Neolamprologus Brichardi and?

[Krisvalkyrie]

I picked up some brichardi's the other day - got 3 tiny ones and 2 sub adults.  They are beautiful, but i was wondering if I can keep them with other fish like shellies.

They are currently in a 10 (and getting along peacefully) by themselves, but I will be moving them to a 20 gallon once I can move my livebearers.  

In a 20 gallon, can I put them in with some shellies?

[Zulaab]

Re: Neolamprologus Brichardi and?

Kris -- I would not.  Brichardi's are colony fish and in a 20 they will rule the whole tank.. Once they breed they will push everyone away with their sheer numbers they are going to produce.

[Krisvalkyrie]

Re: Neolamprologus Brichardi and?

ok.  I had no idea they reproduced that quickly.  I have no idea if I have male and female - not sure how to sex them.  I found a darker one with a longer trailing anal fin and a lighter one with a smaller anal fin and was hoping I managed to grab a male and a female.

[fishlady]

Re: Neolamprologus Brichardi and?

Kris, they do get very aggressive when they are pairing up for breeding.....a 20 gallon is a very limited space for them...they can be very mean and as Jesper said they will rule the tank......if your forced to keep them in the 20 for now...you need to make sure they have lots and lots of rock or cave like areas to live.....and have the shellies on the opposite side.....but when you see the fry then you'll need to get the shellies out of the tank....

[Krisvalkyrie]

Re: Neolamprologus Brichardi and?

Thanks Fish Lady :)

I don't actually have any shellies at all.  I heard that they can be combined in a tank, I just wasn't sure if they could be combined in a smaller tank.  So I thought I would check before buying shellies.

So now my next question is: Can shellies be kept in a 10 gallon tank?  If so, what kind and how many?

I just found shellies to be so charming I would love to get a few some day, but don't want to keep them in anything unsuitable for them.

[armthehomeless]

Re: Neolamprologus Brichardi and?

http://www.cichlidrecipe.com/shellweb/shell_species.htm

The author of the above website has out an asterisk next to all species of shellies that are suitable for a ten gallon aquarium.

[Zulaab]

Re: Neolamprologus Brichardi and?

Kris... they can be kept as a pair in a 10g tank, and I would most likely suggest going with something like the N. Brevis (like a sunspot Brevis, get a pair in there.)  If you can replace the 10 with a 20 Long then you could keep 2 pairs of them and you would have a hoot watching them :)

In a 10 you could also get a pair of Occies, but again no more than that..  in a 20L you could get a couple of pairs in there.
I dont know what you have for space, but in a tank where you can give them a ton of bottom living space they will be much happier :)

[Fire_chair]

Re: Neolamprologus Brichardi and?

If I was doing a 10 gallon for shellies I would go with the Sunspot Brevis like Jesper suggested. I believe the Sunspots are also called Brevis Ikola.

[Krisvalkyrie]

Re: Neolamprologus Brichardi and?

Thanks!