20's tang tank.

[twentyleagues]

Ok well since I put it in someone else's thread I figured id start my own. This is the grow out/waiting tank for the 180. 10 Neolamprolgus meeli and currently the 3 Neolamprolgus buescheri are in this tank. Actually as I write this, I had to move one of the buescheri out. Looks like the other 2 may have formed a bond. One is extremely aggressive attacking the 3rd. Hes in the tank with the Schoutedeni puffer, 8 lucipinis, 3 leptosoma kitumba and the 2 comp kigoma. All the fish listed above minus the Schoutedeni and lucipins will be added to the 180. Still looking for other options as to what else will inhabit the 180. I think more leptosoma for sure. Maybe cylindricus? If I can find them xenotilapia of some sort.

 

[Stephen St.Clair]

Looks really good and is going to look even better in the big tank. I've never kept shellies, so my suggestions for possible tankmates are very limited.
Look at "Yellow Rock Kribs". They are small, very colorful Victorian Haps. Yellow rocks are tough, lively little guys, but are only mildly aggressive towards each other.
I keep them with Mbuna, Haps & Peacocks and they do great. All you need is a rock pile for them to thrive.

 

[RD.]

I suspect that twenty won't be mixing lakes on this one. Looking good so far amigo, can't wait to see the finished product when it all comes together in the 180.

 

[twentyleagues]

I suspect that twenty won't be mixing lakes on this one. Looking good so far amigo, can't wait to see the finished product when it all comes together in the 180.

You are correct. Its going to stay all tanganyikan. The players may change as there already has been some aggression issues. We will see.

 

[DJRansome]

I have always had trouble with shellies in the same tank (even 72") as leleupi types (like cylindricus. Not sure about buescheri.).

Some recommend avoiding Synodontis and shellies to see the most natural shellie behavior, I have always had Synodontis, so can't confirm.

Also I thought ideal for xenos is to give them the entire bottom of the tank which I have never been willing to do. With both shellies and Synodontis on the bottom, and also allowing room for a large group of cyps (do 20) to sleep in the substrate at night, will there be room for xenos?

 

[twentyleagues]

I have always had trouble with shellies in the same tank (even 72") as leleupi types (like cylindricus. Not sure about buescheri.).

Some recommend avoiding Synodontis and shellies to see the most natural shellie behavior, I have always had Synodontis, so can't confirm.

Also I thought ideal for xenos is to give them the entire bottom of the tank which I have never been willing to do. With both shellies and Synodontis on the bottom, and also allowing room for a large group of cyps (do 20) to sleep in the substrate at night, will there be room for xenos?

No synodontis will go in the 180. I like xenos I dont know if I will try them though. From what ive read/been told the cylindricus, leleupi, and the buescheri and ofcoarse the comps will all sleep in the rock work. There will be caves and crevices up the whole back of rhe tank. The leptosoma hang in midwater throughout the night. At least everytime ive looked at them they are hanging out there. The comps are in the rocks. The lone buescheri with the comps and leptosoma stays in the far corner so far. The mean buescheri is in the rocks in this tank.

 

[Wharf]

I would love to find some Benthochromis I am not sure if my 6 footer would be good for them, but man are they stunners.

 

[DJRansome]

I know you can't tell from my signature, but I had a tang community in the 72" tank for a couple of years with cyps, calvus, julidochromis, shellies. I started with leleupi as well against advice, but I soon found out why they recommend not to mix them with shellies.

It is not where they sleep, it is that they eat the shellie fry. To get to the shellie fry they pull the adults bodily out of the shells and over time this results in the death of the adult shellies.

My cyps slept on the bottom...thus the common advice to net holding females while they are sleeping on the bottom in the middle of the night.

 

[twentyleagues]

I know you can't tell from my signature, but I had a tang community in the 72" tank for a couple of years with cyps, calvus, julidochromis, shellies. I started with leleupi as well against advice, but I soon found out why they recommend not to mix them with shellies.

It is not where they sleep, it is that they eat the shellie fry. To get to the shellie fry they pull the adults bodily out of the shells and over time this results in the death of the adult shellies.

My cyps slept on the bottom...thus the common advice to net holding females while they are sleeping on the bottom in the middle of the night.

Oh. I figured the babies would get preyed on, but I didnt think about other fish pulling the adults out of the shell too. Good advise I'll watch for that. Maybe I'll just get the shellies and more cyphs and maybe if I find them the xenos for the 180. The others I have can go in one of the 75s ive got.

 

[twentyleagues]

So I have decided to do the Tang tank as a 125. 125 is in the garage waiting for me to build the rack. The 180 is being repurposed for my fahaka. I have had breeding from the meeli and they are not good parents but they are good canibals. I'm still unsure of the mix as most of them look so much alike. The babies always end up in the same part of the tank with the same fish watching over them. I don't know if it's a flow thing or it's just the one fish having babies. Anyway hopefully with the larger tank I'll get more to survive without my intervention. I have alot of the latest batch pulled out into a 10g.

The buscheri pair stay near the rocks and are pretty placid over all I pulled the one out and he's in another tank. Pretty sure it's a female and 2 males I have of those.