Stocking 20g tall with Fairy Cichlid (brichardii)
- Thread starter Leighlou
- Start date
rockwork is much more important than plants, live or not. tanganikya is virtually plantless, with the bottom of the lake filled with large round rocks. look up "jewel of the rift" or something like that on youtube, it'll show you the natural habitat.
hth
hth
Here is what I know.
Years ago, I had a 20 gal, with gravel, some cement block pieces, and some live plants (easy weedlike stuff, that doesn't require expensive lighting)
I put in about 6 Ciclids, from 1 1/2 - 2 inches, and my plan was to possibly remove some, if once they matured it seemed overstocked. It was a varitey of breeds, but I had 2 Brichardi, because it was my favorite when i purchased them, and I had heard they may breed.
I don't remember exactly, but within a few weeks my friend said "Hey Look!" and right there in the center of this community tank, the small (barely 2 inch) couple, had formed a bed in the gravel, and there was a tiny cloud of babys. Then honestly i dont remember what happened. I moved shortly after, and i think i gave all the fish to friends or petstore, and until this new tank i set up recently, have not had anything.
The point of the story is though, Poeple who say you "NEED" some particular substrate, or spawning place, or that you "CAN'T" put a breeding couple with anything else, are... well.... wrong. They just are relating personal experience with what worked for them, or how their fish had a bad temper.
Personaly I like more natural stuff than bright colored fake stuff, but what you have is not going to prevent fish from breeding. But my advice is go to a landscape yard, buy a huge bag of gravel for a few cents a pound, and you just have to rinse the dirt off it. WAYY cheaper than expensive little one pound bags from petstore. Also I bought some flag stone also pretty cheap, to stack and make cool structures.
From what i know, there is no real way to sex young brichardis, except to either buy a mated pair, or buy a bunch of young, and wait and see.
I belive that what was said about "Only a pair to a tank, period" was not neccisarily true, maybe a large pair in a small tank, but a small pair in a 20 gal wide tank like you have, and there is no reason I dont think you could add a few other Ciclids of the same size. Add hiding places accross the tank, and they will find their own turf.
Years ago, I had a 20 gal, with gravel, some cement block pieces, and some live plants (easy weedlike stuff, that doesn't require expensive lighting)
I put in about 6 Ciclids, from 1 1/2 - 2 inches, and my plan was to possibly remove some, if once they matured it seemed overstocked. It was a varitey of breeds, but I had 2 Brichardi, because it was my favorite when i purchased them, and I had heard they may breed.
I don't remember exactly, but within a few weeks my friend said "Hey Look!" and right there in the center of this community tank, the small (barely 2 inch) couple, had formed a bed in the gravel, and there was a tiny cloud of babys. Then honestly i dont remember what happened. I moved shortly after, and i think i gave all the fish to friends or petstore, and until this new tank i set up recently, have not had anything.
The point of the story is though, Poeple who say you "NEED" some particular substrate, or spawning place, or that you "CAN'T" put a breeding couple with anything else, are... well.... wrong. They just are relating personal experience with what worked for them, or how their fish had a bad temper.
Personaly I like more natural stuff than bright colored fake stuff, but what you have is not going to prevent fish from breeding. But my advice is go to a landscape yard, buy a huge bag of gravel for a few cents a pound, and you just have to rinse the dirt off it. WAYY cheaper than expensive little one pound bags from petstore. Also I bought some flag stone also pretty cheap, to stack and make cool structures.
From what i know, there is no real way to sex young brichardis, except to either buy a mated pair, or buy a bunch of young, and wait and see.
I belive that what was said about "Only a pair to a tank, period" was not neccisarily true, maybe a large pair in a small tank, but a small pair in a 20 gal wide tank like you have, and there is no reason I dont think you could add a few other Ciclids of the same size. Add hiding places accross the tank, and they will find their own turf.
Brichardi's well come from a PH of 8.5 to 9.0 they demand it can they live of course they can will they thrive maybe not it has a lot to do with what water chemistry you have, if your water is soft in hardness and the PH value is low then the nice little expensive sand will only benefit your fishes life acting as a buffer and they should thrive, if you have liquid rock water high PH value and crazy hardness like i have in my area than Brichardi's will thrive and prosper and should be able to live out their 10 to 15 yrs of life being happy, if you have this type of water condition and you want to save money cool deal get some cheaper gravel its all about your hobby and what you can afford and what makes you and your living fish happy..
Remember to have fun and enjoy this hobby once you make this harder than it is the fun goes away and the fish will pay..
Remember to have fun and enjoy this hobby once you make this harder than it is the fun goes away and the fish will pay..
