Tanganyikan Cichlids

[CAC]

Hi, i was just wonderin weather i could stock Tanganyikans in my tank? its a rio 125 (32 UK Gallons).
these are the shelldwellers i could get/choose from:
Neolamprologus Occelatus Gold
Neolamprologus Caudopunctatus
Neolamprologus Brevis Sunspot
Neolamprologus Multifasciatus
Neolamprologus Crassus (marunguensis)
Neolamprologus Simillis

and then some larger ones:
Altolamprologus Calvas Black
Altolamprologus Compressorceps
Cyprichromis leptosoma
Julidochromis regani

Could any of those work?

Mikey

 

[fish_r_great]

Any of the shellies would work. A trio or foursome of CAlvus would work or some Julidochromis would work in a tank that size too.
I've never kept Cyprochromis before but they would probably do better in a 55 US Gallon.
Comps are a little too aggressive.

JMO
-Brad

 

[CAC]

What about the smaller Neolamprologus species?
The guy who i can get them of says he could also get me:
Lamprologus Hequi aswell

Mikey

 

[B.D.S]

hope this helps, At the moment i have 2 black calvus,2 j.transcriptus,1 n.brichardi(did you spill his pint!!)and 2 s.petricola in a 35 gall cube (so sweet!) the tanks been running 6 months and all get along fine apart from the brichardi, who can be known to kick off against the cats but now there's two he tends to lose more often!

while i'm here anyone know where i can get more DECENT tangs in the suffolk/essex/norfolk area?

 

[Xebadir]

I wont profess to being an expert in shelldwellers however I have done much reading and research with advice from very xped shelldweller keepers:

Avoid Hecqui like the plague, they are very fincky and VERY agressive.

Really you have a couple of options at least on the shelldweller front:
1. If you want alotta shells, and many many fish in that size tank: go Neo. Multifaciatus, they densely populate: start with a colony of 6 or 8 and put a big number of shells in, add maybe some dither fish and let the party start.

2. Go with a Occelatus or Brevis colony. In this size tank again 6 would be the number(remember territory factors, 15-20 cm around their shell is usually about right. Remeber that this area is for pairs. Brevis will commonly share a shell or two closeby, you wont need very many shells, try to supply 2-3 per pair, a largish(for two fish) and two smaller incase there is a domestic . Some rockery around trying to to disture the territory system to much is not at bad idea.

3. Caudopunctatus would be interesting again similar colonies, they dont purely live in shells but rather breed in them.

Keep in mind that these fish can be quite agressive, and so other bottomdwelling tanganikans or catfishes may have territorial disputes: and trust me the shellies will win. Another variation might be a singular pair of shellies, then some other cichlids: either bottom dwelling or middle layer. Dont forget to change your layout to suite this.

Hope this helps.

 

[Snowie]

I would go wih a bunch of Neolamprologus Simillis or multis. Small and live in colonies not very agressive towards each other. They need plenty of shells though but wont compete with cichlids that are rock dwelling for space.

I keep about 7 simlis and 2 Julidochromis regani (pair). The regani spend pretty much all their time around the rocks so they dont bother the shelldwellers. Try to create two piles of rocks (as tall ass possible) in each corner, scatter some rocks around the tank and put in a lot of shells. The regani will claim one of the rock piles leaving the rest of the tank to the shellies.