# Brichardi hanging around top of tank



## Tall Cool One (Apr 8, 2006)

A week ago I placed 8 N Lamp Brichardi in my 29 gallon tank to establish a species tank. I have read where the dominant pair will force the other fish up into a corner of the tank.

7 of the 8 fish appear to be pretty content in the bottom of the tank swimming in and out of the cover I have in the tank. The biggest fish pretty much owns the cave I built, it will allow some fish into the area but doesn't seem too bossy at this point.

1 of the fish hangs around the top of the tank directly under the auto feeder constantly. When feed comes out it goes nuts and hits the food like a champ. Is it totally obsessed with eating or is it up there because it is forced to stay there by one or more of the other fish? It is about in the middle size wise in comparison to the other fish.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

It's hiding. As long as there is no damage you don't need to remove him/her yet.


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## Joels fish (Nov 17, 2007)

Like *DJRansome* said it's hiding. While I will agree that moving it isn't needed just yet, it wont hurt to go ahead and find alternative housing for him. .It's a lot simpler to accomodate the castouts as they come IMO .


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## Charles (Feb 25, 2003)

another way to help this fish is:

get a black 3" long pvc pipe, drill a couple of holes so you can stick 2 suction cups on it. Then stick it on top of the tank. It will give your fish a chance to heal and rest and hide even on top of the tank.

This method works well with other fish as well.


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## Tall Cool One (Apr 8, 2006)

That's a great idea Charles. I'll see what I can rig up.

I now have a 2nd fish that has gone into hiding. This fish stays tucked in around the "downspout" of my hang on back filter.

Do you think it's time to remove those 2 fish. I am assuming I have 3 males and the dominant male is controlling these 2 males. Am I assuming correctly or am I making an @$$ out of U and ME??? :lol:

My argument against removing these fish is "What if something happens to the dominant male and I am left with NO males?" Then they couldn't service their ladies. :drooling:

Am I off-base in this theory?


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## Alleycat (Dec 2, 2006)

Take a few minutes and see who the aggressor is, and maybe you'll see it's not just one male, but maybe another in the pack. Charles idea is great and will help you to catch them if you choose to re-home them. And if something does hapen to your dominent male, you should be able to easily find another to replace him.

Just my 2cents


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## Tall Cool One (Apr 8, 2006)

I think I know who the aggressor is. As soon as one of those two fish go beyond where they hang out, they are instantly attacked until they go back into hiding.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

In the end your goal is to end up with one pair and they will breed and refill the tank. So I think you have to be willing to remove fish and trust that the last two will be male:female.

I do the PVC pipe at the surface thing (often with my mbuna) as a temporary measure until I can figure out how to solve aggression problems. But it can't be much of a life for the fish to be confined to a pipe and I don't find it overly attractive tank decor either, LOL.


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## Tall Cool One (Apr 8, 2006)

1 of the 2 harrassed brichardi, went missing yesterday. I thought it died and was stuck under some of the driftwood in the tank. My little girl later last night found it laying on the floor next to the tank dried out and crispy.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Sorry for your loss.

Gotta have a cover...this won't be your last jumper, especially if they are getting chased to the surface.

I lost a jumper recently even though my tanks do have covers. There is a gap the width of the fish body where my in-tank background is irregular.


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## Neolamprologus Marco (Jan 14, 2008)

Bummer. I also had a brevis jumper a few weeks ago. How is it going with them otherwise?


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## Tall Cool One (Apr 8, 2006)

They appear to be doing well. They look healthy and look like they are growing. Even the fish that are hiding look like they are doing OK.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

You need to cover all openings on the tank, or you will lose more of them to the floor.

Once they become intimidated and stressed and take to hanging out in the upper portions of the tank, the aggressors will often come from underneath to attack, causing them to jump out.

How large are these guys? If they are close to adult size in this size tank, I'd start removing the "cast aways" to another tank. That won't guarantee you a pair, but it will save the fish from stress/aggression/potential illness.

I have 7 ranging in size from 2 inches to a bit over 4 inches in a 4 foot tank and some days that's nowhere near enough space.


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## Tall Cool One (Apr 8, 2006)

The biggest fish is probably just under 2 inches long including fins down to a couple of them that are about an inch long.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

You'll just have to use your own judgement and start removing the "outcasts" when you think things are getting too rough. If it was a larger tank I'd say leave 'em in and let them work it out, but your goal is a pair, eventually - the tank won't hold more than that as adults.

I had this problem with a group of marunguensis one time, and as they got older, the aggression became more intense on a daily basis. I have a hard time leaving a fish in to take a beating, so I kept removing them as need be.


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## Neolamprologus Marco (Jan 14, 2008)

Hows the brichardi experiment progressing.Any more beat up fish,any babies yet?


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## Tall Cool One (Apr 8, 2006)

I am down to 6 brichardi (started with 8). The largest one is still "nesting" in the cave I created. He/She (I am assuming she) went there as soon as I let him/her out of the bag.

There is 1 aggressor in the tank I think. He (I am assuming) keeps sending the weakest fish to the top of the tank. Then, he will shoot up from the bottom and attack their position. The fish freaks out and shoots out of the top of the tank onto the floor. I find a crispy brichardi laying on the laundry room floor the next day.

Potential victim #3 is hanging around the top of the tank now. We'll see what happens.

The fish all look healthy (except the crispy ones  ).

There are certain fish that the biggest fish allow in her space. Others she??? shoos away but not in too aggressive of a way.

No real breeding going on yet. There is only 1 hitting the 2 inch mark and the rest of the tankmates are all less than an inch and a half but they are growing steadily.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

You need to cover all openings to prevent them from jumping, and it sounds like you may need to start removing the ones that are being rejected.


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## Neolamprologus Marco (Jan 14, 2008)

I'm surprised that they are that aggressive already.I thougt they needed to be at a breeding size to start their ****.


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## alexrex20 (Aug 26, 2005)

my savoryi fry (very closely related to brichardi) are about 10mm now and are nasty with each other. they even chase off and flare up to the 30-40mm juvies. in fact, the fry started defending territories at about 5mm TL. both species are cooperative breeders, but the savoryi are notoriously more aggressive than brichardi (and most others of the brichardi complex).


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## Tall Cool One (Apr 8, 2006)

I have a few days off work this week and have some extra plexiglass laying around the house. I am going to cut out a little shield to cover the places above the tank that are open with the exception of where the water flows in from the filter and a hole where the automatic feeder is.


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