Shell Dwellers?

[Margarita]

Hi, I'm moving fish over to a bigger tank and have a little 5 gallon desktop tank left empty. I want at least one of these fish because I here they are very interesting. I've already got a sand substrate and have read that adding crushed coral is a good idea.

Can I keep just 1 shell dweller, or do they do better in pairs? Also, which type stay pretty small?

Thanks!!

[ChilDawg]

I have a few links for you, since I've been looking into the shell-dweller thing for a while:

http://www.cichlidrecipe.com/shellweb/

http://www.cichlidae.com/tanks/t016.html

http://www.aquariacentral.com/artic...ldwellers.shtml

http://www.nature.com/nsu/000803/000803-1.html
(That one is actually just interesting, but it gives you an idea of the dynamics of social interaction between the shellies.)

http://www.tanganyikan-cichlids.co.uk/Articles.htm
(This is just an all-around good site with regard to Tanganyikan Cichlids...it's worth a read!)

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articl...ller_corner.php
(Again, a site with many good articles within it about your shellies.)

They seem like fun little guys, but I haven't been able to keep them yet...I do have a lot of the relevant lit., so if you need titles of books, let me know and I can be of assistance!

HTH,

Matthew

[Skittyfish]

I am planning on ordering 4-6 for my 10g, the multi's are supposed to be the smallest, so that's what I am going to get.

[ChilDawg]

I second that. Unless others have been discovered, the multies are the smallest cichlid known to science...either way, they will be the smallest that are affordable. You could legitimately put two in a five gallon, and possibly more, but remember that extra diligence is needed with regard to water changes because of the heightened effect that ammonia has when the pH is higher like it would be for a shellie tank.

[caz]

ive never kept fish that require special attention, just normal hardness, and normal ph. would shell dwellers be a good begining experience for me?

[ChilDawg]

Good beginning experience for you, as in a good start to Tanganyikans?

Probably, but I would only half-stock a tank (i.e. 2-3 multies in a 10 gallon) so that water quality issues would be less pressing (but diligence would still be a good thing!)

[caz]

thats what i would put them in. i keep coming across a new tank every day hehe :) and the shell dwellers seem cool, and maybe if i get good at keeping them then i could move on to some discus :eek:

[Jayhawk]

While multis (or N. similis, too) are the smallest shellies, they are the most successfully prolific. A 5 gallon would be overrun with fry in no time, and I think you'd have serious pollution issues very fast.

N. brevis, while larger, require less territory than other shellies. Also, they're terrible parents who eat their fry so you'd have no overpopulation problem. They are very attractive, fun, and form devoted couples. I'd go for them. Here is a link to an article I wrote:

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/n_brevis.php

Eric

[ChilDawg]

Eric,
I'm pretty amused by something...when I linked to your article, I realized that it was one of the first that I found when looking for info on shellies of Neolamprologus...and it was one of the best as well. It's too bad that I can't keep them all that well, what with all the moving that I would have to work through (and the fact that my parents wouldn't like to have a tank fully set up ahead of time for them).

[JnS]

brevis get alot more territorial then multi's.
if you can get 2 pair of multi's in the 10 that would work fine :)

[Jayhawk]

ChilDawg,

I'm glad you liked the article. I ended up selling the pair to the LFS because I had to cut down to one tank (they bred like clock work every 2 months). They were great little fish. I also really liked my multis, too (also sold to the LFS).

One tank, I would have never thought I be down to just one. Oh well, life is cyclical and I'm sure whenever we move up and on to a bigger house I'll have space for another tank...

Eric

[Margarita]

I have a small piece of driftwood in this tank which I know causes a lower PH. How can I raise the PH to suit the Cichlids?

[ChilDawg]

There are Tanganyikan salts for tanks, as well as calcareous gravel for buffering purposes...but I'd check the specs of your tap first.

[Jayhawk]

What are your starting water parameters? I'd remove the driftwood unless your water is rock hard and high pH naturally. I never once messed with Tanganyikan salts, but my water was high pH 7.8 but low KH (2) and med. GH (6-8). I just used a argonite sand for my substrate which raised pH to 8.0, KH to 6 & GH to 10-12. I wouldn't worry about your water parameters matching those in books because most shellies are hardy. If you find out what the water is like from whoever you buy them from, you can just go with those levels (ie - if your local fish store breeds them in city tap water, you do the same).

Eric