Lake Tanganyika Species • Is a 96x24x18 tank wasted on Tanganyikans?

[DJRansome]

Watch the shellies with the neolamps. Leleupi and similar fish kill even adult shellies in a 72" tank.

Sexifasciatus is a highly aggressive fish.

Let's see if some other Tang keepers will chime in.


I was told to do 20 cyps in 72" so you would want more in a 96" tank. The large groups keep them from getting nervous and feeling comfortable.

[axia55]

Sorry if I want clear...actually decided to use my standard 180g (72") for Tangs and move my Centrals to the 96" 180g.

[DJRansome]

Then 20.

[noddy]

In my 210g (72x24x29") I have 13 Paracyps blue neon/albino blue neon, 4 Jumbo cyp. Colouratus (growing out some fry so soon to be 14), a pair of Xeno Papillio "Kanoni" and a pair of Eretmodus Cyanostictus "Kigoma orange". O.K, full disclosure, I have two female Foai "Moliro" and a gold head comp with a deformed jaw in there as well.
The goldhead just ended up in there and I can't bring myself to get rid (nobody would want him). The Foai started off as 2m/4f and were doing well in the tank (this was before the Gobies were added). I got lucky with the Xenos getting along o.k with the Foai, it's not something I would try if I had another choice. Everybody gets along well except the Xenos who just can't seem to play nice. Pretty sure I ended up with two females (I hope not).
Some Xenos are pairing fish and some are schooling. Some like wide open, sandy bottoms and some (Papillio) like rocks.

Here's a link to a great article on Xeno Papillio.

https://www.cichlidae.com/article.php?id=359

[Furcifer]

wasted? a big no! With that dimensions you need some showman in that tank and no doubt it is Cyathopharynx (foai or furcifer). I wouldn't add any lamprologini type and my mix would be 2m/5f Cyathopharynx, 3m/5f Enantiopus, 1-2 pair of Xenotilapia, a group of cyps and a group of paracyps. You can change the cyathopharynx with O. nasuta or the prince, Benthochromis.

[DJRansome]

The buscheri and cylindricus will kill even adult shellies, so choose between them.

Trets are tricky, so I will leave the advice about those to others. I kept one in a community tank because they had a rep for killing the other fish when they spawned. With only one he hid and added nothing to the tank.

I had 20 cyps in a 72" tank so I think you would want more than that in a 96" tank. Thirty? More?

[Mcdaphnia]

I've put Tanganyikans in 520 gallon, 250 gallon, and 180 gallon aquariums.How you invest your aquariums is up to what you find enjoyable. Most of my tans now are in 120 to 75 gallon aquariums after the big move to a smaller house.