# Back to brichardi...



## SomethingIsFishy (Aug 29, 2013)

Decided to go back to a species I had before and regretted getting rid of...

This time I'm using a 40 breeder, had a mixed community/planted tank- golden wonder killies, tetras, bristlenose. Traded them in and overhauled the scape and picked up a handful of juvenile n. Brichardi. The shop bagged a few tiny fish along with the 1-1.5 inch guys I bought, will have to see how that works out when I get a pair... I just hope I can catch the outcasts before they get killed, I know the shop will take them back...

Having a little trouble with pics at the moment, I gave up on photobucket a while ago, trying flickr but the pics don't show when I preview my post... I just get a little box with "image" in it...


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## SomethingIsFishy (Aug 29, 2013)

Got it! Here's the setup, they're still pretty shy so I'm not gonna go too crazy trying to get pics of the fish, but did manage to get a shot of one of the tiny ones...


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## easywolf31 (Jan 19, 2017)

SomethingIsFishy said:


> Got it! Here's the setup, they're still pretty shy so I'm not gonna go too crazy trying to get pics of the fish, but did manage to get a shot of one of the tiny ones...


Hey there, that's an awesome looking setup, really liking the rock selection, I've been looking for those colors and shapes for my Tanganyika species setup in a 140g. I liked the way you placed them. I have a Brichardi, Olivaceous and Daffodil, all Brichardi look alikes, really smart fish, the dominant one, which is the Brichardi, seems to hang in between the other 2 and they've kind of formed a tight gang chasing out passerbyers but not too agressively. Really nice choice, really like these ones, very smart fish.

Here's a nice picture I took yetserday, they just happened to come right in the front of the camera: (Front one is the Brichardi, other is the Olivaceous).


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## SomethingIsFishy (Aug 29, 2013)

Thanks! The flat rocks came from the local landscape company, and the "rounder" rocks are actually ceramic caves, I believe the brand is "cichlid stones", I will see if I can verify the brand name...

You certainly have some beautiful fish there, thanks for sharing the picture!


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## easywolf31 (Jan 19, 2017)

SomethingIsFishy said:


> Thanks! The flat rocks came from the local landscape company, and the "rounder" rocks are actually ceramic caves, I believe the brand is "cichlid stones", I will see if I can verify the brand name...
> 
> You certainly have some beautiful fish there, thanks for sharing the picture!


Nice, I was looking for the Cichlid stone cave 10 or 15 pack from Underwater Galleries but can't find any up here in Canada so I ordered the circular ceramic stone caves. You have every hole pointed backwards than? I like these fish for the fact that they breed and remain a tight family that just keeps growing before you know it you will have a full community lol. Please post updates on this aquarium and on the Brichardis as they grow.


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## SomethingIsFishy (Aug 29, 2013)

Yes, I have all of the holes turned towards the back, looks more natural to me...

I will definitely post updates regularly! They are starting to settle in, so I should be able to get some good pics soon...


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## SomethingIsFishy (Aug 29, 2013)

I know how to get them to come out... feed them, hit record, and leave the room...


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Nice looking tank... but why all the different types, which will no doubt lead to a bunch of hybrids, and just a pair or two anyway?


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## easywolf31 (Jan 19, 2017)

Fogelhund said:


> Nice looking tank... but why all the different types, which will no doubt lead to a bunch of hybrids, and just a pair or two anyway?


Great aquarium! I can't tell what kind are the little ones? Do you have other types than just Brichardis? I realized I should not have put 3 types of Neolamp Brichardi types as they may interbreed, but I did my best to choose 3 beta males to try and adapt with your fronts, which they have so far perfectly. I hope they aren't forming a pair though, but what to do if that happens?

What kind of fish will an Olivaceous and Brichardi produce? A Pulcher type? Is it bad to interbreed these Cichlids?


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## SomethingIsFishy (Aug 29, 2013)

Mine are supposed to be all the same type. I think they may be the "overflow " from another fishkeeper's colony... They were sold as brichardi, but I wouldn't be upset if they turned out to be a different type...


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Sorry, my intent was to address easywolf.. guess I kind of got lost here.

If you cross olivaceous (pulcher really), with brichardi, you get hybrids.... nothing more.

A big part of what makes these fish great, is when they do breed, and their behaviour. Honestly, I'd go out and just make sure that I've got all the same type, and enjoy them for how spectacular they can be.


