Help Me Stock Please!

[onidrase]

It doesn't matter how big the filter is, it's the nitrate. You can't remove nitrate with big filtration. you remove it with water changes. more bioload=more water changes, and less leniency. also keep in mind these guys are sensitive to water perimeter changes, so you can't do a huge water change without potentially hurting them with the temp change or hardness/pH change.

 

[Naringlo]

I'm aware of the nitrogen cycle. I know how to get rid of it all.

But you do make a good point on WC's and parameters, especially pH. I'll definitely keep an eye out for that. Thanks for the tip!

I should explain with my previous post, I meant I've had a heavier stocking before which includes a BN and my water was fine with 20% - 30% water changes weekly. Do you think I should be doing less than this?
Temp isn't a problem. (Y)

 

[Naringlo]

Actually I apologise for not stating this before, the reason I want a BN is to clean the algae at the bottom of the walls where the sand is. My magnetic algae cleaner catches on bits of sand and scratches the glass. And when I put my hand in with a cloth, it scares the fish. Plus I don't want to contaminate the tank. Is there a snail that doesn't multiply on their own? Or would ottos work?

 

[onidrase]

ottos are on the exact opposite range of pH, and are rather finicky. Stop using a magnet cleaner, get a brush. takes me like 2 minutes to clean my 75 gallon with a 4 dollar dish washing brush. It might scare your fish, but it's not going to kill them. I've got keyholes which are much more easily startled than than the fierce dwarf cichlids in tanganyika. Shellies tend to attack your hand sooner than run off cause you're cleaning the tank. an Adult BN would rather lay under a log all day waiting for cucumber than work hard trying to clean algae that's in between the sand and the glass walls. My BN also likes to chase fish away from his territories or feeding patches, which IMO is a lot more stressful to the fish than taking a couple minutes to brush down some algae.

While you got away with doing smaller water changes with higher bioload, this may not have been with tanganyikan cichlids, which come from a huge lake with very steady water perimeters and low nitrate due to the capacity. This lake takes something of 15% of the fresh water in the world if I recall correctly. You want the nitrate levels lower than what the average fish tolerates. While hardy, tropical fish can go upwards of 100 nitrate (though it's good to keep it lower than 80) you want the ntirates in a tanganyikan tank to stay below 30. At most you should change 20% of the water to avoid putting the fish into shock.

Algae is totally harmless and easy to get rid of, and plecos don't eat it forever. They also contribute to nitrate issues which cause algae. The nitrate on the other hand is going to bug your fish, they aren't going to care if the walls and decorations are covered in algae, that's for your own pleasure.

 

[bullit]

Nerite snails cant breed in freshwater.

 

[Naringlo]

Brush on the way! Love plecs but I won't get one. Just happy to have some cool healthy interesting fish.

But I appreciate all the info you've given me, probably one of the most knowledgable posts yet. (Y)

Cheers on the snail info bullit!

 

[webbie]

Naringlo get one male Multi to go with the two famales,the males are quite a bit bigger and easy to tell apart ,if the conditions you give them are suitable they will spawn every few weeks,provide them with plenty of shells for the adults and the fry to hide away in,the Julies if you go for Dickfeldi,good choice,get an established pair M/F if you can ,it wont be easy,I bought my Julies from a breeder and they were an established pair,if you cant get a pair get 5/6 and wait for a pair to form,you may need to return the rest after a pair has formed,and finally I would get a small Calvus can take 3 or 4 years to get to 2" in size,the Multis will defend their fry from the Calvus no probs.

 

[Naringlo]

I don't know if they are females. They may just be small males still growing.

Well I don't plan on keeping any fry though so would 2 M and 4 F be okay in that case? I'll raise them in a nano and then sell the fry. I'll go with the Dickfeldi since its the only Julies my LFS sell at the moment. So I'll get 4 and wait for a pairing because I don't think I have enough rocks for 6. Nor do I have the money. I may get a small Calvus. But after I've got the rest of the fish.

 

[webbie]

2 males might get along fine with 4 females,my 2 males got along for months, except for the odd bit of jaw locking,when out of the blue the one killed the other,now down to one male two females and a load of fry,thats why I say get one male to go with your two females,you wont need to remove the fry to a rearing tank as they will survive well enough as long as you provide them with plenty of shells,trying to take out individual multis is a right pain first signs of a net they dive into their shells and you dont know which shells have fish in,I was going to go for Dickfeldi until a local breeder offered me a pair, m/f,of Regani