# Brevis vs Ocellatus vs Mutli (Which is best?)



## Fiver (Nov 16, 2009)

Ok, so I know this will garner very individualistic, subjective answers, but: Which shelldweller is most interesting to keep? The Brevis, Ocellatus or Multi?

I'd like to keep just a small number (one male with two or three females) in a small tank.

Any thoughts on the pros and cons of the three species is much appreciated.

Thanks.


----------



## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

Multies, by a long shot.

My recent foray into brevis makes me believe that they are perhaps the most boring shelly. But- perhaps they'll grow on me after they breed. Occelatus types can be extremely aggressive towards each other and a pain to keep in a small aquarium. The colonial behavior of the multies makes them fun to watch: all the drama and much less trauma.


----------



## ashilli48 (May 14, 2006)

Yes brevis can be boring, unless you like to see the female poke her head out only to be immediately sent back in by the male. The only real action I ever saw was in a planted community tank in which I had one brevis and she was fine to roam about the tank with the dozens of other spastic goofballs, I guess it made her comfy....

never owned occies.

Multies will always be entertaining....constantly shoveling sand, dumping it onto other shelles, chasing each other, herding one another into shells for protection, etc.

Least colorful of the bunch but the most active.


----------



## Fiver (Nov 16, 2009)

Thanks for the great and prompt replies! I wasn't expecting such strong praise for any one species of the others. It's good to hear from experienced hobbyists.


----------



## cjbtech (Dec 5, 2008)

I have owned all 3. I now only keep the Occys. All answers were about right. The Brevis were boring, Multies were kind of cool but still lacking in color but, cool might own them again. I have a pair of WC Occys. in a20L. Started with 5. After the carnage & the sale of a couple after I figured out Fem_Male I love them. Their fry have paid for them over & over.
The fem. is a B*TCH. Cleaning the tank she bites me, catching extra fry she bites me & I'm sure she dreams of ather ways to cause pain. That being said I love the Occelatus & would reccomend them. Just be prepared to loose a few to get where you want to go.


----------



## ashilli48 (May 14, 2006)

Another fun one I have owned is the Lepidiolamprologus boulengeri. Belligerent little bugger but only in the defense of it's "nest". Finger biter, glass banger, you name it, throws off some serious attitude, but ultimately does not go looking for trouble. Not as readily available so may be hard to find.


----------



## Darkside (Feb 6, 2008)

I've had all three many times and I prefer multies by far.


----------



## Multies (Mar 9, 2007)

You can never have too many multies :lol:


----------



## tranced (Jan 11, 2006)

i prefer the occy but i dont think a small tank is the way to go with them... so i would say multies in your case


----------



## cancichfan (Dec 23, 2009)

Multies said:


> You can never have too many multies :lol:


But where do you find them? I've been looking for 3 weeks for some multi's for a small tang tank.
Can you send me a PM where you got yours? I'll be in TO in a couple weeks so if there is a good place in the city, can you please let me know.
Thanks


----------



## cancichfan (Dec 23, 2009)

Or is there a Toronto California?


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

My brevis are all over the place, they even school with the cyps. No fry that I've seen though.


----------



## chrispyweld (Dec 20, 2005)

I got a "trio" of Gold ocellatus about a month ago for my Tang comunitty. I now a a lone male in a 20L. Swamped it out for some Multies and it's only been a couple weeks that they have been in the main tank and I have not seen any of the entertaining behavior as of yet. Just washed out fish. I am hoping in time to that they get more comfortable with me around the tank. As of now I see shells and signs of diligent work (piles of sand) but they will not come out when I am around the tank at all.

If you go with the multies prepare to be patient.


----------



## ~Firefly~ (Dec 23, 2009)

I'm fairly new to Tangs and have recently got a few Occies (Gold). I started with 5 in a 120 litre long. They all fought over shells (of which there were plenty) and two died from stress. I now have three who I suspect are all male. One particularly is a real savage and attacks me relentlessly when I clean the gravel. :lol: He has learned now to clamp on to the skin on my knuckles and shake. It does hurt but not broken the skin thankfully! He's a total b*stard but I really like them. Colourful and interesting to watch, but their constant fighting can make you grow tiresome. They don't bother the julies or the daffodils though.


----------



## football mom (Feb 19, 2006)

I have kept multis for over a year now, started with 5, have given away or sold a bunch, and still have a tank full. One interesting thing I have noticed, the older fish (over a year) have much more color than the younger ones, and don't looked washed out.
I purchased 4 gold occies in Nov. of last year, they are in a 10 gallon with a lot of shells. I really had no idea what gender they all were, but last w/e I noticed fry. 
So far, there has been none of the fighting that others have described.
Each of these shellies are kept in a species only tank, btw.


----------



## baitfish2000 (Mar 11, 2005)

Never kept Occies so cannot say on them but right now I have 2 20 gal long tanks a Multie and a Brevis...and to be honest the Brevis are boring... 2 males and 3 females and not alot happens.

