Brichardi

[shortstuff6400]

What other cichlids could I keep in a tank with these cichlids? Thx

55 gallon tank, with lots of hiding spots

[matt1066]

I found that my N. Brichardi's where mid/upper level swimmers. So IMO any sand/rock dweller like the julies or N. Leleupi(nice contrast).

I hate to admit it my I never tried any shell dwellers, but I love the look of N. Occelatus(sp)

Matt

First post in the Tang section, got me thinking now, I REALLY want another tank. Oh no :lol:

[Adam]

I have 4 brichardi, and 4 julidochromis regani (juveniles) and 3 n. leleupi with them. They aren't fighting, so I'm assuming that they are getting along, for now. And the brichardi have taken up residence in the rocks, and they aren't mid water high level swimmers.

[matt1066]

My brichardis were.

[Adam]

I just got them today, so maybe that's why they are hiding in the rocks...even now they are coming out and looking around and swimming about. I was wrong, but they are really good looking fish. 8)

[jonah]

My brichardi generally stay down near the rocks except when it's feeding time and even then they're hesitant to come to the surface. I used to keep them with Neolamprologus brevis, but the 20g they were in was too small, so I moved the brevis into their own tank. The brichardi spawned immediately after the brevis were removed.

[matt1066]

If you get a pair they will breed like rabbits-good trades at the LFS.

Good luck

Matt

[Adam]

I have 4, hopefully they will and I can sell it so I can get my money back. The funny thing was that I got them for 3 american dollars each.

[matt1066]

Thats a great deal in any currency

[Adam]

they are about 2 inches long, each of them, any way to sex them? I was at big al's, and they were 14 dollars each, and then i go here, and it was 5...

[jonah]

I think I paid about $5 US for mine. The males and females look alike, except the males will grow larger and have longer, pointier fins and a pronounce lyre shape to the caudal fin. I picked out one with long pointed fins and one smaller one with less pointed fins and ended up with a pair.

[Adam]

I picked two smaller ones, and two larger ones. The light is off, and I don't want to scare them by turning it on and so i'll look at the fins tomorrow morning.

[matt1066]

As they get bigger you will find that the males get larger and their fins taper a bit more. There are a number of Brichardi strains out there, I have always kept the true form. black bar through eye 2-oclock high to 7 o-clock low.

Form very stable pair bonds-but if multiple females, (you know men are generally pigs):lol:

Matt

[Adam]

Well I looked when I got home from school, and there seem to be two and sometimes three of them hanging around the same place. The other one, I think that the guy at the super pet (stupid people) hurt him/her while trying to catch it. And so he looks not so good, not so bad, I'll try to put some aqua guard or one of those in and hopefully it will help him. :(

[tastyfish]

I've got a pair of Brichardi's that I bought as juvies abot 4 years ago. They are both beautiful and large! The female is pushing 4-1/2", the male about 3-1/2". They were both about the same size when purchased. I bought 3 together, the breeding male killed the non breeder after the first brood was hatched. The male is stockier in appearance than the female, with a slight bump to the forehead in comparison to the female. There are no obvious differences in the fins, although the top lyre of the males' has 3 long splits, the females 2. As I said, the female is considerably larger than the male. They have produced countless broods over the last 2 years and will soon pay for a 180g. tank. The LFS owners are CHEAP! At the last trade, I brought him 4 JUMBO Brichs that were almost 2 years old and pushing 3" in length. There were about a dozen 1-1/2 - 2 inchers in the bunch as well and I sold them for an average price of around $5.00 ea. When I visited about a week later, he had the jumbos in a separate tank for $25.00 EACH!! No more Mr. nice guy. If anyone is within driving distance of Central NJ, drop me a line. I'll let you know when I have a few nice ones to move out. -Steve

[matt1066]

In my experince my males were always larger than the females. I guess you just have to go by your experience, as I have done. Yes my male breeders have had a slight cephalic hump, and their pectoral fins were always longer than the females.

As in any topic there will be some interpretational differences, but thats what makes forums like this so good. :)

Regards,

Matt

[Adam]

They have taken up (3 of the brichardi) residence inside a cave. The male is excavating it, while the females swim in and out as they please. But when another fish swims by, they are chased away. I have a 20 gallon aquarium that I am not using, and I have all the parts for it. Would they do better in that than the 75 tang community. And the one that wasn't looking so good is deformed. Is there a problem with having him? None of the other brichardis like him, and so there is no worry about them breeding. His mouth is like put off toward one side, like if you made your lips go to as far as you can to the right. They are all happy, and I love watching him dig. Other than my shrimp, these are the first fish that may produce eggs and fry. How much on average should I sell them to the LFS for?

