New Shell Dweller Tank

[KribFreak]

Can I use a used fifty five gallon tank for shell dwellers? Would I be able to use play sand and hermit crab and escargot shells? Would I be able to put labs or frontosa cichlids in there too? I was planning on putting some multies in there.

 

[yhbae]

Can I use a used fifty five gallon tank for shell dwellers? Would I be able to use play sand and hermit crab and escargot shells? Would I be able to put labs or frontosa cichlids in there too? I was planning on putting some multies in there.

You can definitely keep multies in that tank, but I doubt you can keep Frontosa there.

Yellow Lab will probably do ok as they are one of the most peaceful mbuna, although you are imxing two lake species together.

Why don't you look into mixing only the lake Tangs? You could try multies with one of the Julidochromis and/or Calvus. Lelepi could be ok as well, but I read horror stories about keeping Bricardi with other species...

Another species you should look into is one of the Synodontis species - look for either multipunctatus or petrocola. You will need at least 3 of them.

 

[Snowie]

Not sure what play sand is, but any fine clean sand should be okay. And yes you can use those shells, 2-3 per shelldweller is recommended but you can never have too many.

Frontosa is a BIG NO, they get huge and will need a bigger tank. Plus they would probably eat your shellies.

I don't have any experience with mixing Malawi and Tanganyika so I can't give you any advice on that. A pair of Julidochromis, Calvus or Lelepi might work better.

 

[Ron]

I've read where differant species from differant lakes are mixed in 1 tank, most common is a Tang/Malawi mixed tank. I'm not sure how Shellies would reack to other fish, I think you would see them in their prime with no other fish in the tank. Also, don't keep Multis and Similis together as they look the same and sometimes they spwan with eachother, causing hybrids. Play sand is perfectly fine, that's what I use. Also, you can sometimes frind some Turbo Snail Shells are your LFS. Multis is a great species of Shellie. HTH

 

[GiantSquid]

Yeah, me too. I'm in the process of cycling a 55 G for shell dwellers.

I plan on having three different types of shell dwellers in this tank -
5 Brevis
5 Multies
5 Pearly ocellatus

Does anyone have thoughts about having these three together ?

 

[Snowie]

Yeah, me too. I'm in the process of cycling a 55 G for shell dwellers.

I plan on having three different types of shell dwellers in this tank -
5 Brevis
5 Multies
5 Pearly ocellatus

Does anyone have thoughts about having these three together ?

Yes. Maybe im a pessimist or very carefull but all of those fishies will be competing for the same territiory/habitat.

From what I've heard pearly ocellatus arent as aggressive and "tough" as other shellies so they might get picked on and even killed.

But ask Ron he seems to know a lot on this subject.

 

[semper fi]

tangs and malawis should not be mixed. tangs prefer a harder water than malawians. you can mix victorians with malawis taking into consideration the aggression level.

fronts get way too big for a 55. they are a larger fish and a deep water fish. require tanks with more swimming room than a 55 will provide. you could grow out fronts in a 55, as long as you are able to provide an adequate environment in the future for them.

 

[Dragonscales]

My gf and I are interested in getting a few shell dwellers and from everything I've read so far, you shouldn't really mix ones that are closely related as they interbreed, causing problems with keeping pure bloodlines. In short, noone would want to buy them from you. I am interested in getting a few Lamprologus ocellatus, I am unsure if they would mix with a couple of Aulonocara hansbaenschi, anybody kept these two together in the same tank before? Or know if they would mix ok?

 

[Ron]

GiantSquid,
Snowie is right, ocellatus get much bigger than Multis and are a lot more aggressive. Don't put those guys in there. I wouldn't get more than 2 differant species in 1 tank. Snowie, Playsand is sand that you find in sand boxes for kids. Play sand works great, I use it.