300Ltr Tanganyika Journal

[kiriyama]

Well I think I'm gonna stick my head on the chopping block, the more I see that pic. the more I see Brevis, faint bluish markings, stripes, the black blotch and the blue eye shadow, looks nice though, Similis look the exact same as Multifasciatus except the stripes or bars run over the head (stop behind the gills on Multies), does the female shellie look the same as the male ?
Cheers, Sean

Hope I havn't got this all mixed up, if I have then apologies in advance....
The stripey one on the left, was this one of the ones sold as Similis or was he already in the tank ?

 

[Jinkz]

Well I think I'm gonna stick my head on the chopping block, the more I see that pic. the more I see Brevis, faint bluish markings, stripes, the black blotch and the blue eye shadow, looks nice though, Similis look the exact same as Multifasciatus except the stripes or bars run over the head (stop behind the gills on Multies), does the female shellie look the same as the male ?
Cheers, Sean

Hope I havn't got this all mixed up, if I have then apologies in advance....
The stripey one on the left, was this one of the ones sold as Similis or was he already in the tank ?

Here's the thing...when I seen them, I had a look in my mate's encyclopedia and was sure they were brevis also but he assured me they were similis so took his word for it. Now I've just had another look online as well as in a catalog I have and I think you're right, they're brevis. The female does look similar to the male, obviously a lot smaller though but paler also but I'm putting that down to new tank stress....hopefully she'll colour up over the next few days once she's settled in. Love the male though, he's never far from the female's shell. Never tries to get in there with her but just hovers around making sure no-one's bothering here....but man I need to get more shells pronto. Just can't get them here and I'm not sure I trust someone sending them international post from UK to Israel without them getting crushed.

Thanks Sean...appreciate you giving me the benefit of your experience

so what's your stocking up to now ?

Stocking now is
7 x Neolamprologus Brichardi. (Think it's 4 females and 3 males)
2 x Julidochromis dickfeldi (male and female)
2 x Neolamprologus Brevis (Male and Female)

Got any suggestions on a few tank mates who will populate the upper areas of the tank more?

Oh another thing....was thinking today about whether to put a piece of bogwood in there and maybe a couple of plants along the back of the rocks to break up the image of all the rocks....what you think?

 

[bullit]

Yeah its defo a brevis or a calliurus /margara.

 

[kiriyama]

With regards to the wood, a lot of folks will say no as it will leech tannins and lower your pH, I have kept mopani in a tang tank and still had shellies spawn in it. I boiled it out a few times, also kept it in a basin for a few days, hosed it, ran it in the bath, lol, basically just soaked and washed it a lot, never stained the water in the tank.. I think if you have enouh aragonite materials in the tank it doesn't affect the pH to much... saying that though, that is just my opinion, nothing set in stone

 

[Jinkz]

With regards to the wood, a lot of folks will say no as it will leech tannins and lower your pH, I have kept mopani in a tang tank and still had shellies spawn in it. I boiled it out a few times, also kept it in a basin for a few days, hosed it, ran it in the bath, lol, basically just soaked and washed it a lot, never stained the water in the tank.. I think if you have enouh aragonite materials in the tank it doesn't affect the pH to much... saying that though, that is just my opinion, nothing set in stone

The bogwood I had in mind was in the tank for 8 months and was well soaked before it went in there. Doesn't leech tannins either. I know most people frown on wood in a tangs tank but because this tank sits right in the middle of the living room, the missus is nagging me to "brighten it up a bit"

Thinking either bogwood and a few hardy plants or maybe a background. Seen a pretty decent one in my lfs a wee while back...basically like the base of a river with loads of stones and the water above....will make the tank look a lot bigger I think so might get it and bang it on with some sellotape. In saying all that, I need to get a few more inhabitants in the tank, something with different colours to what's already in there. Would love to find some Cyprichromis leptosoma Livua "blue orchid" but not holding out much hope here. There's a place down in the middle of the country I need to get down to one day...seen a few I like in his catalog. Mpulungu, Cyathopharynx Furcifer Ruzib, and Yellow Head Tricolor.

 

[Jinkz]

Was a bit bored so got the camera out...

Julies

 

[Jinkz]

Brevis...sooo cute

 

[Jinkz]

Oh and arranged myself a wee visit to this place for Friday....

One of the biggest exporters of Tangs into EU and UK

 

[kiriyama]

Oh and arranged myself a wee visit to this place for Friday....

