Stocking 20g tall with Fairy Cichlid (brichardii)

Leighlou

Leighlou

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Aug 13, 2009
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I have a empty 20g tall tank that I'm cycling. I was thinking on some brichardii as they were suggested and I like them. I was thinking of dedicating the 20g to them but I've never had them before and looking for some advice on what I might need and how many I could comfortably fit in the 20g, since I know cichlids can be territorial. These are how my tanks are set up currently (though there are no fish in them)

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a310/edwardpuhh/DSC03832.jpg

So here is my questions:

Do I need to change the decor that I have in my tanks now?
Should I try to keep it a all female tank?
Could a pair (female/female or male/female) live comfortably with smaller schooling fish, or should it be completely a cichlid tank?
Is there specifics that I need to know for these fish?
 
Ok. First off, if you wanted to keep brichardi, you would be better of to change the decor. Brichardi live mostly in piled rocks. They prefer sand, but gravel is ok. Brichardi are very territorial, and when they lay eggs, they will not allow any other fish near them. This could even happen in an all female tank. And this is just me, but most of the intrigue of tangs comes from their behavior, and you need a pair for that to happen. You would definitely not be able to keep any other fish in this tank. A pair and that's it. Brichardi are nasty little buggards. We call them brichardi death squads once they get breeding. However, they are very rewarding to keep, and multiple generations will live together in the same tank. I highly recommend them.
 
aj2494 said:
Ok. First off, if you wanted to keep brichardi, you would be better of to change the decor. Brichardi live mostly in piled rocks. They prefer sand, but gravel is ok. Brichardi are very territorial, and when they lay eggs, they will not allow any other fish near them. This could even happen in an all female tank. And this is just me, but most of the intrigue of tangs comes from their behavior, and you need a pair for that to happen. You would definitely not be able to keep any other fish in this tank. A pair and that's it. Brichardi are nasty little buggards. We call them brichardi death squads once they get breeding. However, they are very rewarding to keep, and multiple generations will live together in the same tank. I highly recommend them.
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Okay, so I would only be able to have a pair in the tank, whether its female/female or female/male, and I need to change up my decor to rocks. Is there a certain type of rocks? I've never used them before in decor, should I keep the plants or just make every rock decor? I also have a 10g I was going to turn into a planted tank that I could eventually transport some of the plants into the 20g with the cichlids in it. Is there anything I have to worry about with them and the plants? Will they dig them up?
 
Now I'm curious, is there any other small cichlids that are more brightly colored that could be put into a 20g comfortably?
 
A pair of dwarf cichlids like apistos, rams or kribs. They would also be able to live with some community fish. In a 20 tall you are going to run into problems with N. brichardis. They usually need a larger tank to form a true colony, otherwise it might turn ugly.
 
blue2fyre said:
A pair of dwarf cichlids like apistos, rams or kribs. They would also be able to live with some community fish. In a 20 tall you are going to run into problems with N. brichardis. They usually need a larger tank to form a true colony, otherwise it might turn ugly.
Click to expand...

Oh wow..I really like the rams and kribs, they are very pretty. I should keep them in pairs though correct?
 
Yep. My personal choice would be apistos.
 
If they're juvies get more than a pair...I'd say 4+ if you plan on breeding them.
 
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