29gal Shell-Dweller Colony

[Demeter32]

Set up the old cichlid fry tank and turned it into a home for Neolamprologus multifasciatus aka the multi banded cichlid! I've been looking for these bad boys for at least a year. Finally found some and they were not cheap. I bought 5 for 15$ a piece, so 75$ for approx. 4 inches of fish... Let's hope they all survive and start breeding.

I wasn't sure I would be able to find these guys so I had to buy sand today and ended up replacing the pea gravel while they were getting temperature acclimated. Play sand is a wonderful thing, 4$ a bag whereas the petstore would have me paying 20$+ for a smaller bag. The 12 shells were ones I've held onto for a while, I'll be collecting some in the near future too. Right now there's a new dumbo female betta in the basket, thought I'd quarantine her there along with the multis. There's also about 30 OB peacock fry swimming with the shellies, they seem to be more brave with the fry around.

 

[IHaveADogToo]

Hey another shell dweller tank!

I've got 6 of these guys in a 10 gallon and they've already started breeding. You definitely want to give them more shells, though. Think 4 or 5 shells per fish. They will utilize them. However, I will say, with 6 of these in a 10 gallon tank, they don't use the entire tank. Once the fry grow that might change, but right now they only utilize 2/3 of the tank.

I like that you didn't put a bunch of plants in. The native habitat for these guys is literally just shells and sand.

Is your long term goal to make this 29 gallon a dedicated shell dweller tank? Or do you intend to keep the peacocks in there as they mature? Obviously the betta shouldn't stay in this tank permanently.

As long as you provide enough shells and keep them well fed, they will breed for you. These things are so prolific, they're like the guppies of the African cichlid world.

 

[Demeter32]

@IHaveADogToo
Do you remember how much you paid for your shellies?
I do plan on keeping this just shell dweller, the fry are only in there till they grow out a bit, or until I move them to another tank. I played with the idea of adding some top dwelling species but couldn't think of any that would enjoy a barren tank and not go after the future fry. I probably won't bother much with plants, perhaps an anubias here or there and that's it. Will definitely be getting more shells.

So far they stick to the shells or close to them. I'm curious to see how they decide to "redecorate" their homes. They're eating flake foods pretty readily but when I added some canned cyclops not one of them would eat it, they just kept spitting it back out. Even the fry wouldn't eat them. Guess I'll be trying brine shrimp next, it never fails.

 

[IHaveADogToo]

I think I paid $17 per fish. Give or take. They weren't cheap.

If you want more action in the top of the water column, I would say add some vertical hardscape elements, like some tall porous rock. Yes, these guys prefer shells to retreat to, but they will also retreat behind rocks or into the pores of really porous rocks. They don't stray far from hiding places, so you need to put some hiding places in the top of the tank if you want them to hang out up there. They'll feel a lot more comfortable exploring the top of the tank that way. There's a YouTuber called Tazawa's Tanks that has a shell dweller community and he used a 3D background and the fish do utilize it and occupy the entire water column.

It did take several weeks for my multies to really become comfortable in their tank. And they are still super skiddish and will retreat and hide if I even turn my head to look at the tank, let alone approach it.

 

[Demeter32]

I'd have to buy more tall rocks in that case,I doubt I'll be able to fine suitable rock in my area, but I might try looking around.

These guys aren't very skittish at all, in fact the peacock fry seem to act as dither fish. Everyone comes up to the glass when I lift my hand, just like my adult Africans

 

[Demeter32]

Collected a good 20-some shells at my Grandparent's house. They live on a small lake that has massive snails, the shells from dead snail are always being washed to shore. It took a good while and a lot of scrubbing, shaking and blasting water inside the shells to remove all the gunk that collected within them. I soaked them in salty water for good measure.

The fish are busy remodeling their homes. I believe I ended up with 3 males and 2 females. One male in particular has been lip locking and starting fights. He's the smallest of the 3 and his tail was a little nipped but with the addition of more shells things seem to of calmed down. I dare say the peacock fry, which are supposed to be OB but their uniform stripes make be think otherwise, are starting to catch up in size to the shellies.

 

[IHaveADogToo]

That's great that you got more shells! They will definitely use them. With these guys the males are certainly more dominant and aggressive than the females. And the males will lip lock and fight with each other. If it gets to be too bad, you might have to separate one of the males from the group. You should have more females than males, ideally, like with guppies. But if any of them breed, after a few months that problem should be solved as the fry will have matured. And once you have a large enough population of them, how many of each sex you have won't matter so much. But they do indeed fight over females and the right to breed. As well as over territory.

 

[Demeter32]

This is the area where most the action takes place.

 

[Demeter32]

No spawning behavior from the multis but the males have stopped fighting I used a piece of wood to section off a handful of shells and that seems to be where the lesser male resides. The one shell at the top beside the wood is where the second in command male seems to live. He dug a pit all around that shell.

They're eating most things I offer, and what they don't eat the peacock fry do. Micro worms, baby brine shrimp, brine shrimp flakes, algae wafers (for the handful of BN fry I threw in) and daphnia. I want babies but it will take a while longer I think. The two females aren't looking very plump as of yet.

While working at the pet store I was checking up on all the fish. Walked past the Neolamprologus brichardi tank (only had 2 young fish left) and notice a small cloud of fry. The 2 had paired up and spawned so I slapped a "Not for sale" sticker on so they can care for the fry. I decided to grab a net full of the fry and see about raising some at home. They just ate their first meal with me, micro worms and BBS. I think there's either 9 or 10.

If these little fry do well I may release them into this tank and let them grow up. Seeing as both species are from the same lake I might keep them together with an area of rock work for the brichardi and then the area of shells. May not work out though, we'll see. If not then I can always set up another tank

 

[Demeter32]

Got myself a new light for the dresser holding the 29 and 20gal. It's a 4ft LED shop light. I haven't hung it up yet, I think I'll ask my dad for help with that. Besides, I believe the dresser and tanks will be moved across the room soon anyways.

The shellies have yet to breed as far as I can see but the two little females seem to of grown to some extent. The little OB fry were picked through and some were culled (fed to the other Africans). There's also a new OB juvenile I picked up from the same pet store the shellies came from. It got bullied by the multis but now it's got more courage. The colors on this boy are to die for. I'll toss him in with the big boys when he's grown a bit.

 

[Demeter32]

Some changes have been made to the tank and the stocking. I moved that little OB to the 55gal and he's doing fine. I also moved one male multis into the 20gal with the pleco fry because there was too much fighting. Things are much calmer now. Still need to move the young male betta, but that will have to wait.

Because I have such a decent light, I couldn't not throw some plants in to see how they do. The jungle val is fairing the best so far.

I spotted a single fry, just one, darting among the shells. Mom and dad are very good at guarding this pit.

 

[Demeter32]

Plants are growing in and I had to redecorate a bit as one of the lesser male multis was trying to invade the happy couple's pit. There's a second groups of shells behind the wood now. I moved the betta and put the loner male multi in the basket. He and one other male will likely be going back to the pet store.

I like that you didn't put a bunch of plants in. The native habitat for these guys is literally just shells and sand.

Yeah I added plants I couldn't not give them a try. Nothing fancy, just jungle val, rotala, crypts and anubias. I may end up just pulling all the other plants and keeping just the val for a background.

There are two little fry now. No other fish dare get near the nursery.