How to know if shellies have eggs

i have two shellies that have been buddies for ever. so when i woke up this morning the little one was gone. so i was look for it came out of the brown but his buddy is white, and the brown one wont leave the shell it just sits right on top of it. and the shellies i have Lamprologus Brevis.

sounds like the smaller brown one is female, mine turn brown when aggitated or guarding babies, they won't come out of the shell for a long damn time.Be patient and keep watching , you might have little ones

If you see babies ,,, then you can move the shell,,,, mom and babies should retreat to shell when you grab it,,, to a grow out tank, until the babies are free swimming,, then put mom back with dad. and grow the babies until they are no longer bite sized , then sell them or put them in the community tank.

All good advice!

Personally, since they are communal fish, I leave my N. multifasciatus in the same tank.

I started with 7 and now I have well over 20 (And those are just the ones that are not micro-specks) without having to remove them for grow out.

I like the community raising style. Just make sure you do not starve them or they could find the babies a bit more tasty.