Nanochromis Splendens

[fishguy1978]

New type in the Fish Room, Nanochromis Splendens. As @sir_keith suggested I moved them into a 29g with a couple rocks and crypts. The other inhabitants are some cherry shrimp and a couple harlequin rasboras. There will be 5 rasboras eventually but the others weren't cooperative.
Tank is low light and decent flow with an HOB and a sponge filter.
These are sourced from a local breeder through Martin Henry's. I traded 9 N. Multies for a pair!
Max Size: 3"

pH: 5.0-7.0

Hardness: Moderate

Temperature: 72-82°

Aggressiveness: Semi-Aggressive

Region of Origin: West Africa

 

[sir_keith]

Nice! You definitely have a male and a female, and they seem to be a nice size, so I wouldn't be surprised if pair bonding rituals started pretty soon. How many of these were available at Martin Henry's (whatever that is)?

FYI, Wet Spot has WC specimens available for $25 each, but frankly, I'd prefer TR for this species. Good luck!

 

[fishguy1978]

Nice! You definitely have a male and a female, and they seem to be a nice size, so I wouldn't be surprised if pair bonding rituals started pretty soon. How many of these were available at Martin Henry's (whatever that is)?

FYI, Wet Spot has WC specimens available for $25 each, but frankly, I'd prefer TR for this species. Good luck!

Martin Henry's is a small ma and pa type pet store in Lakewood. They had over a dozen available.

 

[sir_keith]

Martin Henry's is a small ma and pa type pet store in Lakewood. They had over a dozen available.

For how much?

 

[fishguy1978]

For how much?

I'm not sure since I traded directly.
8013 Steilacoom Blvd SW suite B, Lakewood, WA 98498
(253) 503-1868

 

[fishguy1978]

I get $3.50-$5 each for my multies so $15-$20 each for the nanochromis?

 

[Betty]

Nice find -- pretty little fish!

 

[lloyd378]

Sweet looking fish

 

[fishguy1978]

I am finding very little information on these guys. They are a cave spawner and the female's ovipositor is always down. Looking at the position of their mouth makes them definite bottom feeders.
These 2 have staked out the center of the tank between the rocks. The female is very active and has swam up to the glass to peer out. Fed them live black worms this afternoon.
I think that replacing the gravel with sand will make a better substrate for them too.

 

[sir_keith]

...I think that replacing the gravel with sand will make a better substrate for them...

Yes, definitely. Nanochromis like to dig. You also need to make lots of caves.

N. splendens have only been in the hobby for a few years, but they handle much like N. parilus and/or N. transvestitus, and there are many articles out there about these species.

https://fishgeekgirl.weebly.com/blog/keeping-and-breeding-cichlids-of-the-genus-nanochromis

 

[fishguy1978]

Yes, definitely. Nanochromis like to dig. You also need to make lots of caves.

N. splendens have only been in the hobby for a few years, but they handle much like N. parilus and/or N. transvestitus, and there are many articles out there about these species.

https://fishgeekgirl.weebly.com/blog/keeping-and-breeding-cichlids-of-the-genus-nanochromis

Thanks Keith. Tank refurb scheduled for the weekend.

 

[DMD123]

They are pretty 'cute' little fish. Reminds me of the little buffalo head cichlids or a small type goby.

 

[sir_keith]

They are pretty 'cute' little fish. Reminds me of the little buffalo head cichlids or a small type goby.

They are 'cute,' but they are also challenging and have complex and interesting behaviours. I had several different Nanochromis species back when I had some soft-water tanks, and really enjoyed them; not to mention that my N. transvestitus fry paid all the fish room bills! I never had N. splendens, however, because they had not yet entered the hobby.

 

[fishguy1978]

I haven't changed out the gravel yet as I was waiting to get the bulkheads I needed but this has not kept the female from creating a cave under the largest of the rocks. I was feeding the tank when she came pocking out from underneath.

 

[fishguy1978]

This rock sits on a piece of egg crate from which I removed a ~1in x 2in space. I made sure to remove some sand from directly in front of this space before introducing the nanochromis back into the tank. This is not visible from the viewing side as I intentionally placed rocks to provide some privacy.

 

[sir_keith]

This rock sits on a piece of egg crate from which I removed a ~1in x 2in space. I made sure to remove some sand from directly in front of this space before introducing the nanochromis back into the tank. This is not visible from the viewing side as I intentionally placed rocks to provide some privacy.View attachment 8952

Nice! She looks happy. For me this is the part of the hobby that I really like: trying to give your fishes an environment in which they can thrive.

 

[fishguy1978]

I replaced one female with 2 but I have moved the smallest one out. The male is as big as my ring finger. The female I left in is small but she has been dancing for him.

 

[fishguy1978]

The little female I moved. Super tempted to get another male.

 

[sir_keith]

The little female I moved. Super tempted to get another male.
View attachment 10062

Do it. You seem to have a good relationship with the shop that carries these; I'd get as many of them as you can while you can. Nanochromis tend to come and go on the market, and if you're one of the few sources in town, you're golden. They are also sensitive fishes, so losses are inevitable, and having just a pair (or two) is risky.

 

[fishguy1978]

I have 3 nanochromis in 3 different tanks now. The male would not let the female acclimate to the tank they were in.