Chocolate Cichlid (Hypselecara temporalis)

esoxlucius

Balaclava Bot Butcher
MFK Member
Dec 30, 2015
3,911
14,996
194
UK
Solo chocolate keepers:
How much color are you seeing? I would like to get one as a center piece for my community tank but not if it is going to be drab
Is this drab enough for you, lol. It's only young, about 6". The "chocolate" reference would suggest brown, and yes they certainly can show shades of brown. But imo that's being a little unfair on them.

I think a better name for them would be the "autumn" cichlid. As they mature the rustic autumn colours of a forest are really dominant. Reds, golds, olive green, copper, and they all intermingle into one another.

IMG_20211111_185810_HDR.jpg
 

Deadeye

POTM Curator
Staff member
MFK Member
Aug 31, 2020
8,839
12,181
703
C
Is this drab enough for you, lol. It's only young, about 6". The "chocolate" reference would suggest brown, and yes they certainly can show shades of brown. But imo that's being a little unfair on them.

I think a better name for them would be the "autumn" cichlid. As they mature the rustic autumn colours of a forest are really dominant. Reds, golds, olive green, copper, and they all intermingle into one another.

View attachment 1479128
Color on that guy reminds me of a rainbow cichlid!
Another one that changes colors like, well, a rainbow!
 

fishguy1978

Redtail Catfish
MFK Member
Mar 30, 2020
2,459
4,060
154
Washington
  • Like
Reactions: Deadeye

fishguy1978

Redtail Catfish
MFK Member
Mar 30, 2020
2,459
4,060
154
Washington
Feeding time colorsPXL_20211217_020156832.jpgPXL_20211217_020140834.jpgPXL_20211217_020136477~2.jpg
 

esoxlucius

Balaclava Bot Butcher
MFK Member
Dec 30, 2015
3,911
14,996
194
UK
Here's a pic of mine a short while ago. The colour variation is astonishing in these fish. Mine can go dark like yours too on occasion. I keep trying to read it's moods by its colour. It seems happy all the time yet keeps morphing, lol

IMG_20211217_182407_HDR.jpg
 

fishguy1978

Redtail Catfish
MFK Member
Mar 30, 2020
2,459
4,060
154
Washington
I haven't yet seen mine go full red. Yours has the red face where mine shows green.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Deadeye
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store