# New to shell dweller behaviors



## dotbomb (Jan 5, 2011)

So I have 7 Lamprologus stappersi/meleagris (take your pick on the name).

4 of them have carved out distinct territories hovering over a few shells each.

3 of them kind of just hang midway up the tank in various spots. Sometimes these 3 get pestered, sometimes they can get right up to the ones guarding the shells and have a nice cup of tea.

At night the 1 runt of the group buries himself/herself in the sand. It looks so sad with just its head out of the sand trying to sleep.

None of them are pinned in any top corner of the tank with fins clamped so I'm assuming everything is just fine.

Anything out of the ordinary with anything I have described? Also would it be the boys or girls guarding the shells at this point?

Oh and one of them attacked my hand as I came in to remove some of the smaller shells that were getting no use (cleared some paths up for more sand bulldozing). These little fish have serious attitudes and major bravery!


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

Sounds normal for shellies, and I'd say the larger males have the shells. The others are probably either female or smaller males. I've got the same thing going with ornatipinnis. Waiting for the males to accept the girls. As long as no one's getting beat up, let it go and see what develops. I added rocks to the back of the tank for them to hide out in, so they don't have to hover midwater.

And yes, shellies can be nasty. They'll come after you.


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## dotbomb (Jan 5, 2011)

Thanks. Just wanted to make sure I've given them the best chance at being happy... though I'm not sure if these fish are ever happy. I think they all have PMS


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## dotbomb (Jan 5, 2011)

I noticed this morning that the aggression level was kicked up a notch again. After watching for a short while it became pretty clear why... seems one of my boys might have a girlfriend.

opcorn:


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

Fantastic. :thumb: One of the best video's that I've seen in a long time. Great tank, nice fish, captured a spawn, what else could you ask for? I've read that when two are spawning, it can get the rest worked up. Might have been what happened. Watch for the fry in the shell within the next several days. And take more video, please. opcorn: When people ask what the big deal is with shellies, just link this video.


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## kiriyama (Oct 20, 2010)

Cool video, cheers for posting opcorn:


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## shellies215 (Jan 7, 2011)

Nice tank!! Nice fish!! I'm supposed to be getting these for my 40breeder if the lfs can find them


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## dotbomb (Jan 5, 2011)

Yeah I was so STOKED to capture this. Definitely will be making more videos. These little fish are so cool. :thumb:


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## dotbomb (Jan 5, 2011)

Mama and papa have their hands full guarding that shell now. The smallest fish in the tank is constantly trying to get in to the eggs. Mom is standing guard mid water while dad is stationed at the mouth of the shell. Mom sometimes goes out of her way to attack the would be intruder when it is in a different corner. Time to show the runt who's boss of that 6" space!


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Excellent video, very well done. Congratulations on the spawn. I can't believe how fast the other fish are moving in that video.

Thanks for sharing and keep us posted when the fry arrive.

Dee


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## dotbomb (Jan 5, 2011)

Here's a still shot of the eggs. Hard to see them all but there are at least 10 inside. Got lucky they chose a shell in a good viewing position.


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## dotbomb (Jan 5, 2011)

Another male is guarding his shell very closely. So I took a look inside and sure enough his shell is covered with eggs inside. That makes 2 confirmed spawns and I've had these fish just about a week and a half :thumb:


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## Myrock (Mar 7, 2010)

NICE!!!  I just got some of these (The exact kind you have) a few days ago. Very interesting fish. Got the same shells too....lol Picked them up at the craft store. My 3 males have there shells burried. 2 females are hiding on the other end of the tank. Hopfully they will spawn soon too. Great video. I'm waiting on other fish to come in the mail. (Bad weather delay) I will post pics of mine then. Great video!!! :thumb: opcorn:


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## dotbomb (Jan 5, 2011)

Enjoy your new fish! They are characters. I was fixing some stuff in the tank today and one male terrorized my hand the whole time.


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## dotbomb (Jan 5, 2011)

Well my first batch of fry must be almost ready to venture out. I'm watching the nursery pit construction now.


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## Bpiche (Jan 2, 2011)

makes me wish i had found Occelatus in town..they're sweet looking. My brevis are paired up but no spawns....


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## shellies215 (Jan 7, 2011)

I'm interested to know how long till they come out , When my brevis spawn it's 16 days from the time she lays the eggs until I see fry out of the shell


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## dotbomb (Jan 5, 2011)

I'll keep you posted. The spawn was only 5 days ago. Maybe this is just a practice pit being dug opcorn:


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## dotbomb (Jan 5, 2011)

So today I noticed more eggs in the first shell where fry should have already hatched. Either these guys are spawning non stop or perhaps something happened to the first batch?


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## shellies215 (Jan 7, 2011)

It is not uncommon for shellies to " fail " the first couple times they spawn. If the fry aren't developing they will eat the eggs and try again


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## dotbomb (Jan 5, 2011)

If at first you don't succeed...

Should I lay off water changes while there are eggs?


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## SandBagger (Nov 17, 2010)

Wanted to bump this as I am interested in the answer to dotbomb's question.


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## dotbomb (Jan 5, 2011)

I have 3 shells with fry now. 1 more with eggs.

Fry defense is definitely in full swing. I just went to rinse out my coffee cup and I saw a small fish on my counter. It was still wet and flopping so I scooped it up and put it in the tank. It looks fine.

Then I looked again and there was a crispy one behind the tank.

Not a fan of the plastic hoods anymore with the precut areas. Might be time to go buy a glass cover and custom cut the plastic around my filter and heater so there aren't big gaps. Tupperware lids work in the interim though :thumb:

Oh and about water changes... I haven't stopped doing water changes. In fact yesterday morning I did a 70% change so I could move the tank a bit. Then last evening I saw my first free swimming fry emerging.


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## SandBagger (Nov 17, 2010)

> Tupperware lids work in the interim though


LOL...went with those for about a week until my glass canopy arrived

Sorry about your lost guy, but looks like you will have plenty to replace him :dancing:


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## dotbomb (Jan 5, 2011)

Yeah I fully expected some casualties as spawning started. These are cichlids afterall


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## dotbomb (Jan 5, 2011)

Well today the fish that jumped out of the tank and survived seems to be doing well. His daring is now legendary in my house. A mere 24 hours after flopping around on my counter he dove into one of the shells containing fry (probably got a nice meal) and then was treated to a full tank pounding... the occie guarding that shell took him forcefully and swam the length of the tank with him pinned and slammed him WWF style into the side of the tank.

Needless to say that fish didn't learn his lesson after yesterday's ejection. So today I finally intervened and put him in isolation. He has been banished to a breeder net in my mbuna tank until I figure out what to do with him long term.

It was going to be either the death of him, the death of all my fry, or the death of the other fish trying to pound sense into his skull.

I have to admit it was pretty amazing to watch it all go down opcorn:


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