New 38 Stocking

[eyeman]

Just set-up a 38 (36x12x20) tank. Originally planned on Tang. fish maybe a species tank with a troph species but am wondering if I am better off with Malawi or Shell dwellers. The tank is new and I'm doing a fishless cycle right now. I've used crushed coral and a commercial Cichlid mix for a substrate which I know the shell dwellers would not be particularly fond of. I should have used sand but anyways...What would you all suggest for stocking. I would actually prefer a heavily stocked tank. I am using an older Fluval 103 and a New Penguin 200 HOB. There is plenty or rock and structure in the tank but Im indecisive about what to stock.

PICTURE OF TANK

A few years ago my wife and I had set-up a 75 gallon Mbuna tank with about 15 misc Malawi fish. Never had any aggression and ended up giving fish away as they bred like rabbits.

OLD 75 Mbuna Tank

Thanks for any help!!

 

[eyeman]

21 views and no replies...ANYONE??

 

[DeRo316]

Seems that any will work. Not to sure about ShellDwellers with crushed coral, mine have sand. As long as you have shells they should be ok, but if sand is possible thats what most africans 'prefer'. A troph tank would be real cool, not to many of those around. Other than that if you are questioning the crushed coral with shelldwellers just go with malawis or trophs. In a 38 I would go with 10-12 all males. If you want to have females I would go with malawis, some trophs can be more fierce than malawis when defending territory.