Suggestions please

[muleskinner]

I don't know if this is the right place for this thread. Sorry in advance if it is not. I've just begun the fishless cycling process on a 56gal collumn that is set up as a Tanganyikan biotope. I plan on keeping some of the smaller cichlids from the lake such as the brichardi, ocellatus, and cyprichromis leptosoma. Of course these selections aren't set in stone, but they're the fish I'm interested in most. Sooooo my question is; are there any scavenger fish or catfish that are native to Tanganyika and would be appropriate for this set up? Who's gonna' clean up the place?

 

[DizzCat]

I have to warn you, if you really want brichardi, you will need to make that all you have in there or prepare to divide the tank with a divider when they spawn. Brichardi are fierce protectors of fry. They also work as a group. If one pair spawns, all others in the tank will take over guard duty. So, say you have 6, 2 stay close to the nest and 4 will keep all your other fish in one corner. Even the one month old fry will protect and care for the next clutch of fry! Seriously fascinating behavior, but deadly in a community type tank.

You could always put a divider in later to keep the Brichardi separate from the others when (not if) they spawn. I finally gave up my pair because they attacked anything I tried to put in the tank immediately, and this is when they were 2" and had not even spawned yet! I have seen huge cichlid tanks in my lfs, with big fish in it and 2 small 3" Brichardi keeping all the other huge 6" fish in one corner!!

They are absolutely beautiful fish tho. Just wanted to pass that on to help you in deciding. I don't know Tang fish, just those, so don't know what cleaner fish would work.

 

[muleskinner]

Thanks Dizzcat. I had heard that Brichardi were aggressive, but thought maybe it was being blown out of proportion. Your advice makes it a concensus. Brichardi are out.

I really want to keep the Cypris to fill out the top of the tank, but I'm struggling to figure out which couple of species to combine in the bottom, and what kind of cleaners I could use.

 

[TankGirl]

I don't think you are going to find a "cleaner" fish for a Tang setup, since there is nothing like that coming from that lake.

My feeling about "cleanup crew" type fish is this: if you have excess food lying around on the bottom then you are overfeeding, and if you leave it alone it will add to your bioload in the form of waste. If you DO get catfish of some type to clean up the excess food, they produce waste too and add to your bioload just the same. It works out to be the same difference and there is not much real benefit to your aquarium having them there.

If you like catfish, keep catfish and feed them according to their needs, etc., but I personally don't keep them for "cleaning up."

This does not apply to algae on glass and rocks, for which I rely on Ancistrus species (bristlenose cats) as they stay small-ish and get along in most setups, African cichlid setups included. They are NOT part of the biotope, of course, but you will not find an algae eater for your glass and decor that comes from the rift lakes.

I love the idea of the shelldwellers, which will stay on the bottom and in the sand, and you might want to consider paracyps instead, unless you have experience with cyps. This size tank would be great for paracyps, and they like to school. I think it will be lovely, them and the shellies for the bottom. Get the shellies some escargot shells and they will be very entertaining.

 

[muleskinner]

So I think I'm on to something. Today I found Eretmodus Cyanostictus. An algae eating cichlid from Lake Tanganyika. They only gets 3" long, do well in pairs, and are biparental mouthbrooders who prefer rocky, sandy bottoms. Sounds perfect for my set up. Anyone have experience with this fish?

 

[TankGirl]

You'll need lots of current, and strong lighting to encourage algae, with lots of rocks. Nice little fish. They will stay towards the top.

If you can find them, they'd be an interesting fish to keep. I'd be sure the tank was established and you had a good crop of algae growing before introducing them.

 

[toddnbecka]

A 56 column tank isn't suitable for Cyp's, even the smaller species need more swimming space. Synodontis petricola or lucipinnis would be good scavengers, preferably a group of 5.

 

[TankGirl]

I did not even notice the part about the tank being a column! Too true.