Shell-Dwellers

[Johnny Tuttle]

I recently picked up a trio of shellies for a 15 g--I was so pleased to have found them that I took them with some reservations about the gender composition.

I have three male Neolamprologus calliurus it turns out. And I've read that an all-male shoal of these can work.

My question is about mixing in another kind of shellies into the tank. I'm disappointed that I won't see breeding behavior, and I won't have an easy time getting ahold of a more appropriate harem for my calliurus. Could I add in some multies if I can find them without issue?

 

[Johnny Tuttle]

No one has any experience or advice on mixing shellies?

 

[JustOneMore20]

I just know that usually its not best to mix shellies unless its a really large tank. Some are just alot more aggressive than others.


But....I don't know anything about the calliurus, so I can't really say if it would be ok to mix them or not.

Sorry!

 

[Johnny Tuttle]

Thanks very much. I think what I will try to do is:

1. Make sure I have enough territories in the 15 so that these three men have sufficient room of their own for a peaceful co-existence. These are beautiful shelll dwellers, for the record.

2. I will actively seek out locals to trade 2 M for 2 F: some one else bought up the group from my LFS, and the LFS is keeping an eye out to ask him for me.

3. I will try to give these guys away to a local with a large Tang. set up that could accommodate these guys (I've seen online 50 g tanks and larger with shellies mixed in with other tang species carefully, and these are beautiful set ups--these calliuruses are 2-4" and they could handle this)--provided I find a more appropriate gender balance for another shellie species. I'd love the multi, but I foolishly listened to my LFS and took their fine gravel instead of just buying their terraium sand as I'd wanted to originally. If I got multis, I'd go with shells three layers deep minimally to prevent their having to dig this find gravel out of them. The jury online is mixed on whether or not multies get hurt digging in the fine gravel.

 

[mike47517]

IMO you should try to get some with about the same temperment. Dont have experience with shellys but it sounds right.

 

[JustOneMore20]

Sounds like a good plan, Johnny. If the tank was larger, I'd say go ahead and try to mix shellies. But being a 15g, I would stick with your plans and maybe later if you give them away or sell them, to look at another type of shellie (like Multies).


I think the layering of shells would work fine with Multies and you'd be able to keep the fine gravel. I have sand and alot of shells and mine don't dig that much. I've seen some digging in the corners of the tank where there are no shells, but alot of the sand is covered and I think that helps in keeping them from digging.