Neolamprologus Multifasciatus Tank

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superpeytonm

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Feb 22, 2015
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252
Location
Kentucky
I've been planning a tank for these guys since about late November last year and it's finally starting to come together.

I'm going to have 6 fish in a 10 gallon with 36 shells and ten pounds of CaribSea Aragonite substrate to help raise my pH to 8.0

Soon, I'm picking up my filter (not exactly sure what kind yet, but we'll see) and a heater. I'll keep the tank around 79-80. I've found plenty of pre-programmed heaters that stay at "78+2F," but I'd prefer an adjustable one.

Will a pre-set heater be fine, or should I try to get an adjustable one?

I originally planned to have some rocks in the tank as well, but it'd be a while before I'd be able to get some, so I've scratched that idea, at least for now.

My ultimate goal is to have a breeding colony, so I'm planning on starting a brine shrimp culture as well, but we'll see on that.
 
Every pre-set heater I've bought has died in less than a year. I've had 3 die this year. Avoid that crap like the plague, as cheap as it is.

Having a multi colony at all is essentially having a breeding colony, although some people have had some trouble... Mine spawned within a month of getting them and spawn frequently- I have 3 spawns right now in a 20 gallon. BBS is problematic to feed them though. To get it to the fry you have to eyedropper it to them, but that scares them into their shells. By the time they come out the brine shrimp are moving toward the light as they instinctively tend to do. I've switched to microworms for multi fry food as these sink and survive better in freshwater.
 
Every pre-set heater I've bought has died in less than a year. I've had 3 die this year. Avoid that crap like the plague, as cheap as it is.

Having a multi colony at all is essentially having a breeding colony, although some people have had some trouble... Mine spawned within a month of getting them and spawn frequently- I have 3 spawns right now in a 20 gallon. BBS is problematic to feed them though. To get it to the fry you have to eyedropper it to them, but that scares them into their shells. By the time they come out the brine shrimp are moving toward the light as they instinctively tend to do. I've switched to microworms for multi fry food as these sink and survive better in freshwater.


I'll look into microworms and stay away fro, pre-set heaters then.

Thank you for the help!
 
I'll look into microworms and stay away fro, pre-set heaters then.

Thank you for the help!

Microworms can also be cultured indefinitely unlike brine shrimp where you need to purchase eggs. They actually smell pleasant and are easy and cheap to get started with (container, yeast, oatmeal, and starter culture) Only real downside is they're less nutritious but multis grow SLOOOOOOW anyway.
 
Will fry getting sucked into the filter intake be a problem? Because I'd prefer to keep the fry safe
 
If you keep the filter away from the bottom it shouldn't be an issue. The fry will stay close the shells where they were spawned
 
You have an almost exact setup that I have. I have lava rock and I have 4 generations living waiting to get to sellable size. Warning: They grow extremely slow. I've had my first generation for close to 7-8 months and their almost ready to sell


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
 
It's been a while since I've posted here, but I'm back.

Today I picked up a 100w Aqueon adjustable heater (I couldn't find a 50w), a hood with two 25w bulbs, a Quietflow 20 filter, and a digital thermometer.

I started setting it up and it looks great so far (pictures to come when it isn't so cloudy due to sand, but that's going away already). I tested the parameters to see where I stood before I started cycling and it reads as follows:
Ammonia- 0 ppm
Nitrite- 0 ppm
Nitrate- 0 ppm
pH- 8.4

I test with Api Master Test Kit.
But I was wondering, is a pH of 8.4 too high? I know pH isn't super important as long as it's consistent, but I just like to do things right.

I took one of the two cartridges from my established 75g and put in the new filter to get a jump-start on my cycle.

The only question I have is about the escargot shells. I noticed some didn't sink like the others. What should I do to fix this?
 
I think that multis like the higher pH and harder water, so you should be fine IMO. For the shells, there is most likely just air trapped inside, so tilting them and turning them around underwater should get the air out of the spiral.
 
Today I'm reading:
Ammonia- .5 ppm
Nitrite- .25 ppm
Nitrate- 5.0 ppm

Here's a picture of the tank:
ImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1454971286.218142.jpg

Edit: I forgot to mention that the shells did have air in them and once I got that out they sunk. Thanks for the help!
 
Looking good!


Fishobsessed7

Money Can't Buy Happiness, But It Can Buy Fish Which Is Pretty Much The Same Thing
 
Day 4-

Had quite a bit of an ammonia spike compared to yesterday.

Ammonia- 4.0 ppm
Nitrite- 0 ppm
Nitrate- 5 ppm
 
Today:

Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: .25ppm
Nitrate: 40ppm

Since nitrates have risen quite a bit, I plan to do a water change tonight to bring them back down. But now we have no ammonia and very little nitrites.
 
Following...

I have a 20 gallon waiting for 8 Multis next month. Already have the escargot shells.
 
The tank is finally cycled!
I've got fish that shipped out yesterday and should be here soon.
 
Yay!


Fishobsessed7

Money Can't Buy Happiness, But It Can Buy Fish Which Is Pretty Much The Same Thing
 
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