One of the biggest exporters of Tangs into EU and UK

Cheers for posting the pics. , I still miss my Julies, loved the way the kind of hovered round the tank and ate upside down catching food falling through the water column
I can see why you're excited, just spent a good while looking through there gallery Some beautiful Tropheus, lovely Cyprichromis etc.
I bet you'll be like a kid in a sweet shop when you get there, and come home with to much

 

[Jinkz]

Oh and arranged myself a wee visit to this place for Friday....

One of the biggest exporters of Tangs into EU and UK

Cheers for posting the pics. , I still miss my Julies, loved the way the kind of hovered round the tank and ate upside down catching food falling through the water column
I can see why you're excited, just spent a good while looking through there gallery Some beautiful Tropheus, lovely Cyprichromis etc.
I bet you'll be like a kid in a sweet shop when you get there, and come home with to much

Haven't told the missus yet...

Will need to really control myself or I'll end up overstocking the #41#### tank but yeah I know I'm just gonna be drooling all over the floor down there

Think I'll sit and make a very small list and try and stick to it.....bet that lasts all of 5 mins tops

 

[Jinkz]

Was having a think today about why only 3 of my Brichardis had somehow managed to grab 80% of the tank as territory. It was weird and although they weren't fighting with any of the other Brichardis they seemed to hold sway over almost all the tank and the other occupants just didn't go anywhere near them. Decided tonight to have a wee re-scape and as I'd been cleaning out my planted 100ltr and my anubias had grown so large I decided to put half of it into the Tangs tank to add a wee splash of colour.

Be glad to know what others think about what I've done...all suggestions welcome

Front right..

Front left..

Looking down into tank from left side..

Another few...closer shots this time.

 

[Jinkz]

Thought I'd give a wee update seeing as I haven't posted in here for a while.

Brichardi fry which hatched last week all seem to be growing a little and are now about the half centimetre size and free swimming as much as mum and dad will allow. They never leave them for any length of time and are always hovering around them making sure no-one else goes anywhere near. Already arranged with a few lfs's around the area to take some of them off my hands in around a month or so...can't be having a tank full of Brichardis

I was toying with the idea of putting something in the tank which would turn the sand over a little without moving it all over the place and decided to go against the Tang grain and put a male and 2 female earth eaters in there (Geophagus steindachneri). Big mistake....brought them home tonight, put them in the tank and within minutes the non-rearing Brichardis were all over them, attacking and nipping them so got them back out and put them into my 100ltr community tank where at least they'll have some peace and quiet. I know I can't keep them there though, they'll get too large so it's only temporary for now till I can get them back to the lfs.

So no more additions till the Brichardi fry are bigger and have been removed and traded. Oh and another downside to having the fry is that my pleco won't go anywhere near the side of the tank where the fry are, so I'm getting a bit of an algae build up..meaning I'd reducing the lighting time and subsequently not enjoying the tank as much

 

[kiriyama]

Algae is easily scraped, if you can't be bothered , chuck a nerite snail or two in there and it will be clear in no time. Sounds like you have been busy and having fun.
I'm still waiting on the 6' tank arriving for the Tropheus, already planning what to do with the 4' tank when it's empty Also planning a small shell dweller tank, will need to sneak that one into the house
Keep the pics. and updates coming, have you got a background on yet ?

 

[Jinkz]

Algae is easily scraped, if you can't be bothered , chuck a nerite snail or two in there and it will be clear in no time. Sounds like you have been busy and having fun.
I'm still waiting on the 6' tank arriving for the Tropheus, already planning what to do with the 4' tank when it's empty Also planning a small shell dweller tank, will need to sneak that one into the house
Keep the pics. and updates coming, have you got a background on yet ?

Still no background on it yet Sean no....still not sure what to go for. Every time I make my mind up I change it again...hopeless

Think black will be too dark, so was thinking of getting some blue craft paper and trying that...or alternately going with this...Seen on fleabay. My LFS has some of that in stock at the mo, but I know I'll have a b**ger of a time getting it on as my tank is close to a wall....still, it's all fun and games right

 

[kiriyama]

Background looks good, would add depth to a tank, don't think plain black works to well on the larger tanks
I have black on a 4' but has dark rocks and substrate, think it makes the tank look smaller, blue on another 4' looks ok but light rocks and light substrate, going for a textured backround in this one anyway
What size are your Julies at now ? Any signs of them getting jiggy yet ?