Lake Tanganyika Species • Community set up

[Patrick67]

Hi an , never kept Tangs before, have lot of experience including marine reef systems. Looking at doing my first Tang community set up. Will based on either a 5 foot of 6 foot x2x2 with sump filter.
Would like a mixed community, including shell dwellers, Julie’s, and open water fish. Would like several species , in a balanced set up.. would plan caves, shell and sand with some limited planting.

Any suggestions would be most welcome. Am still in the planning phase. Suggestions also for which species to add first. Many thanks

[DJRansome]

Open water fish are Cyprichromis. I like 20 in a 72" tank.

Shellies, lots of options. Popular are multifasciatus which form a colony and like lots of shells...like 100 are not too many. Julidochromis may start with six and form a pair, or you may get 2 pairs or a small colony in a 72" tank.

I would cycle the tank with ammonia and add them all at once.

[Fogelhund]

What you can, and should stock the aquarium with, really depends on if you go with a 6' or 5' long tank. You can certainly create a community in either tank, but the number of species, and the type are dependent on that choice.

In a community aquarium, having N. multifasciatus, is the easiest shelldweller to keep, as they'll create a colony, and protect their babies. It's fun to watch a growing colony. Most of the other shell dwellers, will just let their babies go all over the tank, and most likely eaten in a community setting.

Julidochromis ornatus/transcriptus/sp. Kombe (some people still use Gombe) are suitable Julidochromis for such a tank.

Neolamprologus buescheri are a bit reclusive, but can work well in such tanks. Altolamprologus compressiceps/calvus do well too. N. caudopunctatus are an interesting good community fish, and Telmatochromis vittatus/bifrenatus are too.

Cyprichromis can occupy the open spaces of the tank, needing at least 12 in a school.

But, which fish, and how many species depends on which tank length you choose... note, go bigger, you will never regret such a decision.