Lake Tanganyika in 40 breeder ?

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Kerbside

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 28, 2011
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Wisconsin
Looking into starting a Cichlid tank. I have a 40 breeder available, with an AC 70 and an AC 30 to use for filtration. About 150 lbs of "cichlid sand" (the Caribsea white/black) and three pails of lava rock. Would that be proper items for a Lake Tanganyika setup? I've kind of fallen in love with the Altolamprologus Calvus, and would like to do a setup with them involved.

Main question would be, is that the proper sand and rocks for the setup, and what tank mates and other stocking would you do with a 40B.

I'm just not very familiar or educated on Cichlids, I just haven't been interested in them until recently.

Thank you
 
For a 40g the calvus... Depending on how many you get will limit you to adding a few more smaller less aggressive species, such as brichardis, or possibly a small juvenile frontosa if you are planning on up sizing the tank in the near future
 
Ps... Not too small... comps & calvus will eat bite size tank mates... Sorry if that sounds obvious
 
calvus's are the most peaceful Tanganyikan cichlid i know. the think with tangys though is that you want the fish to look different from each other or else territory issues pop up and yea lava rock and sand will work as a set up just have alot of holes and hiding spots. as for other fish, my calvus is in with a julie malari a julie dickfieldii a julie trancscriptus. a lemon cichlid,,,,lupi i think, a kendalli a red frontosa a bushiari and 2 percula catfish oh yea also a buffalo cichlid. in the beginning i had territory issues and the julies where beating on each-other and mostly the lemon cichlid i added the bushiari and now no more problems with fighting. i have found these cichlids to almost be the easiest to stock keep away from pairs and keep away from fish that look the same it can cause problems with fighting eachother. i have also noticed it seems Tanganyikans are mostly only aggressive towards the same species that they are. hope that helped a lil
 
So would 4 Calvus (1 male 3 female) and 6 (2 male 4 female) Julidochromis Transcriptus with 2 or more Synodontis petricola work in a 40B long term? I'm trying to stick to having only two tanks running in the house at one time, and right now I'm down to the 40B and a 220.
 
the problem you may run into with the julies is if they pair off and breed all cichlids get very aggressive when breeding other then mouthbrooders it seems. and the calvus's idk how they get when they breed but i would think not as aggressive
 
Kerbside said:
So would 4 Calvus (1 male 3 female) and 6 (2 male 4 female) Julidochromis Transcriptus with 2 or more Synodontis petricola work in a 40B long term? I'm trying to stick to having only two tanks running in the house at one time, and right now I'm down to the 40B and a 220.
Click to expand...

6 (unsexed) Julidochromis is good for a start, but like the other poster said, you're going to want to end up with only a pair of them plus the calvus.

150# of sand might be a bit much for a 40B.
 
the malaris and dickfieldii are the mean ones it seems meaner then transcriptus for sure. but my transcriptus is the only fish that messes with my calvus i think it may be two rival species in the lake. i have noticed it seems certain fish dont like other certain fish types. like my buffilo head only fights my frontosa but the buffilo isnt fast enough to even touch him. my dickfieldi hated my lemon cichlid untill i added the other julies now no more fighting exept my transcriptus and the calvus. but it doesnt cause any damage exempt i saw my calvus completely wrap its mouth around my julie trans. but still no injuries so you go buy touch and go i think with tangies
 
also another thing to throw in the calvus and compressips have very large mouths for there size
 
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