# Neolamprologus Brichardi Diet



## 660dave (Apr 30, 2013)

Hi, quick question. I have set up a new species tank and have 13 young Brichardi. What is the best diet for these? I have NLS 1mm pellets for my Mbuna, and Spirulina flake. Neither of these foods seemed to over excite the Brichardi. The smaller fish seemed happy enough with crushed up/smaller bits of food but the larger fish seemed picky, mouthing some foods and spitting out. I tried them with bloodworm and they gobbled them up no problem. 
Am i right in thinking Brichardi are OK to feed regularly with these types of food? Without the fear of bloat?
My Mbuna are strictly on NLS and nothing else now as other foods lead to different colour 'poo' and frighten the life out of me (especially cucumber and Zucchini)

Thanks


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## Darkskies (Mar 17, 2012)

You should just feed NLS as it's one of the most(if not the most) nutritious food on the market. Brichardi are carnivores and feed on invertebrates in the wild so there is no risk of bloat. I've heard that even Tropheus(which are susceptible to bloat) fed on NLS rarely suffer bloat despite the high protein levels. I think your fish are just being picky. Only feed them NLS for a week and see if the more finicky eaters will transition over to the food without spitting the pellets out. Your fish can go for weeks potentially without any food so forcing only NLS on them for a week(or even two) shouldn't have any ill effects. Feeding them bloodworms because they refuse NLS means you're spoiling them and making it harder to convert them to eating NLS pellets. My multies were picky about NLS in the beginning as well but after several days they stopped spitting the pellets out. If you're looking to get some growth quickly on your Brichardi opt for the NLS Grow formula(~50% protein) which is also .5mm in size and not 1 mm.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

NLS is a great food, and my adult brichardi are fine with it, but there are many high quality pellets beyond just NLS that are just as good. If NLS is working for you stick with it. As mentioned brichardi eat invertebrates and plankton in the wild, so adding in something like frozen mysis shrimp, plankton or brine shrimp would likely be appreciated.


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## ratbones86 (Jun 29, 2012)

I feed mine a mix of NLS and also Frozen mysis and brine shrimp (every other day, one or the other)


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## 660dave (Apr 30, 2013)

Great thanks, i'll keep trying the NLS with some frozen foods also. 
Another question, i've set it up as a species tank and am fine keeping it that way but i wondered would Syno's suffer the same fate as other fish in a Brichardi tank? Do they ignore them in a similar way to Mbuna or will they harass them as much as they would other fish? 
Also would the Syno's affect breeding (eating eggs, fry?) I wanted to set up a Brichardi species tank to witness their breeding, and see the colony develop etc i wouldnt want to disrupt this by adding other fish. 
The Syno's would either be juvenile lucipinnis, or W/C Petricola (adults) i have both, with more w/c coming at the weekend. 
It's a 3ft 55g tank.


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## ratbones86 (Jun 29, 2012)

It's a general rule thatwhen brichardi breed they will kill everything else in the tank. This being said, I have seen tanks with other species in them as well with the brichardi. Seen some multies in with them before. Was on youtube.


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

Synos will definitely disrupt breeding, and of the 13 fish, you will likely only have 2 left when they pair.


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## Darkskies (Mar 17, 2012)

How big is your tank?


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

660dave said:


> It's a 3ft 55g tank.


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## Darkskies (Mar 17, 2012)

Floridagirl said:


> 660dave said:
> 
> 
> > It's a 3ft 55g tank.


  Sorry I missed that. Yeah, make it a species tank. Even if you only have 2 left when they pair all fry and their subsequent generations will be tolerated and your colony will build itself up.


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## 660dave (Apr 30, 2013)

Great thanks for the advice, species tank it is


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## TfnG (Dec 29, 2012)

Sorry to butt in but it's on the same topic. What should we feed Brichardi fry? I just noticed the tiniest fish ever in my tank!!! Once they start coming out of the shell they are in...will finely crushed flake food be just fine?


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

Crushed flake food is fine.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Erm NLS has only about 32% protein. Thats not high. Even spirulina is 60%+ :wink:


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