Got Fry?

When I was looking to get started with African cichlids from Lake Tanganyika, one of the most recommended species by other hobbyists was Neolamprologus brichardi, the so-called “Princess of Burundi”, so I got six juveniles and placed them in a 50 gallon specie tank. Based on my recent experiences, I’d say that this specie is a really good choice for anyone interested in keeping Tanganyikan cichlids.

Last October, around 4 months after I actually purchased them, I noticed that two of the six I originally got had paired up and spawned. Being a beginner, I decided not to remove the fry and just tried to feed them with some crushed pellets. Unsurprisingly, for the lack of effort, I ended up with four survivors.

While the four remaining Neolamprologus brichardi fry housed in a 50 gallon specie tank with 6 adults have yet to reach half an inch, their parents apparently decided it was about time to increase their numbers again. As of early this morning, I counted around 15 miniscule free swimming fry. I just hope more survive from this second spawn compared to the first. This is the first cichlid specie I’ve had that bred in the aquarium, and, from the looks of it, I have a lot more spawns to look forward to.