Brichardi (Neolamprologus brichardi)

Common Name:

Brichardi.

Other Name:

Princess of Burundi, Fairy Cichlid.

Scientific Name:

Neolamprologus brichardi.

Family:

Cichlidae.

Class:

African.

Distribution:

Rocky outcroppings of Lake Tanganyika.

Size:

Approx 4 inches.

Diet:

Zooplankton in the wild; in captivity, they'll take a lot of prepared foods, along with Daphnia ssp. water fleas and brine shrimp.

Water Temperature:

80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 Celsius).

Water Chemistry:

They should live in water that is both low in nitrogenous wastes and very hard (12 to 14 kH).

pH:

8-9.

Lifespan:

8-10 years.

Description:

It is hard to give a uniform description of the "Princess of Burundi" because there are so many different morphs! They look like laterally compressed torpedoes with every fin elongated, somewhat streamlined and with accentuated by pronounced fin tips. They are generally a very delicately muted bronze in color with miniature spots of red throughout. The same coloration appears in a translucent state on the webbing of the fins as well as in the normal state on the spines of the fins. They often have colourful facial masks, which extend from the mouth to the ocular region.

Behaviour:

Behaviour Brichardis are very peaceful cichlids! Despite that, they are not as shy as many of the other Tanganyikan cichlids. While most of their behaviours are indescribable in a short profile, the Brichardi participates in a fascinating array of intraspecific rituals. Multiple generations of fry may be protected by their parents and their older siblings.

Sexing:

They do not have obvious morphological differences though some state that the males have longer fin extensions than their female counterparts.

Breeding:

They are egg layers and will defend their laying sites with reckless abandon. They love to spawn in caves and shells (though they aren't truly shell-dwellers). Experienced parents may have spawns with almost 100 fry.

Natural Conditions

Rocky areas to depths of 50 feet.

Minimum recommended tank size:

15 gallons.

Miscellaneous:

These are undeniably the most popular of the east African lake cichlids because of their parental care, peacefulness, boldness, readiness to breed and beauty.

They used to be in the genus Lamprologus.

Photo Credit:

Photos 1 & 2 supplied courtesy and ^©Rick Clark.
Photos 3 & 4 supplied courtesy and ^©littlemousling.