Suggest a third species for a Tanganyika tank

[Sicklid]

I am gonna do a 125 gallon built in a wall in the house this year (like soon). My plan is thus:

1) Big, lumbering Frontosas
2) Lamprologus Leleupi, for a nice color/size contrast to the Fronts, that will live in the rock wall I plan on having.

I would like to know if this is a good match up, for one, and if it is, what would be another good species that would give a third color, and a different shape/size. I am looking at this as an artistic endeavor, sort of, and would like the third fish to complement the other two (if they are even compatible) from a design standpoint, not necessarily a biotope.

Also, would a 125 be large enough for the Frontosas? I would start with around ten juveniles, and pare this down as I see who is the dominant male, etc.

 

[Gillie]

I think the Fronts would eat the Leleupi. Maybe you could consider the larger feather fins or Xenotalapia, possibly Synodontis catfish to compliment a centerpiece like Frontosa.

 

[Sicklid]

I think the Fronts would eat the Leleupi.

Really? I plan on having a TON of hiding spots for everybody, and the Fronts are going to be juveniles when I add them into a tank of adult L. Leleupi.

I am not really big into the cats... How about Cyprichromis Leptosoma?

 

[Gillie]

I was just a bit concerned about the max size of the Fronts compared to the Leleupi. Fronts will be nearly four times their size when fully grown, but If you feel comfortable with the amount of hiding places then there may not be a problem in the end. It's just the thought of all you can eat Leleupi buffet that would make me leary.

 

[Sicklid]

Well, I figure I am going to put in ten juvenile Fronts, and as they mature, I am going to pull them out until I have the ratio of males/females that I want... I know I may lose the errant fish that gets caught sleeping and becomes breakfast when the Fronts reach a size big enough to fit them in their mouths, but for the most part, I figure they are going to be alright in there with all the hiding spots. Plus I plan on feeding them live convict fry from one of my other tanks, that may or may not work as intended (to keep them fat, full and happy)... the more I think about it, the more I think I need a bigger tank anyway. If I am going to do a built in, I may well go for more depth than the 125 offers. I am thinking about a 72" x 24" x 24", whatever gallon amount that works out to be. I am not sold on the Lamprologus anyway, I may want something bigger in a tank that size. That why I'm asking this question here!

 

[Gillie]

A 72'x24"x24" is roughly 150 gal which should be plenty of room for a few Fronts and a few others. The Cyprichomis may work if they are the jumbo variety, I would use moonlights just in case but the Cyps are most likey too quick for the Fronts to catch. If fed kind of sparingly the Convict fry would be a great snack.

 

[Voodoo Chilli]

You may be okay with some of the rock-dwelling species, but I'd be REALLY hesitant to put anything "bite size" into a front tank. And cyps are are a frontosa diet staple in the wild-- they WILL be eaten.

I'd really looking into larger, not too aggressive Tang species for front tankmates.

 

[Gillie]

Featherfins like Benthochromis and Cyathopharynx may be your only options for Front tankmates as they reach 9-10 inches which should be large enough not to be eaten.

 

[Reefmonkey]

Neolamprologus pulcher - daffodil. I have one in a 55 with a big, lumbering Frontosia, who doesn't bother him or the other smaller fish like my L. calvus, at all.

 

[Reefmonkey]

Neolamprologus pulcher - daffodil. I have one in a 55 with a big, lumbering Frontosia, who doesn't bother him or the other smaller fish like my L. calvus, at all.

Whoa, I just reread and realized how many Frontosias you will be having. The odds would be against any smaller fish.

Wouldn't you rather stock it with a variety of fish, including maybe one frontosia?

 

[Sicklid]

I would be removing fronts from the original 10 or so as time goes on... I can't repeat enough that the original 10 will be quite small, and I will be selectively pulling some out as I see who becomes dominant, etc... eventually get it down to 1-2 males w/ 5 females or something like that, once I see what works. Is 5 or 6 fronts too large for a 125?

I would not want one frontosa, my goal is to see the groups social interaction including dithers (for which those awesome "daffodils" would suit me fine!) If I stock that tank with a variety of fish, what am I gonna do when the MT Syndrome hits hard? As it is, this will be my third tank out of a planned five:

1) 2.5 gal planted w/ betta on my desk (got that)
1) 12 gal planted w/ apistos in the kitchen (cycling now)
1) 55 gal Victorian Cichlid tank w/ rock work & jungle vals in the office (got that)
1) 125 gal built-in the wall behind the wet-bar frontosa/neo tank, heavy on the rock work (coming soon)
1) 300 gal built-in the living room visible from 2 sides with huge central americans like syn. viejas, midas, etc. with just river rock bottom and a black background (coming in 2008)

Luckily I am single, and I don't have a wife/girlfriend to enrage. But, I may never be able to go on vacation anywhere with all the work to do on weekends... pruning, water changing, re-planting, you know the drill!

 

[Stephen]

If you really want to go with some lamprologines, I'd suggest you stick to some that grow larger than leleupis. How about Neolamprologus tetracanthus? They grow to a good size (around 7" to 8"), and aren't that aggressive as long as there are some hiding places. Some other Lepidolamprologus grow as big as frontosas, but they're highly aggressive so I don't think that's a good idea.

Cyprichromis is very expensive fish food for fronts...

 

[Sicklid]

Cyprichromis is very expensive fish food for fronts...

Ha! Thanks for the advice, I've gotten the message here! I really am liking the Daffodils. Are they not going to work either?

 

[Gillie]

Do you have any Apistos in mind?

Your missing all of the fun by not having a wife or girlfriend, I am constantly adding to my collections and failing to fight off MTS, judging by most of my wife's reactions this part of the hobby should be an extreme sport .

 

[Sicklid]

HA. I hear ya... my ex would come home to me in the living room up to my armpit in the tank rearranging something and she would just roll her eyes... until she still saw me there two hours later and would begin to scream.

I have kept M. Ramirezi in the past, both blue and gold and loved them... they are why I bought my R/O setup. I got them to spawn, but they died within a year, and I never set up the tank again. I don't know what is out there, the exotic species of apistos are hard to come by around here.

 

[Stephen]

Cyprichromis is very expensive fish food for fronts...

Ha! Thanks for the advice, I've gotten the message here! I really am liking the Daffodils. Are they not going to work either?

I doubt that the Daffodils would work, since they max out to what would be considered bite-size for an adult frontosa. Mind you, I'm not basing this on experience here, since I haven't tried doing this.

If you really want to try, you may want to try it out with the regular brichardi and then swap them out for Daffodils if and when things turn out okay. They're cheaper, and I'm telling you, the brichardi is the African equivalent of the Convict cichlid: Rabbits in water (or should I say, liquid rock in the case of the brichardi).

 

[Stephen]

EDIT: Double post. :?