Community Tanganyika Tank Advice

[Scarecrow]

Im about to start a Tanganyika community tank, and just wanted to get some advice on species compatibility. The tank is a 4'x18"x20", with 2 large cannister filters for filtration. I was thinking of stocking with the following:

- Neolamprologus tretocephalus x2 (4-6 juvies to be thinned out to a pair)

- Altolamprologus calvus (Black) x2 (4-6 juvies to be thinned out to a pair)

- Synodontis petriacola x3

- Julidochromis transcriptus (Gombe or Bemba) x2 (4-6 juvies to be thinned out to a pair)

- Neolamprologus leleupi (Longior) x2 (4-6 juvies to be thinned out to a pair)

- Neolamprologus ocellatus "Black" or Neolamprologus meliagris x2 (4-6 juvies to be thinned to a pair)

- Tanganicodus irsacae or Eretmodus cyanostictus x2 (4-6 juvies to be thinned out to either a pair)

- Cyprichromis of some kind (Not sure on these guys, as i may already be pushing it for numbers...)

*Note - I'll probably only get either the Shelldweller or the Gobie, not both. I was thinking id have to go the Gobie, as the shellies may get too hard a time, even though i tried to select one which might be able to hold its own enough...

There will also be a Placidochromis phenocillus "Tanzania" in there as well, as i currently have one at 5-6" which my wife has become attached too, and doesnt want it gone. I was thinking of maybe adding a Xystichromis sp. "Flameback" for a bit of extra colour, but not really sure on that one.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

[killiguy]

There are alot of bottom dwelling fish in that mix that will most likely cause territorial problems.If you have pairs you will have fry which may mean some serious fighting.Tanganykans are very fussy about water quality so rather than cram them in like Mbuna its best to stock lightly.You may get away with 3 species on the bottom but I would ditch the catfish and the goby cichlid(which are very aggressive to each other)If youve got placidochromis mid water the Cyps may not be happy.I wouldnt put in Victorian cichlids.Tanganykans do best lightly stocked in big tanks

[Todd]

tretocephalus will kill everything once they pair, so only one if any.

just my opinion, you may decide to disregard it but this is what i think

one neolamp or juli pair (except for the tret, then single)

one altolamp pair

one shellie pair

12 or so cyps (non jumbo)

i think that is as far as you could go, especially considering the malawi. if you want sandsifters they would like the entire tank really, and if you want the gobie it would take the place of the shellies.

again, everyone has their own opinions on how to stock tanks, so its really up to you to decide.

Todd

[Scarecrow]

Mmmmm, i think i might get rid of the 3 synodontis petricola and the phenocillus i currently have to allow some better stocking.

Do you think Sandsifters, Gobies or Shell Dwellers would work best with Trets, Calvus, Julies, & Cyprichromis?

Also my preference is for a Julie with some yellow, or predominantly yellow through it. What are my options in the Sydney/Newcastle area for a yellow Julie?

[Todd]

i think it would be best to stick with smaller julies, as the only predominantly yellow one i can think of is regani 'kipili' and they get 10cm+

sandsifters would take the entire bottom, depending on the genus, so you options would be sandsifters and a school of cyps.

gobies are cool, and if kept by themselves won't defend a territory (or at least mine hasn't) but as i said above they would take the place of something else i think

[gingerbeer]

ornatus - small and relatively peaceful julie. I said relatively.....

shellies check out specious.

[dogboy]

i agree with Todd and i would worry the trets will kill everything when they breed.

otherwise ornatus and kipilli are nice, calvus, a non jumbo cyp, a shellie and have you thought about paracyprichromis nigrippinis?

[Scarecrow]

Are paracyps and cyps pretty much the same?

Its a shame about the trets, as they are probably my favourite, as they look like mini fronts, and will actually fit in my tank. Maybe i will just go for one of them instead of a pair? Would that work?

[Todd]

yeah it will, but a single one will still claim a territory around 2ft squared. mines the boss of the 6x2x2 lol.

[dogboy]

paracyps are a quieter and less aggressive than cyps, they work well with cyps and wont cross breed, cyps breed in open water paracyps will do it against a vertical rock surface. i really like them.

[Scarecrow]

So how do you think the paracyps & cyps would go with a pair of trets and a pair of gobies? Or would it be best with one tret, one gobie and maybe a pair of julies or leleupi?

How many cyps and paracyps would be suitable for a 4ft tank?

[killiguy]

One of my 4x2x18"had about 60 Mpulungu (a small cyp)now thinned down to 30odd.I have about 50 paracyps in a 2ft cube but it needs thinning.They are not active fish so dont need too much room.

I think less agressive Lamps and Julies should go under Cyps;leleupis,shellies,Altos etc.I still dont think trets or gobies would be great for Cyps

[Todd]

gobies will be fine with them and in my experience cyps are placid.

[bwah]

One of my 4x2x18"had about 60 Mpulungu (a small cyp)now thinned down to 30odd.I have about 50 paracyps in a 2ft cube but it needs thinning.They are not active fish so dont need too much room.

I think less agressive Lamps and Julies should go under Cyps;leleupis,shellies,Altos etc.I still dont think trets or gobies would be great for Cyps

are you serious? i havn't kept cyp's before but i have a small colony of paracyps in a 2.5ft and the dom male harrasses the hell out of the rest of them, couldnt imagine 50!!

[dogboy]

Ben, they are a bit like tropheus in that the more you have the less aggro from dom males.

scarecrow, i would not put trets in with them , too aggro in , especially in a 4 foot.

[Scarecrow]

Ok, so from what im hearing, if i want to have a pair of trets, i cant have anything else in the tank basically? If thats the case, i really like them, but not enough to have a whole show tank dedicated to the two of them....

Would a cylindricus pair work with a pair of black calvus, a pair of gobies, maybe a pair of a julie (with horizontal stripes), and then some cyps or paracyps, or am i still going with too many fish? If thats the case, if i took the gobies, or the julies out of the mix, would it be ok?

[bwah]

cylindricus are awesome! and they'll satsify white/black stripe look that your after.. one of my favs!

they can be your rock dweller, dont worry about any more julies

[killiguy]

Cylindricus are still an aggressive cichlid.I have no more than 2 bottom dwelling species in any of my tanks(But I have the luxury of lots of tanks---110)I recon you may get 3 but no more.Id still ditch the gobies ,the other would probably do OK and allow some Cyps (small one like Mpulungu or Utinta bay)