[matt1066]

Adam,

They seem happy where they are, I would leave them there. You fishwith the deformed jaw most likely recvd it by accident. If he is eating, let him be. brichardis breed like rabbits once they get going. When free swimming feed them on frozen baby brine shrimp. I have a couple of techniques that you can use when the time comes. Also finely crushed flake food. As far as selling them I am sure you can, I always used mine as trade, but if I was asking for money I would say at 1.5 in @ $5 ea.

If you want grow them out a bit more and ask for more. Go around your area and see what they retail for then ask for half. Unlike some other Neo's, the parents won't chase off the off-spring when they breed again. The siblings will help protect the new fry. Feed the fry a good diet and your quality/quantity of quality specimens will increase. They are a great fish to have. Makes me thin of going back to a Tang tank :roll:

Regards,

Matt P.S. Thats in U.S dollars

[Adam]

Maybe this is the way to get that new tank for the frontosa. Let my brichardi and other fish breed like rabbits, and give them in for trades or money. I just find it so exciting to see his head pop out of the cave, with a moutful of sand, and spitting it away. I find it fascinating. There is a serious need of good quality brichardi in ottawa, as I went into all of the other stores, and only three had them, and they looked beaten up and fins were not very long. And I like all my fish, the deformed one is eating and being merry, and so I'm not going to do anything about him. There he goes again with the sand, he really hasn't made much of a pit, but he's working really hard. There is a little pile of sand outside of the cave, and it looks very cool. At first, I thought it was the filter pushing the sand out of the way, but then I saw him with all the sand and going around and pushing and spitting it.

[matt1066]

Adam, let us know when you see some eggs or fry. It's just a matter of time. :)

Regards,

Matt

[Adam]

He just kind of stopped digging one day. I was doing a water change, and cleaning some algae, and I must have spooked him or something, but he stopped digging, but I'm just going to give him time and maybe he will start again. Once they start, I'm sure that they will continue sometime. He still owns the cave, so maybe.

[matt1066]

I would'nt worry about the digging, as the female will lay the eggs on the side of the cave, or on a rock. if you like put a flat smooth stone in or near the cave.

Matt....what temp do you keep your tank at?

[Adam]

Would they lay them on a smooth big round rock? I have some slate outside that i can smash and fit into the cave for them. I'm excited for them, they are going in and out of the cave again, hopefully something will happen. I'll keep you updated on what's happening. The female wanders in and out, and the male just stays there.

[Adam]

haha, oops, i just saw that a flat smooth stone would do. :roll:

[Adam]

THEY DID IT!!! I got back from mississauga today and looked inside of the cave. Lots of tiny little swimming fry! Im really happy about it :D :lol: :D :D :D :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[SGypsyMermaid]

THEY DID IT!!! I got back from mississauga today and looked inside of the cave. Lots of tiny little swimming fry! Im really happy about it :D :lol:

congrats grampa adam!! :lol:

[matt1066]

Great Adam,

Do you know how to care for the fry, let us know. I have a lot more experinence with substrate spawners than egg layers.

My Ps Msobo deeps is holding, she is in a community with some Ps socolofi, I guess I will just wait until I see some free swimming fry, and then feed as I would a substrate spawner.

If anyone has any suggestions let me know. I have a 125 Hap/syn tank and the 55 Mbuna tank, so raising the fry in a rearing tank is not an option.

Regards,

Matt

[Adam]

Any help in feeding and caring for the babies would be nice. As you may know, this is my first egg birth, and I have only ever had platies and guppies breed, and so I need all the help I can get with feeding and everything else.

[jonah]

I just feed mine crushed flakes. They're about 7 weeks old now.

[Adam]

But how does the food get to the babies if they are in a cave all the time? Do I need to waterlog them, and then squirt them into the cave?

[jonah]

That would probably work. Mine come out to eat. There's only them and their mom in the tank. The father got rough so he had to be moved. I drop the crushed flake down on top of my filter (with lid off) and let the current push it down into the water.

[Adam]

I'll put you all up to date. There are about 6-7 fry left from the batch of them all, and I am thinking that it is alright for the first time. I am feeding them brine shrimp nauplii (frozen) and crushed fry food. They are growing well, and I have seen their progress over the past couple days. I am recently putting a new shelldweller (multi) tank together, and I will be starting to cycle it soon.