# "Single" fish along with Multies ?



## Applejack (Feb 26, 2009)

Hi All,
I'm currently planning my 36" 180L tank for Multies.

I was planning on also having a pair of Black Calvus - but given that I will need to buy the fish mail order - I'm not going to be able to get 6 and let them pair up then return the rejected ones.

Given that I won't be able to return fish - I was wondering if "single" fish would work ?

Would a single black Calvus be happy ? I know we tend to put human emothions on the fish - but I don't want my new friends to pine for their own kind !!

Likewise would a single Neo. Brichardi be happy on it's own along with my shellies.

Any other suggestions for tank mates for my multies would be appreciated !!


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## Charles (Feb 25, 2003)

a single calvus and a single brichardi will be fine in with the shellies, you might lose a few fry, but it should be ok.


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## MidNightCowBoy (May 7, 2007)

I have a single calvus with my multi colony and he is just fine. He keeps busy roaming the tank looking for stray fry that venture too far from their shells.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Sorry but why go mail order for these?
Many LFSs will order em for you.
Show em the website.
You could then have a home for the returns or enter em in one of the many UK auctions.
I would be interested for one in cheap calvus. :wink:


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

On second thoughts your plan sounds better.
Not sure it is easy to pair calvus in a three foot tank.


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## Applejack (Feb 26, 2009)

Yeah - I'm thinking that Multies, a single Calvus and a single Brichardi might be good.

Anyone got any other suggestions for an interesting mix ??


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## CichlidWhisperer (Apr 12, 2008)

24Tropheus said:


> On second thoughts your plan sounds better.
> Not sure it is easy to pair calvus in a three foot tank.


IME I have had no problems pairing in a three foot tank. 24Tropheus, is there a specific reason you have a concern with this?


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

I had to separate my comps to get the females to a decent size before pairing.
Male (males bullied each other and were soon removed down to one) bullied the females too much for a good growth rate in the small tank.
I kind of guessed it might be the same with calvus?


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## Darkside (Feb 6, 2008)

24Tropheus said:


> I had to separate my comps to get the females to a decent size before pairing.
> Male (males bullied each other and were soon removed down to one) bullied the females too much for a good growth rate in the small tank.
> I kind of guessed it might be the same with calvus?


How many did you have to begin with? I keep 10 in my four foot and they get on ok.


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## Charles (Feb 25, 2003)

are they small? They are quite aggressive towards each other as adult even in a 4 foot tank.


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## Darkside (Feb 6, 2008)

Charles said:


> are they small? They are quite aggressive towards each other as adult even in a 4 foot tank.


If you cram them in like trophs or mbuna they seem to get on.


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## Charles (Feb 25, 2003)

Calvus is not like mbuna. They need an area for spawning as they mature. Mbuna is mouth breeder so after they spawn, they have usually guard an area. But for eat layers like calvus, they will control a certain area.


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## CichlidWhisperer (Apr 12, 2008)

Charles said:


> Calvus is not like mbuna. They need an area for spawning as they mature. Mbuna is mouth breeder so after they spawn, they have usually guard an area. But for eat layers like calvus, they will control a certain area.


That makes a lot of sense. But, if the goal is to have a group so as to allow them to pair and then breed, it seems it would be ok to temporarily crowd them until they pair up and then remove all but the pair. In the end when they breed they will not be crowded and in the beginning the crowding will prevent over-aggression. This is what I have been doing (albeit, not intentionally thinking of it this way) and it has been working.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I thought the crowding to prevent over-aggression was for Malawi. And I thought the reason you buy 6 Calvus juvies is so that they can choose their own mate. Once there is a spawn (or fish are driven from the tank by a pair), you remove the others.


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

Overcrowding does NOT work with Tangs, IMO. They definitely act better with less war, if they have their own territories.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Crowding does work to reduce aggression (or rather dilute the quantity any one fish suffers) with all the Tang mouth brooders I have tried. The problem comes from maintaining water quality and stability that they need at such densities.
Not sure about calvus and most substrate breeders though. Never tried it.
Seems to work with young comps I had more aggression with more space, until the space got to ridiculous proportions, 6 fish in a 7 foot tank and still the males bullied each other and the females in open water, just they had room to find hiding places and set up territories in caves.


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## CichlidWhisperer (Apr 12, 2008)

You are definitely correct. Over crowding does not work with Tangs and IME they like a relatively peaceful tank. I might have not explained it properly. What I have done in a 36" is to have 6 juvenile calvus. They get along relatively well and are very calm. If you watch them enough, you actually don't have to wait until they spawn to know how they have paired up. Once they are mature, but have not spawned yet, it will be obvious who is tolerating who and who needs to be removed before the 1st spawn. Thus you avoid the over aggression that can injure or kill a fish during the spawn. They are not full sized when they spawn for the first time either, and quite honestly they don't appear crowded. I do use a lot of rock work in my tanks though and that may be part of why it works in this sized tank.


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## Darkside (Feb 6, 2008)

Over crowding will work with some tangs, for instance, Tropheus, these fish are almost always over crowded. I've had success with crowding gobies in the same manner people crowd Tropheus and I know that Altos can also be kept in a colony, say about 15 in a 55 gallon.


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## Charles (Feb 25, 2003)

For holding tank to sell, 15 calvus in a 55 gallon is fine. I certainly would not recmmond doing that at home as a show tank. You will never see the behavior of the calvus. And I would never keep 15 calvus in a 55 gallon tank.

Tropheus is most or less like mbuna. Overcrowding is a must.

Gobies is strange... Sometimes it works, other time it doesn't.

You can start with 6 and pair them up and get rid of the rest. Sure.


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## Dru (Apr 5, 2006)

Applejack said:


> Yeah - I'm thinking that Multies, a single Calvus and a single Brichardi might be good.
> 
> Anyone got any other suggestions for an interesting mix ??


Where about are you in the UK mate?

Calvuses are not as rare as you think 

I've got them from different places - you just need to know where to look :thumb:

Cheers,

Dru


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## Applejack (Feb 26, 2009)

I'm in the North East - have never actually seem Calvus in the flesh (or in the scales :roll: )

Suggestions of UK sources would be greatly appreciated !


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