New 12 gallon tank......need some ideas.

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Gulp

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Dec 31, 2004
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Location
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I know there are 100 "what should I put in my tank" threads, but I still want to get some ideas.....

I bought a 12 gallon Eclipse tank for my office and I am stumped about what to stock it with. This will be the first "small" tank I have had in 15 years. I've had nothing less than 55 gallons in the past, and my current home tank is 110 gallons. I've become spoiled with the larger "interesting" fish.

I was thinking about putting a couple of Kribs in the tank as I am in love with cichlids (what I have in my 110 gallon). But........the more I read about them I see they should be in nothing less than 20 gallons to be really healthy. So.......any other ideas?

I don't really want any of the staple fish that most "beginners" put in the tanks (neons, glass fish, tiger barbs, etc.). Nothing wrong with them.....I just want a few fish with "personality". :D I plan on stacking some slate in the back of the tank to make several open caves, and would like to have fish that would actively use the caves (swim through them, hide, etc.).

I walked through a petsmart today just trying to get some ideas and nothing jumped out at me (other than cichlids that would be too big for the 12 gallons of cours.e.... :lol: ). Just trying to brainstorm a bit and see if someone knows of a good fish I haven't thought about yet.

Thanks in advance. :D
 
Menagerie said:
You need shellies!!! http://www.cichlidrecipe.com/shellweb/shell_intro.htm
You can look in my gallery for pics of mine :D
Click to expand...

That is exactly what I was looking for! :D :D Now I have to find a LFS that stocks them, or get them to order me some. I need to get the tank up and running before I add them anyway, so I have time. Do you mix sand and crushed coral for the substrate or is it better to just go with sand? My only concern is keeping the high PH levels and I'd like to use some natural buffers instead of having to add chemicals all the time.

Also, how many should I have in the 12 gallon tank? I don't want to overcrowd of course. :D

You just made my day because those little guys sound like the perfect match for what I was looking for. I've had my nose in Malawi books (This is why, my tank at home: ) and haven't even looked at Tanganyika species......I didn't even know about the shellies. Thanks again!

EDIT: I guess I should have read all the pages of the link you gave, most of my questions are being answered there. :D
 
I agree completely that shellies would be just the ticket for you. I like to use escargot shells that they sell in gourmet grocery stores, as they seem the perfect size and shape. Good luck!
 
I get dead FW snails from the LFS and boil them. They work great!
Do you mix sand and crushed coral for the substrate or is it better to just go with sand?
Click to expand...
If you want to keep pH higher, add the crushed coral to the filter. I slit my cartfidge and dumped out the charcoal and added the coral. The shellies will want to move the sand around and they may not be able to fit the coral in their mouths.
Also, how many should I have in the 12 gallon tank?
Click to expand...
It depends on what shellie you choose. I bought 4 Multies for a 10 gal, but I would not keep that many ocellatus in a 10.
 
I'm leaning towards the ocellatus....so I guess I should stick with two. I'm just worried I'll get stuck with two males or something. Should I just buy 5 or 6 and let them pair up, then trade the "left-overs" (or move them to another tank in my house)? I'd like to make sure I had one male and one female.
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Definitely get about 6 of them. You will hopefully be able to get a pair or a male and a harem. I think it will be obvious to you once they sort things out, but just make sure with the LFS that you can return the extras. Ocellatus are the feisty ones! :D
 
I've called every LFS/petsmart/petco around me and no one sells shellies. :( Most of the places haven't even heard of an ocellatus.... There is one LFS that said he could order them for me but it might take a few weeks for them to come in. I guess I will just do that.
huh.gif
 
My Ocellatus are nasty! Great behaviors, but nasty to each other. The males are bigger and bulkier. You may be better off special ordering them from an on-line retailer who knows what they are doing. Then you may get a male and female pair. If you get a few and allow them to pair off, will the LFS take them off your hands, if they do not regularly carry them?
 
Menagerie said:
My Ocellatus are nasty! Great behaviors, but nasty to each other. The males are bigger and bulkier. You may be better off special ordering them from an on-line retailer who knows what they are doing. Then you may get a male and female pair. If you get a few and allow them to pair off, will the LFS take them off your hands, if they do not regularly carry them?
Click to expand...

I'd like to order them online....but I'm not too thrilled about paying $40-80 just in shipping (the prices I am finding). None of the LFSs regularly carry them, but they are pretty good about taking trade-ins. If I get more than I need from the LFS and separate them after they pair off.....and the LFS won't take them back (or trade them in for supply costs), my wife has been thinking of starting an aquarium in her classroom. (She teaches 8th grade science). Yeah......I'd have to buy another tank, but I'd rather do that than spend all that money on shipping from an online breeder.
Decisions, decisions... :D
 
A tank in the classroom is a good thing. I know the shipping is crazy, but with the weight of the water, the packing, and the fact the fishmust be sent overnight....
Have you looked on any of the online fish auction sites?
 
Menagerie said:
I know the shipping is crazy, but with the weight of the water, the packing, and the fact the fishmust be sent overnight....
Click to expand...

I can see why it's so expensive, but the idea of paying $9 for a fish, and $80 to get it to the house is a little "shocking" to the system. 8O



Menagerie said:
Have you looked on any of the online fish auction sites?
Click to expand...

Not yet. Do you have a link to a good one?
 
Well........now my LFS has me thinking about 'Lamprologus' leleupi. They have those in stock and will be getting more next week. They looked interesting......and the guy there said their good breeders (he even said, "you could make some money if you breed them". :D ) I like the fact that they are cave dwellers AND will hang out in shells. Any opinions on these guys?

I'm at the office finishing up the aquarium right now. I put a few small pieces of lace rock and used some white/black fine grain aragonite mix substrate. I kept the rocks small so there would be as much open area as possible to place shells......but if I end up going with the leloupi I'm going to stack the lace rock as high as it will go. :D
 
Ehh... After reading about them a bit, I think the shell dwellers would be better for a 12 gallon tank. I'd rather have small fish than "large" (leleupi get up to 4").
huh.gif
 
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