Neolamprologus Cylindricus Compatability

[onidrase]

Hey guys. At the moment I'm just about ready to start stocking my tank up. I was originally going to have a julidochromis tank, but after a lot of research it seems juli pairs split up rather easily, and I don't want my pairs to kill each other once I move out of my parent's house. So I'm planning on getting neolamprologus brichardi as my main rock dweller instead.

The stock I have in mind right now is:
6 neolamprologus brichardi
6 neolamprologus multifasciatus
1 altolamprologus calvus
6 cyprichromis leptosoma

However, I've noticed there are a few species of neolamprologus that are solitary and have a similar look to julidochromis species, one of them being the neolamprologus cylindricus, as well as neolamprologus leptosoma, neolamprologus beuscheri (which seems rather hard to come by) etc.. I was wondering if I could swap out the calvus for one of these fish that bare the striking resemblance to a juli, but will be alright as a single fish. What worries me is temperament, as brichardi aren't extremely boisterous, and multifasciatus are rather small.

Any info or suggestions are appreciated. Tank is a 48"x12"x18".

 

[thereverendturtle]

Cylindricus and leptosoma are generally ok. Beuscheri = pure evil.

 

[onidrase]

Cylindricus and leptosoma are generally ok. Beuscheri = pure evil.

Cylindricus won't bug the multifasciatus?

Guess I'm still worried about their size.

I saw another shell dweller called neolamprologus speciosus I believe, do you know anything about these guys? Are they are nasty to each other as ocellatus?

 

[thereverendturtle]

What I've found with L. cylindricus, is as long as it doesn't look like it, it generally will ignore it. I haven't specious before. Caudopunctatus is a good shell dweller, not as common as the multies and with better color imo.

 

[onidrase]

What I've found with L. cylindricus, is as long as it doesn't look like it, it generally will ignore it. I haven't specious before. Caudopunctatus is a good shell dweller, not as common as the multies and with better color imo.

I've seen caudopunctatus online, a lot of sources say they only spawn in shells, but spend the rest of the time in the rocks.

I like the look of ocellatus, but they're really nasty to one another, so I'm avoiding them for now. There are a couple ocellatus look-alikes which I'd like to look into (speciousus being one of them) but otherwise I like what I hear of multifasciatus.

 

[thereverendturtle]

I'm not knocking multies, I like them and they are much less aggressive than most shellies.

 

[onidrase]

I'm just worried either calvus or cylindricus would eat the female multis when they're full grown, both species have rather large mouths. Is this a valid concern, at all?

 

[bullit]

* Your julie pair should be ok.
* Brichardi as your rock dweller i would avoid. They will take over the tank and kill most off.
* Id avoid the cylidricus and beuscheri just due to size/aggression.
* I think you meant lelupie. They can be hit and miss. A single one may be fine though.

 

[onidrase]

Julis seem notorious for splitting up after tank rescapes or large water changes, I don't wanna risk it if this isn't just a myth as I've been moving around a lot

And I did mean leleupi

 

[bullit]

Meant to say that your calvus will take a very long time to grow aswell so multis wont be in any or if any danger for a long time.

 

[onidrase]

I don't want them to ever be in danger, though I do know that the calvus grow unbelievably slow

 

[thereverendturtle]

What about a Callochromis or Xenotilapia as your free swimmer. Just a pair, would be good. I've never had problems with julie pair bonds. Maybe I've just been lucky tho.

 

[onidrase]

I actually really like those callochromis. Are they solo, or social?

I might still give julies a go. I like them a lot, I'm just a big worrier. I've got people who say their pair broke after they moved tanks or after a rescape etc so I've been worrying about it too much.

 

[thereverendturtle]

By nature they a gregarious, but just like other shoaling cichlids, they seem to do just fine on their own.

 

[onidrase]

It looks like they're sand dwellers from what I've read, and it kinda worries me that my sand is covered in escargot shells. I emptied 70 shells into the tank for the multis. seems rather unnecessary, but I was told they'd be happy about it, so it's been like that.

Also seems like they like to be kept with 1 male and multiple females (been researching callochromis pleurospilus) what area do they tend to take over? Would they be bugging the multifasciatus or are they more rock dweller like similar julis and brichardis?