Don't expect the shells to ever look as fresh and new as they are now. I have Nerite snails in other tanks and they don't clean the shells.
Multis and tank mates
- Thread starter tomtomtom1230
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- cichlid lamprologus multi
Does your tank contain any rockwork? I kept eretmodus with my multis. I had the back half of the tank stacked with limestone holey rock, with a powerhead right at the surface for maximum agitation and aeration. They worked well together. The tank was a 36 gallon bow.
Mark
Mark
Haha I suspected as much. Thanks for your advice.
I haven't yet but I can make small rearrangements before the Multis get too settled in. I may add a corner's worth of rock (if that's sufficient?) and look into some artificial planting for the back to help hide the heater a little. I'm not too well acquainted with Eretmodus so I'll have to do some homework.
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I, too, am new to shellies (and to this website and forum) and was looking into multies. Does anyone know anybody near San Diego that breeds them? According to a page at the San Diego Tropical Fish Society site, there's somebody named Ian Mills who breeds multis, but I have no idea how old that page is. Googling "Ian Mills" got me to this site, where there is an Ian Mills who posts as "Europian," but the search function tells me he hasn't posted since 2013...I'm not stalking you, Ian, I just want to know if you have any multi fry you're trying to get rid of.
Would some 'predation' of the multi fry be advised? Not gonna lie, I have babies already (nearly 2 weeks in) and there must be about 8-12 of them in a single batch, though they are tiny and too small and quick to count accurately. I guess the one's I nabbed from my friend's tank were older than expected. Ideally, I don't want to keep juggling the shells about trying to catch the multis and rehome them.
Sorry, msdhmidt62! I'm based in the UK otherwise you could have a few of mine in a couple of months
Sorry, msdhmidt62! I'm based in the UK otherwise you could have a few of mine in a couple of months
I don't recommend predators. While I have not tackled my multie tank yet, I have used the following procedure on other shelly tanks that have become 'full' due to multiple spawns and I plan on selling the extra fish at local fish clubs and auctions.
I get some drop ceiling lighting grid (egg crate) and cut it into a piece that is large enough to hold multiple shells, maybe even 1/2 the length and width of the tank. I use some short pieces of CPVC or PVC pipe to make 4 legs, approx. 1/2 the height of the tank and attach them to the grid. Place the contraption in the tank and put the shells on top with the openings facing down. Wait a few hours or longer until the fish exit the shells. You should then be able to net the fish you want. Of course this will work the best if there are no shells on the bottom of the tank for the fish to hide in. You could always add some short lengths of PVC pipe with a cap on one end for the fish to hide in and then pick up the pipe to catch the fish.
You should be just fine with a few dozen adult fish in that tank and I think you will enjoy seeing the behavior with a large group of multies.
I get some drop ceiling lighting grid (egg crate) and cut it into a piece that is large enough to hold multiple shells, maybe even 1/2 the length and width of the tank. I use some short pieces of CPVC or PVC pipe to make 4 legs, approx. 1/2 the height of the tank and attach them to the grid. Place the contraption in the tank and put the shells on top with the openings facing down. Wait a few hours or longer until the fish exit the shells. You should then be able to net the fish you want. Of course this will work the best if there are no shells on the bottom of the tank for the fish to hide in. You could always add some short lengths of PVC pipe with a cap on one end for the fish to hide in and then pick up the pipe to catch the fish.
You should be just fine with a few dozen adult fish in that tank and I think you will enjoy seeing the behavior with a large group of multies.
