Tang Stocking - Rio 180. Help Needed Please

[Always Learning]

Hi, well a friend of mine is wanting to move from her community setup to a Tang setup. As title, it's a Juwel Rio 180. She has a lot of Holey rock or Ocean rock, whatever it is and 2 bags of coral sand. The rock work will be stacked high along the back (3/4 height of the tank) and one side, then open swimming area with some shells along the bottom for some shell dwellers. Filteration is a 2217 and the stock Juwel internal.

Basicially, this is all she has asked when it comes to choice of stock.

It must be as colourful as possible, have a wide variety and cover all areas of the tank. Nothing too expensive and readily available. Juveniles if possible. That's it

Any help of starter points appreciated, thanks.

 

[kiriyama]

Lamprologus Lelupi "Orange", Lamprologus Caudopunctatus, Julidochromis Regani "Kipili" or Julidochromis Transcriptus "Gombi", Lamprologus Ocellatus "Gold" / "Blue", or if you wanted something bigger what about Altolamprologus compressiceps 'gold head', Black Calvus, Frontosa (not sure about tank size though )
Tons of choices with a tank that size

 

[Always Learning]

Frontosa would get way too big, though it would take a couple of years, mind. Gorgeous fish.

Thanks for the suggestions and I'll pass them on, though I shall be round there later going through a list of them and hoping she can narrow it down somewhat. The thing is though, that I have no idea what's the best way to stock it, as in compatibility, sexes, numbers and what have you. I know it's a bit trial and error with all of them, but I guess I'm just trying to minimise the possible problems beforehand, as it'll be me who has to deal with it

Shellies are a must have (I want some too!), so the main issue is with them. Are they going to get hassled too much by the others, or should they really be in a species only tank?

 

[kiriyama]

The reason I picked the Occies as shellies is you only need a pair or a trio, they are very fiery and take no nonsense regardless of the size of the intruder, Multis are cool and more peaceful but I have heard of Lelupi pulling them out of there shells, also heard that about Brichardi doing the same, so it's one of the more territorial ones.
As for sexing ratio I can only assume it's 1M/2F or more females to cut down on aggrression. Julidochromis seem to go ok in Tang community tanks but again will try eat any shellie fry going about Trabscriptus and Dickfeldi are a bit smaller.
http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/l_ocellatus.php
http/www.gcca.net/fom/fom_article_archive.htm
Have a wee look through these articles, theres tons of various profiles in there.
Synadontis Euruptrus (SPELLING??) are nice too but again not sure of tank size. Hope the links help

 

[Always Learning]

Thanks for the help

The links were great too. The only thing with links like that, which show many species... is that it makes me want to convert my whole floor space into a fish tank and have everything!

 

[doresy]

The stock in my signiture works well together although the Fronts and Synos will need rehoming later.

 

[Always Learning]

Well, I've managed to find a local breeder who breeds most of what has been suggested so far, so I'm going to take here there for a look, then will bring her back before she makes her mind up.

I'm going to have to do one myself though now, I just know it. I'll sort hers out and then go back and look at my boring community setup Hmm, bigger tank and some Fronts sounds very appealing..

Nice tank btw dorsey and having a quick google of the fish I don't know, it looks a nice bunch