Tanganyikan Set Up

[Penfold77]

Hi guys,

I am wanting to set up a Lake Tanganyikan Tank to replica the natural environment as much as possible. I have a 3ft tank which I have set up with weekend, preparing the water etc. Can anyone tell me what exactly will make up the surroundings?? I have looked at alot of websites but I can't get an even balance of what rocks to use?? Do I use round rocks with a smooth surface or rougher rock, slate and barnicle rock? Also should wood be used in this set up?

I have researched the plants, I am ok with those.

Any help would be appreciated

 

[KittyKat]

Have you tried to have a look for underwater videos taken in the lake? I have seen some good ones in the past.

Overall, my impression is that the rocks are generally large and smooth, with cichlids being able to dive into the area where the rocks join, to hide from predators. This obviously might not be very practical in the aquarium, but I have had good success with Malawis when using large (6-12 inch) granite rocks.

I was at the Berlin Zoo Aquarium a couple of days ago and they used granite boulders, non-holey reef bones and volcanic rock, which gave the fry good cover. I mention them because at least the South American biotopes were more accurate than any others I have seen in a public aquarium before and all fish were in excellent condition.

 

[kiriyama]

Hi, just as before, I have seen yorkstone used, very authentic looking, also cotswald, even yhough lighter and sandier looking is really natural when it eventually gets covered in algae, most fot use tuffa, holey rock or ocean rock to buffer the pH although I doubt any of this has seen an ocean, i recently found some nice natural dark coloured rock at an aggregate yard, the guy advised me against it saying it had to high a lime content, ??? It really depends what fish you are wanting to stock, for instance if youre stocking paracyps (blue neon) the look best against or under overhangs of dark slate, if you can get chunky n=bits of slate they can be stacked quite nice also...... hope this helps a bit,,, at the end of the day it's about what you like

Just out of curiosity what are you thinking about stocking ?

 

[Penfold77]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for your help.

I am reading up on it at the moment. I'm not sure whether to go for more of a quiter tank and just keep a pair of fairy and shell dwellers or do a more varied busier tank? Not sure how exactly to go about it was going to ask local aquatic store when purchasing fish about this. I have some what they call coral rock and barnicle rock as I have previously kept malawi but didn't know whether this was true to Tanganyikan or not?? I will have a look at underwater videos like you suggested that seems a good idea.

thanks

 

[kiriyama]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for your help.

I am reading up on it at the moment. I'm not sure whether to go for more of a quiter tank and just keep a pair of fairy and shell dwellers or do a more varied busier tank? Not sure how exactly to go about it was going to ask local aquatic store when purchasing fish about this. I have some what they call coral rock and barnicle rock as I have previously kept malawi but didn't know whether this was true to Tanganyikan or not?? I will have a look at underwater videos like you suggested that seems a good idea.

thanks

Just my two cents but I wouldn't advise Brichardi in with shell dwellers, I added one with my Multies and it really gave them a hard time, also if they breed they will quickly take over the tank in no time, have a look over in the african section of the forum, there's a few posts on Tanganyikan on there, may help you out with your stocking ideas

 

[rob158]

to the forum,

 

[Carlovel1]

Welcome to the forum

 

[Penfold77]

Thanks for all the welcomes and thank you for your help Kiriyama. I am just about getting used to how this site is set out. I didn't realise there were different sections to the forum. I have had a look in the africian section. Thank you for your advice about Brichardi. I have kept a pair before but with Malawi (with the advice from my LFS??) Whether this was wrong or not? They held their own

but I can see where you are coming from if they were to be kept in their own environment. I am thinking about a good mix of tanganyikans now making it more of a species tank rather than just a few pairs. Would it be possible to keep Brichardi in these conditions??

 

[kiriyama]

Thanks for all the welcomes and thank you for your help Kiriyama. I am just about getting used to how this site is set out. I didn't realise there were different sections to the forum. I have had a look in the africian section. Thank you for your advice about Brichardi. I have kept a pair before but with Malawi (with the advice from my LFS??) Whether this was wrong or not? They held their own

but I can see where you are coming from if they were to be kept in their own environment. I am thinking about a good mix of tanganyikans now making it more of a species tank rather than just a few pairs. Would it be possible to keep Brichardi in these conditions??

The Fairy cichlids do fine with Malawi as do Leleupi, if you had a pair and they bred they raise the different genarations of young, older fry will raise younger fry, don't know how big a tank you would need for this kind if set up though

 

[Skins]

Hello and welcome to the forum

Keith.

 

[woody88]

Hi all! Sorry to hijack this thread, but I saw rock selection and thought I would jump in. I've currently got 35kg of Malawi/ocean rock [large and small pieces] with natural thru holes and caves.

I originally brought it as I was starting a malawi cichlid setup but decided to jump into marine instead.

If anyone interested please check out my post in the classifeids section ''35kg ocean/malawi rock for sale''. I uploaded a couple of pics of it also along with the 2 main center pieces.

Once again sorry for jumping in!

 

[bullit]

The ocean rock isnt true to any of the lakes, hence (ocean). The natural look would be river stones and sand. Then maybe some valis. The local landscape centre might help you out or the other way is go down to a stream and fetch them. They obviously would need cleaning. If you wanted to keep brichardi id keep them to their own tank, or choose a couple of other species for a 3ft tank.

 

[woody88]

The ocean rock isnt true to any of the lakes, hence (ocean). The natural look would be river stones and sand. Then maybe some valis. The local landscape centre might help you out or the other way is go down to a stream and fetch them. They obviously would need cleaning. If you wanted to keep brichardi id keep them to their own tank, or choose a couple of other species for a 3ft tank.

Worth a try! I just thought this particular type of rock was the norm as I have seen loads of Cichlid setups and they all seem to go for this rock which is why I bought it in the first place ( can't beat a bit of cured live rock) shame it's for marine setups only.

 

[bullit]

I know woody thats what i thought as i did want to go that route, but after mooching over lots of pics/videos i ended up choosing the cobbles for the natural look. I think a lot of people go for ocean rock because they like the look of it. just personal preference bud.

 

[kiriyama]

The ocean rock isnt true to any of the lakes, hence (ocean).

I don't think it's seen an ocean either
I bunged some lava rock in the tank, looks ok, I'm sure the guy just brought ot home from holiday in Lanzarote or somewhere
Will probably change when I see "the right rocks"