# The Perfect Tankmate Choice



## Snowman102 (Dec 24, 2012)

I have recently set up a 36 gallon African cichlid setup. I have been bouncing back and forth between malawi and tanganyika, and have finally settled on a tanganyika setup. Right now I have 4 synos and now have 2 Brevis shell-dweller. I currently have the tank setup for sort of a depression in a rock pile with some sand, small pebbles, and 4 shells wedged around and in the pebbles, like a natural area shells would get caught in and brevis would naturally live in, a place with low shell density. So what sort of fish do you guys recommend for this biotype? What fish can get along with these fish?I have a spare tank I can put the brevis in if necessary. I like Paracyps a lot and Xenotilapia flavinpinnis is one of my favorite cichlids. What do you guys think?Thanks for any advice, Jack :thumb:


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

What are the dimensions of the 36G tank?


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## Snowman102 (Dec 24, 2012)

Sorry, I always forget to do that! The dimensions are 30inch length 21inch tall by15inch width.


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## webbie (Apr 29, 2012)

Couple of fish I can recomend for you to consider ,N.Caudopunctatus "punks",just gotta love em ,and a Calvus slow growing a very peaceful unusual for a tang :fish:


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

So sorry to say real bad start.
Yep small shelly great in that tank size.
Yep Small Synos great in that tank size but together your already up &%$* creak.

You are totaly right on having to decide Tangs or Malawis in that tank size.
Trouble is 36g is a small tank and even going for one or other you kind of need to go all compatable guys.


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## LouIE82 (Nov 6, 2012)

You'll get a lot of "not big enough" replies here, so many are stuck on the idea that a 55gallon is required to keep tangs which isn't true. Not looking to stir things up, but you can have a great set up with what you have.

I would consider pulling a few or all of the cats out, they produce high amounts of waste and most only come out at night or early morning anyhow. If you do that you should be able to add a calvus or two in there, also a transcriptus or a leleupi would work out. I wouldn't go over 6-7 fish with that tank as tempting as it is.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Your right mate 36g is a great size for either just not both.
Mixing shellys with Syno cats kind of wants a 4 foot tank even then its kind of hard on the shellys.


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## Snowman102 (Dec 24, 2012)

I've never seen the catfish go for the brevis, and the brevis female is really starting to nudge the male into breeding, as she nips at him and tilts her caudal fin up like Multies do, so I don't think that's really a huge problem. I really like the idea of the calvus, as a local store has plenty of variety, so I most likely will be going to get some inkfin calvus calculus really soon, like a trio, as they are $15 a piece. Yesterday, I went to grab some snails, nirite snails to be specific. Thanks for all the posts so far, too.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Synodontis will not "go for" shellies...it's just that with each bottom dweller (catfish and shellies) swarming all over the bottom...neither will display their natural behavior because the other is always interfering.


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## LouIE82 (Nov 6, 2012)

Sounds like a plan, keep the water changes frequent since smaller tanks get polluted faster. :thumb: 
Do you know which cats you have? Most get pretty big.


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## Snowman102 (Dec 24, 2012)

Lucinnipis, at least I'm 95%sure


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## Snowman102 (Dec 24, 2012)

What about Cyps? Is there anything that can inhabit the midwater section? Isn't tank both tall and long enough? I can get rid of the synos to make room. Maybe a school of 6 cyps? I have heard of people keeping them in a 29 gallon, just check cichlid forums cyprichromis lepostoma species profile as I don't mind not being able to breed them.

Thanks, Jack :thumb:


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## webbie (Apr 29, 2012)

I think a 30" tank is too short for Cyps most people reccomend at least a 48" for Cyps, how about some paracyprichromis? take a look at some N.Punctatus they give any tang set up a bit of oomph always out and not at all shy


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Agree you want a 48" tank for non-jumbo cyps.


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## Snowman102 (Dec 24, 2012)

Well, that sucks I can't have cyps. I, just yesterday, got the calvus, so do punks and calvus go along? The fish store that stocks tanganyika cichlids is over and hour away, away so I most likely will not go their, and they don't carry Paracyps. So with these fish here are my ideas.

Idea 1:

Alto. Calvus x3
Neo. Punk. x? (3-5)
MAYBE Neo. Brevis x 2

Idea 2:

Alto. Calvus x3
Neo. Brevis x4
Paracyps. Nigri. x5


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Caudopunctatus and calvus are a great combo...one of my favorite tanks and I did have them in a 36G for a time. In a small tank I would not do caudopunctatus and shellies though.

Idea 2 should work.


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## Snowman102 (Dec 24, 2012)

Did the caudopunks live in shells or rocks in that setup? And why can't Beef is live with caudopunks? Just curious as I have spare tank.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

First it is a small tank so you want to be a little more conservative with your stocking than you might be with a 48" tank. One fish per habitat is ideal. Caudopunctatus use both shells and rocks.

The reason idea 2 is ideal is there is one bottom dweller, one rock dweller and one upper water/cave swimming fish.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

My 4 puncs and 7 multies and three sumbu dwarf give each other a hard time in a 48" 46g 48"x15"x15".
Kind of would not try only two at max in a 36g.
My guess is all 3 puncs, multies plus Altolamp could work but there again could go pearshaped in a smaller tank.
Calvus or sumbu dwarf plus rockdweller or the calvus plus shelly far safer for the tank size I think.

Plus maybe Paracyps?
Again kind of hard as I do not like Cyps in a community 36g but Paracyps kind of males like to use the rocks.

All the best James


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Kind of sorry to harp on about this but S.lucipinnis are great fish. Just not long term in small tanks with small shellys. Change that and your kind of far better.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Great quote from the BCA site from a comparitive newby. "Did not take me long to figure out less is more for keeper enjoyment in a Tang tank". One shelly one rockdweller one open water for a 36g (my addition) still less breeding than a species tank. :wink:


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## Snowman102 (Dec 24, 2012)

Thanks DJ, I guess I'll go with Idea 2, as you recommended. The caudopunks sure give me the vision of a 20 high full of rocks and shells, if you know what I mean :wink: :lol: . Maybe I will go to Bluegrass for some paracyps, most likely.

Thanks for the help, Jack :thumb:


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