# multi's? why?



## craziloki (Oct 22, 2010)

Is there something super spectacular about the multi's? I see that alot of people keep them, and alot of people talk about them on here.. I personally don't find them that attractive, but do they have some kind of "neat" behavior? Please somebody open my eyes to this fish!


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Article


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

craziloki said:


> Is there something super spectacular about the multi's? I see that alot of people keep them, and alot of people talk about them on here.. I personally don't find them that attractive, but do they have some kind of "neat" behavior? Please somebody open my eyes to this fish!


Actually, I am also kinda baffled about all the attention Multis get here. Think they are perceived as easy. They are much more interesting in a group, and well kept can be interesting just like most cichlids. Individually, I think the other shellies are more interesting and attractive. Multis may not even use the shells unless breeding.


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## kiriyama (Oct 20, 2010)

There wacky behaviour and social set up (i.e. colony) is what I think most people find endearing. What they lack in colour they certainly make up for in behaviour. As for the shells I have tried different set ups when I had my original group. The constant digging and rescaping is fun to watch, burying shells to stop other Multies using them, digging under rocks.. There are some subtle colours on the Multies, I find the right lighting helps. 
As for easy to keep I actuall found them easier than when i had my tropical community. i.e. teras , corries etc... My water is pH7 from the tap, after adding a few bits of tuffa rock it took it to 7.4 and no problems... I am a bit biassed but I like most of the shellies I have seen... At the end of the day it's all down to personal taste :fish:


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## Longstocking (Aug 26, 2003)

I don't understand it either honestly...

I don't like them :lol: They bore me.

But, I also don't like small fish. I do have some shellies... but I like the less common ones.


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## exasperatus2002 (Jul 5, 2003)

I think its because they're less aggressive then say occies are. I think they're bland. I've kept gold occies. Loved their bulldog look & tude. Mine would grab a fold of skin on my knuckle & try to move my hand away from his shells while doing water changes. When do you hear of multies doing that?


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## kiriyama (Oct 20, 2010)

Although technically not a shell dweller but a rock dweller and shell spawner I did have 1 Neolamprologus Caudopunctatus in a tank with a few other small Tanganyikan.. I liked the way he/she would burrow under a scallop shell, it used to swin in backwards and fan all the sand out with the tail and spit sand also, I think a small group of those would be cool opcorn: :fish:


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## ahud (Aug 22, 2009)

I like multi's as long as they are in a large community tank. I have kept them alone and did not get as much out of them. It was really exciting to watch them work together defending their colony. I am actually adding them in a 125g community tank.


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## craziloki (Oct 22, 2010)

I have a few occies in my tank as well and absolutely love them. They are very funny to watch the little "bulldog" try to ward away the a. comps when they aren't even paying attention to them. As far as the way they interact with each other, im not sure in the multi case because I wouldn't put them in my tank, as they bore me too* lol but the occies are more entertaining to watch than Jersey Shore! :lol:

I don't know, I realize it is personal preference but in this case I just don't get it. I thought maybe they do something spectacular, but *yawn* I guess they don't.

There are just so many more interesting small tang cichlids, atleast that's what I think....


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## craziloki (Oct 22, 2010)

Hey Sara!
Not to get off thread, but I think you are in close proximity to me.. I have been in the hobby for a little over a year and can't get enough of it. Wondering about the CCA and what the dues are and all that jazz.. Also, what are the benefits of it. I am about 1.5h from Silver Springs though


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## Longstocking (Aug 26, 2003)

craziloki said:


> Hey Sara!
> Not to get off thread, but I think you are in close proximity to me.. I have been in the hobby for a little over a year and can't get enough of it. Wondering about the CCA and what the dues are and all that jazz.. Also, what are the benefits of it. I am about 1.5h from Silver Springs though


Sent you a pm...

Back to the boring shellies


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## Darkside (Feb 6, 2008)

I've kept almost every shelldweller over the years and I'm still most entertained by multies. I think it has to do with how they cooperate with one another to defend and maintain their colonies. I find the behaviour of the occie types to lack depth. Some of the less common fish like N kungweensis barely do anything aside from lay down on the substrate. I've had similis too and I'd go with multies over them as well. :thumb:


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## ahud (Aug 22, 2009)

Glad I'm not the only one who thinks their colonial defense is superb to watch. I think that is the trick to enjoying them more, a large community setup.


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## Ollie (Sep 22, 2009)

exasperatus2002 said:


> I think its because they're less aggressive then say occies are. I think they're bland. I've kept gold occies. Loved their bulldog look & tude. Mine would grab a fold of skin on my knuckle & try to move my hand away from his shells while doing water changes. When do you hear of multies doing that?


Lol my 2 male multies will do that, they bite pretty hard for a little fish.


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