Anyone keep keep dwellers?

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xDestro

xDestro

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Aug 15, 2016
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I have a 20 long with a matten filter empty and have been thinking about doing shellies for a long time... Also ordered 50lbs of pool filter sand for my 75... I'll barly use any of that which is why I'm asking now because all I need is shells and fish at this point. So does anyone have any experience with these? My main question is cleaning the tank? I know they like to move the sand and make the tank their own but how would you gravel vac?
 
Shellies would be a great choice for that size tank and filter!!

I find that the 'Lamprologus' multifasciatus and 'L.' similis move the most sand substrate around causing quite tall hills and low valleys in the tank. I just siphon debris off the sand surface into a pail to avoid sucking up any fry or adults.

I think it's a bit of a learning curve to substrate vacuum sand vs. gravel though it may be easier with pool filter sand since it's a bit heavier.

I usually only use enough sand to cover the bottom, one inch or so.
 
Sorry I don't have any pics of my tanks.:( I always plan on taking pics after scraping algae and doing water changes but always forget.
 
I have a tank of multies and actually find that there is little build up of debris. They keep the area around their shells very clean so any dirt is moved into a pile away from them. Mostly I just clean the filter and do water changes.
 
For my multi tank, I find waving my hand over the shells to be far easier. I just get the detritus into the water column before the change. Additionally, my shellies hide when my hand is near. This helps prevent sucking up fish.
 
Iv heard there super easy to breed... How many would I need to start a colony on a 20 long? And how many should I have before I add a syno to stop breeding before it gets to crowded?
 
xDestro said:
Iv heard there super easy to breed... How many would I need to start a colony on a 20 long? And how many should I have before I add a syno to stop breeding before it gets to crowded?
Click to expand...

You need 1m/1f. Generally speaking, you buy them as juveniles. Odds are good that if you buy 6-10, you will have at least one of each. These are hard to sex as m/f look the same outside of size. I purchased a mini colony of 12 or so around a year ago. I would estimate with fry/adults/everything, I have around 100-120 multies now. I only have about 50 shells in my current tank, so I could probably have more if I added more space for them. This is just in a bare bottom 20L. They are moving to a 30 soon as I can build a stand.
 
100-120 fish in a 20 gallon? Oh lord lol. I would figure after so many they would eat each other fry
 
I think they are to an extent. I'm not home to count atm, but I think its somewhere around 12ish adults 30 juvenile and the rest babies. Its hard to count the babies, but there are always near fresh hatched ones in the tank.

To note though. I know when I bought them that their was one breeding pair. I'm pretty sure a second pair also existed. The first spawn I saw around 20-25 fry hovering at the bottom of the tank. Then a couple months later...the same. I just keep feeding them and survival of the fittest. When I move them to the 30, I am planning on adding another 72 shells.
 
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