# Neolamprologus Multifasciatus Species Tank



## bccromer (Apr 13, 2004)

Hello all. It's been awhile since I have posted here because I haven't had a tank in several years. My girlfriend got me a tank for Valentine's Day since she knows I have been wanting another one. It is a 6 gallon Fluval Edge tank. I like the tank and with space limitations it works for now. The only problem is I am a cichlid addict and of course want to put some cichlids in it. I have been looking at Multies as a possible tank since they stay small.

I'm just curious what you guys think about if they would work in this tank, and if so how many and what ration should I try to get. I know they will probably breed and that is fine. I will just let them grow up in the tank with the parents then sell them off when they get big enough. Any advice would be wonderful as I have never kept shell dwellers before, but think it would be awesome to give it a try.


----------



## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

I'd go for 1 male, 2 females for multies, and throw about 20-30 shells in there, piled up. :thumb: Your other option would be a pair of L. brevis...


----------



## bccromer (Apr 13, 2004)

I may do the multies and get another tank right beside it and do some brevis. Other than shells for them to live in, is there anything else I need to know to make them thrive? I will get sand substrate, get my ph correct and all that. I just mean in general about these 2 species.

Also is it ok to just let the fry grow up in the tank with the parents for both of these species? Granted they are fairly small tanks so I will be limited on how many fish I can have in there, but other than that are there any reasons why the fry can't stay in the tank?


----------



## rck1984 (Feb 13, 2012)

bccromer said:


> I may do the multies and get another tank right beside it and do some brevis. Other than shells for them to live in, is there anything else I need to know to make them thrive? I will get sand substrate, get my ph correct and all that. I just mean in general about these 2 species.
> 
> Also is it ok to just let the fry grow up in the tank with the parents for both of these species? Granted they are fairly small tanks so I will be limited on how many fish I can have in there, but other than that are there any reasons why the fry can't stay in the tank?


For the Multifasciatus; Lots of shells on a thin layer of sand. Multifasciatus doesn't like sand, as much as possible shells because multi's breed like rabbits as soon as they know how to. All the fry will claim a shell for their own sooner or later. Besides, shell beds is what they originally live on as well. A thing to keep in mind if you cover up the bottom with shells is to feed them very carefully as all the food they don't take sink to the bottom into the shells. It's impossible to get it out during water changes.

For the Lamprlogus Brevis; A few shells will do. If you go just for a pair, get about 3 for the male and 3 for the female. Make sure the shells are big enough because the a pair of Brevis actually shares one shell after all.

Fry of the Multifasciatus can stay in the tank. As far as I know and have seen, Multi's will remove their own fry as soon as they think the tank is too crowded. Atleast in my case, besides removing fry isn't gonna be easy as they just get into a shell as soon as they feel danger. You have to remove the whole shell then, obviously. As for the Brevis, I am not sure but I think you can keep the fry in the same tank but as soon as they start to grow and get bigger, they will start to claim territoria as well. That's the moment I would take them out as they might clash with the other fishes.

Multi's are fun to have, I can spend hours by observing them :thumb:


----------



## Tropheus311 (Dec 28, 2011)

I was thinking about doing the exact same thing with a recently purchased fluval edge 6 gallon. The idea was vetoed by the gf, but please post any pictures of the setup/tank/fish if you could. I was going to keep 6 Neolamprologus Multifasciatus in the 6 gallon....based on a species profile on the Greater Chicago Cichlid Association (GCCA) website, the author said he successfully kept and bred 6 in a 3 gallon eclipse tank. Made me think it would work in this fluval edge setup.


----------



## darkstar22 (Dec 13, 2010)

Yeah pics please! I really like the look of the Edge.


----------



## jordie94 (Jan 15, 2020)

Would love to find out how this project turned out or if it went ahead ?


----------

