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Post by firthy13 on Jan 12, 2011 18:08:26 GMT 11
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Post by Admin on May 24, 2011 1:04:20 GMT 11
Neolamprologus caudopunctatus The forgotten Shell Dweller.
My fascination with these little silver torpedoes from the Zambian coast presented itself about 8 years ago when my father brought over a handful of 1cm fry. I lost them through a heater malfunction several months later just as they began to spawn but not before their beauty and character had made a lasting impression on me.
I finally tracked some more down in late 2010 and bought around 40 fry, the start of my large breeding colony. They grew quickly reaching 25mm in around 3 months and proceeded to pair off. I house 8 pairs in a standard 3ft tank I think 6 would be better or even 2 pairs in a standard 2 ft tank but I am limited as space allows.
These fish have some of the most peculiar behaviours of any of the shell dwelling cichlids of lake tang I have kept. In the tank they use open water for the majority of their lives but will dive quickly to the substrate if they feel threatened. They are not afraid to leave the sanctuary of their shells and use all the available swimming space.
Courting and spawning is conducted in and around large shells. The male, signified by an orange stripe on the trailing edge of the tail , will select a shell and actively chase and court his desired female. The male firstly builds what I like to call the veranda to do all his courting on. He builds a small mound at the front of the shell about 25mm above the surrounding substrate. He makes an arch with his body and displays some vertical black banding signifying his readiness to breed. The female will circle the male and the shell and finally, when she is wooed and barring also will investigate inside the shell.
Spawning takes place secretly inside the shell and 20-60 eggs are laid. I have noticed a preference to spawn early morning. Once the spawn is completed both fish proceed to bury the shell entrance, sometimes completely covering the whole shell in a mound of sand. For this reason I believe a sand substrate is a must for this species. I assume this behaviour stems from its will to protect its eggs from predation.
At around the 7-10 day mark and about 24-48 hours before the fry are free swimming the parents re-open the shell entrance. They seem to instantly know when to do this releasing the spawn to their new watery world. One of the most interesting behaviours I have witnessed is that once I have siphoned the fry off and left stragglers the mother, never the father picks up the fry and return them to the shell not unlike many American cichlids do with their fry balls. This is the only species of shellys I have observed do this.
I know these fish are technically not classed as a shell dwelling species but in captivity they have such a relationship with shells that for the purposes of this article I have referred to them as such.
Article written by Dean Rounsley - NSW Cichlid Circular Vol 43 May 2011
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Post by phanomas on Jun 22, 2011 19:51:38 GMT 11
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Post by kiara on Jun 22, 2011 19:55:03 GMT 11
these are nice little fish. how big do they grow?
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Post by firthy13 on Jun 22, 2011 21:01:00 GMT 11
male will get no bigger then 9 cm females about 6cm.
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Post by kiara on Jun 22, 2011 21:02:01 GMT 11
awk nice little fish i would love to get some but have no idea about americans or shell dweellers or anything so i would more then likely fail at it
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Post by firthy13 on Jun 22, 2011 21:09:04 GMT 11
they are a more difficult species to care for compare to mbuna. i would definitely master the basic malawi's before moving on to more expensive fish.
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Post by kiara on Jun 23, 2011 7:53:46 GMT 11
iv done a little bit with discus in the past and some other harder kinds of fish but just started with malawi cichlids but in the future i would love to give these little fellas a go
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Post by greeny on Jun 23, 2011 13:59:21 GMT 11
Those pics posted by Phanomas are fantastic. Did you take those pics? any secrets?
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Post by phanomas on Jun 23, 2011 19:38:53 GMT 11
whats some advice on the fry Dean or Firthy maybe or anyone who knows? The fry have been free swimming for a bout a week and a half now and parents seem to be looking after them well, but i have bit of a feeling this may change shortly, any advice on when to remove the fry to a grow out tank. @ greeny, i borrowed a friends camera, its a cannon SLR, i took the shots not really knowing what I'm doing and impressed with how they have come out, its all in the camera, I'm planning to borrow the camera again over the week end and actually read the instructions and see what happens. Unfortunately the camera should take more the credit than me
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Post by Admin on Jun 23, 2011 19:48:03 GMT 11
remove the fry at around 10mm or a month and a half whichever comes first. Teh parents probebly wont spawn again untill the fry are gone. I have found the fry quite delicate untill that size.
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Post by rowie on Jun 24, 2011 7:40:52 GMT 11
I had a pair of these in a 2 ft cube and they never ate there fry There actually really good parents
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Post by craig on Jun 24, 2011 10:03:54 GMT 11
If anyone is interested in males I have 2. Bought them as a pair but it turned out as 2 males.
Free for anyone who wants them.
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Post by neilmar on Jun 24, 2011 15:15:25 GMT 11
hi altec
i would love to get these guys of you,
im finally talked my wife around on letting me set up a shell dwellers tank, and what else can i put with them?
and do you still have the multis?
cheers neil
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Post by Admin on Jun 24, 2011 15:51:53 GMT 11
I will have females coming along soon or i always have sub adults from 2-3cms.
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