# Trading in Lake Malawi fish to Stock a 90 gallon



## JimInAugusta (Mar 16, 2007)

I am going to trade in my malawi collection and restock my 90 gallon with Tanganyikans. Boy the population has gone up quite a bit since that photo was taken.










I am under the impression that it might be best to stock fewer Tanganyikans in a 90 than Malawi fish. Is this correct?

Here is the short list of species that I am considering: 
Buescheri, shell dwellers of some type, Daffodil Brichardi, Compressiceps, Marlieri, goby if I can find them ,leleupi, blue flash if I can find them and cylindricus.

My main questions are stocking levels and more importantly compatibility. Opinions on plantings welcome. I run a pair of 48" HO T-5 bulbs in true actinic and 6000k daylight as well as eight LED spotlights for shimmer.

I have used Aquabid with mixed success in the past. Some sellers packed the fish well. Some didnt with fatal results. Shipping is pretty expensive too. The sole LFS in town will special order fish and credit me well for the Malawi fish. He knows africans and I trust him. Sources in the Atlanta or Columbia SC area welcome as are good online sources.

I appreciate your thoughts,

Jim


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Jim, what are your goals with this tank? Single fish of a number of species or breeding? Is this a 4ft tank?


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## JimInAugusta (Mar 16, 2007)

The tank is 48" long. I would like to keep a community of fish like in an Mbuna system. I have never kept a Tanganyikan community system and so dont know much other than what I have gleaned of the net. Several breeding groups sounds nice. Will that work?


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## Hoosier Tank (May 8, 2007)

Because you tank is a 90g I may be way off base,but...The recomendation I have would be a single "Daffodil" N. pulcher... too much like a "Brichardi Death Squad" if a pair form. Marlieri (Julies) are pairing fish so you need to buy several to start and hope for a pair to form... return the others shortly afterwards. Comps and Leleupi will keep fry #'s to a minimum.
Too bad you're that far south this time of year, I'd take the Mbuna off your hands :wink:


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Tanganyikan substrate spawners are completely different than keeping mbuna. Once paired up, most tend to have permanent territories, that they defend continuously to the exclusion of all other fish. As a result, you cannot stock substrate spawners as heavily as you might mbuna.

Given your list, something such as a pair of buescheri, a shell dweller type, a pair of compressiceps, and a group of leptosoma would be a good stocking level.


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## JimInAugusta (Mar 16, 2007)

Fogelhund said:


> Tanganyikan substrate spawners are completely different than keeping mbuna.


A statement like this is very important to know. I prefer to do a lot of research before jumping in.

I had read here that the Brichardi will become mean if they pair up. I have kept mbuna many times over the years but never a tank like I described above.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Neolamprologus brichardi will typically have a 2-3 meter cubed territory in the wild, which they aggressively defend against all intruders. It seems that they try and take about the same amount of space in the aquarium once they've spawned. There are some fish that seem to be able stand up to them (sometimes), if they are established first, but not many.


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## JimInAugusta (Mar 16, 2007)

I always kept mbuna due to their cheap price. I always wanted to keep Tanganyikans as a kid but they cost too much. Now that I'm old and smelly I can splurge a bit. Fogelhund what numbers of Leptosoma and shell dwellers should I buy?

I watched a You Tube video showing how the shell dwellers live in the wild. I want to do this right and am looking for an online source of shells. Any favorite species of shells that people use that look authentic? 
It looks like I may need to create a larger sand area by either removing some rocks or piling them higher which may be a bit daunting.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

I think you would enjoy keeping Lamp. multifasciatus. They colonize and can be very interesting. Purchasing 6-8 young should do the trick.

I would look at getting 15-18 leptosoma in your tank, which should keep the activity level up.

For the pairing fish, I'd recommend six young of each, and remove extras for the buescheri once they pair (though often they do that for you). With compressiceps, often extra females are tolerated, so removing extra males might be all that is necessary.

You will find these fish to be very interesting in behaviour, quite rewarding.

People often use Turbo shells, though I've often used shells from escargot at the local grocer. You want something with about a 1" opening.

