Hey everyone my first post here, I was recommended this website and told "they're the best" haha. Hopefully I can find a solution!
I have gotten the bug and have decided i want to dive into the world of african cichlids!
I went out and got a 40 breeder tank (overfiltered with a tidal 55 and 2 large sponge filters), i know 40B is a bit small but its all I have room for in my bedroom which is why i decided on smaller tanganyikans instead of going the malawi route. Being this is my first cichlid tank I want to set up a community tank so I can see more than 1 species.
I'm currently housing 1 aggressive leleupi in a 20 long (his julidochromis ornatus tankmate died and i figured it was stress so i bought another one and after examining the 2nd ones body I think he nipped and killed that one. which is what tipped me off that it was him all along, aqadvisor never raised any red flags so im not sure if this is normal leleupi behavior)
In my 40 breeder id like to have
- My N. Leleupi (that way I can free up the 20L for something else)
- some kind of a funny shell dweller (i want them to breed but I don't care if the fry survive, if this isn't possible I'd be open to doing my 20L for just shellies)
- N. Brichardi or C. Leptisoma some kind of open water fish that can fill the upper half of the tank
- A. Calvus
and
- J. Malieri or Dickfeldi (I love these guys, gorgeous fish)
My question is, how can I best accomplish this?
- How many of each fish to manage aggression?
- How should I aquascape it to best manage the aggression? (Right now i have some dragonstone, some plants and the substrate is caribsea Moonlight sand. I don't care about it being a bio tope)
- anything im missing/recommendations/species i should look into?
- If you had a 40 breeder, 20L and 1 fiesty lil leleupi to play with what would you do?
I know thats alot of questions! So I don't expect everyone to answer all of them, im just hoping to get some perspective from more experienced folk and try to apply it thanks in advance!
I have gotten the bug and have decided i want to dive into the world of african cichlids!
I went out and got a 40 breeder tank (overfiltered with a tidal 55 and 2 large sponge filters), i know 40B is a bit small but its all I have room for in my bedroom which is why i decided on smaller tanganyikans instead of going the malawi route. Being this is my first cichlid tank I want to set up a community tank so I can see more than 1 species.
I'm currently housing 1 aggressive leleupi in a 20 long (his julidochromis ornatus tankmate died and i figured it was stress so i bought another one and after examining the 2nd ones body I think he nipped and killed that one. which is what tipped me off that it was him all along, aqadvisor never raised any red flags so im not sure if this is normal leleupi behavior)
In my 40 breeder id like to have
- My N. Leleupi (that way I can free up the 20L for something else)
- some kind of a funny shell dweller (i want them to breed but I don't care if the fry survive, if this isn't possible I'd be open to doing my 20L for just shellies)
- N. Brichardi or C. Leptisoma some kind of open water fish that can fill the upper half of the tank
- A. Calvus
and
- J. Malieri or Dickfeldi (I love these guys, gorgeous fish)
My question is, how can I best accomplish this?
- How many of each fish to manage aggression?
- How should I aquascape it to best manage the aggression? (Right now i have some dragonstone, some plants and the substrate is caribsea Moonlight sand. I don't care about it being a bio tope)
- anything im missing/recommendations/species i should look into?
- If you had a 40 breeder, 20L and 1 fiesty lil leleupi to play with what would you do?
I know thats alot of questions! So I don't expect everyone to answer all of them, im just hoping to get some perspective from more experienced folk and try to apply it thanks in advance!