Just Joined on here

I would love the link to OWEF, My Masinje's are wild caught and looked for 2 years to find more. Only got some because I was a return customer and the company ordering had a chance to get 8, which was all they were told was available. I agree in the wild they are not rare. It is the location of them that makes them difficult to get. They are located by Chitande Island which is a 24 hour boat ride to the collection point. Which the trip back is tough for native Afrians to keep the fish alive. Then they are at a depth of 25 feet, so divers have a very tough time getting them.

Last I knew the Aulonocara Sp Chitande Type Masinje had not been offer forsale in the USA since 2009. They just became available the end of this month in a very limited amount.

You may be surprised how much it does happen. I belong to another site that an online seller used some pics from the members pics. It took them a year to get the pics removed off his site. Out of 200 pics 189 of them was removed. Some of the fish I have are very rare and there is not many pics of them available. So the chances are greater then you think.

I never said the chances were greater or lesser.  What I said was what are the damages to you.  Some schmuck lifts a pic?  The world figures those guys out pretty quickly.  The 5 fish you listed aren't really all that rare.  Uncommon?  Perhaps.  The world seems to love bright red / orange and yellow peacocks over the first three types you listed.  All of those fish have been available in the last few years from OWEF and are probably still in a pond down there.  I wouldn't get too hung up on the rarity of malawian cichlids.  There have been very few really new fish in the last few years.  Slight variations in old standbys - sure, tons of those, but very few really new things.

You may be surprised how much it does happen. I belong to another site that an online seller used some pics from the members pics. It took them a year to get the pics removed off his site. Out of 200 pics 189 of them was removed. Some of the fish I have are very rare and there is not many pics of them available. So the chances are greater then you think.

I think you can avoid digitally signing.  The risk of damages from someone appropriating your images is pretty low. 

As a wise man once said - its just fish.

Not a big fan of Photo Bucket, I like loading off the computer but I do understand it is better for websites to use this feature to limit the amount of data loaded on their server. So if I do use photo bucket I will have to digitally sign my pics first, which will take more time. Lol never ending with the time thing.

If I could figure out how to load pics from my computer I would post some pics. It keeps telling me file is to big. I am in the process of moving my big tanks so I do not have time to resize them. 2 more tanks to set up and 2 more to move! LOL maybe by Monday!!

Load your pics onto Photobucket.

Well I have a cousin that drives out there once in awhile so you never know. I just may walk in on one of your auctions. Would be fun. I like trading fry because you never know what you may end up getting in trade. But I am abit picky about my fish. If I could figure out how to load pics from my computer I would post some pics. It keeps telling me file is to big. I am in the process of moving my big tanks so I do not have time to resize them. 2 more tanks to set up and 2 more to move! LOL maybe by Monday!!

Swaps and auctions are on NW side of Chicago.  I'm guessing that's probably not worth the haul for you (I've driven across Ohio before, yech).

If the swap was close enough I would love to go to it. I try to make the ones in Erie, Pa in the fall and spring. Mostly to just buy and see what is out there. All my trades are done thru shipping. Which is not that bad once you get the hang of it.

As for the Ethelwynnae, these guys are not that rare and it looks like I may be having a bunch of them too. I have some coming in a few months that will be my greatest challenge to date. Keeping it a surprise until I have the babies in a fry tank. I will have some fun posting pics of the parents to see if anyone can ID them. I also noticed today my Red Shoulder Female has her egg shute lowered so she will be spawning anyday.

I found one person close to me and he is into SA Chiclids not Lake Malawi's.

I'd be moving then  ;D