Large Neolamprologus Brichardi Species Tank

[Darkskies]

Hi,
I posted earlier about how I have an empty 125 gallon aquarium and I was debating what fish I should stock it with. Recent musings have lead me to consider turning it into a species tank for Neolamprologus brichardi. Do you think this would make for a good show tank? I'd love to have a huge colony of these fish as their population grows as well as watch their group breeding and rearing antics. Perhaps I can dedicate it mainly to the brichardi but include some other species of fish as well?

 

[Ash]

I personally think it would be cool. I would love to have an all rock dweller tank. I almost want to say though it would be even cooler if you went with neolamprologus helianthus or Neolamprologus gracilis or even neolamprologus pulcher or neolamprlogus buscheri... instead of a basic brichardi. I just think it would be a little different as I see a lot of the common brichardi in species tanks. There are are all kinds of really cool rockdwellers you could get that would be fun that I dont see people do to often.

 

[axelfoley]

i'm planning a 90g n. brichardi species only tank. are you going ahead with your 125? i'd like to see your final setup and hear what you have to say about it

 

[emptyhead]

This is a great idea and something that I have considered myself. I have wanted to do this ever since seeing the Tang tank at the Newport Aquarium in Cincy. A couple of brichardi were guarding a large clutch of fry - very neat activity. Of course there were other fish in the tank, but the tank was a large tank.

Please post pics of your progress!

 

[Darkskies]

This is a great idea and something that I have considered myself. I have wanted to do this ever since seeing the Tang tank at the Newport Aquarium in Cincy. A couple of brichardi were guarding a large clutch of fry - very neat activity. Of course there were other fish in the tank, but the tank was a large tank.

Please post pics of your progress!

emptyhead, Thanks so much for posting on both of my threads. As of right now, I was kind of leaning more towards the malawi mbuna community because only 1 person had thought that the brichardi species tank was a good idea. I'm kind of on the fence about it again now that you and axelfoley think that a brichardi species tank might turn out to be a great setup. Since my pH is 7.6 I have to especially make sure that I raise it to somewhere in the 8 range for brichardi as they're Tanganyikan fish right(or would 7.8 be fine)?

 

[emptyhead]

emptyhead, Thanks so much for posting on both of my threads. As of right now, I was kind of leaning more towards the malawi mbuna community because only 1 person had thought that the brichardi species tank was a good idea. I'm kind of on the fence about it again now that you and axelfoley think that a brichardi species tank might turn out to be a great setup. Since my pH is 7.6 I have to especially make sure that I raise it to somewhere in the 8 range for brichardi as they're Tanganyikan fish right(or would 7.8 be fine)?

Personally - I would not mess with the PH at all. I just don't think it is necessary, and fluctuations in your PH are not good.

I kept Malawi for years, and now keep a 150 and a 55 full of Tangs and I never check or alter my PH. My water is somewhere around 7.2 out of the tap if I am remembering correctly.

My 55 tang tank just has sand, snail shells, and 7 river rocks. I have plants growing in this tank and they are thriving. The 150 tang tank has sand mixed with crushed coral, snail shells, and 4 large rocks that raise the PH also. This tank also has plants, but they are not thriving like the other tank - there are some red val that are starting to look good though.

Anyway - don't worry about your PH for a mbuna tank or a brichardi tank - none of those fish are that sensitive.

Here is my recommendation for you:

Set up your tank with play sand and some large rocks. Put a dozen brichardi in and enjoy.

If you don't care for it - you have minimal investment and can switch to mbuna or whatever.

If you have lights to support live plants - try some live plants with your brichardi if you want.

 

[Darkskies]

emptyhead, Thanks for the suggestions. How long did you have your malawi mbuna? Did they live rather long lives and breed in your water? I was planning on adding around 20-40lbs of crushed coral mixed in with a white sand substrate. Should I just forget about the crushed coral and have only sand then?

 

[srawding]

I say do it! They are fun to watch and the fry look like brine shrimp when born.

 

[swk]

check out neolamprologus helianthus. Much prettier and less common than brichardi

 

[emptyhead]

emptyhead, Thanks for the suggestions. How long did you have your malawi mbuna? Did they live rather long lives and breed in your water? I was planning on adding around 20-40lbs of crushed coral mixed in with a white sand substrate. Should I just forget about the crushed coral and have only sand then?

Yes, they bred in my water. They were healthy and thrived in my water without adjusting the PH. I have not found mbuna to be picky regarding water - of course ammonia will cause bloat and kill them - so you have to keep up on water changes. Any large properly kept group of mbuna will readily spawn and hold. I bred several different mbuna species. You can keep mbuna for many years, even raising multiple generations.

You can do either with the substrate. The sand is cheaper and I personally like the uniform look of just sand vs sand mixed with crushed coral.