# Colonizing Shellies



## WowieMaq (Jan 28, 2013)

Hello Everyone,

I have been fascinated with shellies eversince. I am currently keeping multies, similis and brevis.
just want to know what other shellies has the same behaviour as the multies and similis? I have a vacant 36"x24"x18 and I'm looking for a colonizing shellie 
specie aside from multies and similis or if there is none, a non agressive shellie that would not be agressive to his own specie and would readily breed in that tank.

Hoping to hear your suggestions.

Wowie


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## ratbones86 (Jun 29, 2012)

maybe julies?? you could do a pair of calvus. They are shellies for a while lol


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## webbie (Apr 29, 2012)

How about L.Caudopunctatus "punks" lovely little shellie,and they tend to be out and about not like some shellies ,or there are gold occies,noy sure if they build colonies tho,your 36 "tank would be perfect for a punk species only tank,that I would like to do myself


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## WowieMaq (Jan 28, 2013)

I have caudos and sumbus in a 4 footer 75 gallon. I'm thinking about ornatipinnis are they good shellies?


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## webbie (Apr 29, 2012)

Never kept Ornatapinnis,I beleive they tend to form pairs rather than colonies,shelldwellers.com is a good site for shellie info


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## WowieMaq (Jan 28, 2013)

I think their website is down  Thanks for the reply. Are they good in a community? I'm looking for a community shellie that will not kill each other off hehe


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

puncs are great do not get me wrong but not naturaly shellys. Might as well call N.brichardi and the whole crowd of fairy cichlids (pulcher/brichardi complex and close Neolamps) shellys as happy to breed in shells in tanks.

Dunno if they are colinizing shellys (you already have the most famous (like me   )) know a BCA guy with loads of Telmatochromis sp. "Temporalis Shell" in it.

Sadly I lost my male (silly me put em in with N.leleupi and N.gracilis ) and just have a lonely female at the moment.
Still mate bred em before passing em to me. Might grab some of his young. :thumb:

All the best James


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## WowieMaq (Jan 28, 2013)

Thats my next plan to add Telmatochromis in my setups would they do good with brevis or they would prefer on their own?

I provided my puncs with shells but they would rather stay in the open but i like them all the same. Its only been recent that I have been into shellies. They are very
nice to watch and of course seldom do you see a shelly in an upper corner tank. Thats why I'm converting all my setups to shellie based will try to post some of my shell dweller pics


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## WowieMaq (Jan 28, 2013)

Heres my Puncs tank


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## WowieMaq (Jan 28, 2013)

Multi tank









similis tank









brevis tanks


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## WowieMaq (Jan 28, 2013)

I guess I am hooked I'm planning to add another Colonizing shelly or non aggressive ones that would do well in a 36 x 24 inches tank  also in a 4 footer.

Sorry bout the crappy pics im no photographer


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

My caudopunctatus did not colonize...they formed pairs. I had two pair producing fry at opposite ends of a 72" tank for a while, but the fry did not survive to adulthood. For a number of weeks...but not to maturity.

I would also say they are not a true shellie...mine did not even use shells...they excavated between rocks in the substrate.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Mine seem to like barnicle clusters. Not natural I know but they have gone for those over rocks or more normal shells. Yep in pairs if you look closely. But then again sometimes similis and multies do that too. Its the extended alowing/having fry and young ones helping the next bunch of fry I like. Can be hard to get going. Some males esp unrelated ones do not get on as well as closely related ones I think. Realy nice when the pairs and young blend into one mass, protecting the whole area from other species.

Sorry can not help on the Telmat question. Not tried em with multies or similis etc myself.

All the best James


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## WowieMaq (Jan 28, 2013)

Thanks for the rep guys. I will try the barnacles next time


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## Braden8558 (Jan 13, 2013)

Hello,

I was just wondering whether you like the multies or similis better since you have both?

Thanks, Braden


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Braden8558 said:


> Hello,
> 
> I was just wondering whether you like the multies or similis better since you have both?
> 
> Thanks, Braden


I have both too. Find it imposible to say. Think the multies generaly more fiesty maybe more interesting to watch (more group behaviour and "politics"/wife swapping harems etc) and the similis better looking and strangly easier to keep because of being less aggresive and tend to stay more "monogamous", various pairs/threesomes getting on kind of OK.
Never realy understood the price difference. (multies often 1/2 the price of similis) Big factor I guess when choising. Oddly not all my multie groups have behaved the same way.

All the best James


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

I've had both and prefer Similis for looks and Multies for behavior.


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## Braden8558 (Jan 13, 2013)

Thanks! I thought that the similis might be more aggressive than the multies? Are your similis just mellow or maybe I am just wrong!


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