65 gallon Dwarf Tanganyika tank?

[cguarino30]

I have a 65 Gallon former reef setup that's been dry for quite a while, and I was planning on giving it a good scrub, filling it with fresh water and some anubias plants, and tossing a bunch of dwarf tanganyikans in there. Julies, shelldwellers, and the like. My question is, what fish would be compatible with each other? I'd like to have a few different species cohabitating in there, since there's plenty of room, and I want some variety, but I'd like to keep it at a sustainable level with regard to aggression. Any ideas?

[austinpetemo]

here you go ill just list the species in my 55 tang setup.

6 julidochromis transcriptus
X neolamprologus multifaciatus
2 eretmodus cyanostictus
6 neolamprologus caudopunctatus

now in my tank i only have 2 n. caudopunctatus but that is because they are paired off. but if you cant find a pair of them 6 is a good number to start off with if you want a pair.

[rogersb]

I think it should be stressed you get f1 or some other generation rather than f0 for eretmodus cyanostictus. I have stated it before and will continue to state it. If you suggest to someone they get an endangered species, please tell them to buy tank raised to promote the survival of the fish in the wild.

[austinpetemo]

the ones that i have bought are all F1 and i am intending on breeding them if i can

[cguarino30]

when they pair off, do they have any trouble getting along with the other species? Or do they just get aggressive to the others of their own species? Also, what about Altolamprologus? Would they work?

[toddnbecka]

Calvus or comp's would be fine in a 65. You could also do buescheri rather than Julies, caudo's OR multi's for the shellie, and a group of Synodontis petricola or lucipinnus for cleanup.

[Pittbull]

All suggestions above are great.. here are a few more..

Lelupi's
Calvus
Buescheri
Cylindricus
Tretocephalus
Sexfasciatus

Of course not all all of these will work together but a combination of a few could exist.. And with the shellies you can get away with this til the others are full grown and will see a shellie as lunch. If you must have a shellie go with one that will get a little bigger than the rest like Ornatipinnis, Meeli, callipterus and hecqui to name a few.

And to add a comment all African cichlids hold somewhat type of aggression some are just crazier than others but thats what i love about them..

Good luck and definitely show us some photos welcome to AC..

[Deb2]

I wouldn't get cylindricus, tretocephalus, or sexfasciaus, they can be very aggressive and if the other fish in the tank are smaller it could be a disaster. Most other neolamps, lamps, altolamps, xenos and gobies would work.

[Pittbull]

^ Hence is why i said (Of course not all all of these will work together).. :flamed:

[toddnbecka]

Leleupi tend to be harsh on shellies. Tret's or sexifasciatus are just too big and nasty, a pair of either would take over the whole tank. You might get by with a single fish, provided the others are large enough to be off the menu.

[AfroCichlid]

Leleupi tend to be harsh on shellies. Tret's or sexifasciatus are just too big and nasty, a pair of either would take over the whole tank. You might get by with a single fish, provided the others are large enough to be off the menu.

I have found that both Sexfasciatus and Trets can make good community fish if kept singly. The drawbacks are that Sexfasciatus get large. Trets can be nasty. I had a trio of Trets and kept the least aggressive. She's been a resident for nearly 2 years. My Julies and Calvus are more aggressive than my Tret or Sexfasciatus. Neither pay any attention to other fish, but hate their own kind.

[austinpetemo]

when they pair off, do they have any trouble getting along with the other species? Or do they just get aggressive to the others of their own species? Also, what about Altolamprologus? Would they work?
so far mine have only been aggressive to each other. they cruise around together but they occationally nip. they dont seem to bother the other fish at all. and from what ive read. they wont. i dont think youd want to put more than 2 in your tank though. because they cant stand each other unless they are paired off. and ive read where they have killed each other off. so finding a pair might be hard. i find them one of the most interesting species that i am keeping

[Deb2]

I have found that both Sexfasciatus and Trets can make good community fish if kept singly. The drawbacks are that Sexfasciatus get large. Trets can be nasty. I had a trio of Trets and kept the least aggressive. She's been a resident for nearly 2 years. My Julies and Calvus are more aggressive than my Tret or Sexfasciatus. Neither pay any attention to other fish, but hate their own kind.

