Never kept Africans thinking of Brichardi

[Louie]

Hello
Never kept Africans thinking of Brichardi .I have only kept/keep fire mouths and jewel cichlids imagine similiar?

I am planning on inch of coral sand -coral rock as back ground and hide areas- 30 gallon long tank .PH here is naturally high

I plan on buying 6 small babies having them pair off . Read one pair will accept its fry and family unit will be fine ?

Others should be removed .

Is 36 inch long tank to small any suggestions or input ,ideas?

Thanks

 

[chrisngo]

I think a 30 gallon will be good for a pair in the very end. I had mine in a 55 gallon for years and I got hundreds of babies. I also had other fish in the tank with them. The only input I have ... make sure you get babies from good stock. Brichardi's are overbred to their own detriment in some specimens.

Good luck!
Chris

 

[Cichlaholics Anonymous]

good size tank for a pair, probably the easiest Tanganyikan to breed and care for..currently have one in my wife's 55 gal with mbuna and a couple of other Africans, and it is one of the most elegant fish, great choice

 

[sandtiger]

I've been keeping my colony in a 30g for a few years now, they are doing great but they will and do overpopulate the tank. Because of that I feel my 30g is a bit small but it works if you can get rid of fry fast enough.

 

[straitjacketstar]

I would go for Neolamp. pulcher "Daffodil" or Neolamp. heliathus.
The Daffodil is a prettier sister species to brichardi.
Neolamp. helianthus isn't as colony based as N. brichardi or N. pulcher but they are also very pretty and a little more toothy if you're into mini-monsters. They won't overpopulate a tank as quickly as the others will either.

 

[cichlidgirl]

i had mine in a 70 tall (3 foot) tank, they did good. They liked the mini rock caves i made. I made one for the female and one for the male. put a fake plant in the middle. One cave was selected for the babies to be in and around, the other rock cave was used by what i think was the male, he would swim back and forth helping to care for the fry.

 

[Louie]

I think a 30 gallon will be good for a pair in the very end. I had mine in a 55 gallon for years and I got hundreds of babies. I also had other fish in the tank with them. The only input I have ... make sure you get babies from good stock. Brichardi's are overbred to their own detriment in some specimens.

Good luck!
Chris

I dont know if they are good stock . How can I tell?

 

[Louie]

i had mine in a 70 tall (3 foot) tank, they did good. They liked the mini rock caves i made. I made one for the female and one for the male. put a fake plant in the middle. One cave was selected for the babies to be in and around, the other rock cave was used by what i think was the male, he would swim back and forth helping to care for the fry.

Thanks I plan on using stacked coral rock found in the area for caves

 

[Louie]

I would go for Neolamp. pulcher "Daffodil" or Neolamp. heliathus.
The Daffodil is a prettier sister species to brichardi.
Neolamp. helianthus isn't as colony based as N. brichardi or N. pulcher but they are also very pretty and a little more toothy if you're into mini-monsters. They won't overpopulate a tank as quickly as the others will either.

I dont know Africans that well but saw the brichardi and liked them. I will look up the above as never heard of them .
thanks

 

[Louie]

I've been keeping my colony in a 30g for a few years now, they are doing great but they will and do overpopulate the tank. Because of that I feel my 30g is a bit small but it works if you can get rid of fry fast enough.

I imagine will give the fry away but local private giant pond golf course takes my extra fry like swordtails ,etc. Its privately owned huge pond no connection to any canal,etc.

There are all types of tropicals in that pond even tetra schools.