36 bow front tanganyika setup?

[erikmoseley]

Hi all! I'm toying w the idea of switching my other tank to a tanganyikan setup. My lfs has anything I could want in terms of Africans and am curious what I could do for a tanganyika biotope? Any suggestions? Here it is now just a boring community tank that had rams that didn't work out. I'd obviously add lots of rock. I like the shell dweller thing but they're 20 a pop at the store. Throw some ideas at me! Could Julie's or brichardi or leulupi work?

 

[erikmoseley]

Hi all! I'm toying w the idea of switching my other tank to a tanganyikan setup. My lfs has anything I could want in terms of Africans and am curious what I could do for a tanganyika biotope? Any suggestions? Here it is now just a boring community tank that had rams that didn't work out. I'd obviously add lots of rock. I like the shell dweller thing but they're 20 a pop at the store. Throw some ideas at me! Could Julie's or brichardi or leulupi work?

Here it is sorry

 

[jwh0818]

Well, order your shellys online! I'm turning my 20g long into a shelly tank ( neolamprologus multifasciatus) and those are by far the easiest from what I've read. I'm not sure where you live so I can't offer a website to order from

 

[erikmoseley]

Well, order your shellys online! I'm turning my 20g long into a shelly tank ( neolamprologus multifasciatus) and those are by far the easiest from what I've read. I'm not sure where you live so I can't offer a website to order from

M in Boston so lotsa places won't ship here till weather warms up plus I'm scared to do that I never have! Plus I'm impatient so wouldn't wanna wait-I'd end up paying the store price if I want to go that route! Lol

 

[jwh0818]

M in Boston so lotsa places won't ship here till weather warms up plus I'm scared to do that I never have! Plus I'm impatient so wouldn't wanna wait-I'd end up paying the store price if I want to go that route! Lol

Well online they are 8.99 a piece where I'm gonna get mine. Shipping is overnight with heatpacks and they are F1s

Edit. He is out of F1s but has other shell dwellers. Here is his website. He is a great guy and very reasonable

http://www.davesfish.com/

 

[fishyfriends3]

I'd recommend thinking of the tank in three parts. From the left you want a rock pile in that third in the centre third a shell area with vallis and the right third a rock pile. I'd stock with two pairs of rock dwellers julies and altos work well with shellies. Instead of multis I'd recommend neolamprologus brevis they a bit bigger and can handle the julies and altos.

here's my attempt :-

Sent from my GT-I9195 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[erikmoseley]

I'd recommend thinking of the tank in three parts. From the left you want a rock pile in that third in the centre third a shell area with vallis and the right third a rock pile. I'd stock with two pairs of rock dwellers julies and altos work well with shellies. Instead of multis I'd recommend neolamprologus brevis they a bit bigger and can handle the julies and altos.

here's my attempt :-

Sent from my GT-I9195 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

That's awesome! What size tank is it?

 

[Freakgecko91]

I'd recommend thinking of the tank in three parts. From the left you want a rock pile in that third in the centre third a shell area with vallis and the right third a rock pile. I'd stock with two pairs of rock dwellers julies and altos work well with shellies. Instead of multis I'd recommend neolamprologus brevis they a bit bigger and can handle the julies and altos.

here's my attempt :-

Sent from my GT-I9195 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

You do realize that multis are one of the more aggressive species, right? They can easily fend off larger fish, I watch them do it every day with my leleupi.

In a 36 bow, I would do a colony of shellies, either brevis, multifasciatus, or ocelattus (there's other awesome species, but these are perfect for beginners to shellies). I'd do a single pair of julidochromis (marlieri, ornatus, dickfieldii, etc.). I'd avoid a leleupi, they can be a bit aggressive, mine likes to try and raid my multi nests, although they put him in his place every time. I would only add a single calvus/compressiceps personally, as they do grow to a good size, and are fry eaters as adults. Finally, I would add a small group of synodontis petricola or preferably lucipinnis (or if you can find lophiobagrus cyclurus, the tanganyikan dwarf bullhead catfish, hard to find, but I love mine). It's not gonna be a perfect breeding set up, but it will make a good display, and the behaviors these fish exhbiti are like none other on earth IMO. They really are a world of a difference from the other rift lakes

 

[fishyfriends3]

Why only 50% of photos load. It's a 63.4 gallon. Oh julies I have are transcriptus gombe you should check them out as well.

