As you guys have probably figured out, I have been enjoying my altolamps lately. I have one comp male that is very shy and very aggressive over his territory. He has his favorite shell and if anybody comes near it, he is quick to take a run at them. He is also a little bit different colored than the rest. He can be more faded than the rest of them and doesn’t usually show off his vertical bars as much. Altolamprologus Compressiceps (Chataika Orange) usually have strong vertical bars. He also is more creamy brown whereas the others are more of an orangeish/yellow. He also has the most “orangeish” fins of the group (look at how orange his pectoral fins are). His color patterning favors that of the Kigoma Reds (but orange instead of red) with that splotch of color on the back of his dorsal fin and on the tail fin. In any event, he is different.
This morning, I walked up to the tank and put the camera on the tripod. My comps were a little “freaked out” at my presence (as they usually are when I first approach the tank) and Mr. Grumpy Face took up his post just outside the entrance of his shell where he could quickly dart into the safety of his shell if he felt threatened. Because of my presence, another comp froze in place right next to Grumpy (poor guy). I could see that Grumpy became less concerned with his safety and agitated that this other comp male was so close to him and his shell. Grumpy gave me; rather, the intruding male, “full finnage” (more so than I have yet to capture on film) and he kept those fins up for a long time until the other male got the hint that he was NOT happy.
I got a kick out of the following progression of images and thought you would too.
Freeze! Grumpy poised the flee into his shell.
Grumpy's dorsal fin begins to rise
The transgressor is starting to figure out that he is in big trouble.
Notice grumpy is starting to swing into the other guys space.
Time to flee
This morning, I walked up to the tank and put the camera on the tripod. My comps were a little “freaked out” at my presence (as they usually are when I first approach the tank) and Mr. Grumpy Face took up his post just outside the entrance of his shell where he could quickly dart into the safety of his shell if he felt threatened. Because of my presence, another comp froze in place right next to Grumpy (poor guy). I could see that Grumpy became less concerned with his safety and agitated that this other comp male was so close to him and his shell. Grumpy gave me; rather, the intruding male, “full finnage” (more so than I have yet to capture on film) and he kept those fins up for a long time until the other male got the hint that he was NOT happy.
I got a kick out of the following progression of images and thought you would too.
Freeze! Grumpy poised the flee into his shell.
Grumpy's dorsal fin begins to rise
The transgressor is starting to figure out that he is in big trouble.
Notice grumpy is starting to swing into the other guys space.
Time to flee
