[DirtyBlackSocks]

So I got my hands on a 60 gallon tank with some good dimensions (rough estimate) 48"Lx18"Dx12"H.

Set up an Eheim Pro II canister filter on it with some #1 grade crushed coral for a substrate and a lot of black lace rock stacked for caves ect.

I've got a 48" PC light fixture using 50/50 10,000k/Actinic and the background of the tank as well as both sides are tinted blue (don't ask me why the original owner did this).

Overall the effect is very nice.

Current stock is as follows:
8 Brichardi (unsure of their origin)
6 Neolamprologus lelupi (yellow variant)
2 Blackfin calvus
1 synodontis catfish

None of the fish are full grown and I'm hoping it will help with spreading out aggression levels - I'm normally an SA community tank guy so I hope I haven't overstocked this tank, but my LFS owner whom I'm also friends with has told me this should work out fine and I could have probably added a few more brichardi had I chosen.

I'm currently feeding them NLS Thera-A and NLS Growth along with Ocean Nutrition Cichlid Omni Formula.

If there are other foods you'd recommend in their diet please let me know - like I said I'm absolutely new to Tangs but have a lot of experience in fish keeping in general, so any and all information you folks feel like providing me with is appreciated.

While I know it's not natural, I would like to put some anubias nana and java fern on some of the rocks, along with some moss to give the fish something to graze on - but I'm wondering if they're just going to completely shred them and create more of a mess than it's worth. Anyone with experience in using these plants in their african setups?

Pics and videos:

Video: http://s85.photobucket.com/albums/k45/D ... kan003.flv

 

[DirtyBlackSocks]

Also forgot to mention that I've got an AC Powerhead in there that can shoot out 400 GPH but I've currently got it off to let the fish settle in - the Eheim runs at 200 GPH, would the fish appreciate the extra current the AC gives them or should I just remove it altogether?

I plan on adding a few more rocks and caves once I get the Eheim properly seeded, right now that sponge filter is seeding the tank.

 

[Darkside]

One of the things I've noticed from my years of keeping tangs is that it is very difficult to "spread out" aggression among either conspecifics or heterospecifics (there are some exceptions, i.e. fish that form harems). When the fish you have pair off, it will likely make it difficult for all the other occupants of the aquarium. The brichardi complex is known to be considerably intolerant and aggressive, same with the lelupi and as a result you may find yourself needing to remove some of the fish as they age. You can add plants if you like, most tangs are apathetic towards their presence.

 

[triscuit]

Beautiful tank, and welcome to Tangs!

I do have a few comments though...

-Filtration. Definately turn on that powerhead and attach a large prefilter to it. You want to turn over your water volume 6-10 times an hour and the Eheim only does 3.

-Tank mates.

• - Definately do not get more brichardi. Chances are you will end up with a pair and that pair will try and kill the rest. Once that pair breeds, their offspring will start to fill the tank.
  - Watch out for your other fish. Leleupi and Calvus are pretty hardy and may be able to fend off the brichardi. But, in the long run you may be happier to get rid of the brichs and get something more community-friendly.
  - Either way, get more calvus in order to end up with a pair. Great fish, but it will take forever for them to grow so start with more now.

Good luck!

 

[Charles]

anubias will work. it is actually pretty nice plants to be in a tang. community tank.

Though the fish selection is not as good. Birchardi will rule the tank. If not, the leleupi pair will rule the tank. By far, those 2 types of fish are the most aggressive fish I have ever kept. I have fish that will be aggressive among its own type, but those two will attack anything. They are best to be in a tank of their own. Perhaps a larger tank with only a pair.

Overcrowding them is not going to work in general with tang. cichlids.

 

[DirtyBlackSocks]

Thanks for the comments, I've attached some java fern and java moss to the rocks and added a few background plants - if they die no big deal as I've got a lot of plants.

As far as the fish go - I'm probably going to just wait and see how it pans out - in all honesty I'd like to keep the brichardi over all others but I'm hoping the calvus will be able to fend off the brichardi due to their bulk, the lelupi were free and will probably be returned if things become problematic.

Either way, I'll work it out and remove fish I see hanging out in corners as it goes along - I realize with how brichardi's hierarchy is that I'll have to remove them as they breed if I expect the calvus to survive.

We shall see! Either way I don't really expect this stock to work out in the long run and plan on thinning out based around survival of the fittest in the future.