You definately want to create two distinct rock areas, probably with a sandy area in the middle for the shellies.


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

Putting Slate against the back of the tank is a better alternative than stacking rocks. The Cyp and Julie appreciate it. I am resetting up a 100 gallon 5ft Tang tank.. I will have 4 Black Caklvus, 4 Julidichromis Transcriptus, in hopes that I will get a pair of each. 8 Blue Flash Cyps(and hopefullly some fry..shooting for 16 total) 5 Syno Petricola, and 8 and Gold Occies. Rocks on each side and escargo shells in the middle. I should be posting some pics, in the next few weeks, when things settle down. I like the Tangs...but I love mbuna. They are a totally different fish. My suggestion would be to pick up and inexpensive 55 gallon(craigs list) and make it the Tang tank with Calvus, Julies, and small Cyps. If you like it, you can switch the two and keep the mbuna in the 55 (3 groups) and add some shellies , Synos etc to the 90. It has taken me a while to appreciate my Tangs. My Cyps just started coloring up after 6 months. And waiting for fish to pair is difficult for me because of my impatience. I wish you luck with your endeavor.


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## JimInAugusta (Mar 16, 2007)

Fogelhund said:


> I think you would enjoy keeping Lamp. multifasciatus. They colonize and can be very interesting. Purchasing 6-8 young should do the trick.


I will look them up.



Fogelhund said:


> For the pairing fish, I'd recommend six young of each, and remove extras for the buescheri once they pair (though often they do that for you).


Lulz!



Fogelhund said:


> You will find these fish to be very interesting in behaviour, quite rewarding.


Tang behavior is what draws me to them and has for decades.



Fogelhund said:


> People often use Turbo shells, though I've often used shells from escargot at the local grocer.


Fish homes and a snack. A two-fer! Now I just need a recipe.


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## JimInAugusta (Mar 16, 2007)

Floridagirl said:


> My suggestion would be to pick up and inexpensive 55 gallon(craigs list) ... I wish you luck with your endeavor.


One word that will sink this suggestion faster than a nun with a ruler: wife.  I have apparently exceeded the tank limit already with both a reef and a cichlid tank. 

I would have a custom twelve foot long tank with a mondo wave maker and a group of surf zone cichlids illuminated by MH lighting but *someone* doesnt seem to share in the unbridled joy of this idea.


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

Those darn spouses. Sigh, I understand. I am up to 7 tanks, with the 2, 10 gallons I snuck in last week for fry. You have to catch them at a weak moment..  JK, my hubby is awesome!


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## JimInAugusta (Mar 16, 2007)

I collect other things like boats and so I do take up my fair share of real estate in this marriage. I built the last one in my living room. It took three years. Somehow she found this unsettling.


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

Building our house (ourselves) only took two.


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## Charlutz (Mar 13, 2006)

It seems like you are on your way, but forget everything you learned about keeping mbuna. It just doesn't work for most tangs, unless you want to keep a bunch of singleton males. Not very interesting as the most interesting thing about tangs IMO is their breeding behavior. Be ready for the wife and family to complain about you getting rid of the pretty fish for all the silver and brown fish. Truth is that tangs have a more subtle beauty not evident if their is a reef tank or malawi tank nearby. Not to mention that they are far less interesting if they know you are watching them, so when the family comes around to watch, they either hide or lose all their color. Tangs are for their owner's enjoyment. I keep nothing else.


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## JimInAugusta (Mar 16, 2007)

Charlutz said:


> Tangs are for their owner's enjoyment. I keep nothing else.


Your entire post is worth quoting. You essentially read my mind. And my wife _does_ consider Tanganyikans to be _little beige fish._

I contacted a site sponsor about an order. He gave me wonderful specific advice about what to order. In a very friendly way he advised me how to arrange the rocks, the minimum numbers of each species to order and how much surface area each type of sand/shell dweller would need to be comfortable. Once I get the mbuna out I will place my order. Its going to be very, very cool. I should be good for a lot of pictures when I grow the fish out a bit and they color up.


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