Shell Dweller Tang Setup and stocking advice needed

[natpo]

Hi All,

I recently had a heater go on the fritz in my 55g mbuna/peacock tank. It was a bummer to lose most of my fish, but I know that now would be the time to "try something different" if I was going to anytime soon. I only have 1 peacock and a pictus catfish left, and I am considering trading them to take the tank in a new direction.

*** I am rather fascinated by shelldwellers, and I am hoping that some of you more experienced Tang keepers could give me a hand. Here are my big questions/concerns:

1. What would you recommend to fill the open water of my 55g? I want some color as the shellies might not bring enough of that!

2. Shelldwellers are fascinating, but a tank full of shells often looks messy. Does anyone have some good advice for a good aquascape/rockwork/planting that gives a nice clean look in a shelldweller tank?

3. What would you recommend for a schooling Tanganyikan species?

4. Will the shell dwellers propagate well if there are other Tang species in the tank?


Thanks so much in advance! This site has really been helpful.

-Nate

 

[Fishkeeper26]

I keep mine in a species only 15 gallon. I have Lamprologus brevis, and they breed a decent amount. You can look in my album for ideas on rock scaping!

 

[natpo]

I'm considering a school of Lamprologus Leleupi “Orange” with a Neolamprologus multifasciatus colony.

or....

Neolamprologus multifasciatus with a school of some cyprichromis species.


What are your thoughts?

 

[toddnbecka]

Leleupi are nasty buggers, difficult to pair off and maintain. Make sure the female has a cave she can fit into, but the male can't.
Cyp's really should have at least a 75, though the smaller species might work in a 55. Preacox rainbows are also an option for a schooling species, they adapt well to the hard, alkaline water. Sailfin mollies are very colorful, and also thrive in the same water conditions. You would want something to eat molly fry though, otherwise they'll overcrowd the tank over time.

 

[natpo]

Toddnbecka,

Thanks for the reply. What do you think of paracyprochromis? They are a little smaller. I'm considering just two species in the tank [the multifasciatus and a midwater tang]

 

[toddnbecka]

Paracyp's are somewhere between a Cyp and a rockdweller like Julies. If they're comfortable they'll hang out in the open water, females in particular, but they like to have rock nearby too. I used flat pieces of shale standing against the back when I kept them, and a couple of resin ornaments that were particularly suited to their preference for rocks/caves off the bottom of the tank.

They prefer the flat, slightly sloped rocks for spawning. Females lay one egg, the male fertilizes it as it rolls down the rock face, then the female picks it up and lays another.
Most of the midwater Tang's that come to mind are members of the brichardi complex or similar in behavior. The colonial species will take over the whole tank sooner or later. One thing you could do to prevent that is to add a plagiostoma spiney eel to the tank. They're egg eaters, and someone on a cichlid forum several years ago posted that his eel had cleaned out a leleupi spawn in spite of the best efforts of the irate parents. Ate every last egg and wasn't even scratched. Besides that, they're just cool fish IMO. Here's a couple pics of the pair I kept in a 29 for several years:
Female w/paracyp juvie growing out:

Male:

 

[natpo]

The eel is a good suggestion, but I don't mind if I have nothing to keep numbers in check. I have a LFS that won't mind taking the extras off my hands periodically [and some friends ]. I actually just found a lady on craigslist who has some Multis for me pretty cheap, and I will be starting my shelldweller tang tank this weekend.

Do any of you have experience with keeping multiple shelldwelling species in one tank? All compatibility sheets seem to say that it is ill advised, but it seems like distinct territories could be set up in a 55g tank. What do you think?

 

[toddnbecka]

A 55 really isn't big enough for more than 2 species of subatrate spawners, and shelldwellers are really in direct competition. Better to mix them with a rockdweller like J. transcriptus or Paracyp's.