Brichardi Complex with Mbuna

[Mbuniac]

Do the N. brichardi and all similar types like the daffodil mix well with mbuna?

[Boilermaker]

Thats a tough one Mbuniac, do you have a back up tank in case things dont work out? I would try the N. Brichardi in a Mbuna tank if the tank is large enough. Remember when the N.Brichardi pair up they can get quite mean. I wouldn't try the smaller N. Lamprologus though.

If my memory's right :lol: , The guy that got me started had a breeding pair in his Mbuna tank. This was his vicious tank, if any cichlids acted up in his other tanks they were thrown in this tank to be taught a lesson :D

[SGypsyMermaid]

i don't know if you can make it work because the brichardi are not mouthbrooders, and they'd have a rough time protecting their fry from a tankful of hungry mbuna.

[Scotty]

I kept Bricharidi's in a pretty rough Hap community tank, and found them to be pretty well able to take care of themselves. They were kind of at the bottom of the pecking order until they paired off. I got so many young from siphoning out the first batch of fry, that I figured I'd let nature take it's course with the second group. Wrong! :shock: They managed to actually raise about 8 young up to the 3/4" mark. At this point they employed their family group spawning behavior. As soon as they spawned again all ten of them started teaming up on the other fish. About 25 of the next batch survived (can you tell where I'm going with this yet) and this time the parent's spawned again when batch 2 was only 1/2". By this time they had taken over more than half of the tank :shock: The 1/2 fry hovered in a protective dome over the new fry while the larger fish fanned out even further.

I couldn't stand it anymore :x I grabbed a net and a siphon, yanked them all out and sold them. I missed two tiny 1/4" ones that managed to get into the worm rock, but figured without support they wouldn't last the day. Wrong again! They're both about 1/2 grown now, and in my 70 gal Tang. tank. I told my Fiance' that if they show any signs of being a pair I'm breaking out my filet knife :?

[SGypsyMermaid]

:rofl:

[tom]

...they employed their family group spawning behavior. As soon as they spawned again all ten of them started teaming up on the other fish. About 25 of the next batch survived (can you tell where I'm going with this yet) and this time the parent's spawned again when batch 2 was only 1/2". By this time they had taken over more than half of the tank :shock: The 1/2 fry hovered in a protective dome over the new fry while the larger fish fanned out even further.



Scotty's experience is <I> exactly </I> that of mine (or vice versa). :confused: :wink:

Mbuniac: Short answer, in my experience: No.

[Overawed]

I have kept a Brichardi with about 20 Red zebra juvies with no problem. Now he is in the same tank with 20 or so Red Eurekas. Like above, when you pair them is when they become an attack fish.

[Mbuniac]

So.......If I were to get say two males or two females I wouldn't experience the spawing territorial aggression? Thanks everyone for your input. Sam

[Mbuniac]

P.S.
I have them in a 29 gal tank now, with as much rock (with caves, etc.) as water. I am building a stand for a 125 gal that my son is giving me since he went to a 175. I am going to then put my 29 on one of those black iron stands that also holds a 20 gal underneath so I can use them for hospital/quarantine tanks.