[xWingman48]

Hey All,

I'm going to be setting up a shellie tank soon, and I thought I'd get your feedback on the setup and stock list. The tank I'm most likely going to use for the setup is my 40 breeder (36 x 18 footprint).

My plan is to get a pair of brevis established and then add a handful of gold occies. I'll try to separate the territories to prevent real-estate disputes between the two species, and I'll try to get plenty of shells.

I was thinking of adding one or two other species for the rest of the tank space, and I'm looking for ideas there. I could probably add a handful of altolamps, julies, or caudopunks. I feel like 3' is probably too short for Paracyps, right? I have also tossed the idea around of getting some non-tangs like Ruby Greens for the open space.

What do you all think? Is mixing shellies going to be a bad idea for me? Any thoughts on what other species I should add?

Thanks!

 

[shellies215]

I have 8 blue occies in a 40 breeder, and I am about 99% sure if I added a pair of brevis, they wouldn't be allowed any shells. Obviously, adding the brevis first would help wit this, but I still think there might be territory issues in a 3' tank.

Paracyps might work as long as they have a safe place to sleep, but I'm not sure.

 

[Fogelhund]

If one was to pick two shelldwellers, I would do brevis and multifasciatus. Establish the brevis, and preferrably with a shell off the substrate, at one end of the tank. Put a divider in the middle of the tank for at least a month. At the other a shell bed.... the multi's are unlikely to leave the shell bed.

I think the Paracyps might work... plenty of rocks in the middle of the tank. That's all I would add.

 

[xWingman48]

Thanks for the quick responses guys.

I'll definitely be starting out with the brevis first. They'll likely be the only shellies in the tank for a couple of weeks. I'd definitely prefer occies to multis, so I'm tempted to try it to see if it would work. I have other tanks I could move the Brevis too if they start getting bullied out of their shells.

It's good to hear that you think paracyps might work. I was assuming that 3' was too small for them. Is it too small for regular cyps like utinta?

Also, do you'd only have the shellies and the cyps in the tank? Do you think adding a pair of altolamps or something smaller (like ruby greens) would work in there too?

...unless of course you all think that a shellie / paracyp tank would be entertaining enough on its own.

Thanks again!

 

[jackskellington101982]

probably a stupid question but what kind of fish exactly are shellies

 

[brinkles]

tanganyikan shell dwelling cichlids
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[jackskellington101982]

thank you I hate feeling like i am asking stupis questions. I have just been looking at a lot of shellie tanks and I think that they are awesome. So I am the kind of person that likes to have all the details befor i get into something so that I do it right the first time.

 

[kiriyama]

thank you I hate feeling like i am asking stupis questions. I have just been looking at a lot of shellie tanks and I think that they are awesome. So I am the kind of person that likes to have all the details befor i get into something so that I do it right the first time.

Have a look at this :thumb:

http://www.cichlidrecipe.com/cichlidrecipe/shellweb/

Cheers, Sean :fish:

 

[starplayer]

Brevis can be quite meek in their demeanour. If you wanted 2 shellie species I would add the Brevis first. Give them a limited selection of shells in a front corner of your tank. Place some rocks that will act as sight breaks a few inches from the shells. Then scape the tank with more shells and add the occies. The demeanour of individual fish can be different but full grown occies I have seen can be beligerent and could easily usurp existing tankmates.