Help Me Stock Please!

[Naringlo]

So I've got a 120L Low lighting tank. 80x40x43cm.

I decided to do this cheaply because I'll probably be moving in a year so may as well do this.

I'm thinking:
6 lamprologus multies - Shell section
4 Julidochromis dickfeldi - Rock section
6-8 Cyprichromis Nigripinnis Mupulungu - for mid dwellers

I was also wondering if a BN Pleco would be alright with the tanganyikan water conditions? If not, I'll go for a petricola

I'm going to use coral sand for substrate and I already have these white "ocean" rocks to pile on to one side of the tank and the rest will be for shells. A few Anubias will be in there. Maybe a piece of bog wood as time goes by. Java fern and other low light plants shall also be in there.

Can anyone tell me if this is alright or if I should change the numbers?

Thanks!

 

[webbie]

Paracyprichromis nigiripinnis prefer to be kept in a tank a bit longer than 80 cm,normally 4 foot plus tank,have you thought of some calvus?

 

[thereverendturtle]

I would cut the multi's down to 4 at most, two pair. the Juli's down to a pair or trio at most and nix the Cypro's all together. For a good mid-water fish, I would go with a single Tropheus of your choice. 25 gallons isn't very large and that's why I cut the numbers. Tanganykians are very sensitive to water quality and they will breed for you and increase the numbers on their own. Don't be tempted to get more than one Tropheus, as they will kill each other, until there's only one. if you had a much larger aquarium, you could a dozen and that seems to disperse the aggression. As for the catfish the dwarf petricola would be your best bet. Good luck!

 

[bullit]

Id go for 2 species in that size tank. Multies and nigripines if tank is 3 foot or multies and julies. Id prob go for a BN plec which is fine in the water conditions as petricola might unsettle the multies as they are a busy fish that will swim into their territory. Numbers seem fine. The julies might pair and not like the others though. I wouldnt have a single tropheus either. Just read if the tank is 25 gal then id scrap the nigripines.

 

[Naringlo]

I love calvus. But don't they grow big, are quite aggressive and are rock grazers too?

I've taken the mid dwellers off. Any other mid dwellers that would be suitable? I don't want unused space in my tank if it can be avoided. I don't want it to be cramped but I had rams before and it looked empty at the mid to top.

Okay I'll keep tropheus in mind though.

Today at most, I'll pick up 2 multies because I don't feel sure with this information. I get that I can't keep nigripines so they are off the list.

So I'm thinking:

4 Multie's
3 Dickfeldi's
1 Tropheus (My LFS stocks Moorii's and Duboisi's and maybe others in the future) or other mid dweller(s) Help?
1 BN Pleco or Syn. Petricola (more inclined to go with petricola because they are more ideal with water conditions) Help?

Thanks for the information so far.

 

[webbie]

Myself I would not hesitate to go for Calvus,and they are very slow growing,not aggressive at all,well mine isnt anyway,gotta agree with bullit dont go for Tropheous,they are algae grazers and will get "bloat" if you feed them high protein foods which your other fish require,if you are not fussed about your tank being 100% tanganyikan you could get some rainbows to fill up the top water levels,Multis,Julies and Calvus good combination,now I may get shot down in flames for suggesting a fish to go in your set up but have a look at Neolamprologus Tretocephalus,I have 3 in a 200ltr tank and they might not be best buddies but they get along ,1 in your set up might work,my trets dont bother my julies or calvus and steer clear of the multis shells ,have a look see what you think

 

[Naringlo]

I'll be moving in a year so Calvus may be a good idea. And saying that with the Tropheus, I think I'll stay away from them then. Neolamprologus Tretocephalus may be an idea but I'll research them first.

Thanks for the suggestions, especially with the tropheus dietary requirements!

 

[Moby-Krib]

thereverendturtle has it right in my opinion, sound advice. little if any room for stocking to be disappointing or have problems,

 

[Naringlo]

Yeah I'm more inclined to do what he said because it's cheaper anyway! But the tropheus thing may be a problem. I could give it a go as I do mainly feed sinking pellet food. It would be nice to have another cichlid that is a different colour e.g. blue.

