Abit of info and ?

[EcoMarine]

Ive been breeding, and maintaining tanks with my family and friends for years now and my brother, an old friend and I really Get in to it seriously anymore. We have become the lead african distributer to th LFS's in my area and the leading maintenance in the district. And I know were still small lol. We propagate our own coral, live rock, and breed almost anything we can get our hands on. we do everything i our homes right now though were in the market for land and a greenhouse. one 270g, 19-29g, 34-20glongs 10-30gtalls 2-50g breeders 10-10g 13-15g talls (for our Angels) 1-2900g vat, 2-1500g vats 3-150g vats and we have more but thats just whats up and running currently. However I have ran into a slight problem on my show tank. 50g tanganykan biotope. 3 N. Brevis, 3 N.Brichardi, 3 N.Leleupi, 3 Julidochromis Transcriptus 2 Aethiomastacesmbelus Ellepsifer 1 Tropheus Moorii and one (SHHHHHHHHH) Ancistrus (for the algae lol.. I wish I had a scanner Id show a pic, but when I say well planted aquarium I mean wall to wall beauty.. Ive never seen it done like this anywhere else to a Tanganykan tank. My Brichardi have just reached sexual maturity and are as prolific as poecilia reticulata right now it seems lol.. I need to fid a way to stealthly elliminate those babies by use of a fish (I wont kill a fish or strip the parents my self) I need a night predator from tanganyka that will help elliminate stress from my tank that has to remain under 15cm. I do intend to upgrade my tank soon but This has become a major problem in this 7month old set up.. The fish I use must not be harmful to my larger fish.. Any Ideas???

[matt1066]

Neolampro sexfacsiatus should do the trick, you will need to get a largre specimen though. My N brichardis bred like rabbits too, but my LFS would gladly take them off my hands.

Sorry I don't know of any nocturnal piscavore to assist you and your desire for predation.

Now Malawis I have, but that would taint your biotope.

Regards,

Matt

[aharris]

I thought leleupi are fry predators? Maybe the parents are just too good. From time to time a mysterious green fish net has been known to cull out young julis in my 29g, the youngsters then go on the menu for my growing Altocomps. I hate doing it, but they always produce so many more than I can trade away.

I was hoping the altocomps might do it naturally, but they're just not up to my julis yet.

[EcoMarine2003]

The leleupi are not fast enough or large enough for my brichardi. They dont grow as fast, and I have sexfasciatus in our hatchery, but Im not sure.. The ones we have are about 12cm. long and would stand out.. My brichardi are young breeders at the very peek of maturity.. About 8-9mnths I think..
But dont get me wrong Matt, Im not wanting to kill them I just need to bring the stress down in the tank and I want it as natural as I can get it.. Iont want to pull them cause there beautifull but they would do much better in our hatchery. Hweve we allready have 3 breeding trios including albino brichardi.. I have to admit my eels help alot but as you know brichardi ca be jerks when caring for their young.. (at least in a community tank) Perhaps I should build a seperate colony tank?

[merlyn2221]

Try one male N. tetracanthus. He eats the eggs and fry before they even get a chance, but doesn't bother anyone but his own in my tank. Just don't get the yellow-fin, he might shred the others. If you get one, maybe try the chrystii. They are whitish with a blue hue and fin outline. That's the one I have.

Of course what works for me, may not work for you, so be cautious.

[EcoMarine2003]

That dont sound like a bad idea at all.. I look into it, thanx..