# New 50 Gallon Tang Tank Stock List



## JMUFTW (Aug 26, 2011)

50G Convict tank downstairs, and now a new 50G Tang tank upstairs!

It is a 4 foot long, skinny depth tank with a fluval 405 canister filter. I love the look of rck1984's 65G tank - http://cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=240968. Sand bottom, shells, rocks...

I was looking into getting a similar stock list as well, but cannot afford to do it all at once. I was thinking...

1 - (2?) NeoL. Tretocephalus
2 (3?) - A. Calvus (Infkin) OR A. Compress (Gold Head)
2 - Gold Ocellatus 
10-12 Paracyprichromis nigripinnis
2 - Juli Transcriptus if there is space

Ratios sound right? What order should I buy them in?


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## JMUFTW (Aug 26, 2011)

No guesses on best order? Anyone have experience with N. Treto?


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

Well, singletons generally cause trouble, but they can work out. Definitely a bad idea if you have more than one tret in that mix, though.

In general, it's best to start with larger groups- like 5-6 of the occies, julies or comps. They'll pick which fish get to stay and which fish need a new home. Starting with a smaller group often ends with only one fish surviving.

Lastly, your tank doesn't have nearly enough real estate for three substrate spawners, especially considering the paracyps must have some territory for themselves. Here's what I'd suggest for an initial stocking:

6 Comps
6 Occies
10-12 Paracyps


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## JMUFTW (Aug 26, 2011)

Sounds like a good starting point - is there much of a difference between the comps and calvus in terms of temperment / size? other than no scales on the head hah. 
Could i mix the two? Black calvus with gold head comp? Would they hybridize?


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

Nope- you shouldn't mix them; they will readily hybridize and you'll likely end up with one male alto in the tank. I've only kept calvus, and I think they're prettier than comps :lol: but not too different in behavior. There are rumors that calvus might be more laid back, but either would be a nice addition to a 50g community.


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## JMUFTW (Aug 26, 2011)

Thanks man! Now to pick a vendor...


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## JMUFTW (Aug 26, 2011)

Back again! I got enough money together to order everything!

So - here is the tank right now

__
http://instagr.am/p/Ml4j8_np-r/
 + shells spread around the sand

I am getting Six Gold Occies, One N. Tret, Six Gold Head Compressiceps, and some neon blue leptosoma if bluegrass gets them in again.

Any comments or concerns I should have? I am going to remove any fish that get kicked out of the group after the harem (occies) and pair (gold heads) form.


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## JMUFTW (Aug 26, 2011)

Another thought... if i split the rockwork could I get away with adding some julies? And the aforementioned "neon blue" would be Paracyprichromis nigripinnis blue neon - unless someone has another cyp with awesome colors and open water instead of rocks in order to fit julies...


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

You could fit two rockdwelling species in a 4ft tank... but the Paracyps, comps and tret are all rockdwellers..

How tall is your tank?


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## JMUFTW (Aug 26, 2011)

ahh yeah forgot about Tret being a rockdweller... the tank is about 20 inches tall if i remember right, definitely taller than it is deep.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

If the tank is 48" long, and 20" tall... if it is 12" deep you have a 60 gallon, not a 50 gallon.

Personally, I think the tret is going to be a pain in the tank, that is one fish I would never add, single or not to a community, particularly with shell dwellers.

My opinion, would be to go with your shelldweller, the Alto's, some Cyp leptsoma (12) such as blue flash or Utinta, along with another rock dweller, such as a caudopunctatus, or small Julidochromis (ornatus/transcriptus/Gombe) , or small Telmatochromis (vittatus/bifrenatus)


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## JMUFTW (Aug 26, 2011)

I love the tret in rck1984's tank - but if it would cause that much trouble it might not be worth it.

DJRansome's punk is beautiful - http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=247126 - if they all look that awesome than I would definitely consider that or a little juli

Thanks for your input!


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## JMUFTW (Aug 26, 2011)

So - how does this sound, based on the current stock from Reserve Stock Cichlids:
6 occies
6 goldheads
8 Cyprichromis leptosoma Kerenge
and how many Julidochromis transcriptus Gombi?


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

... You have room for three species. The tank footprint won't easily support shellies, 2 rockies, plus a school of cyps who need a place to sleep on the ground. Cyps may find the tank too small, especially considering a group of 10 is considered the minimum.

Amended list:

6 occies
6 goldheads
6 transcriptus

OR

6 occies
6 goldheads
10 C. lepto Kerenge


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## JMUFTW (Aug 26, 2011)

Thanks for the input! 
They Cyps are just so expensive - If I go without them, will the Comps and Julies use the upper water at all? I just don't want it to feel like dead space.


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## Dawg2012 (May 10, 2012)

I very new to tangs... but research and roughly 2 whole days of experience (lol) tells me the Cyps not only fill what would be otherwise empty space but are desirable as dither fish (fish that will bring out other fish). I've already witnessed this in that the presence of my Cyps brought out the Multis the rocks they were hiding under.

Plus I love watching them school... and yeah, I hear you on cost... The Cyps were the most I've ever spent on fish at one time lol.


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