At the moment I'm thinking:

- 5 Lamprologus Multi.
- 3 Julidochromis Dick.
- 1 Syn. Petricola

But with that, 2/3 of the tank upwards would be empty. Not trying to cram but there is a huge gap. Any ideas?

 

[bullit]

Your julies will swim all over anyway so i wouldnt worry too much. I really wouldnt put a tropheus in as the tank is to small anyway. You could prob get away with a single calvus/comp.

 

[onidrase]

Don't get the petricola. They're social shoaling catfish, and as much as I wanted to get them in my 50 gallon tanganyikan tank (which is going to have dickfeldi and multifasciatus as well) they share territory with the julidochromis, and they aren't afraid to invade it, thus the julidochromis will nip at them incessantly, and julis have sharp teeth, the synos would get torn apart just for trying to hide. then they'd get picked on by the multi's for getting near the shells, they'd have no place to go.

I'd also be worried about having only 3 julis, I believe even though dickfeldi will tolerate each other, just like any pairing species of cichlid, if a pair forms, the odd one out will get picked on.

I'd also be worried about the odd number of multis.

just for a way to put this, my tanganyikan tank is a 4 foot, 50 galloner, 72 shells and 140 pounds of rock, and this is what I got for stocking numbers:
6 julidochromis dickfeldi
6 multifasciatus (2m4f)
1 calvus
perhaps 6 cyprichromis

After getting been told this, it's pretty safe to say tanganyikan tanks generally don't have a crapload of fish in them.

It's probably better to understock as well, as tanganyika fishes are very sensitive to nitrate and water parameter changes.

 

[Naringlo]

Okay so no Tropheus and maybe a Calvus if it looks okay though that will be a while off. Okay no Petricola then! :L I'll go with a BN, I've had those with cichlids no problem before.

I talked to Salam the other day, she has a 127L with 4 Dickfeldi and 7 Multies so I'll probably go with 4 Dickfeldi and 6 Multies just in case they breed. Equal number and not too many at all.

When I went and got my 2 Multies, they were altogether in a tank with bigger Multies so I'm assuming I got 2 females.

And for the aquascape, I'm going to use coral sand, put rocks on the right with a few Anubias here and there around or on them, and on the left, shells, a rock to break up the area so I'm hoping this will help decrease aggression and a few Java fern at the back of the left and a few Anubias at the front. Not too many fish, and hopefully a nice looking tank that the fish will enjoy.

Thanks for everyones help by the way, it's much easier when you understand what you're doing!

 

[onidrase]

Watch the bioload on the BN, like I said, tanganyikans are sensitive to nitrate, and BN's poo nonstop. I can't imagine mine in a tank less than the 75 gallon cause he already makes he substrate look like crap (literally)

your tank can honestly survive without a catfish, while the BN is more armored and should be okay, you're gonna have to be attentive to keep the water cleaner with 4 julis, 6 multis, maybe a calvus, and a BN. That's actually probably gonna have a higher bioload than what my 4 foot tank will have.

 

[webbie]

Watch the bioload on the BN, like I said, tanganyikans are sensitive to nitrate, and BN's poo nonstop. I can't imagine mine in a tank less than the 75 gallon cause he already makes he substrate look like crap (literally)

your tank can honestly survive without a catfish, while the BN is more armored and should be okay, you're gonna have to be attentive to keep the water cleaner with 4 julis, 6 multis, maybe a calvus, and a BN. That's actually probably gonna have a higher bioload than what my 4 foot tank will have.

Naringlo if as you think you have two female multis I would just get one male,if they are happy you will soon have plenty of fry to deal with

 

[Naringlo]

No problem, didn't realise they cause that much of a bioload. Well I know my filter can deal with it because I've stocked a lot heavier before and I've had a BN before. I'll get a small one so it doesn't cause any ammonia problems. But good to know. I am good with my WC's anyway so shouldnt be a problem.

Okay, so I'll hopefully get a male and wait. How often do they breed? So I know if I do or don't have a male.