Lake Tanganyika Species • Stocking 47G

[leo9999]

Hi guys,
I'd need an help stocking a 47 gallons tank (39 x 16 x 19). My idea is to get a pair of N. Brevis and a group of 5 A. Calvus and wait till they form a pair. Is this a good idea? I want to be 100% sure that there won't be compatibility problems in future. To be honest I'm a bit afraid that this tank is too small for Calvus... what do you think?

[DJRansome]

It will work for a pair of calvus (yes, buy 5-6 and see if a pair forms) and a pair of brevis. I don't think it is realistic to think you can be 100% sure the fish will get along for their lifetimes.

When the fish choose a mate there will be aggression and you may have to manage it and/or rehome extra males, etc.

With the brevis you might also buy 5-6 unsexed juveniles and end up with a pair. When you "get a pair" that would be 2 fish that have produced fry together before. If you have a hobbyist friend, that might be possible.

[leo9999]

Yeah, I'm aware that I'll have to rehome every Calvus but the new-formed pair if that is what you mean. I was mostly wondering if a 39'' tank was suitable for a pair of Calvus .

Well. then I'm gonna buy the fishes next week and I'll update you. Thank you for the help.

P.S. Sorry for my english, but it's not my mother tongue. I'm trying my best to speak it correctly

[DJRansome]

You may not have to rehome them all, the fish will tell you who they want out of the tank and who they will tolerate. Your English is very good.

There can be an aggressive period while the pair forms...stick it out (protecting victims as required) and things will calm down again afterwards.

[sir_keith]

You may not have to rehome them all, the fish will tell you who they want out of the tank and who they will tolerate. Your English is very good.

There can be an aggressive period while the pair forms...stick it out (protecting victims as required) and things will calm down again afterwards.

I agree. And no need to worry about your English- it's excellent, and way better than my Italian.

[metabaron]

In my opinion, for a 39'' tank the safest choice is to do a spieces tank with the fish that you like the most...your idea about Calvus&Brevis is good, the Altos are grown slow and brevis are small in size......it might be usefull a scape with visual separeted areas for the 2 spieces, like a border of sand between rocks and shells ...

[leo9999]

Last week I bought the fishes, so now that they've acclimatized I can update you and ask for some advice.
First of all, do you think the layout is fine? Shells are still missing, I'm having some troubles finding them but hopefully this week I'll get some.

Altos have been sold to me as Black Pectoral, but honestly their livery is really pale. I hope they'll get darker...

But the thing I'm most worried about is Altos' behaviour: it seems there is a pair which is bossing around. Two are confined to the top of the tank and the last one to the front, but i'm not sure if the last one is accepted by the dominant pair. Should I stick them out?

[leo9999]

You may not have to rehome them all, the fish will tell you who they want out of the tank and who they will tolerate. Your English is very good.

There can be an aggressive period while the pair forms...stick it out (protecting victims as required) and things will calm down again afterwards.

I agree. And no need to worry about your English- it's excellent, and way better than my Italian.

I can only guess how difficult it is for American people to learn Italian with all our adjcetives and verbal conjugation. I think if I were not Italian I wouldn't be able to speak a single word

[Kagia]

Do you know what kind of rock that is?