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In an effort to defeat Multi-Tank-Syndrome, I have decided to downgrade from 7 tanks to just 3 (or possibly 4 if I keep a 10-gal hospital/fry tank). Fortunately, this means that I'm upgrading my 20 gal. Tanganyikan tank to a 30 gal. long tank. The 20 only has neolamprologus caudopunctatus at the moment, and I was wondering about potential tankmates to share the 30 gal. tank with.

I plan to keep 5-7 of the caudopunks (I currently have closer to 20 right now what with fry and unpaired fish). They have been very tolerant of each other, freely spawning in shells mere inches from one another.

I was hoping to at least be able to keep some julis with them: one of the smaller species like ornatus or transcriptus. Probably no more than 5 fishes total depending on how they pair up.

I would be happy with just the caudopunks and julis, but If I could round it out to a community of 3 species I'd be absolutely thrilled. I've seen 3 species Tang. communities in tanks as small as 20 gallons (and that's a standard 20, not a long), so perhaps it's just super-wishful thinking on my part that I believe I could keep 3 types of cichlids in my 30 gal. tank.

For the third species of fish I'd love a larger lone specimen like a compresseps or calvus, but the more I look into it, the less likely I think it is to work. One one hand, they could act as fry-control, but at the same time they could just as easily stress the smaller fish to death or simply eat them outright.

I'd also love to have a school of cyprichromies, but the tank isn't big enough for enough of them. Maybe if I got all males, I could have 4-6 of them, or would they fight among each other anyway, even without females?

Anyway, I have an opportunity to have a larger tanganyikan tank, and I want to take full advantage of it. Any ideas would be very appreciated.

Hoping that there must be a word for everything I mean...

No suggestions?

Caudopunks
Julis
And?

A comp or 2?
A calvus?
a pair of Brichardi or Daffodils?
N. cylindricus?
Cyprichromis?

Or just stick with Punks and Julis?

Hoping that there must be a word for everything I mean...

As long as you put your shellies up one end and the julies up the other end they should be fine.

For another species you could try a single Eretmodus Cyanostictus (Gobys), Lamprologus Tetracanthus, Lamprologus Tretacephalus or Limnotilapia Dardenni or a pair of Opthalmotilapia Ventralis.

Hope this helps as we've kept all of the above in with Occelatus Gold and Julie Transcriptus Gombi at one time or another but we had bigger tanks so had pairs or trios of the above species.

Maybe you can add a pair or trio of N.brichardi.

This is my tank setup:-

http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/s8xi5heh/album?.dir=/ee1ascd

http://www.flickr.com/photos/corydoras/
Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
http://www.maltaaquarist.com

Thanks for the suggestions, and nice looking tank, Jason!
I figured since the tank was long, it would provide enough room for territories. Since Caudopunks are cave dwellers by nature, my current Tang tank is set up with both shells and lots of caves, and the fish tend to make use of every part of it. I figure they can keep their current setup in one corner of the tank, and I'll make a setup of caves for the julis in the other corner of the tank, and the middle can be disputed territory. I like the idea of the gobys... I don't see them for sale very often, even online.

Hoping that there must be a word for everything I mean...

Thanks alot, illustrae.

I only have 7 N.brichardi in that 5 foot tank, but i'm planning to add some N.lelupi & julidichromis soon.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/corydoras/
Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
http://www.maltaaquarist.com

illustrae the gobys are a lot of fun but unless you buy an established pair I'd only recommend 1 as they pair for life and getting them to actually accept a mate can be murder (literally)

jasonpisani be careful when adding your new fish in with the Brichardi as they are an established group they can be aggressive and they are fin nippers.

Thanks alot for the hint, cichlid crazy.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/corydoras/
Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
http://www.maltaaquarist.com