Pseudocrenilabrus nicholsi

[Left C]

I just got a threesome of Pseudocrenilabrus nicholsi. I have one male and two females. They're small (up to 3½" for the males and ~1" shorter for the females) west African dwarf cichlids that are a mouth brooder. The males are very colorful but they can be...uh....well, like a cichlid. They're the boss. They like planted tanks. So far, these are a very fascinating dwarf cichlid for me. Have you guys had any experience with them?

http://badmanstropicalfish.com/cichl..._nicholsi.html
http://www.gcca.net/fom/Pseudocrenilabrus_nicholsi.htm
http://www.african-cichlid.com/nicholsi.htm

A funny classic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueBF1emO5pc

 

[Lisachromis]

I have a pair in a 20g. I also have some young growing up. The male is pretty hard on the lone female. He's forever out displaying. I just wish I could take a pic that does him justice.

 

[eranu]

They look really nice.

 

[retro_gk]

I've found both P. multicolor and P. nicholsi to be rather hard on each other, although they are wimps when it comes to other fish. Make sure the females have room to get away from the male if required.

I never got my nicholsi to spawn but the multicolor more than made up for it with HUGE broods (60-80 fry per mouthful).

 

[Lisachromis]

They are fairly prolific as well, but seem to need some pretty small food when they are young.

 

[k98]

where is the pict?

 

[Left C]

The threesome of Pseudocrenilabrus nicholsi are in a heavily planted tank with a pH of 6.4. One of the females has been holding a mouthful of eggs for a little over a week now and the other younger female just started carrying eggs.

The information that I have found about them is a little variable about how long that it takes for the eggs to hatch and the parental care they provide.

This is what I've found out. It takes about 10 days for the eggs to hatch and when they do, the mother watches over them. If the fry become scared, they rush back into the mother's mouth and are packed in there like a can of sardines. I haven't found out the male's role in rearing the young.

Am I basically correct and does anyone have any added information?

Thanks!

Left C

 

[utoxin]

Look! It's Left C from Plant Geek! (Sorry. Saw the name, and was suprised.)

 

[Mike Wise]

Once the females are holding eggs, the male has no other function - other than harassing the females until they sometimes lose the eggs. I'd suggest that you remove the male, unless they are in a very large aquarium with many hiding places.

 

[Left C]

Once the females are holding eggs, the male has no other function - other than harassing the females until they sometimes lose the eggs. I'd suggest that you remove the male, unless they are in a very large aquarium with many hiding places.

Thanks Mike

The tank is very heavily planted with many hiding places. The male is not harassing the females like he was earlier. He looks at them but he rarely chases them now. The females have found some very good hiding places that he is just a little bit too big to fit into. If things get worse, I'll move him as you suggested.

Again, thanks Mike.

 

[Left C]

Look! It's Left C from Plant Geek! (Sorry. Saw the name, and was suprised.)

Yep, it's me.

Do you remember Ernest T. Bass on The Andy Griffith Show? He'd say: "It's me, it's me, it's Ernest T!":wink:

Ernest T Bass Courts Charlene
http://youtube.com/watch?v=MJUmIuc1X5s

 

[Zack Wilson]

I've pretty similar experiences to others. I prefer to keep mine in a harem set up just to keep the females from getting harassed. I have two males in seperate tanks with about 8-10 females to keep them busy. In this situation I rarely notice any aggression issues and there are often multiple females holding. I usually seperate the holding females after about a week so they can let the fry out in peace. From there I put the female back. They don't seem to be too picky about water params and I've had them spawn in a pH from 6.5/7 to 8.2. I have to say that when it comes to just plain gaudy, blaring beauty they are one of the tops in my opinion. It is hard to get a picture to do them justice, but I've always been captivated by them.

 

[eranu]

I have two multicolor males, I think. I had them both together but the larger fish harrased the smaller one until I had to separate. On reintroduction they almost immediately began the same behaviour, which I thought was courtship but possibly male-male display. They go to the bottom and spin together slowly, picking at each others sides. Could they be juvenile male and female or does this sound like male display?

Every shop I go in and ask for females thay all say 'we haven't seen any of these for years'.

I have a photo of the larger fish:

 

[Mike Wise]

Haplochromine males, like your Pseudocrenilabrus are exceptionally hard on females if there is only one. It is best to have 3 - 5 females per male - spread the abuse.

 

[LeviathanGirl]

I'd really like to get ahold of either multi or nicholsi if anyone has them available.

 

[dhm325]

Someone has Multicolor up for sale on Aquabid.

 

[Lisachromis]

I have some young nicholsi for grabs (possibly - remember I am in Canada!). I suspect most are males though.

 

[Gillie]

I tell ya you would better off getting them from someone here they go quick. I just sold 40 juvies to a friend of mine to sell at his store and they were gone in less than a week. Now he is waiting quite impatiently for more.:biggrin: