Shell dwellers

[sir_keith]

Your just full of good news, lol. I appreciate the advice. I am just researching before I do anything. The shell dwellers have always intrigued me but wanted upper tank movement too. Some splash of color would be nice in that lower 30 gallon also. Maybe I might be better off with apistos or dwarf pike… IDK but I do need to reome the two trimac first.

Just trying to help you avoid what would undoubtedly be an unhappy outcome. With very few exceptions, Tanganyikans just don't lend themselves to the kind of setup you have in mind.

That said, there are many dwarf cichlids, either Neotropical of West African, that would be perfect for the kind of tank you're describing. Apisto's are awesome little fishes, and there are many diverse species to choose from, but they can be demanding, and are only at their best in heavily planted tanks. If you want to stick with Neotropicals, I would think that Laetacara would be a happier choice (pun intended; sorry).

Riverine cichlids from West Africa would be another possibility. Pelvicachromis or Nanochromis are the obvious choices, with different species ranging from easy to challenging, depending on your preference. These fishes would be very happy in a tank with lots of rocks and caves, which seems to be part of your plan. But don't forget Anomalachromis, lovely fishes that get a bit larger than most other West African dwarfs, but are very peaceful and undemanding. Many possibilities here...

Anomalochromis thomasi-

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[fishguy1978]

I would highly recommend the Nanochromis sp. They are not an additive demanding group. They are conspecific aggressive but can be kept in a mixed community.

 

[lloyd378]

Your just full of good news, lol. I appreciate the advice. I am just researching before I do anything. The shell dwellers have always intrigued me but wanted upper tank movement too. Some splash of color would be nice in that lower 30 gallon also. Maybe I might be better off with apistos or dwarf pike… IDK but I do need to reome the two trimac first.

Apistos are great, but from my experience they are all cichlid and will not only claim territory but will terrorize and beat up any others that swim in their area. I had them in a 75g and bought 6 ( one of each type that cory had for sale way back when

 

[lloyd378]

Have you ever thought about any of the Ram cichlids? There are a few different species and I think you could get multiple of a couple of types in a 30 gallon.
AP had some very striking ones in their community section. That might be the only other fish I add to my community tank

 

[DMD123]

I like Rams, just wanted something a bit more interesting like the shellies but not species specific. I like the thought of the Julies and brevis but wanted maybe just one other fish to add. Again waiting on trimacs to get homes.

 

[sir_keith]

...I like the thought of the Julies and brevis but wanted maybe just one other fish to add...

You could add a single Altolamprologus to this mix. There are many different populations to choose from, and they grow very slowly, so wouldn't outgrow a 30 anytime soon...

 

[DMD123]

You could add a single Altolamprologus to this mix. There are many different populations to choose from, and they grow very slowly, so wouldn't outgrow a 30 anytime soon...

I was at Petworks and they had 4 Julidochromis regani “Kipili” with a blue lip buffalo. They all seemed to get along well despite not having a lot of hides. I think there was solo alto in there too and the tank seemed pretty calm.

 

[fishguy1978]

I was at Petworks and they had 4 Julidochromis regani “Kipili” with a blue lip buffalo. They all seemed to get along well despite not having a lot of hides. I think there was solo alto in there too and the tank seemed pretty calm.

The buffalo heads are cool and somewhat niche. I was in Petworks 4 weeks ago and they had 3 Black Calvus which I would be very tempted to add to the 100g multi tank as an individual. These get about 13cm so would still work in a 30g and grow very slooowwwllllyyyyy. Not my picture.

 

[sir_keith]

Black Calvus are one of my favourite Alto's, very striking fishes. I had a pair years ago, a big male (5+") and a female about half his size. The male was the only fish I ever named: we called him 'Payton,' because he had the look and attitude of the Sonics (remember them? ) point guard.

 

[DMD123]

How about Cyprichromis zonatus in a mixed with julie/brevis? I thought I saw one in the Petworks tanks. It swam in the upper areas and seemed to just stay out of everyones way.

If it wasnt this it was something really close looking

 

[fishguy1978]

How about Cyprichromis zonatus in a mixed with julie/brevis? I thought I saw one in the Petworks tanks. It swam in the upper areas and seemed to just stay out of everyones way.
View attachment 9780
If it wasnt this it was something really close looking

Cyp's do best in schools. I did keep Cyp Leptasoma kerengi Is when I first set up my L.T. tank but sold them all to @sir_keith. They are an open water swimmer and do better with a longer tank. They will jump too so a good lid is essential. They all tend to be very pretty male fish and rather blah females. Only one male will typically fully color up with the less dominate only showing slight coloring. The spawning display is fun to watch. Being mouth brooders the fry are quite large once released by the female.

 

[sir_keith]

How about Cyprichromis zonatus in a mixed with julie/brevis? I thought I saw one in the Petworks tanks. It swam in the upper areas and seemed to just stay out of everyones way.
View attachment 9780
If it wasnt this it was something really close looking

Two reasons this won't work (here I go again!)-

(1) Cyprichromis are schooling fishes, and rarely do well if kept in groups of less than 10-12 individuals. Otherwise, they will survive (for a while), then just waste away.

(2) Cyprichromis require lots of open swimming space, and a 30 is no where near big enough for any of them, especially for a 'jumbo' like C. zonatus.

 

[DMD123]

Thank you, @sir_keith and @fishguy1978 for all your info. Ive Googled the various fish Ive asked about and there is not a lot of info on them.

 

[sir_keith]

...Ive Googled the various fish Ive asked about and there is not a lot of info on them...

Welcome to Lake Tanganyika!

 

[sir_keith]

A pretty school of Cyprichromis leptostoma (and friends). Not great pics, but can you spot the brooding female? Very cool that a maternal mouthbrooder stakes out a three-dimensional territory in the open water column, and goes through all the breeding mechanics with no contact whatsoever with anything solid.

 

[DMD123]

Okay here is another one... Why is it most seem to keep multi's? I dont see a lot keeping Brevis and then there are others I really like that it seems no one is keeping.

An example of ones I like a lot is Lamprologus ocellatus “Gold”and also Lamprologus ornatipinnis. Are these harder to care for? can they too be mixed with julies?

 

[DMD123]

Also has anyone done business with these guys? https://www.sandcitycichlids.com/product-category/shell-dwellers/

 

[fishguy1978]

Okay here is another one... Why is it most seem to keep multi's? I dont see a lot keeping Brevis and then there are others I really like that it seems no one is keeping.

An example of ones I like a lot is Lamprologus ocellatus “Gold”and also Lamprologus ornatipinnis. Are these harder to care for? can they too be mixed with julies?

I think it has to do with a availability. When I started with Shellies I only knew about the multies. I would like a colony of either of the ones you mention. Similis and multies will cross as would ocellatus with ornatipinnis.
I haven't delt with Sand City but I'm tempted since they have Sumbu dwarves

 

[DMD123]

So essentially care wise and everything is pretty similar. It is just availability/price factors coming in to play. When I was at PetWorks in Olympia the other day they had a tank full of multis. Did you recently drop some off?

I still need to rehome the trimacs but am still looking for something interesting for that 30 gallon.

 

[fishguy1978]

So essentially care wise and everything is pretty similar. It is just availability/price factors coming in to play. When I was at PetWorks in Olympia the other day they had a tank full of multis. Did you recently drop some off?

I still need to rehome the trimacs but am still looking for something interesting for that 30 gallon.

I did couple months ago.