4' Tankganyika Tank ideas (Julies+Shellies+?)

[Tophat665]

Greetings all. I have just gotten clearance from Mrs. Hat to set up another 4' tank in the living room (Huzzah!). I have a stand and my choice of a 33 long or a 55 (Both sitting fallow in my garage). So, I would like to put together a Tanganyika community. My thought is if I build up one end of the tank with a nice honeycomb rock pile, strew the far end with shells, and plant vals along the back (with their roots protected, either with egg crate or rockwork), I can get a half dozen julies (I like the look of transcriptus), and let a pair form, then sell off the remaining 4. Then, add a pair of shellies (with luck L. stappersi) to the far end of the tank. What is left is a big chunk of open water in the middle. I was thinking N. brichardi, but I understand they will take over a 4' tank. I pondered N. leleupi, but I believe they would compete for space with the Julies.

So, in a 33 or a 55, what Tanganykians would go with a breeding pair of Julies and a colony of shellies at opposite ends?

Also, is there a catfish that could be added to this?

Finally, in a different direction, if there is no acceptable/available/reasonable Tanganyikan for the middle of this tank, what say to a group of central American livebearers? Swordtails, f'rinstance?

 

[Pittbull]

dude go with the 55gal i would, in my 55gal i have brevis at one end and mulifaciatus at the other end and in the middle i have some very small lelupi that my buddy gave me from a spawn also my buddy gave me 3 black calvus that are small and 2 gold compressiceps which he spawned as of now i have full grown brevis and multi's my little lelupi's calvus and comps will not stay here i may keep the lelupis here but i most def will move the comps and the calvus to the 120gal as for catfish i have 1 syn decorus and 1 syn multipunctatus in my 55gal i have tons of shells about 5 shells per fish and i have alot of rock work along with plants pretty much alot of hiding spots..

 

[Arakkis]

Cyprichromis would be nice for open water. Maybe multis or shell dewlling brevis at one end and gold ocellatus at the other. I would avoid the tangynikan gobies and larger shelldwellers like L.hecqui as they are punks in a tank. Brichardi will become a headache. You can also do shelldwelling compressiceps too. Leleupi can work out fine too as long as they have their own rockpile. Julies are good too, try maybe some Gombi transcriptus. For a small catfish go for synodontis petricola. If you are daring, maybe a few Tropheus.

 

[DrNo]

Congrats on getting the wife's OK! cfsinc and I know about this all to well :grinyes:

Sounds like you have the makings of an awesome tank here.... shellie's on one side and rock on the other sounds sweet. Have to agree with the Synodont for the cat. Re: Cichlids how about Gold Head Comps? Based on my reading, they tend to geenrally keep to themselves and generally shows agression intra-species.

 

[Tophat665]

Alrighty, thanks everybody. What I'm going to look at now is the following:
55 gallon. Tufa rocks at one end, shells at the other, vals along the back. (Maybe some java fern on rocks strewn about.)
- Starting with a pair of shellies - either gold ocellatus or L. stappersi
- A pair of Julidochromis, preferably transcriptus
- A shoal of Cypridocromis leptosoma
- 4 or 5 Synodontis petricola, but only if I can find them for a reasonable price.

The comps are very pretty, but they specialize in picking fry out of rockwork, which would defeat the purpose of this tank.

 

[toddnbecka]

If you want shellies that will multiply and prosper go with multi's. Occie's and stapp's are much more difficult to pair off, and at best will ignore their fry soon after they become free-swimming.
Also, be careful which species of Cyp you choose. The "Jumbo" Cyp's won't work out in a 4' tank.

 

[Tophat665]

If you want shellies that will multiply and prosper go with multi's. Occie's and stapp's are much more difficult to pair off, and at best will ignore their fry soon after they become free-swimming.
Also, be careful which species of Cyp you choose. The "Jumbo" Cyp's won't work out in a 4' tank.

I agree about the Multis. I have a 20 high going with a multi colony (my first ciclids other than Angelfish ever). They're only one step up from guppies, difficulty wise: Multis + water + shells + crushed coral = Multis ++

2 reasons why I would want to go with occies or stapps: 1) they're prettier and more likely to get me a better price if I can breed them, and 2) I don't mind a bit of a challenge in the breeding.

For the Cyps, I'm going to try and get the "Utinta" variant. Those should stay 3 1/2" or so. (Took me a second. This rift lake business is like learning a whole new language.)

 

[Pittbull]

Originally Posted by tophat665

(Took me a second. This rift lake business is like learning a whole new language.)

hehehehe
but its fun isnt it, what about brevis i have eight sunspot brevis going on but i understand your decision on the stapps and occies they are different looking aye.. good luck and most def post some photos when you get the chance when they are going for you, later..

 

[toddnbecka]

If you have tanks to raise the fry in stapp's or occie's are nice-looking fish. The gold occie's seem to be more inclined to kill each other from what I've gathered.

 

[jpappy789]

Alrighty, thanks everybody. What I'm going to look at now is the following:
55 gallon. Tufa rocks at one end, shells at the other, vals along the back. (Maybe some java fern on rocks strewn about.)
- Starting with a pair of shellies - either gold ocellatus or L. stappersi
- A pair of Julidochromis, preferably transcriptus
- A shoal of Cypridocromis leptosoma
- 4 or 5 Synodontis petricola, but only if I can find them for a reasonable price.

The comps are very pretty, but they specialize in picking fry out of rockwork, which would defeat the purpose of this tank.

:iagree: That would be a nice tank! Make sure to layout the tank with the rockwork all heavily piled on one side with the shells thrown together on the other.

I agree about the Multis. I have a 20 high going with a multi colony (my first ciclids other than Angelfish ever). They're only one step up from guppies, difficulty wise: Multis + water + shells + crushed coral = Multis ++

2 reasons why I would want to go with occies or stapps: 1) they're prettier and more likely to get me a better price if I can breed them, and 2) I don't mind a bit of a challenge in the breeding.

For the Cyps, I'm going to try and get the "Utinta" variant. Those should stay 3 1/2" or so. (Took me a second. This rift lake business is like learning a whole new language.)

Even the non jumbo cyps can get to 4-5" which is why 4' is a very, very, very small minimum for them. They should be placed in a group of 10+ to feel secure...which a 4' could not support. Also remember that these guys are expensive and not easy to transport...they are skittish fish. Unless you have the budget for losing expensive fish something like rainbows may be a better option for the top. Although they are not going to fit the bill biotope wise I would go that route...