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## SomethingIsFishy (Aug 29, 2013)

I thought you might have been talking about easywolf's fish, just wanted to make sure you didn't see something in my video that I missed...

Enjoying the colony is definitely my plan for this tank...


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

SomethingIsFishy said:


> I thought you might have been talking about easywolf's fish, just wanted to make sure you didn't see something in my video that I missed...
> 
> Enjoying the colony is definitely my plan for this tank...


I didn't see anything with your fish, just to confirm.


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## SomethingIsFishy (Aug 29, 2013)

Thanks, Fogelhund!

Really enjoying these guys so far... can't wait till a pair forms...


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## easywolf31 (Jan 19, 2017)

Wow. This video is amazing. What to do though when there is no more room?


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

easywolf31 said:


> Wow. This video is amazing. What to do though when there is no more room?


Eventually they stop breeding, or the older ones eat the smaller.


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## SomethingIsFishy (Aug 29, 2013)

Can't wait till my tank looks like that...


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## SomethingIsFishy (Aug 29, 2013)

Just realized I've got babies! Haven't noticed anything different, no one seems to have been kicked out, but there's a bunch of tiny fish in there!!


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## easywolf31 (Jan 19, 2017)

SomethingIsFishy said:


> Just realized I've got babies! Haven't noticed anything different, no one seems to have been kicked out, but there's a bunch of tiny fish in there!!


Nice! I'm actually in the process of setting up a Brichardi colony 60g tank too! I have the 2 Brichardis and they look like a malecand female. Good luck please post a picture when you can.


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## SomethingIsFishy (Aug 29, 2013)

Will try to get some pics tomorrow afternoon... this was kind of a surprise, I haven't really seen any signs of a pair, but I have free swimming fry, so obviously there's a pair in there somewhere...


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## SomethingIsFishy (Aug 29, 2013)




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## SomethingIsFishy (Aug 29, 2013)

So I've been watching the fish more closely today, I know who mom and dad are! I've also identified some fish who are being harassed by mom and dad. Any tricks on catching the outsiders without disturbing the rest of the tank?


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## easywolf31 (Jan 19, 2017)

SomethingIsFishy said:


> So I've been watching the fish more closely today, I know who mom and dad are! I've also identified some fish who are being harassed by mom and dad. Any tricks on catching the outsiders without disturbing the rest of the tank?


The other fish are Brichardis too? In the first video it looks like Moms is luring him into a cave to get it on.

Maybe try a fish trap or just let them be?


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## SomethingIsFishy (Aug 29, 2013)

Yes, the others are brichardi. The ones you see in the video are mom and dad. The others are basically trapped behind the plant in the right corner. I'm guessing if I don't get them out soon they will end up dead, I would rather not have that happen...


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## easywolf31 (Jan 19, 2017)

SomethingIsFishy said:


> Yes, the others are brichardi. The ones you see in the video are mom and dad. The others are basically trapped behind the plant in the right corner. I'm guessing if I don't get them out soon they will end up dead, I would rather not have that happen...


I did it bud, I started a Brichardi tank! It was a quick job though as I had to fix 6-7 aquariums at once to start my fish room. It's really nothing like yours, I will try and add some nice rocks too slowly. I'm pretty sure I have a male and a female I picked up from another LFS out of town in there. They're always together with the small female following him around. Now they started digging around the main dead reef rock and they've been hanging out together inside some caves. Really like this species it's in my top 5 list for sure. I hope they breed so I can see how their interesting system works. I placed them in a 39x16.5x24 bowfront aquarium I picked up.

Do you bother with parameters? I think I'm going to aim for 8.6 PH and very hard water with 20-25% weekly water changes. It's amazing how much little information there is on these species in 2 Tang books I bought, even that thick one by Brichard himself barely dedicates more than a few paragraphs. Anyhow, here's a picture. By the way, for your other Brichardis maybe you can try one of those fish traps? Not sure, looks hard now.


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## easywolf31 (Jan 19, 2017)

Hey bud...holy...they spawned. I saw them digging around the other day and made a video. I went to feed them tonight and just noticed babies swimming in the back. **** these guys are smart cookies for keeping it on the low low all these days.


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## easywolf31 (Jan 19, 2017)

Hey how's your Brichardi aquarium doing? I've been overun by about 100 lol.


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