I was thinking about setting up a new tank and I wanted to do a setup that I could move to school with me next year (since I wont be limited to 20 gallons anymore). I tried bringing a small planted tank with me last year and it ended up being pretty disastrous, so I'm avoiding plants this time, so I decided to do Africans (specifically Tanganyikans) as rocks handle being moved a lot better than plants.
The tank I'd like to do is a 65 gallon (about 37X18X24 I think). I plan on doing fairly light stocking of smaller cichlids and letting them breed and develop small colonies. I'd also like to include a couple Synos and/or possibly a single slightly larger cichlid, mainly to help thin out some of the fry/juveniles. I'd like to do pairs/trios of maybe 3-4 Neolamps or other smaller cichlids (probably 1 group being some type of Julidochromis).
I've got some questions for people more experienced with various Tanganyikans as all I've kept are N. brichardi. Some species I've been thinking about are Neolamprologus leleupi, N. brichardi, N. sexafasciatus, and Julidochromis dickfieldi (or other Juli. species depending on what I can find). I was wondering if it would be possible to keep a small shellie species like multis or something similar with some/all of the above mentioned species. Also, is there a species that someone could recommend that would help keep down the numbers of fry (I've seen how ridiculously prolific brichardi can be) but would be compatible with the adults of the other species. Also, does anyone think the adults of the species mentioned would be in danger if I included my 5-6" Syno. (I'd imagine the shellies might be in danger, and the Syno. might be bigger by the time I get around to actually setting up this tank)? I don't know if he'd really eat many fish, as he normally just hides, but after dark could be a different story. If having a predator or two doesn't work out, I have two turtles who would gladly take any unwanted fry/juvies I could catch for them
Right now I'm just thinking through setting this thing up. The earliest this tank will actually get set up is probably July, but I want to have it really well planned out by then so everything goes pretty smooth...and planning this keeps me from coming up with other setups I really can't do any time soon.
The tank I'd like to do is a 65 gallon (about 37X18X24 I think). I plan on doing fairly light stocking of smaller cichlids and letting them breed and develop small colonies. I'd also like to include a couple Synos and/or possibly a single slightly larger cichlid, mainly to help thin out some of the fry/juveniles. I'd like to do pairs/trios of maybe 3-4 Neolamps or other smaller cichlids (probably 1 group being some type of Julidochromis).
I've got some questions for people more experienced with various Tanganyikans as all I've kept are N. brichardi. Some species I've been thinking about are Neolamprologus leleupi, N. brichardi, N. sexafasciatus, and Julidochromis dickfieldi (or other Juli. species depending on what I can find). I was wondering if it would be possible to keep a small shellie species like multis or something similar with some/all of the above mentioned species. Also, is there a species that someone could recommend that would help keep down the numbers of fry (I've seen how ridiculously prolific brichardi can be) but would be compatible with the adults of the other species. Also, does anyone think the adults of the species mentioned would be in danger if I included my 5-6" Syno. (I'd imagine the shellies might be in danger, and the Syno. might be bigger by the time I get around to actually setting up this tank)? I don't know if he'd really eat many fish, as he normally just hides, but after dark could be a different story. If having a predator or two doesn't work out, I have two turtles who would gladly take any unwanted fry/juvies I could catch for them
Right now I'm just thinking through setting this thing up. The earliest this tank will actually get set up is probably July, but I want to have it really well planned out by then so everything goes pretty smooth...and planning this keeps me from coming up with other setups I really can't do any time soon.
