N. Multifasciatus Tankmates?

[blcknwitecuban]

i have a plan to get a colony of of Multi shellies in my 29g but i also would like another fish or two in the tank as well. i was planning one making half the tank shells and the other a bunch of rocks and i would like a cichlid that will hide among the rockwork yet keep the multis out of its territory. fry eating wouldnt be a bad thing but i would still like to see some growth in the colony.

i was thinking about some ornatus julies because i can get them at my LFS but i was wondering what other fish could go with the multis.

and if anyone knows a good person to buy multis from for cheap that would be nice. thank you.


this is my first real expirience with shellies or any tangs so ANY input would be much appricated.

 

[blugrassboy]

Sounds like it's going to be a cool tank! i have multis in my 125 gallon. they are with several peacock cichlids, some calvus', and some loaches. even some catfish are in there. i have seen them breed, though, as you guessed it, they didnt survive (the fry). i started out with three multis, and i still have three a year later.....i love those little blue-eyed fish. it's what made me get into small fish....good luck to you!

 

[blugrassboy]

also, make sure you see jennybugs article on her multis...





http/www.fishforums.net/content/African-...My-Multies-Now/

 

[blcknwitecuban]

yeah i saw that post.. i dont think it talked about tank mates.. right now i think im just gonna get multis and get a small julie later on..

would it be ok to put in rock work after the colony is well established or will it upset them. i would just leave the rockwork in from the start but i hear that multis would hide in the rocks and not the shells and i wouldnt want that.

 

[blugrassboy]

i am no expert. i had my tank already setup b4 i even knew what multis were at the time. i bought them, with some shells, and they lived in the shells for some time (approx. 3 weeks), now they live in the rocks, as you describe....sorry im no more help.....

 

[jennybugs]

I have some rocks in my tank and the multies have completely buried them in sand

When I first set mine up I wanted to know about tankmates too. I've read about shy cichlids having ditherfish to bring them out of the shyness and was going to put my golden hi fin danios in the tank. However, my multies use the entire tank area and I think the danios would be too fast to the food, so I've left it.

I'll be interested to know what you decide to go with eventually

 

[blcknwitecuban]

yeah I think maybe after like six months of having multis I'll add rockwork to one side of the tank and then a julie. Also im gonna use a 20L seeing that multis like to stay low. But I need to find some multis though. Ive emailed some lfs's but i think that I'll need to order them online which looks like it will cost 60 bucks for six multis. Ahhhh!

 

[blcknwitecuban]

& i was thinking about doing maybe a tank for just the lower region of the tank, since it is my favorite area of the tank, with some otos, corys and a few kuhli loaches and leave out the julies all together. would they have problems with the multis?

 

[kj23502]

& i was thinking about doing maybe a tank for just the lower region of the tank, since it is my favorite area of the tank, with some otos, corys and a few kuhli loaches and leave out the julies all together. would they have problems with the multis?

Well for it to be "like home" for the shellies, they need a high PH of around 8.6 or so. The other fish won't do well with that.
Here are two examples of fish that could go with shellies.
• Altolamprologus calvus or compressiceps pair
and one of:

• 'Lamprologus' (Shellies) brevis, multifasciatus, melegaris, ornatipinnis, ocellatus, speciosus, similis or Neolamprologus signatus

---edit
one more thing...if the male shelly protects his shells what's going to happen to any bottom dwelling fish that come to close....rhetorical food for thought question for ya

 

[blcknwitecuban]

mmkay. sorry i keep changing my mind and wasting your time but i think i'll just stick with multis and after a few months maybe add rockwork and get a julie.

 

[kj23502]

mmkay. sorry i keep changing my mind and wasting your time but i think i'll just stick with multis and after a few months maybe add rockwork and get a julie.

that's alright... sorry if I sounded bad... It is better to ask , like your doing, than to do something w/out checking if it would work and find out the hard way

 

[blcknwitecuban]

oh no you werent being mean. and yeah learning the hardway isnt always best

 

[UBigBobby]

I have N. Brevis, which are similar to Multis. 1/2 of my take in sand and shells, the other half is rockwork.

My N. Brevis stay near their shells and in the rocks live my Julidochromis Dickfeldi. They are relatively peaceful Julies with some nice color. They don't "get along" with my Brevis, but they don't harrass them either. The Brevis have their territory and the Julies have theirs.

 

[blcknwitecuban]

ooh really? What size tank?

Maybe I'll just get some kribs for the tank. I miss my kribs...

 

[UBigBobby]

It's a 10G setup, and everyone seems content and non violent for the mostpart. No one actively chases anyone around the tank, and everyone has their territory.