"gold breast zebra", Pseudotropheus kingsleyi as well as many others.Īlthough it would appear the water conditions on the farm are more conducive to raising South American cichlids, the African rift lake cichlids do very well in the lower pH ranges (approximately 6.5) and I have seen brooding Tropheus duboisi in dirt ponds in the largest reservoir. "solid orange", Tropheus moorii yellow band, Pseudotropheus sp. The new cichlids include the exceptional albino red zebra developed by Ric Biro of Florida Exotic Fish Sales, Pseudotropheus saulosi, Pseudotropheus sp.
Most of the non-cichlids are complementary fishes which coexist in the same dirt pond with a non-aggressive cichlids. multipunctatus, bumblebee gobies and the large Florida blue lobster. The non-cichlid fish include the flashy and common rosy barbs, gold spot and bristlenose plecos, several varieties of Australian rainbows, Synodontis species including S. After four years of operation, Thom decided to diversify in 1991 and began breeding other fishes of the cichlid family as well as a few non-cichlid species. The original brood stock, Dangriga which consisted of primarily African cichlids such as Aulonocara species, Pseudotropheus, Melanochromis and "Haplochromis" species, was sent to Belize from Laif DeMason of Old World Exotic Fish. Thus the guapotes instantly attack and devour any colorful escapees. In addition, the catch basin is stocked with predatory guapote cichlids. This prevents any escape of non-native fishes into the local streams. The catch basin is strategically placed in the lowest area of the farm. The pH of the water is approximately 6.5 and is slightly soft.
The entire farm is operated via a gravity fed reservoir which is kept full by a diesel operated water pump pulling fresh clear water from the Mullins River which borders his property. The farm consists of 72 medium sized dirt ponds, three large reservoirs, one large catch basin, a dozen concrete vats and a covered hatchery complex with over 40 glass aquariums. Thom's farm (Black Orchid Ornamentals LTD) is located near Dangriga approximately a two and a half hour drive on mostly dirt roads south of Belize City. Amazingly, he was not stripping the reefs of the Caribbean, but raising and breeding the beautiful blue and yellow cichlids from the Rift Lakes of Africa as well as the native cichlids of Belize. Photos by Rusty Wessel.įinally and with great difficulty I was able to meet this fish farmer in Belize City. Upper to lower Labeotropheus fuelleborni, Pseudotropheus lombardoi, Symphysodon aequifasciata, Pterophyllum scalare marble, Nimbochromis venustus. I assumed this person was a salt water collector stealing the beautiful blue damsels and yellow tangs from the blue waters of the Caribbean that border the country of Belize and ultimately sentencing them to death in some new hobbyist's saltwater tank back in the States.Īn assortment of the cichlids bred by Thom Grimshaw in Dangriga, Belize. They told me he had beautiful blue and yellow fish. During that first trip to Belize, I was told on numerous occasions that a fish farmer by the name of Thom Grimshaw was operating a tropical fish farm in the central part of the country. His home was always open to me and I used it often. worked for the Peace Corps and lived in the Central American coastal town of Belize City, Belize. In 1990, during a collecting trip to Central America, I was visiting with my long friend and former neighbor of 20 years, T.J. Get the best cichlid books at the best price available in the marketĬichlid farming in Belize. Sell your surplus cichlids of ask for those hard to find species with the Cichlid Room Companion trading system
Sponsor the Cichlid Room Companion, get the best cichlid related advertising and we part of this giant project!īe guided by one of the world foremost experts on cichlids on how to successfuly keeping them The taxonomic history abd distribution of the genus Australoheros comprehensively explained How to easily build a large, light, durable and cheap aquarium The ultimate guide for successfully keeping and breeding cichlids Get access to the largest Cichlidae information resource in the world