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Once i get my larger tank set up and the fish from my 40g have been moved i wont to turn the 40g into a mini fake marine tank.

Fake marine? i mean blue lighting, coral sand, limestone rocks (ones with holes form LFS)

So i need ideas on stocking it, colourful cichlids will be the best to give the fake look and i really want cichlids.

Stock
X Yellow Labs
1 BN Pl*co - get algae down.
x Other fish - blue and orange colours perfered. what is suitable.

Best lighting 10000K or 20000K any named brands?
Filters would fuval 304 be ok? others?
Food?

Cheers Shekoi

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

Would these work, in what number, combination?

Electric blue - sciaenochromis fryeri
Electric yellow - labidodromis caerleus
Lemon Ciclid - Neolamprologus leleupi
Masked Juilli -
Afra - Cynotilapia afra

decided against BN because of the pH difference they all prefer.

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

You're best off choosing a lake and sticking to it. In a 40, I'd go with Tanganyika, because you can have a better variety - for instance, the leleupi, a julie species (transcriptus is fine), and perhaps one other species.

For mbuna in a 40 you're safest with a species tank, say the yellow labs, but perhaps you could add in another gentle species, a small harem of P. acei, for example.

-Molly
Visit shelldwellers.com!

Cheers for that.

just been doing some research and i've found the following fish i like, what combinations would work with how many of each fish, and male to female ratio's

Lemon cichlid - lamprologus leleupi
Masked julie - julidochromis transcriptus
or convict julie - julidochromis regani regani
meleagris shelldweller - lamprologus stappersi
or big eyed multi - neolamprologus similis.

Cheers Shekoi

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

I own all of these but the regani, so hopefully I'll be able to advise you.

First off, the two Julie species can't be combined.
The leleupi won't be safe with the smaller, traditional shelldwellers, which includes both of the species you mentioned, but would be (although they should still be introduced last) with one of the Lepidiolamprologus types - hecqui, boulangeri, meeli, or possibly kungweensis. A pair ot trio (start with six and let them work it out), a pair of either Julie species (ditto), and a pair of lelupi would be a great way to stock the tank.

Though not my favorites, turbo shells certainly fulfill the basic shellie requirements, and in your tank they'd be another good fake-marine element.

Last edited by LittleMousling at 27-Apr-2005 12:09

-Molly
Visit shelldwellers.com!

Thanks alot for all that.

Would i have to have turbo shells or would any shells work?

Stock list, and order
3x lepidiolamprologus
2x julie transcriptus - Could i have more as they are small julies?
2x lelupi - lemon cichlids

Thats what should end up with? but should i start with may up to 4-6 of each until i have pairs, or start with the above stock?

Cheers shekoi

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

Definitely not any shell will work, but there are plenty of options - I just thought turbos might be nice because they fit the marine theme (they're from marine snails and crabs) and they're cheap, available, and shaped right for shellies.

Those numbers are just starting adult numbers (but it's buy six, let them work it out to get to those numbers) but after that - well, they're pairs and trios, so ... Even though they'll all be predating on each other's fry, you should see those numbers increase over time. And if any species decides to tolerate an extra female or two, great!

Good stocking order, too.

-Molly
Visit shelldwellers.com!

Cheers

i'll keep my eye out of the shells, i've seen some for sale on the net.

i've been doing some reading about these fish, some people say they are better with a upper water shaoling fish, as a dither fish, stops them hinding in the rocks all the time?

is this right? if a dither fish would help keep the carmer, happier what could i have?

As i'm trying a false marine, i was wondering if there are any type of shrimp that i could have, mainly to help with algae.

or snails??

cheers shekoi.

ps
i'll start with 6 of the shellies, then how long before i add julies and how many and again for the lemons?

how long will it be before i have to start trading some in to leave me with pairs and trios?

cheers.

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

You really won't need dithers. Honestly, I wish some of my Tangs would hide *more* of the time.

Shrimp could be difficult, as they're definitely edible. Possibly one of the much larger shrimp would work, but I don't know much about them.

Snails, sure - but the shellies might be all too happy to eat smaller ones. Mystery or apple snails could do well or could be killed and eaten, it's hard to predict. Worth a try, though.

I'd wait a couple of weeks between each so they get well settled in. But if the leleupi available are smaller than the julies, add those two species at the same time. You don't want the leleupi to take over the rocks and exclude the julies but OTOH you don't want it going the other way.

Don't put rockwork on both sides of the tank; that'll just encourage the rockdwellers to take over the sand area and kick the shellies out. Instead, use two rockpiles separated by, say, 6", but both on one side of the tank, and put the sand/shell area on the other side.

Times will vary - it depends how old they are when you get them, how fast they grow, how intolerant they are - I couldn't possibly wager a guess. Most likely you'll be down to a pair of leleupi and a pair of julies long before the shellies work out what they want.

-Molly
Visit shelldwellers.com!