# Shell Dwellers Species for a 10 gallon



## Braden8558 (Jan 13, 2013)

Hello Everyone,
So recently I have been getting into smaller Tanikans specifically shell dwellers and I have a 14 gallon with a pair of brevis and a 10 gallon with a pair of brevis. The pair in the 10 used to be in a 5 but they are acting as a source of ammonia till I get some new shell dwellers.

So I had my eye set on either gold ocellatus or lamprologus meleagris. Tough to find lots of shell dweller species though besides the brevis for my location anyways. But I was wondering if I could do a pair of either the gold occies or meleagris in a 10 and what other species I could do? I'm not super interested in multies but similis might be cool. I would like something that has some attitude and is pretty. Ornatippinnis might work as a pair in a 10 but from what I've read they aren't always the best parents along with the meleagris and occies. Speciosus might be a bit aggressive for a 10 but what are your opinions!

Thanks for the help, Braden


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

All the species you mention are too aggressive typically for a 10 gallon. Maybe some multifasciatus.


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## Braden8558 (Jan 13, 2013)

Thanks for the response. Really? I've heard mixed things, but I might try it and experiment. That's what fish keeping is about isn't it!

Anyone else?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I was going to say the same, but as others have more experience with Tangs than me (like Fogelhund, by far) I thought I'd wait and see if you got other responses first.


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## ratbones86 (Jun 29, 2012)

i would only go with multies in a 10g tank. Quiet small for anything else.


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## phishman (Feb 3, 2012)

I keep a pair of gold occie in a twelve gallon nano cube.


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## Cooder (Jul 19, 2011)

gold occies can be pretty hard on eachother in smaller tanks, my try at them was perfect in a 55 community, then i moved all 6 to a 20H, and they fizzed out and killed eachother....


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## Braden8558 (Jan 13, 2013)

Thanks for the responses. How about ornatippinis? Maybe similis if I can get a hold of them.


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

I reccommend Multis or Brevis. My Gold Occie males have several times killed their females when in too small of a space. Similis will probably work, but were slightly less tolerable of each other than my Multies, when in a 29 gallon.


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## Braden8558 (Jan 13, 2013)

Thanks for the feedback. I already have brevis so maybe similis. I thought meleagris might work but then again lots of species may work but it depends on the fish and setup.


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## NJmomie (Jan 17, 2013)

You just got me thinking about this setup too. I used to have an Eclipse System 12 with 4 multies and they were great. I think I will do that again but maybe with similis this time.


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## Braden8558 (Jan 13, 2013)

Nice! I'm trying to figure out the main differences between similis and multies besides the striping and color. How do they differ in attitude? Spawning tactics? Spunkiness? Digging?


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

In my experience, multis are more colonizing and better parents than similis.


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## NJmomie (Jan 17, 2013)

Fogelhund, do other similis adults also help raise the babies or do they eat them?


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

I would have said the same except for my last two groups. 10 similis got young strait into breeding and rareing 7 multies lots of male to male aggression and fry killing. But there again it depends on the number of males and relatedness of the group I think.
Whatever you go for in a 10g prob fastest breeding and rearing starting with just one male and a bunch of females.

All the best James


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## Braden8558 (Jan 13, 2013)

Thanks for the suggestions guys! So do you think (1m/2f) of similis OR (1m 3f) for the multies would work alright? I may be going to an auction soon so was wondering what number I should aim towards. Still want the occies, but it seems like they can be a bit risky in a 10 gallon.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Braden8558 said:


> Thanks for the suggestions guys! So do you think (1m/2f) of similis OR (1m 3f) for the multies would work alright? I may be going to an auction soon so was wondering what number I should aim towards. Still want the occies, but it seems like they can be a bit risky in a 10 gallon.


 8)


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## Braden8558 (Jan 13, 2013)

I do like the meleagris and I think I'm going to go for them! So what are peoples recommendations for caring for them or any special things for the tank? If I can get a pair then I will probably get them, but if not how many should I aim towards getting? Right now this is the tank layout...






I may make a pile of rocks in the middle and do shells off to the sides of the rocks and also try to create some caves/tunnels in the rocks. I might include some val and maybe crypts or other plants in the tank as well. Is 3 shells per fish a good ratio for this fish?

Thanks for the help guys!


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