Josh's Frogs Brevis Shelldweller - Neolamprologus brevis (Tank Raised) Live Fish

*Fish pictured are just examples of what you might get. Colors and patterns vary. The actual fish you get will be Josh's Frogs' choice, dependent on availability. Name: Neolamprologus brevis, also known as the Brevis Shelldweller. “Brevis” is latin for short and likely refers to this fish’s compact form, as it is among the smallest cichlid species on the planet. Recommended Enclosure Size: Minimum aquarium size for a pair of Brevis shelldweller is a 10 gallon. Groups or multiple pairs can be housed in aquariums 40 gallons or larger. They can also be housed with other Lake Tanganyika cichlids, such as Cyprichromis, Callochromis, Julidochromis, etc. in a larger community. Always provide empty snail shells for the fish to take refuge in. Temperature: Brevis shelldwellers are a tropical species, preferring warmer temps. The suitable range for them is 75-82 degrees fahrenheit. A heater is required to keep them healthy. pH/Hardness: Being a rift lake cichlid, Brevis require a high pH and hard/alkaline water. Acceptable pH range is 7.5-9.0, however between 8.0-9.0 is ideal. Buffers can be added to achieve this pH and/or a crushed coral substrate can help (the fish also appreciate interacting with crushed coral). Size: At the time of sale, you will be getting a juvenile animal which is 05.-0.75.” Brevis are considered a dwarf cichlid and do not get much bigger than 2.4.” Males are larger than females by almost an inch! Age: At the time of purchase, this animal will be at least 3 months old. Brevis can live for 5 years or more given proper care. Feeding: Brevis thrive on a primarily carnivorous diet of frozen bloodworms, daphnia, brine shrimp, cichlid pellets and nutritious flakes. Their fry appreciate live baby brine and microworms as well. Color/Pattern: Brevis are a relatively drab fish color-wise. They are a dull grey/brown with some slight gold on the cheeks and belly. They do have a striking purple stripe under their eyes. The hints of purple and gold on this fish can be appreciated most when they are mature. Social Behavior: Brevis are territorial, but mostly for the immediate area surrounding the shell they’ve chosen to breed in/occupy. Brevis can be kept in colonies, but can also just be kept as pairs. You will want to give them as many shells as possible (at least 2-3 per fish) on a sandy substrate, where the fish can choose their preferred shells and dig the substrate to their liking. You want to start with fewer males and more females.

Dwarf species Interesting Shell Dwelling behavior Hardy and easy to care for