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I am thinking ahead towards the future... but i was thinking someday i might like to have a tanganyikan tank

so what size would be good to start a first tanganyikan tank in? and what are some good fish to look into?

can shelldwellers be kept in a tanganyikan community?

so if you were going to start your first tanganyikan tank and were on a budget, what size would you do and what would you put in it?

edit: i also looked on the cichlid forum site and these were the kinds of shellies that struck my attention:
neolamprologus multifasciatus
neolamprologus caudopunctatus
neolamrpologus similis

Last edited by devon7 at 01-Nov-2004 23:29

so what size would be good to start a first tanganyikan tank in?

Like with most fish, the larger the tank the better.
I don't suggest anything smaller than a 30g tank though if you want to keep a few species.

and what are some good fish to look into?

Anything from the brichardi complex (Neolamprologus Brichardi, N.Olivaceous, N.Gracilis, N.Pulcher etc), Neolamprologus Leleupi, N.Cylindricus, Julidochromis Transcriptus, J.Regani, L.occelatus, C.Caudopunctatus.

There's a lot of species to choose from, let us know what you're interested in, then we can probably help more.

can shelldwellers be kept in a tanganyikan community?

Of course. I personally don't suggest N.Multifasciatus for community tanks though, they seem to prefer species tanks.

so if you were going to start your first tanganyikan tank and were on a budget, what size would you do and what would you put in it?
30g:
1 Neolamprologus Olivaceous
1 Neolamprologus Leleupi/ 1 Neolamprologus Buescheri
1 Julidochromis Transcriptus
2 Lamprologus Ocellatus

edit: i also looked on the cichlid forum site and these were the kinds of shellies that struck my attention:
neolamprologus multifasciatus
neolamprologus caudopunctatus
neolamrpologus similis

They'd most probably be fine in a community tank. I'd introduce them first though so they have a chance to settle in without being harassed. Like I said before though, I wouldn't add the Multifasciatus to a community tank even though it can be done.

I would not advise putting any of the Brichardi complex into a 30g community tank. Nor two Ocellatus I'm afraid! They are both too tetchy to share that little space with others.
All shelldwellers will cope in a community tank - they will be harrassed more by some species for their fry than by others - but either way don't expect many fry to survive at all. N.Leleupi in particular are fond of sticking their heads in shells and eating fry! This can stress the shellies a good deal in constantly having to defend their ground from fry hunters.

Its also best not to mix shellie species in that size tank - stick with one. Not enough room for more than one species to have their territory without problems.

x

All the fish I mentioned are able to hold their own against eachother.
If a pair of the rockdwellers were added, there'd definately be a problem.

N.Leleupi in particular are fond of sticking their heads in shells and eating fry! This can stress the shellies a good deal in constantly having to defend their ground from fry hunters.

Do you honestly see a Leleupi getting into the shell of an Ocellatus?
When I kept leleupi in my community tank, they were constantly getting into my Brevis shells, so I switched the Brevis colony with a pair of Ocellatus and I never had a problem after that.

Its also best not to mix shellie species in that size tank - stick with one. Not enough room for more than one species to have their territory without problems.

I didn't mean to say all the shellies could be added. Just one species. I can't stand mixing shelldwellers in any situation.

Don't panic Dave - I wasn't insinuating that you were suggesting mixing shellie species

P.s Nor did I catagorically state that Leleupi would be in Ocellatus' shells



Last edited by Malaikah at 02-Nov-2004 20:19

ok heres a question, are there any other smallish non-tanganyikan fish that could mix with shelldwellers in a community type setting? if so what could potentially work?

As in, just a species of shellie and some normal (non-cichlid) community fish, no other tangs?
Sure, lots - if the shellie species in question is N. brevis. With them, almost anything IME - danios, tough hardwater killies, Rainbows, livebearers, even the bigger tetras if they can handle the basic water.
With other species, it's a bit harder - but the big livebearers (platies, swords), maybe Golden Wonders, and danios are the safest bets.

With other Tangs (brichardi, julies, whatever) I wouldn't have non-cichlids in, although a dither species could work if you really wanted one.

-Molly
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