ctsniper86 Posted October 27, 2007 Report Share Posted October 27, 2007 I've just got a new 4 foot tank and want to set it up as an african tank. At the LFS there is a breeding pair of africans i want to get, can't think of the name off the top of my head, but their tail fins sort of split kinda like a pitch fork. Anyway, I am wanting to know if I am able to use sand with shell chips mixed in to buffer the water? will the pair still dig their hole thing in the sand or do they need gravel of some sort. And if they need gravel of some sort will fine lime chips work as I can buy large bags of this far far cheaper than coral chip. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted October 27, 2007 Report Share Posted October 27, 2007 The traditional way of buffering the water was using lime chips, now the coral sand is popular any way works, I'm guessing your talking about Brichardi or as they're known now as pulchers (still not happy about that lol) Aftricans are determined little buggers and no matter what you use they will dig! If it wont fit in there mouth they will swim with their mouths open and bulldozer it out of the way.. So don't worry about that! Are you thinking a species tank? Or going to try and mix some fish with them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctsniper86 Posted October 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2007 I'm not sure think I'll start with the pair and maybe in a month or two i might think about adding something else Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afrikan Posted October 27, 2007 Report Share Posted October 27, 2007 Another african fan huh 8) Definately sounds like Brichardi (aka Pulcher.. and yes Ryan what a peeved off moment over that one huh!) haha Anyway... they are a good fish to start off with, great little breeders normally and love watching them raise their young ones, real family unit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctsniper86 Posted October 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2007 Aftter googleing birchardi they do look like the pictures. Ok thime for a tank makeover. Atm the tank has a course dark sand bottom with three rock piles i made from siliconing rocks together. With one inhabitant, my sole convict. (he's in solitary) So Getting the sand out and putting in fine lime chips sounds like the best idea. Any ideas how to get the sand out of the tank, have syphoned it out with water from a 3 foot tank before but it was one hell of a mission and took the whole day. Any faster/easier suggestions would be great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afrikan Posted October 27, 2007 Report Share Posted October 27, 2007 They can quite happily be kept on sand (normal or coral sand) with limestone rock or the existing rock formation you have and you could buffer your water bicarb and epsom salts... however, if siphoning takes all day to get the sand out, then take the existing water out.... scoop the majority out with a strong plastic scooper, then flush some water back in and syphon out the small amount of sand that is left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted October 27, 2007 Report Share Posted October 27, 2007 As above I also use a net to get the sand out.. It can ruin your net but oh well its easier than mucking around, also be careful not to grate the sand up against your glass it will scratch it.. You do realize there is no reason to take the sand out? You could add the lime chips in a stocking and hide it at the back of the tank or stick it in the filter or something like that? Would save alot of work thats all.. Brichardi are cool fish thats for sure, the parents will breed then the babies will grow up and they will also help guard any future spawn's so you will have many many generations in the same tank eventually The tank will look a bit empty initially though.. One pair of small fish in a big tank! lol And yeah I was a bit annoyed about the brichardi/pulcher thing, we understand they should be kept apart, but eventually once it filters down people will mix them all up and the nice yellow ones will be lost, although im keeping my yellow ones and thats all ive got so mine will be pure, so will afrikans So its not all bad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilknieval69 Posted October 27, 2007 Report Share Posted October 27, 2007 Ive got a pair of what were the old Brichardi, and as ryan said the tank will be quite bare for a while to begin with, but when they breed and the fry start to grow up etc the tank will slowly become fuller and fuller RE the brichardi/pulcher thing, i think its ridiculous!!! they are two totally different fish IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctsniper86 Posted October 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 Got the pair home and settled into their tank during lunch, they are a pair of Neolamprologus pulcher. Very pretty fish, and upon entering the tank claimed on of the rock piles as there own and preceeded to dig a large hole under it. Can't wait to get home and watch them some more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted October 29, 2007 Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 Sounds good Are their bodies grey or yellow? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctsniper86 Posted October 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 Grey they look like the one on this site http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_daff.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted October 29, 2007 Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 Sweet was trying to figure out if you had the old pulcher or brichardi.. Does the black mark on the gill plates go straight up and down (old pulcher) or long ways (old brichardi) of course to add to confusion they're both now called pulcher but to me are different fish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctsniper86 Posted October 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 I'll have a look when i get home from work and let you know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctsniper86 Posted October 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 It goes up and down, sort of like a quarter circle the longest straight part vertical and the short part horizontal. Is this good that they are the old fish? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted October 29, 2007 Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 lol sorry I should clarify what I said.. There used to be 2 different fish that were similair but different.. N Pulcher - straight up and down gill marking yellowish body (IMO the nicer looking fish and a little harder to get) N Brichardi - long ways gill marking and a grey coloured body still a very nice fish and pretty common.. Recently scientists concluded that although there are differences inside the fish are the same and the 2 colours are just geographical changes and they are all in fact N Pulcher, I don't think its been changed yet.. It is a good idea to only breed the yellow's with the yellow's and the grey's with the grey's so neither is diluted and they will happily breed with each other.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctsniper86 Posted October 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2007 Ok i see. Keep the strains pure, upon inspection they look like the N Pulcher which is cool. After reading a bit about them they seem like a really cool fish. Quite cool how they form a community. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afrikan Posted October 30, 2007 Report Share Posted October 30, 2007 Have you got any pics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctsniper86 Posted October 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2007 Will try get some up as soon as i find a memory stick for flatmate camera. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afrikan Posted October 30, 2007 Report Share Posted October 30, 2007 That would be great 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted October 30, 2007 Report Share Posted October 30, 2007 Ditto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiden Posted October 30, 2007 Report Share Posted October 30, 2007 It goes up and down, sort of like a quarter circle the longest straight part vertical and the short part horizontal. Is this good that they are the old fish? Sounds like you are describing Brichardi their gill plates look like this )- and the Pulchers are like this )) I'm never gonna call them both Pulchers :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted October 30, 2007 Report Share Posted October 30, 2007 lol yeah I'm struggling to call them both pulcher too.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctsniper86 Posted October 31, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2007 Are there any bottom feeders that i can safely put in with these guys? Also they don't seem interested in floating cichlid pellets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted October 31, 2007 Report Share Posted October 31, 2007 Yeah they wont go upto the top of the tank for food unless they have alot of confident tank mates.. I would try bristlenoses with them, are they a pair? did you get pic's? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctsniper86 Posted October 31, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2007 Not yet, that memory stick is hiding very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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