Looking to Breed Multis

[Clare]

I am interested in acquiring and breeding the following:

neolaprologus multifaciatus and lamprologus ocellatus gold


I have bred German Blue Rams and long fin albino ancistrus successfully and would now like to try some Africans....my LFS guy recommended these.

Can anyone out there share their experiences and recommend a good source for them? I have been looking around...I am located in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Thanks for any info any one might share

Cheers,
Clare

 

[toddnbecka]

Multi's are easy, ocellatus not so much. What size tank/s do you have to work with?

 

[Clare]

I have two 20G longs and plenty of shells and sandy substrate ( a coral mix from the LFS). Was figuring I could put 6-8 juveniles in each and see who pairs off.....LFS will take back the ones that don't.

The gold ocellatus are proving hard to find...my LFS is trying as well - he already has the multis for me.

Would love to hear your thoughts

 

[toddnbecka]

Ocellatus in a 20 won't work, they need at least a 4' tank to establish a pair. Pretty fish, but males are more inclined to kill conspecifics that can't get far enough away. You might be able to breed an established pair in a 20, but growing out a group of juvies in that size tank won't work.
If you want an established pair that will work I have a pair of hecqui available.
Multi's are easy, a pair or trio of adults or a group of 5-6 juvies and a handful of shells will be fine in a 20.

 

[Mogurako]

Multies are easy add water, fish and shells...and POOF you have fry. The golds like stated do need a bit more room and are little tougher, they are normally available at www.davesfish.com if you're looking to buy online.

 

[Discusapisto]

The more multis in a colony the cooler behavior you get to witness. As far as the gold's I've breed the blue variety of them in a 20 long they are meaner but I broke up the sight-lines and built custom territories and out of 8 I had three pairs form and two were killed. But the remaining breed and squabbled here and there but no more deaths. Although I had to pull the babies often because they would kill each others young once they wandered as they grew. Still a great fish loads of personality. Started my love for (shellies) a long time ago with these two species.

 

[Clare]

Thank you everyone for your replies - just makes me want to breed them more , especially the occelatus
I have heard that the shellies have big personalities for their size - can't wait for the tanks to cycle. Looks like I will probably go through Dave's but am concerned about winter weather and may have to wait til spring is further along.
Thanks tons again for all the info.....if anyone has anymore they'd care to share on these fish, please let me know, either email or via this thread.