My Shell Dweller Journey

[gregswimm]

Algae is fine. You can siphon a bit off if it gets too thick, I know thick algae will discourage my ornatipinnis from using the area; yours might not be so picky. Julies like to graze on algae.

And about the brevis, in a month or 2 when they get some size on them; would you like to trade for some L.ornatipinnis babies?

 

[Salam]

Gregg, you make me laugh. I still live in the UK and you in the USA. Shipping them not possible

Will take a pic later when it's darker to show the algae and then if it's ok would like to clean it a little.

 

[gregswimm]

Fffffffffuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu I forget

Stupid ocean

 

[Salam]

A few more pics for you all

FTS after they made it their home. There are three clear areas, two live on the left, two on the right and three in the middle.

Sherbert the biggest one and Susie the smallest one

Algae

 

[gregswimm]

Get some MTS for that tank. Also, some rather cool interactions between shellies and snails.

 

[Salam]

There WERE MTS in. Until they were all eaten. Not kidding, they munched on them one by one

 

[Lufbramatt]

hahaha

I can well believe that, looking at the way my guys gulp down mosquito larvae and rip apart prawns!

 

[Lufbramatt]

just found another brood of shellies anyone want some brevises in about 6 months time? lol

 

[Salam]

Lucky you! I'm still waiting for my multis to do something. Maybe I should put some Barry White on?

 

[Moby-Krib]

Lucky you! I'm still waiting for my multis to do something. Maybe I should put some Barry White on?

Barry White?.. they will don masks and smother you in your sleep likely!! torture to the poor dears.
gotta love the shellies . I want a tank full eventually too!!!

 

[Lufbramatt]

The key seems to be to leave them alone as much as possible and skip a water change . . . been really busy decorating the last couple of weeks and didn't have time to clean them out so had left them 2 weeks without a water change, but seeing as there's only two adult brevis in a 29 gal tank they don't exactly create much waste. The break from being disturbed seems to really chill them out and that's when they "get busy" lol.

 

[gregswimm]

Ya, 2 wks shouldn't hurt them. Some people also say that waiting a while before changing the water encourages spawning; they swear it has something to do with there suddenly being clean water, but i think it has more to do with the lack of tank disturbance. Also, dither seems to encourage spawning, a low mantenence fish like tetras or guppies may help. Cyprichromis leptosoma are very nice and fantastic dither but they should be kept in a tank no smaller than 4'(122cm) long and in groups no smaller than 8(10+ is best ime), they are also fantastically expensive($15-30USD per fish).

 

[Salam]

Thanks guys, will skip this week's water change and see if I (or they ) get lucky. I suppose, in total 11 smallish fish in a 3fter can't produce too much bioload, but will keep my eyes on the stats just in case.

 

[gregswimm]

Just keep checking your nitrates. Keep them under 30ppm

 

[Salam]

Will do. Hate testing for nitrates, but will do some bottle shaking