shellies and their babies

[Phoenixphire55]

Do the Tanganyikan shellies protect their babies or will they probably eat them? I'm probably going to get 2 or 3 pairs of brevis and I assume they'll have some babies. I wanna know if I should be prepared to move them to a seperate tank.

 

[JustOneMore20]

Some shellies do, but not all. I've never kept Brevis, but according to this site: World Cichlids Fish profile - Neolamprologus brevis, they will protect them for awhile, but not forever. Here's what they say:

Also like most of the monogamous American cichlids you cannot keep the fry with Brevis forever like you can with most other shell dwellers can. They will eventually decide to spawn again and unlike their shell dwellers cousins they fiercely attack and kill (or eat depending on the size but not usually) their previous brood in order to make room for their new brood.

This site:Brevis Shelldweller, Neolamprologus brevis says the same thing.

I would keep the fry in the tank until the fry are leaving the shell and getting braver. At that point you know they are ready to be away from the parents some....if they are any similar to Multies...this is at about 1/2" long or so.

http://www.worldcichlids.com/fishprofiles/Neolbrevis.html