A Bunch Of ?'s About Shell Dwellers

[looksrshady]

What would be best suited in a ten gallon tank,these are some of the fish i like...

Neolamprologus similis
Lamprologus stappersi/meleagris
Lamprologus ornatipinnis
Lamprologus signatus
Lamprologus multifasciatus

Is it best to do species only or can i mix some of them?
I just want a show tank...Im not looking to breed so which would be best for me and how many?
Which have the best coloration and personality?
Should i switch to crushed coral or sand or can i keep my gravel?
I know they need shells, would i be able to add any live plants to the mix?
What do they eat and what temp is best?
What ph should they be kept at?

Tnx...

 

[WaterBender1995]

1st my signature explains my point of view

2nd shell dwellers are best in colonies so THERE WILL be breeding.

you need to rethink it IMO

 

[stang1]

You could have a pair of shelldwellers in a 10g but once they start breeding, you will eventually have to rehome some of them.

Is it best to do species only or can i mix some of them? You should only keep one species of shelldweller as they are very territorial.

I just want a show tank...Im not looking to breed so which would be best for me and how many? With most of them, you are likely to have breeding so shelldwellers may not be for you.

Which have the best coloration and personality? I personally love the Multis but it is down to personal preference.

Should i switch to crushed coral or sand or can i keep my gravel? Sand is definitely a lot better as most shelldwellers like to rearrange it to suit their own needs. My Multis were always scooping up sand so the bottom of the tank showed.

I know they need shells, would i be able to add any live plants to the mix? Make sure you have at least 2-3 shells per fish. Some people do add plants but I never did because of the constant digging. I did add a few pieces of Tufa rock to help bring the PH up as they like a PH of about 8.

What do they eat and what temp is best? I kept mine at a temp of about 25C and fed them flake, pellets and frozen foods.

What ph should they be kept at? About 8.5.

 

[looksrshady]

Thanks for the replies i really dont mind if they breed ill just have
to speak to some stores to see if they will take them off my hands.

Is there any species that will take "care" of the fry for me so to speak or minimize them?

I was leaning towards Multis how many would be good for a 10 gallon 3?>1M/2F?

 

[stang1]

Multis are the ones that I kept and they are fascinating little fish. You could try one male to two females but the chances are that they will pair off and you'll end up with a lonely female. If this does happen, then you could take her back to the lfs.
Multis are great at taking care of their fry whilst they are young but mine were breeding every 4-6 weeks and producing up to 18 fry at a time. Once the first batch got older, they were bullied out by both of the parents.
Have a look at this link to get a better idea:

Multis