Tanganyikan Community is complete!

[SupersoNick95]

My Tanganyikan community is finally complete!

I have had this 40-breeder tank setup for about a year now in several hardscape layouts. Stocking is as follows:

• Leleupi (1)
• Brichardi (1)
• Julidochromis marlieri (1)
• Gold Compreciceps (1)
• neolamprologus Buescheri (1)
• Tropheus Moori (2) (phoenix and kaiser orange)
• Synondontus catfish

I have stuck to feeding spirulina flake and sera granugreen as to not get the tropheus sick. All fish seem to be thriving on this diet. Alot of these Tang cichlids are classified as "carnivores" but they all are small enough that they graze on aufwuchs and algae in the wild. I am sure moving to a more veggie-based diet cant be too harmful in the long run. I do plan to make my own "shrimp mix" which many seasoned tropheus breeders say is a great food. 

While many are quick to say this tank is "overstocked", it is simply the only way to avoid excess aggression. There is the occasional chasing but nothing out of the ordinary. While we cannot go by everything we see or read on the internet, I have seen that Prime Time Aquatics has kept many more Tang cichlids in a 33-gallon long with great success. 

The biggest takeaway is adequate rockwork. a majority of these fish are rock dwellers and I find that lava rock is the most cost-effective means of providing that for them. It is very light and cheap. I do wish I could have sourced black lava rock so that it would look more like a biotope but it is hard to find and quite expensive. 

The only mistake I made when setting up this tank was buying a tretocephalus about 6 months ago. It is a nasty fish and doesn't mix well with other tangs in a confined space. Thankfully a friend in the hobby was able to rehome him. I replaced the tret with two young tropheus and they are thriving amount the rock work.

Fell free to ask any questions about keeping Tanganyikans!

Edited December 20, 2023 by SupersoNick95

[Fish Folk]

Do you want two more Marlieri? DM me if you do and live in the US lower 48. I ship with reasonably good success. 

I have two from a friend who had to tear down his tanks that are not breeding. Fish that won't breed for me typically do not stay long in my Fishroom.

[SupersoNick95]

On 12/20/2023 at 10:55 PM, Fish Folk said:

Do you want two more Marlieri? DM me if you do and live in the US lower 48. I ship with reasonably good success. 

I have two from a friend who had to tear down his tanks that are not breeding. Fish that won't breed for me typically do not stay long in my Fishroom.

I wish I had space but I’m really trying to avoid pairs. I already have a pair of tropheus and am afraid of breeding aggression. Thank you so much for the offer though! 

[thecuttywren]

Beautiful tank! Interesting how different individual fish can be. My tretocephalus is the most bullied fish in a 46h with multies, a leleupi, a juli ornatus and a bunch of rainbows. Are your rocks glued together or just stacked strategically?