For the first time, I purchased some cichlids. Sigh. Near as I can tell, they are Neolampologus brichardi--they were just labelled Brichardi. The parents were in a show tank--gorgeous finnage, healthy, active fish. There were 6 adults, and then about 3-4 older juveniles and some fry in the 75.
I fell in love. Slap the sentimental label on me.
So, I picked up 5 of the juveniles. Largest is about 1 inch now, smallest being about 1/2 inch. They're in quarantine right now--ate well last night, hunted through the tank and are currently ducking in and out of a chunk of driftwood. I'd like for them to go into my planted 55 once they get a clean bill of health. Current occupants: 5 cherry barbs, a blue gouramie, 3 cories, one CAE, one chocolate pleco, 3 whiptails, a weather loach, 1 ancistrus, 5 otos. There's a pile of rock work on one end, a pile of mopani on the other end, plants are mostly crypts and apontogens, some java moss and a few 'other' plants. Temp: 78F, pH: 7.4, GH: don't have the exact number, but it's up there.
Any changes I will need to make for these kids? The barbs and the gouramie are my biggest concerns and will likely move to another tank--everyone else usually hides, or stays clear of any mid-level swimmers I've had in the tank. I'm not overly concerned with surviving fry--be nice, but not the goal of adding them to the tank.
I'll try getting some pics of them--hopefully someone can confirm my ID. Here's a description (of the adults, mine do not have flowing fins yet, nor as much color). About 4-5 inches, not including tail fin. Body is silvery blue-ish. Black marks between eyes and gill plate--not a straight line, broken patches with a bit of yellow in the middle. Dorsal, anal and caudal fins all have long trailing tips, edged with white. The male had more pronounced yellow and much longer fins.
I fell in love. Slap the sentimental label on me.
So, I picked up 5 of the juveniles. Largest is about 1 inch now, smallest being about 1/2 inch. They're in quarantine right now--ate well last night, hunted through the tank and are currently ducking in and out of a chunk of driftwood. I'd like for them to go into my planted 55 once they get a clean bill of health. Current occupants: 5 cherry barbs, a blue gouramie, 3 cories, one CAE, one chocolate pleco, 3 whiptails, a weather loach, 1 ancistrus, 5 otos. There's a pile of rock work on one end, a pile of mopani on the other end, plants are mostly crypts and apontogens, some java moss and a few 'other' plants. Temp: 78F, pH: 7.4, GH: don't have the exact number, but it's up there.
Any changes I will need to make for these kids? The barbs and the gouramie are my biggest concerns and will likely move to another tank--everyone else usually hides, or stays clear of any mid-level swimmers I've had in the tank. I'm not overly concerned with surviving fry--be nice, but not the goal of adding them to the tank.
I'll try getting some pics of them--hopefully someone can confirm my ID. Here's a description (of the adults, mine do not have flowing fins yet, nor as much color). About 4-5 inches, not including tail fin. Body is silvery blue-ish. Black marks between eyes and gill plate--not a straight line, broken patches with a bit of yellow in the middle. Dorsal, anal and caudal fins all have long trailing tips, edged with white. The male had more pronounced yellow and much longer fins.
