Shell Dweller tank

[ThomasLC]

I have a 75 Gallon I want to set up for a shell dweller tank.  However I know this tank is wayyyyyy to large for this to look right.  I have seen videos of tanks with open sand areas for the shell dwellers and the other half with rocks for other cichlids.  What can I put together to maximize the use of the tnak and make it look interesting.  I would like to do just two species, One shell dweller one .... well, that is what I am looking for.

[gardenman]

No tank is too large for a fish. It only lets you keep more of them. The big issue with a shell dweller tank is they're bottom huggers. They don't venture much more than a few inches from their chosen shell. To a casual observer a shell dweller tank may appear to be empty until they get up close. Since shellies tend to be small you have to be careful that whatever you put in with them doesn't eat them. So, you want a mid to upper-level swimmer, small enough not to eat the shellies, but large enough to show up, that can tolerate the same water conditions as the shellies. Aulonocranus are often recommended as tankmates. Some people mix in some tropheus also, but that's a bit more dangerous. 

[ThomasLC]

so aulonocara are a type of peacock hap?

[OnlyGenusCaps]

On 12/21/2021 at 9:18 AM, ThomasLC said:

so aulonocara are a type of peacock hap?

"Haps" and "peacocks" are two different groups of cichlids from Lake Malaŵi, though the distinctions are blurry in my estimation.  Aulonocara are sort of the genus for peacocks.  They get decent sized.  I'd be a bit nervous about combining them and shell dwellers.  I'm not saying it won't work, just that's I'd be nervous.  And Haps would be right out as they are often called "predatory haps" and tend to get big and eat other fish.

I suspect another Tang (fish from Lake Tanganyika) would be a decent choice.  I have a tank with Julies (Julidochromis) in the rocks on the bottom and Cyps (Cyprichromis) swimming above.  The combo has been doing well so far, and I suspect swapping out the Julies for shell dwellers would work very well.  Cyps do everything in the water column and so tend to not bother with the bottom loving fish.  Plus their mouths are small and so they won't be too hard on the other species' fry.  And their fry are quite large so, the shell dwellers probably would leave them alone.  The other advantage is that because they come from the same lake, they do well in the same water conditions.

Those are my thoughts.  Hope something in there helps.

[Struggle]

This is what I’d do if I were to do a Shelly tank.

On 12/21/2021 at 10:16 AM, OnlyGenusCaps said:

"Haps" and "peacocks" are two different groups of cichlids from Lake Malaŵi, though the distinctions are blurry in my estimation.  Aulonocara are sort of the genus for peacocks.  They get decent sized.  I'd be a bit nervous about combining them and shell dwellers.  I'm not saying it won't work, just that's I'd be nervous.  And Haps would be right out as they are often called "predatory haps" and tend to get big and eat other fish.

I suspect another Tang (fish from Lake Tanganyika) would be a decent choice.  I have a tank with Julies (Julidochromis) in the rocks on the bottom and Cyps (Cyprichromis) swimming above.  The combo has been doing well so far, and I suspect swapping out the Julies for shell dwellers would work very well.  Cyps do everything in the water column and so tend to not bother with the bottom loving fish.  Plus their mouths are small and so they won't be too hard on the other species' fry.  And their fry are quite large so, the shell dwellers probably would leave them alone.  The other advantage is that because they come from the same lake, they do well in the same water conditions.

Those are my thoughts.  Hope something in there helps.

 

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

Some other ideas for Lake Tang tankmates would be group of neolamprologus leleupi a beautiful yellow cichlid; neolamprologus caudopunctatus they kind of fill in the space between the shells and the rocks - caudopunks have a beautiful yellow to reddish orange stripe on the dorsal fin like a mohawk; altolamprologus calvus, compressiseps sumbu are beautiful very slow growing cichlids who appreciate very narrow vertical spaces. Another aggressive but beautiful cichlid is the neolamprologus brichardi complex or "the fairy cichlid" who are slighly homicidal but absolutely gorgeous, very prolific when happy and would occupy about half the tank if you let them. Have fun, I love lake tang fishes, I have some brevis, leleupi and a caudopunk in a 20 L right now and they just make me happy. Another option for a dither fish like the cyprochromis but cheaper are mollies, I have found they like the higher pH and minerality lake tang fish like and they occupy all levels of the tank adding a lot of activity bringing the shellies out of their shells. Cyps are amazing though and if I had unlimited money and a 75 g I would have a boat load of them.