Suggestions For Stocking Tanganyikans.

[africantigerfish7]

All right, so I have an empty 60 gallon tank that I've got up and running. I'm planning on putting some Tanganyikans in there, but I've never kept them before. I set the ph at 8.2, uncle used test kits, and they came out good, just not sure what species to put in or decorations. If you can please give me the scientific and common name as the pet store only does special orders on these with both. Thanks in advance all that help !

 

[ASD]

Mmmm, i can only say what i would do with a 60G tank, you might prefer something different. If it was me i would have a shell dweller tank. A few rocks, some sand, and a ruck of shells. Then add some lamprologus occelatus or lamprologus brevis.

Or if shellies are not your thing then maybe a Tanganyikan community, some julidichromis sp, neolamprologus brichardi, altolamprologus calvus, and maybe a couple of catfish synodontis multipunctatus or s petricola.

The fish above are ideal first time tanganyikan fish, when you get a bit more experiance with these delightful fish, there is some real nice (and expensive) fish from the lake. Ophalmatilapia ventralis and cyprichromis leptosoma are two of my favourites.

 

[africantigerfish7]

Mmmm, i can only say what i would do with a 60G tank, you might prefer something different. If it was me i would have a shell dweller tank. A few rocks, some sand, and a ruck of shells. Then add some lamprologus occelatus or lamprologus brevis.

Or if shellies are not your thing then maybe a Tanganyikan community, some julidichromis sp, neolamprologus brichardi, altolamprologus calvus, and maybe a couple of catfish synodontis multipunctatus or s petricola.

The fish above are ideal first time tanganyikan fish, when you get a bit more experiance with these delightful fish, there is some real nice (and expensive) fish from the lake. Ophalmatilapia ventralis and cyprichromis leptosoma are two of my favourites.

Yes I was thinking of brevis, multifasciatus, brichardi, leleupi, calvus, and the julidichromis, but didn't know if shelldwellers could work with the community setup. I have enough shells and rocks to stack each half of the tank with both, but unsure of whether it would work or not. I also cannot find a store with calvus.

 

[Snowie]

I would go with one kind of shellies, they will all compete for the same territory so the aggressive species will win if you keep several.Shellies work with most communties as long as the other fish arent big enogh to eat them. Multis & similis can chase away fish that are several times their own size.

Also when it comes to tank size its just not abou gallons. If you have a big tank thats tall and a small one with a larger surface area its easier to keep many fish in the one with a big surface. All tangs are very territorial so the trick is to create several territories so no fish is "left out".

If you go with Neolamprologus brichardi you might want to go with a brichardi only tank.

A very important item to consider in selecting brichardi for an aquarium is being mindful of how protective this fish is in defending their fry. They have been known to have spawns numbering more than 100 fry at a time. It is not at all unheard of, for a single pair of brichardi to take over a mixed tank of Tanganyikans, even as large as a 120 cm (4 ft), 75-gallon aquarium. As they tend to pair off earlier than most other Tanganyikans, this becomes quite a common occurrence, with all of the other fish either huddled in the top corner, with some degree of damage, and often dead.

http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/n_brichardi.php

Hope I didn't scare you away from tanganyikans they (litteraly) kick mbuna butt

 

[africantigerfish7]

Mine isn't tall, but has a good surface area. I put leleupis, tropheus, calvus, compressiceps, julidochromis, and dewindti.

 

[ASD]

Mine isn't tall, but has a good surface area. I put leleupis, tropheus, calvus, compressiceps, julidochromis, and dewindti.

If you are going for tropheus, make sure you buy a colony of at least 10, imo your tank is too small. But if you are going to keep tropheus, make sure you read up a lot on them. Get it wrong with tropheus, and it will be an expensive mistake.

 

[africantigerfish7]

Mine isn't tall, but has a good surface area. I put leleupis, tropheus, calvus, compressiceps, julidochromis, and dewindti.

If you are going for tropheus, make sure you buy a colony of at least 10, imo your tank is too small. But if you are going to keep tropheus, make sure you read up a lot on them. Get it wrong with tropheus, and it will be an expensive mistake.

Well they have a seven day return policy, so I'll get rid of them before they become a problem. Yeah, I bought a book and it also says a colony of 10 or more is ideal. I don't think I will add the little shelldwellers with the calvus and compressiceps in the tank. Thanks for the info ASD and Snowie.