20 gallon long shell dwellers

Tahn

Jack Dempsey
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Dec 5, 2016
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So I'm planning on building a 20 gallon long shell dwellers tank. I am fortunate enough to have an LFS near me who sells them, they usually carry multifasciatus but I've asked them to order me 10 similis, which I can get for 10 bucks a piece.

Has anyone ever kept these before and can give me advice? I've watched the King of DIY video on his similis tank already and looking for some more info on keeping them.
 

Gourami Swami

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I've got a colony of brevis in a 20 long, I actually had a similis by accident for a while (LFS employee thought it was a brevis). At first the similis was the king and intimidated the brevis, then they turned on him and killed him. 10 is going to be too many for a 20 long, I started with 6 brevis and one simliis, now I am at just 4 brevis and it seems stable. Your males are going to fight for territory, and if you have say 5 males, that might get ugly. They are awesome little fish, so much fun to watch them squabble and dig out their little shell homes.
 
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Tahn

Jack Dempsey
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I see you're from NJ, can I ask where you got them? I am planning to get mine from fish hut of NJ. How do you like the brevis compared to the similis or multis? Are there any difference in personality?

Also I saw the King of DIY video on his similis and it said 5 fish per 10 gallons, so that's why I initially thought to get 10, and to make sure I can get at least a couple pairs, I'll rehome the other males in the future if I must.
 

Gourami Swami

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Similis are a bit smaller than brevis so that might work a little differently, did joey have a recommendation on males/females? 10 might work well with 2 or 3 males, I think if 5 or 6 are males it might be a different story. I got my shellies at Absolutely Fish, when I went to Fish Hut I only saw multi's (really wanted brevis). Fish Hut is a decent store though, good African selection although the general health of the fish is not quite as good as Absolutely (no other store in the area's is, imo). But if they look good when you buy them, why not.
The similis seemed to be more aggressive than the brevis at first, he snatched up the nicest shell and held it for a few days. He was kind of a bully, then I think the male brevis got tired of his crap and turned on him. The next day he was exiled from his shell and breathing heavily, then passed on.
 
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Thomas18

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I have 3 similis in a 125 (they are realy rare in australia) they cost me $20 each. from what i can tell about having them for the last couple of months they are not very agressive, in fact and dont hate me for this but they tollerate the two corys that are in the tank. They let them get any food from the edge of there teritory and shew them off if they go too far in. i do want to move the cories into my little planted tank but they arent getting harmed at all in with the similis.
 

Gourami Swami

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well yeah, in a 125 the similis are going to be much less aggressive, they are very small little guys. The only problem I would see with that is water preference being so far off.
 
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Thomas18

Jack Dempsey
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well yeah, in a 125 the similis are going to be much less aggressive, they are very small little guys. The only problem I would see with that is water preference being so far off.
That is why i want to move them into my planted tank, they haved done really well though, they put on alot of size and are displaying typical behaviour of cories. Its just going to be hard to catch them without taring up the tank.
 
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