All male shelldweller?

[Wills]

I've got a chance to get a really nice strain of N.Brevis but the store only has 3 males left - I'm tempted to try it but wondered what people thought? I'm not too bothered by the breeding but do feel like I might miss out on that unique behaviour.

In a terms of success rates what do you think keeping 3 male Brevis in a 2x1x1 tank on a long term basis?

Wills

 

[WhistlingBadger]

I know nothing about this genus, but they're interesting. You already have some, right?

 

[Wills]

I know nothing about this genus, but they're interesting. You already have some, right?

No not yet these would be my first. I can't find a definitive answer, the obvious choice is both genders and do one male with one or two females but there are just these three males left and the strain is quite specific so unlikely they will get mates as is. I have an incline it might work but I also wonder if they would do better in a bigger mixed Tanganyikan tank but... no guarantee that they would end up in that set up.

Wills

 

[JaysTank]

As you know from our previous talk, I don't know much about cichlids yet, but I'd ask myself this: "What is the reason for me to get those fish?" If it's just to have something special that no one else has, and your rate of success, rather than the fish's rate of success, is limited, then I'd probably just wait for something else to show up. We, people, have an incredible fear of missing out on something we think is super unique and that we will never come by again. We almost always do, though. That's why stores have endless, and quite frankly, ridiculous success with Black Friday Sales, followed by Christmas Sales, followed by January Sales, followed by Easter Sales, followed by... you get the point.

If, on the other hand, you think the fish has a super unique behavior that you have never seen anywhere else and has a slim chance of experiencing again, then absolutely go for it. If not, then it kind of seems to me to be a case of the emperor's new clothes.

Edit: Typos.

 

[Wills]

As you know from our previous talk, I don't know much about cichlids yet, but I'd ask myself this "What is the reason for me to get those fish?". If it's just to have a something special that noone else has, and your rate of success, rather the fishes rate of success, is limited, then I'd probably just wait for something else to show up. We people have an incredible fear of missing out on something we think is super unique and that we will never come by again. We almost always do though. That's why stores has endless, and quite frankly ridicoulus success with Black Friday Sales followed by Christmas Sales followed by January Sales followed by Easter Sale followed by.... you get the point.

If on the other hand you think the fish has a super unique behaviour that you have never seen anywhere else, and have a slim chance of experiencing again, then absolutely or for it. If not, then it kinda seems to me to be a case of the emperor's new clothes.

Really good point there are a lot of angles into it for me really...

These are the ones I was looking at - Neolamprologus Brevis Moba

Most of the point of keeping Shell Dwellers is the breeding behaviour with the fish living in shells and raising the colony, some species end up with multi generational families (the older fry look after the younger and so on). Brevis species are meant to be quite calm, a pair will share a shell (I have actual shells from Lake Tanganyika too), but do you always have to keep pairs to get the fry etc - Tanganyikan community tanks (which is probably where I hope these fish end up) are best starting around 55 gallons but quite different to Malawi tanks as you get lots of different 'dwellers' in one tank; sand, shell, rock and openwater for example but how you manage that is not as well broken down as we spoke about before with the Mbuna 'slots' so in theory these three males could probably do well in a 4 foot tank as the shell dweller but then you've got loads else going on around them.

One thing I was wondering would happen with three males is like in Malawi tanks if you keep an all male tank which is arguably best with Peacocks and Haps, its more peaceful, no one goes crazy (or as crazy as if there are female hormones in the water). So in that scenario in theory would my 2 foot tank be an option for 3 2 inch fish with territories ranging from a single shell to 12 inches (different people report different things).

I'm not in a position to give them the 50-60 gallon tank I'd hope for them so I've decided to pass on these but I do really want a good pair of Brevis - preferably with a local name as you get some cool markings, these Moba have lots of neon stripes and lots of yellow patches in the fins and body, you get Ikola Sun Spot that gets a yellow circle on its side and face so thats the thing I'm dreaming of! I've mentioned to the store that have these Moba that I'm looking for similar again so if they get any I'll keep an eye out

Wills

 

[Colin_T]

If you put 3 male Neolamprologus brevis into an aquarium that is 2 ft long x 1 ft wide x 1 ft high, you will probably have 1 left after a month. You might get lucky if they are brothers but when they become sexually mature and set up shop, it's over for the weakest one.

Personally, I wouldn't waste money buying males only. If you could find a female and breed them, that would be much more interesting.

 

[Wills]

If you put 3 male Neolamprologus brevis into an aquarium that is 2 ft long x 1 ft wide x 1 ft high, you will probably have 1 left after a month. You might get lucky if they are brothers but when they become sexually mature and set up shop, it's over for the weakest one.

Personally, I wouldn't waste money buying males only. If you could find a female and breed them, that would be much more interesting.

Yeah I’ve decided to wait for a trio or pair of mixed genders. Just feel bad for these three males as don’t know who will take them on

 

[Beastije]

You could take them and put them in the tank separated by glass portions until you get females and then do a mix and match?
As long as they have shells and dont see each other too much, they will do ok solitary. I had a last remaining female multifasciatus live alone for the last year or more, she lasted way longer than I expect her, I was thinking she will just have nice golden age, not that she will leave so many years more

 

[Wills]

You could take them and put them in the tank separated by glass portions until you get females and then do a mix and match?
As long as they have shells and dont see each other too much, they will do ok solitary. I had a last remaining female multifasciatus live alone for the last year or more, she lasted way longer than I expect her, I was thinking she will just have nice golden age, not that she will leave so many years more

I just don't think I'm going to see the females for this species and even then its hard to get people to sell only females - they always want to do in 'pairs'. I did consider keeping just single male and maybe get some Tankanyika Killies but that is not an easy ask... some people use Endlers or Guppies as well but not sure thats for me.

The search continues!