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Community set up

2K views 6 replies 5 participants last post by  DJRansome 
#1 ·
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
 
#2 ·
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.
 
#3 ·
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.
 
#4 ·
Hi folks, quick update. No tank in situ yet, deposit went down today, so in a few months. I think some one said on here go bigger you will not regret it. So i have listened and taken that advice.went bigger, getting a 8x2x2. Ideally i want a colourful cyrpichromis species, a group of paracryprichromis, a featherfin to be determined ( or could i manage 2 different species), neolamprologous caudopunctatus, a group of sand dweller then either chalinochromis brichardi or a Julie, some gobies. Could i get another shell dweller in? What do you all think would that work. What about N leleupi either a group or a pair or a single? Would they be too much for the other species?I saw some one wrote that at 8 foot it is possible to tropheus as well. Is that realistic and how would i overcome the different dietary requirements. Any suggestions welcome . Also i have read that the lake support unique inverts, coming from a reef background, it would be fun to have some inverts or is that not viable.P
 
#5 ·
You're being overly optimistic about the number of species you can keep in a 'Tanganyikan community tank' (which, in any event, is an oxymoron), even in an 8 foot tank. Detailing all the possibilities would take too much time, so here's the short version. Cyps and Paracyps? Not so much. Two different featherfins? Bad idea. Tropheus in such a setting? Forget about it.

Tanganyikans in general are ill-suited for keeping in a 'community tank' as traditionally defined, and even an 8-foot tank does not get around that simple fact. But there are great possibilities for such a setup once you have decided what kinds of Tanganyikans you are really interested in keeping. Good luck. :fish:
 
#6 ·
I highly recommend Multis, they're a blast to watch. I'm personally keeping Paracyps and Calvus with my Multis in my 48" 75 Gallon. If I could do it again, I'd get Cyps over Paracyps since the Paracys hang out pretty low and the males like to hang around the rock work.
 
#7 ·
Patrick67, what is your one must-have species? We can recommend others once we know your primary fish. Agree with sir-keith...regardless of the 8 foot length I think your list above would take more than 3 separate tanks.
 
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