Very true, they can be great fish singly, but if they pair up watch out it is not a matter of if they kill all other fish, it is when. I have kept both and a single tret or sexfasciatus work great. Just watch the aggression and be ready to rescue.

[jpappy789]

Calvus or comp's would be fine in a 65. You could also do buescheri rather than Julies, caudo's OR multi's for the shellie, and a group of Synodontis petricola or lucipinnus for cleanup.

I agree.

Julies, Calvus, and a group of shellies always make a nice combo IMO.

[cguarino30]

What about algae control? Is there some Tanganyikan Pleco equivalent?

[toddnbecka]

BN pleco for algae control should be alright, otherwise just scrape it off the glass when necessary.

[Fraya]

The tang. gobie will eat the algee if you want to do that. Tropus are also great algee eaters but you have to be careful with what you feed them and I probably wouldn't put them in with the more carnivor type like calvus and comp. because of the drastic eating differences. I would not put any pleco in a african cichlid tank the water is just too hard they would not be happy. The only algee that grows in my african tank is the brown stuff that nobody eats so I have to scrape anyway.

[jpappy789]

The tang. gobie will eat the algee if you want to do that. Tropus are also great algee eaters but you have to be careful with what you feed them and I probably wouldn't put them in with the more carnivor type like calvus and comp. because of the drastic eating differences. I would not put any pleco in a african cichlid tank the water is just too hard they would not be happy. The only algee that grows in my african tank is the brown stuff that nobody eats so I have to scrape anyway.

Tropheus are not community cichlids though, and from what I have heard goby cichlids aren't that efficient algae eaters. They'd rather get fed.

I know plenty of people who keep plecos in hard water with cichlids. The water parameters are not the issue usually, mainly aggression. If you plan to add a plec to a cichlid tank I would suggest having a back up plan. I was unsuccessful introducing a BN into my 55 gallon Tang tank because of agression and chasing by my tangs. Now he happily resides in my 30 gallon planted.

btw, your brown stuff is most likely diatoms...

[efors]

I know plenty of people who keep plecos in hard water with cichlids. The water parameters are not the issue usually, mainly aggression. If you plan to add a plec to a cichlid tank I would suggest having a back up plan. I was unsuccessful introducing a BN into my 55 gallon Tang tank because of agression and chasing by my tangs.

I agree with all this. Having a pleco in hard water with cichlids, is possible; but it may work or may not work. What I think that worked for me, was that I added the BN pleco in the tank a week before the arrival of my mbunas. This way, it had some time to establish in the tank without being bothered by other fishes. As the mbunas saw the pleco there since their first day in my tank, it has never been a newcomer to them. They have been living together for almost 9 months now.

[Pittbull]

Cool i guess i am a rebel than hehehe i have albino BN and a tropheus in a tang community and all seems fine to me did i mention i was a rebel.. 22 yrs of fish keeping..

[jpappy789]

You're just special ;)

But in all seriousness I wouldn't advise anyone to keep tropheus as a beginner to Tangs, or even try to add them to a community. Even your setup pitt could turn for the worse (knock on wood that it doesn't!) so yeah, I guess you are kind off different in that regard LOL.

[Pittbull]

:lol: I'm special hehehe yeah i know i am sorta loopy in all and pappy is 100% correct Tropheus in a Tang community is not recommended for the beginner..

With me if i have an issue i have the ability to see the first signs of disaster approaching and i always have an out with extra tank space to move a fish or colony if needed at the last minute..

What works for me may not work for others and i am all to informed that i may come home one day with a shock of disaster in one of my tanks..

[BoCoMo]

:popcorn: