Trying my hand at Tanganyikans - need advise

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illustrae

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 25, 2006
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I'm setting up a 20 gallon tank (standard 24x12x16) for small tanganyikan cichlids. I have a few species in mind, but I'm not sure about compatibility and numbers.

If I had to have just one species in this tank, I'd go with shellies--probably stappersii or brevis. However, I'd like to know if anyone has experience mixing cichlids in a relatively small tank? Could I have brevis, a type of small juli like transcriptus, and a lyre-tailed neolamp like brichardi or gracillis? What about cave-dwellers like cylindricus or calvus? Would there be room for a small catfish like syno. petricolas?
What about numbers? Should I try to get pairs, or groups?
If I did just get one species, are dither fish a good idea? What kinds? Whiteclouds, danios, barbs?

Has anyone successfully planted their African cichlid tank? Would hardly plants like java fern, bolbitis, and Anubias be good? What about mosses? Can crypts survive?

Sorry about all the questions, but I hope you guys cna answer at least some of them. Also, I'd love to se pictures of your African tank setups. I'd like to do something a little more interesting than just sand substrate littered with shells, so ideas would be welcome.
 
I've got a 55 gal tanganyikan tank running now. 3 julis, 5 lamp brichardi, 1 calvus, and 1 troph duboisi. I also keep 1 syn petricola. the brichardi are the most territorial. that calvus will eventually get too big, but they are slow growing. in a 20, i would not keep that many. I've never kept brevis or any shell dweller. I usually try to buy in pairs or triplets. It depends on my cash flow. alot of the tanganyikans can be pricy.

I'd start with 5 or 6 fish and make sure you have plenty of caves and hiding places for them. then save for a biger tank :woot:

most of the synodontis will outgrow that 20 gal fairly quick. some get aggressive at feeding tme, but my petricola does well now, only 3" right now. when mine get too big i move them to the 75 gal.

good luck
 
you can keep a group of shellies, i would say at least five, as long as they have their own shells they stick close to them. Brichardis do well in groups also and siblings will protect each other. Only get one small juli as they will fight with each other. I would bag the dither fish as brichardi are pretty active and also the syno as they will get to big for a twenty. Calvus should also be fine.
 
In that small of a tank I would just stick with shell dwellers. You should try and get just one male and depending on the size of the species you get you could keep 5 to 8 females with a male. More if it is a 20gl long.

I have seen plants kept with them before. The only thing is that sand is a good substrate for them as they like to dig. But gravel can be used also and if you want to go with plants use gravel or most likely the plants will get dug up.

I wouldn't have any other tank mates than just the shell dwellers. There isn't enough room for any other tangs, and a shell dwellers fry are very small and the S. petricolas well eat them. Plus they may even try their luck at a smaller females.
 
If you look at the Tropheus species you should look at overstocking the tank as these fish are more aggressive than the Malawi mbuna. Plenty of cave too. Max two species with a male to 6-8 females. Feed only vege type food as they die very quickly from bloat. :naughty: :woot: :clap :headbang2 :thumbsup:
 
Honda12 said:
In that small of a tank I would just stick with shell dwellers. You should try and get just one male and depending on the size of the species you get you could keep 5 to 8 females with a male. More if it is a 20gl long.

I have seen plants kept with them before. The only thing is that sand is a good substrate for them as they like to dig. But gravel can be used also and if you want to go with plants use gravel or most likely the plants will get dug up.

I wouldn't have any other tank mates than just the shell dwellers. There isn't enough room for any other tangs, and a shell dwellers fry are very small and the S. petricolas well eat them. Plus they may even try their luck at a smaller females.
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:iagree:
Spot on. I've kept a small colony of multifasciatus of about 12 in a 20long, with no problems. I wouldnt add any other tankmates.

If you want to see their natural behavior you need sand as a substrate as they like to move it and the shells to their liking. Position your shells together into 2 or 3 groups. Feed them well and keep their water clean and soon you see tiny fry hanging around the shells (they are really small).

Anubias attatched to driftwood do well as long as their roots arent covered in sand.

GL with them, they are very interesting and entertaining little fish with big personality.
 
Scotty said:
If you look at the Tropheus species you should look at overstocking the tank as these fish are more aggressive than the Malawi mbuna. Plenty of cave too. Max two species with a male to 6-8 females. Feed only vege type food as they die very quickly from bloat. :naughty: :woot: :clap :headbang2 :thumbsup:
Click to expand...


This member was asking about stocking a 20 gallon tank which in my opinion is way to small for Tropheus and Mbuna , all that would end up happening was a aggression battle and would more thank likely and in deaths .

Stick with the advice with one specie of shell dweller
 
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