Tanganykian 220

[toddnbecka]

I got my group of 9 juvie speckleback Cyp's from SI Cichlids in NY today, was worried about them because UPS took 2 days to deliver rather than 1 like they originally said. However, they were all alive and well, packed in a huge double bag inside a thick styro shipping box. Not even half the size of the Pavo's, but they look healthy and active, so I'm sure they'll grow out just fine.
Should have 6 more little multi's arriving soon too, but the parva rainbows from HI aren't shipping out until after the holiday.

 

[jpappy789]

Woooo! Can't wait to see those Cyps :drool:

 

[toddnbecka]

The male Pavo is displaying quite a bit for the single female (unfortunately, she doesn't seem impessed) but the 9 juvie specklebacks are just skinny little grey fish, about the same size as the buescheri now. There are now 31 cichlids, 2 spiney eels, and God only knows how many BN have stowed away inside ornaments moved from a couple other tanks. The featherfins and Cyp's are out and about, the 5 buescheri and 2 multi's aren't hiding, and the single goby stirs the smaller ones around as he putters around the bottom. The rainbows will add some nice color to the overall display while I'm waiting for the cichlids to grow out and color up. Tank doesn't look empty, but it's a long way from full.

 

[Razzo]

Congrats!!! :drool:

Makes me miss my 265 :cry:

Please keep the pics coming opcorn:

Russ

 

[toddnbecka]

Update time, tank is pretty well stocked now, though I'm hoping to find some more Pavo Cyp's somewhere along the way.
Current stocklist:
12 O. ventralis orange cap
9 speckleback Cyp's
9 multi's
8 M. parva rainbows (1 looks a bit rough and is hiding, not sure that one will make it long-term.)
8 Synodontis lucipinnis
5 buescheri Zaire gold
2 (pair) Pavo Cyp's
1 Eret cyan goby
1 plagiostoma spiny eel
1 tanganicae spiny eel
Unknown number of BN pleco's, likely more than 12 though.
Recent full tank shot, won't look so empty when they grow out more:

Left end:

Middle:

Right end:

This one is looking much plumper these days:

Might be the bloodworms, but I'm pretty sure they eat the NLS Grow pellets along with the other fish too:

 

[toddnbecka]

The speckleback Cyp's are still under 2", they (and the rainbows) have a long way to go:

The pavo Cyp male does have some size/color now. I'm hoping some more become available, one pair isn't much to work with:

The ventralis are growing slowly, still mostly little silver fish though:

The multi's seem to prefer the plastic plants over the escargot shells for cover:

The buescheri do have good color even though they're as small as the others:

 

[platytudes]

Those pics are amazing! Am I seeing this right - you have RCS in with all those big guys? That's incredible. I put a betta in a 10 gallon with 100+ shrimp and after the weekend it seems I am down to less than 20. I feel awful about it, but live and learn

By the way, where did you get that mat of artificial grass that's on the left and right? Looks very natural considering it's plastic...I've never seen something like that which is all one piece, either.

Beautiful, lovely, incredible tank It would be a dream come true for me to have anything close to this!

 

[bradlgt21]

Great to hear those Parva are working out for you. Mine are doing great too. Never thought about using them as a dither fish but they sure are fast enough.

A trick I learned with the parva is to watch them or photo them right after the lights get turned on in the morning they tend to look amazing in the morning but start getting washed out by late in the day.

Sorry no comments about the tank, I can't see them while at work, they didn't pop up. I will be sure to check it out later. I just drool thinking about a Tanganykian tank of that size.

 

[toddnbecka]

Frozen (very fat) bloodworms in the pics, the cherry shrimp are in a 20 high. I'm trying to get a good breeding colony established to use for occasional feeders. I picked up the mats (think they're supposed to look like chain swords) in the classified section some time ago. I received a shipment of a dozen 20" tall plastic plants that I'm going to use along the back to help cover the hob filter intakes. Will probably rearrange the rocks into separate areas eventually, and I'm not sure how long the mat of plastic plants will stay on the right end after the ventralis mature. They'll probably want that end of the tank open for spawning. The spiny eels love the arrangement, particularly the smaller (brown) one, because they can travel the width of the tank and stay close to cover.
For the most part the ventralis, Cyp's, and rainbows mix and mingle in the open water. A couple of the larger multi's join the crowd, but the smaller ones stay closer to cover. The busecheri are bigger than the multi's, and like to bully/chase them whenever they enounter them, but the goby is bigger than they are and gives them the same treatment.
The Synodontis hang out inside the cichlid stones, I've briefly glimpsed one of them since they were put into the tank. They don't even come out (in the light) for bloodworms. The goby isn't as shy, but ducks for cover whenever the camera moves close to try for a pic. I'll get one eventually. So far the goby and buescheri are the only territorial fish, though the larger male BN most likely claim the insides of those resin tree stumps. The multi's and rainbows are the most recent additions, they still need time to settle in. Now it's mainly waiting for them all to grow out to see how well they mix in the long haul.

 

[toddnbecka]

I picked up some new fish at the CCA meeting last month, an adult pair of hecqui and 6 wee cylindricus.Few recent pics, added some plastic plants (not crazy about the decor, but they provide cover) while the fish are mostly growing well and looking good. I've only seen one of the cylindricus since i dropped the group of little ones in, I suspect it's the biggest and the rest were eaten.Only pic I could get of that one, it stays under cover but does occasionally appear briefly for pellets (near the 110 intake tube, upper left):

The plagiostoma is fat and sassy, the smaller brown eel is much thinner and wasn't coming out for a photo op:

Male and female hecqui, they hang around the shells on the plastic sword mat with the multi's. Seem to get along well with the multi's, quite surprisingly:

Goby cichlid (we call it Elmer, only fish in the tank with a name) snatching a pellet off a rock:

Missed some water spots Orange cap ventralis dominant male, he dug/defends a pit in the black sand (couldn't get a pic of that) and it looks like one of the females is holding now:

Cyp's, rainbows, and ventralis all get along very well together. The rainbows school with the speckleback Cyp's just as happily as with their own species. The ventralis aren't quite as social, but don't seem to mind the company:

When I moved the ornaments around to put in the plastic plants I shook the Syno's out of their hiding place inside a resin rock formation. First I've seen them since they went into the tank, they all looked plump and healthy. Wouldn't sit still for pics of course...