Telmatochromis Temporalis shell?

[trop]

Anyone with experience with this species?
I've talked to some keepers who were able to keep colonies of them the same way one would keep a group of demasoni or similar, but other people swear that they would pair up and eliminate all conspecifics.

If anyone had a colony what did they do? I'm planning a possible colony in either a 40 breeder or 50 lowboy

 

[aussieman57]

Anyone with experience with this species?
I've talked to some keepers who were able to keep colonies of them the same way one would keep a group of demasoni or similar, but other people swear that they would pair up and eliminate all conspecifics.

If anyone had a colony what did they do? I'm planning a possible colony in either a 40 breeder or 50 lowboy

Get the 50 low boy. These guys hug the bottom some vertical space is not important but substrate footprint makes a big difference. You can use the extra large escargot shells sold on Amazon, but they will also breed in conch shells & tight rock caves/crevices. They will breed with multiple females so aim for more females & few males.

 

[Milingu]

Given enough shells and growing up togehter they might breed in groups but it does't work in most cases. They will never form proper colonies like N. brichardi or N. multifasciaus. But you might be able to keep moren than one breeding pair in a 50 low.