Brichardi cichlid

[dax29]

Anybody have any experience with the Neolamprologus brichardi cichlid? The [acronym:be9a87b023="Local Fish Store"]lfs[/acronym:be9a87b023] has been recommending them to me but I'd like some input first. I have a 29g community aquarium with YoYo and clown loaches, black ruby barbs, and 2 blue rams. I want to make sure I'm getting something that will work. I'm getting a 50g + aquarium for the loaches (and maybe the barbs too) when they get bigger. How big will the Brichardi get? Is it too aggressive?

[TankGirl]

I would really not recommend N. brichardi for a community setup like yours. They are Tanganyikan cichlids who prefer rocks, sand and a high pH, alkaline tank for best health. I suppose if you had only one of them it MIGHT work but it is probably not the best idea. They are marvelous fish, I love them, but prefer to keep them in species tanks or as single specimens with other Lake Tang species. Once they pair up they will literally own the entire tank for spawning. Their requirements are almost completely opposite of blue rams, and are much more aggressive.

If you move out the other fish you could get yourself a pair of them, which would be perfect for a 29gal by themselves (or possibly with a syno cat or a dwarf pleco). You would get 5-6 juveniles and wait to see if you get a pair, then you would have to return the others. They are often called the "convicts of the rift lakes" because they are relatively easy to spawn in aquariums. They will tolerate their young remaining in the tank with them for a while, too, if you have plenty of rocks.

[dax29]

Thanks tank girl. It's a [acronym:eec51d70b0="Normal Output Fluorescents"]NO[/acronym:eec51d70b0] on the Brichardi for me. They were sure talking them up at the [acronym:eec51d70b0="Local Fish Store"]lfs[/acronym:eec51d70b0] but I just wasn't too sure about them. I'll wait awhile and see what pops up next at the [acronym:eec51d70b0="Local Fish Store"]lfs[/acronym:eec51d70b0]. I wish I could get the gold rams they have to live but, as you may have read in another recent thread of mine, that isn't a good situation at the moment. Are there any colorful fish that stay less than 3" in length that are good, solitary community fish?

[TankGirl]

Dwarf gouramis sound like what you need. [acronym:682cdbc717="In My Experience"]IME[/acronym:682cdbc717] as long as they have enough room (more than 10-15 gallons) they do fine as a community fish, and some varieties are as colorful as any [acronym:682cdbc717="Saltwater"]SW[/acronym:682cdbc717] fish.

They also tend to inhabit the upper portion of the tank, where rams tend more towards the bottom. Give a DG a tall plant, real or fake, that goes all the way up to the surface and they will feel secure and be less likely to cause trouble.

[dax29]

Thanks again. I'll check some out.

[dax29]

I talked to someone about dwarf gouramis and they said that 1 is okay but 2 is a bad idea since one will pester and chase the other. Three is better so as to draw attention. Are these fish aggressive towards one another. I may start a thread on this subject.

[TankGirl]

[acronym:cee89711a0="In My Experience"]IME[/acronym:cee89711a0] these fish are agressive towards each other and I would recommend only one in a 29gal.

[dax29]

Thanks again. Good advice.