Seriously thinking about getting rid of the Brevis and doing a species tank - either Pearly Occies or a Brichardi tank.


----------



## Fiver (Nov 16, 2009)

Thanks everyone. I appreciate all of the opinions.

So, with the coloring of the multies, does white/pale sand wash them out? Should I go with a darker sand? Or will that even be worse?

Baitfish2000: I had a bricardi colony once. It was the most awesome tank I've ever had.


----------



## obliquidnes (Mar 27, 2005)

All three groups are similiar in nature Boering!!!. Somewhat brownish,walk near the tank they hide,if they breed and you want to seperate the fry you have to smash the shell to get at them and the female.Resale value for the fry is nil,and are forever to grow up since they are microscopic when fry. My opinion is to forget all three. Go with a Ectodus Descampsi .Small fish,male has a beautiful bright blue dot on the dorsil . They require sand due to they will dig an open pit and breed in the center of it. You can even see the fry as they spit them out in the pit ,and scoop them back up when danger comes near.A friendly fish ,that will not scatter when you walk by.
But , to other fish they are like pit bulls. If they come near the pit ,and *** had them with Fronts, these guys will even take on a Front and win!


----------



## tranced (Jan 11, 2006)

nah all fish are boring you cant even hug them get a cat they will take on any fish and win plus u can give them hugggzzzz


----------



## football mom (Feb 19, 2006)

My multis and occies do not hide when i approach, they are out begging shamelessly!
The multis are fun to watch, as they all rise up together, if they startle, they quickly drop as one fish, and then just rise up again simultaneously like a cloud, all together. 
The fry do take a long time to grow, though, but isn't that true of a lot of Tangs? 
I haven't had too many issues de-shelling them, see the article "Un-shelling a Shellie" in the library.


----------



## cancichfan (Dec 23, 2009)

tranced said:


> nah all fish are boring you cant even hug them get a cat they will take on any fish and win plus u can give them hugggzzzz


Yeah but a cat can only swim for a few minutes, then they just get soggy and aren't nearly as much fun to hug.


----------



## Darkside (Feb 6, 2008)

obliquidnes said:


> All three groups are similiar in nature Boering!!!. Somewhat brownish,walk near the tank they hide,if they breed and you want to seperate the fry you have to smash the shell to get at them and the female.Resale value for the fry is nil,and are forever to grow up since they are microscopic when fry. My opinion is to forget all three. Go with a Ectodus Descampsi .Small fish,male has a beautiful bright blue dot on the dorsil . They require sand due to they will dig an open pit and breed in the center of it. You can even see the fry as they spit them out in the pit ,and scoop them back up when danger comes near.A friendly fish ,that will not scatter when you walk by.
> But , to other fish they are like pit bulls. If they come near the pit ,and I've had them with Fronts, these guys will even take on a Front and win!


You must have been keeping them in less than optimal conditions, as shellies have about as much personality as you get from Tanganyikan fish.


----------



## HeavycomestheAx (Sep 19, 2009)

I certainly have loved having my multies for the last six months. Lots of action, several batches of fry, but alas they are shy on color. I must say though that I have been very interested in keeping additional shellies, just don't have the extra space for another tank.


----------



## chrispyweld (Dec 20, 2005)

Darkside said:


> shellies have about as much personality as you get from Tanganyikan fish.


True. That's why I love the New worlds so much.


----------



## Darkside (Feb 6, 2008)

chrispyweld said:


> Darkside said:
> 
> 
> > shellies have about as much personality as you get from Tanganyikan fish.
> ...


Tangs are more or less the same as new world cichlids. I was referring to puffers.


----------



## cjbtech (Dec 5, 2008)

obliquidnes said:


> All three groups are similiar in nature Boering!!!. Somewhat brownish,walk near the tank they hide,if they breed and you want to seperate the fry you have to smash the shell to get at them and the female.Resale value for the fry is nil,and are forever to grow up since they are microscopic when fry.


 No offense but smashing the shell is a litle drastic & the only similarities are they choose to live & breed in shells. Temperment & size vary greatly.
. All you have to do is put the shells on a higher platform in the tank. The fem & fry will come out see that they are up high & go directly to the bottom. Another trick is to drill a little hole at the base of the shell where its turn is the tightest before you put it in with your fish. Then when you want them out you can twist them around in the tank they come spinning out.
As far as prices everywhere is different. They might be cheap in your area but, in an area like mine you can get $4 or more for them. Lets just say my group has paid for itself a zillion times over.


----------



## chrispyweld (Dec 20, 2005)

chrispyweld said:


> I am hoping in time to that they get more comfortable with me around the tank. As of now I see shells and signs of diligent work (piles of sand) but they will not come out when I am around the tank at all.
> 
> If you go with the multies prepare to be patient.


So mine heard me talking smack and came out to play. They will come and say hello whenever I am around the tank. I look forward to having a good sized group to see some more interactions.


----------

