Shell dwellers are a very popular fish and rightfully so, they have a lot of personality in a small package, with the largest shell dweller reaching a little over 3 inches (8.5 cm). Let's start off with what you will need
1. The Tank: For a tank you should go for a minimum of 20 gallons (75.7 liters), with more being better. A great starting tank is a 33 long, a 33 long is 48"x12"x13", the same surface area as a 55 but not as tall, which is fine as shell dwellers utilize the bottom of the tank and prefer surface area.
2. The Filter: For a filter, the two recommended filters are hang on the back filters and sponge filters. For a hang on the back filter the AquaClear Filters are a great option as they work very well and have been around for a very long time. If you decide to go for a hang on the back filter, make sure to use an intake sponge to avoid sucking up the fry. In the filter you will need biomedia, some good biomedias include Biomax, Matrix, lava rock and bio balls. It is recommended to use a filter with a lot of flow or use wave makers to create current as the shell dwellers position the shells towards the current so food collects in the shells for themselves and their fry.
3. The Substrate: Shell Dwellers are from Lake Tanganyika, which has very hard, alkaline water (sometimes with a pH 9.0), so it is recommended to use Aragonite and/or crushed coral to raise the pH and hardness (don't worry about the hardness, if you are using a substrate like that)
4. The Shells: For shells, most people use Escargot Shells, it is recommended to have atleast 3 of these shells per shell dweller, the more the better as these shells are what the fish live in, so they can get very territorial and fight when there are not a lot of shells available.
5. The Heater: Shell Dwellers are native to Africa and like high temperature in the mid 70s to low 80s (76-82 Degrees Fahrenheit or 24.5-27.8 Degrees Celsius). For heaters. it is recommended you get a heater of 3-5 watts per gallon, Eheim and Fluval have some good heaters,
6. The Fish: Last but certainly not least, you need the fish, there are many different species of shell dwellers, with the most common being Neolamprologus Multifasciatus, but there are many more, including Neolamprologus Similis, Lamprologus Ocellatus, Neolamprologus Brevis, Neolamprologus Caudopunctatus, Lamprologus Speciosus, Neolamprologus Boulengeri, Lamprologus Signatus, Lamprologus Callipterus, Lamprologus Stappersi, Altolamprologus Compressiceps, and Telmatochromis Temporalis just to name some of them. It is recommended to buy 6-8 to start to ensure you get a mix of males and females and to keep them in a species only tank, though you can keep different species together in a large tank (75+ gallons or 284 liters) that has plenty of hiding spots and territories.
Some things that are optional for the tank are some rocks and other decoration (shells are what they mostly use, though caves may be utilized sometimes as well), live plants like Vallisneria and Hornwort, and driftwood (be careful about it lowering your pH, it's recommended to boil the driftwood first or soak it until the water becomes clear).
Now that your tank is all set up, it is time to discuss feeding your shell dwellers. Shell dwellers are carnivores and eat small, meaty items (frozen and live) like brine shrimp, blood worms, daphnia, cyclops, scuds, mysis, and high quality pellets like New Life Spectrum Naturox and Northfin Cichlid Formula (ground up to make it easier for them to eat it). It is optional how frequently you want to feed them, some people (like myself) like to feed small amounts daily, but some people like feeding larger amounts every 2-3 days.
To breed your shell dwellers, just make sure you have good water, feed them well, and have good hiding spots and they'll breed. It's really that easy.
Thank you for taking your time to read my care guide and I hope your shell dwellers do well.
1. The Tank: For a tank you should go for a minimum of 20 gallons (75.7 liters), with more being better. A great starting tank is a 33 long, a 33 long is 48"x12"x13", the same surface area as a 55 but not as tall, which is fine as shell dwellers utilize the bottom of the tank and prefer surface area.
2. The Filter: For a filter, the two recommended filters are hang on the back filters and sponge filters. For a hang on the back filter the AquaClear Filters are a great option as they work very well and have been around for a very long time. If you decide to go for a hang on the back filter, make sure to use an intake sponge to avoid sucking up the fry. In the filter you will need biomedia, some good biomedias include Biomax, Matrix, lava rock and bio balls. It is recommended to use a filter with a lot of flow or use wave makers to create current as the shell dwellers position the shells towards the current so food collects in the shells for themselves and their fry.
3. The Substrate: Shell Dwellers are from Lake Tanganyika, which has very hard, alkaline water (sometimes with a pH 9.0), so it is recommended to use Aragonite and/or crushed coral to raise the pH and hardness (don't worry about the hardness, if you are using a substrate like that)
4. The Shells: For shells, most people use Escargot Shells, it is recommended to have atleast 3 of these shells per shell dweller, the more the better as these shells are what the fish live in, so they can get very territorial and fight when there are not a lot of shells available.
5. The Heater: Shell Dwellers are native to Africa and like high temperature in the mid 70s to low 80s (76-82 Degrees Fahrenheit or 24.5-27.8 Degrees Celsius). For heaters. it is recommended you get a heater of 3-5 watts per gallon, Eheim and Fluval have some good heaters,
6. The Fish: Last but certainly not least, you need the fish, there are many different species of shell dwellers, with the most common being Neolamprologus Multifasciatus, but there are many more, including Neolamprologus Similis, Lamprologus Ocellatus, Neolamprologus Brevis, Neolamprologus Caudopunctatus, Lamprologus Speciosus, Neolamprologus Boulengeri, Lamprologus Signatus, Lamprologus Callipterus, Lamprologus Stappersi, Altolamprologus Compressiceps, and Telmatochromis Temporalis just to name some of them. It is recommended to buy 6-8 to start to ensure you get a mix of males and females and to keep them in a species only tank, though you can keep different species together in a large tank (75+ gallons or 284 liters) that has plenty of hiding spots and territories.
Some things that are optional for the tank are some rocks and other decoration (shells are what they mostly use, though caves may be utilized sometimes as well), live plants like Vallisneria and Hornwort, and driftwood (be careful about it lowering your pH, it's recommended to boil the driftwood first or soak it until the water becomes clear).
Now that your tank is all set up, it is time to discuss feeding your shell dwellers. Shell dwellers are carnivores and eat small, meaty items (frozen and live) like brine shrimp, blood worms, daphnia, cyclops, scuds, mysis, and high quality pellets like New Life Spectrum Naturox and Northfin Cichlid Formula (ground up to make it easier for them to eat it). It is optional how frequently you want to feed them, some people (like myself) like to feed small amounts daily, but some people like feeding larger amounts every 2-3 days.
To breed your shell dwellers, just make sure you have good water, feed them well, and have good hiding spots and they'll breed. It's really that easy.
Thank you for taking your time to read my care guide and I hope your shell dwellers do well.
