# Neolamprologus pulcher in a 29 Gallon?



## pablo111 (Dec 10, 2013)

I'm planning to set up a pair of N. pulcher (Daffodil) in a 29Gal (30"x12"x20?")
Is this an acceptable size? I know somebody on another forum who breeds them in a 20Gal.
I'm planning to get juvies, grow them out, get a pair, sell the rest of the juvies and keep the pair as well as whatever brood they're raising at any given time. I'd raise the babies to 1" in the same tank as the parents and then sell them off. 
I only plan to allow one spawn to grow out in there at a time. If the parents spawn again while there are already fry growing out I will siphon the eggs out.

A couple of questions: Are they cave, rock, or substrate spawners?
Will they benefit from the presence of lots of rock caves in the aquarium the way Mbuna would? If not, what is the suggested aquascape?
I plan to feed NLS Grow, frozen mysis shrimp, and Northfin (similar to dainichi. Krill based) is that ok?

Will they chew Anubias leaves at all?

Thanks!


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## NJmomie (Jan 17, 2013)

This link provides some of the answers to your question: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=1628 
I used to keep the daffodils in my 29 gallon so I think you should be ok. My tank at the time had a rock wall and two piles of rocks on each side but that's more for my taste. Not sure if they prefer that as the mbunas do. I think your planned diet sounds good. As for the anubias, I don't know since I didn't keep any anubias at that time. They did leave the banana plants alone though. Good luck with them. They do breed like rabbits once they start and are great parents.


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## pablo111 (Dec 10, 2013)

Thanks! That's reassuring.
I'm going for it!


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## pablo111 (Dec 10, 2013)

From what I've read they would appreciate a crustacean heavy diet, is that right? I bought some frozen mysis shrimp. I'm going to be feeding primarily Northfin Cichlid formula.
Here are the ingredients of Northfin. It's a similar formula to Dainichi but made here in Canada.

_*Whole Antarctic Krill Meal, High Omega-3 (DHA), Herring Meal, Whole Sardine Meal, Wheat Flour, Kelp, Spirulina, Garlic, Astaxanthin (Haematococcus Algae), Calcium Montmorillonite Clay, Vitamin A Acetate, L-Ascorby-2-Polyphospate (Source of Vitamin C), D-Activated Animal-Sterol (D3), DL Alphatocopherol (E), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Thiamine, Calcium Pantothenate, Hydrochloride B6, Folic Acid, Biotin, Choline Chloride, Cobalt Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Selenium, Zinc.*_

Any thoughts?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Looks fine.


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## pablo111 (Dec 10, 2013)

Thanks a lot Ransome.


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## pablo111 (Dec 10, 2013)

What about water changes? I heard they don't like big ones? I plan on doing 1/3 every 3 days. Does that sound ok?


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## pablo111 (Dec 10, 2013)

Also, once they are adults, should I keep one male and one female? Or one male and several females?
Somebody told me how their male bit their female in the eye and it blinded her.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I have not found Tangs object to large water changes, although I did hear the same thing as you did. This species often rejects everyone but the dominant pair, so remove extras that are forced to lurk under the surface before they are killed. They will tolerate their own fry however.


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## TfnG (Dec 29, 2012)

They will pair off and get multiple generations of fry going in that 29g for you. It won't be until those generations get to breeding size before there is a problem. But by then u will have so many young u will have gotten rid of the largest by then anyway.


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## TfnG (Dec 29, 2012)

I do 50% water changes weekly until u have some fresh fry. You will want to keep doing the 50% change once per week, but ALSO do maybe 2 20% changes a week.

It wasn't until about my 3rd or 4th batch I started adding the extra 20% changes. Up until that point very few fry would make it. So I started doing the extra changes and I have so many fry going now.

This is what works for me.


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## AfricanLove (Jan 2, 2012)

I realize this is an old thread but I'd like to hear how it working for you. I was going to try this in a 20 Long. I felt like the height would not make that much of a difference.


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## BratmanXj (Feb 11, 2013)

I previously had N. Helianthus & N. Brichardi in a 29 together with no cross-breeding, I know this is the acceptation rather than the rule and it take a lot of creative landscaping to make work. I currently have ONLY Helianthus in the 30 long with more of a "Harem" breeding style going on with 2 males and 5 females. I think I may have 3-4 different broods of fry in the tank ranging from 3/4" to fresh hatched.


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## ViTxLz (Jan 28, 2014)

I have pulchers that spawned today, in a 20long. I had no problem with 50% water changes and even more some times with mine.


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## ViTxLz (Jan 28, 2014)

I have 4 pulchers together the two that spawned are on one side and the dominant male sometimes goes to the other side I think I have 2m2f


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