 

[erikmoseley]

Local guy breeds petricola. Is 2 ok for this size tank? Or 1,3? How many Shellie's if I do the pair of Julie's and a single comp?

 

[Freakgecko91]

Really depends on the species, but if you do one of the smaller species like brevis, ocellatus, or multifasciatus, I'd say 6-10 depending on the layout of the tank

 

[erikmoseley]

Thanks guys! I like the layout fishyfriend has. I'm not looking for a scape all sand and shells by any means. Do I need functional rock piles for hiding or just for recreating natural environment like fishyfriend has? Doesn't look like anything other than fry could hide in there but I like the look. I'm gonna google and YouTube some setups for ideas. Tank already has sand and black background. Have a fluval 206 and fluval u4 internal that are on tank but will get the internal out and set up my new unused spare cascade 1000 canister so plenty of filtration.

 

[erikmoseley]

If I did a comp, 2 Julie's, 6 ocies, and a bnp or dwarf petricola that would not be too much? Aquadvisir says I'd be 87% stocked but may need to double tank size eventually. It does say I'd 400% of needed filtration tho!

 

[jwh0818]

If I did a comp, 2 Julie's, 6 ocies, and a bnp or dwarf petricola that would not be too much? Aquadvisir says I'd be 87% stocked but may need to double tank size eventually. It does say I'd 400% of needed filtration tho!

Haha that's a lot of filtration. Just use one of the filters as a polisher and stuff it with polyfill

 

[Freakgecko91]

I don't think that would be too much, the comps do get a decent size, and it may be in your best interest to rehome down the road, but they do grow INCREDIBLY slow and you'd have plenty of time to see if it was going to work out or not. I normally don't advise that route, but clavus/compressiceps grow painstakingly slow

 

[erikmoseley]

And if be getting him at like 1.5 inch I think from daves fish for $9. My lfs only get wc ones for like $50!! One canister isn't up and running yet and other is well established for a year so maybe the cascade is load one tray w biomedia from the one its replacing and the rest of it put fine filter pads.

 

[Freakgecko91]

Exactly...My black calvus is 1.5-2" and it's been like 6 months, got him at just under a 1" lol My leleupi was the same size and is now pushing 3" easily

 

[jwh0818]

And if be getting him at like 1.5 inch I think from daves fish for $9. My lfs only get wc ones for like $50!! One canister isn't up and running yet and other is well established for a year so maybe the cascade is load one tray w biomedia from the one its replacing and the rest of it put fine filter pads.

Dave is a great guy!!! So that's where your ordering from?

 

[erikmoseley]

I'm not sure yet. Like I said I'm scared to order I'm not sure how to acclimate them. I get a big bonus in a couple weeks so I may suck it up and do it or bite the bullet and spend a buttload buying them local. My lfs has all unlisted and then some!

Gecko, what about swapping out something for blue neons? I think they're cyprichomis nigriponsis? Blue neon I think they go by. Any knowledge of them? I think they may need more swim room but love their look.

And what sort of option if any would I have if I wanted to do new world instead in that small a tank? Don't want apisto or rams.

 

[Freakgecko91]

I would steer clear of paracyprichromis and cyprichromis. Not only are they incredibly expensive (I've never seen any collection point of either species go for less than $10 a pop retail), but they do require to be in good sized schools. I honestly wouldn't do any for of cyp in a tank less than 6 feet, otherwise failure is a risk, and who wants to risk $100 minimum of fish (since they need a school)?

Since you have some experience under your belt, the amount of south/central americans opens up greatly. I would honestly look into the different species of cryptoheros (convict-like cichlids, but this doesn't include the convict) and throichthys (firemouths).
Cryptoheros: sajica, spilurum, myrnae, panamense (one of my favorites), nanoluteus, cryptoheros
Thorichthys: pasionis, maculipinnis, mixteco "blue" and "gold", aureum

Mogaruko could cue you in on some awesome wild type livebearers you could use as dithers and keep it as a Central American themed tank.

Otherwise, you're a bit limited in a 36 gallon if you want to try and avoid the truly dwarf species. But some ideas off the top of my head are crenicichla regani, compressiceps, or wallacei; cleithracara maronii, certain gymnogeophagus species (these require cool downs typically and aren't exactly 'easy' lol) hmm drawing a blank right now for some reason, check out Laetacara thayeri as well (rare, but can be found)