Brochis...

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 07 Jan 2005, 15:44

I'm thinking of trying to get some Brochis sp. for my new tank. It's currently maturing, so I'm not planning to get them for another little while, but thought I'd ask about some more info...

The tank is a RIO400, 400 liter, 150x50x60 cm or 60"x20"x24" (length x width x height). Temp about 25-26'C.

Current occupants of the tank are 6 rosy barbs.

Future occupants, not yet fixed and open to suggestions (sorry for the purists, I'm going to mix different regions):
- Satanoperca Jurupari or similar.
- Pimelodus Pictus
- Kissing Gourami (Helastoma Temincki (sp?))
- L14, Sunshine Pleco
- Perhaps a more algae-oriented pleco (bristlenose, perhaps)

1. It seems like any of the three species described in the Cat-eLog are pretty much the same behaviour, temprament and compatibility, so choosing between them will probably be just a question of "which one is easiest to get". Is this a fair statement? [Having said that, the Splendens variety seems better suited to the temperature of the tank and the other tank-mates].

2. I haven't really seen them in my local fish-shops, are they reasonably easy to get hold of? What sort of price can I expect to pay? (rough guide would be sufficient).

3. Any thoughts of the compatibility with the above tankmates?

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Mats

Post by **corybreed** » 07 Jan 2005, 18:19

Mats,

Brochis splendens is the easiest of the 3 Brochis species to acquire. Brochis britski is seldom available, multiradiatus comes in more frequently. Brochis splendens is the only species of the three that is commercially bred. It is very interesting that splendens fry look nothing like the adults. In the states some of the shops sell them as green hump-back corys. The fry have a tremendous dorsal fin. Brochis splendens will do well in your tank and maybe you can even breed them. I have kept multiradiatus a number on times over the years with very little success. Although an impressive fish mine seem to always break down over time. I do not know anyone who has bred either multiradiatus or britski.

Mark

PlecoCrazy · Post by **PlecoCrazy** » 08 Jan 2005, 03:21

Corybreed,

What size tank where you trying to breed in?

Post by **corybreed** » 08 Jan 2005, 04:03

I kept the multiradiatus in both a 30 and 55 gallon tank. I never saw any breeding activity.

Mark

Alan_au · Post by **Alan_au** » 08 Jan 2005, 14:04

I spent years trying to spawn B britski. I was sure I had 3 males and two females, but no matter what I tried, they never looked like breeding in the conditions I provided.

Haveing other ideas for the 300 liters of water they were occupying,I finally gave them away in disgust to a mate who plonked them in a "Malawi" tank and the blasted things spawned right off.

That is not the liquid concrete water you would want for the the other species you intend for your tank so my suggestion is B splendins. Not as big as the other two species of brochis, but I have never kept multiradiatus (the price here is over the moon, if and when they are available)

Alan

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 10 Jan 2005, 10:23

Thanks for the input.

I'll go see if the LFS can get me some B. Splendens then...

I was laughing out loud to Allan_Au's "Liguid concrete", it's very funny [to my weird sense of humour anyways]... Of course, we've got pretty hard tap-water (although not quite liquid concrete).

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Mats

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 10 Jan 2005, 17:43

Just one further question:
Any thoughts of what size group I should have? Is 3 sufficiently large that they don't feel lonely, or should I get say 5 or 6?

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Mats

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 12 Jan 2005, 11:42

Yesterday, I asked the LFS to bring 5 of them in for me. They are priced at 5.95 each (about $10-12 US), which is a little bit more than the mail-order company asks, but with 5 fish, it's not worth the extra shipping cost. [And I like my LFS to stay in business, which I hope to help sustain by buying from them. In the end it's worth more than a couple of pounds to have the local shop there when you desperately need something "today"].

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Mats

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 17 Jan 2005, 18:01

Just to complete this thread. I've now got 5 Brochis Splendens in my tank, with the previous occupants.

After two days, they seem pretty happy, swimming actively all over the place, rustling around for edibles in the gravel (2-3mm round "Dorset" gravel).

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Mats

Post by **corybreed** » 18 Jan 2005, 02:53

Mats

Best of luck with your splendens. They should do very well in your tank.

Mark