) looks like most chocolate cichlid pictures (temporalis). You don't think the beat up (top) one is stunted?

 

[GEV83]

Kyle enjoy your vacation bro and keep your nutty head out of here lol. The new chocolate is stunted. I compared it with other pictures of other Chocolates and its boddy shape is off and so is it's large eyes compared to its body size. That is a stunted fish. Not severly but still is. May grow a bit in better conditions but don't be suprised if it doesn't. A 4-5 year old fish should be full grown or close to it and yours is barely over half.

 

[Lab_Rat]

Kyle enjoy your vacation bro and keep your nutty head out of here lol. The new chocolate is stunted. I compared it with other pictures of other Chocolates and its boddy shape is off and so is it's large eyes compared to its body size. That is a stunted fish. Not severly but still is. May grow a bit in better conditions but don't be suprised if it doesn't. A 4-5 year old fish should be full grown or close to it and yours is barely over half.

Yeah, that's what I thought. I can't wait til it heals up and looks decent. Poor thing sticks out like a sore thumb. Eats well and seems to get along with everyone now that they've sorted out who is boss.

It's funny, I think my female nic got turned on watching her mate kick the chocolate's butt as they spawned the next day. My fish are warped, lol.