# shell dweller question



## fish kid (Nov 4, 2007)

I've heard before that if you don't provide shells for shell dwellers then they will breed in rocks (like other fish), is this true?

thx for any input...

~fish kid~


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## lotsofish (Feb 28, 2008)

I don't have an answer for your question since I have shells for my shellies.

But, why would you want shellies in the first place if not to watch their natural behavior which is centered around their shells?


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

When I don't have enough shells, the fish that live in the rocks do not spawn.

I wouldn't suggest finding out the real answer: to deliberately not provide shells to shell dwellers will take the fun out of keeping them.


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## Darkside (Feb 6, 2008)

They will spawn without shells, if there are other suitable hiding places and not competition in the aquarium.


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## pcrawford1044 (Apr 19, 2008)

no the wont spawn with out a shell and if you have more shells in the tank then you do fish the others will bury the entrance to the unused shells which may trap the fry if theres any in them thats why i have only 1 shell per fish


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## Darkside (Feb 6, 2008)

Darkside said:


> They will spawn without shells, if there are other suitable hiding places and not competition in the aquarium.


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## Rick_Lindsey (Aug 26, 2002)

pcrawford1044 said:


> no the wont spawn with out a shell and if you have more shells in the tank then you do fish the others will bury the entrance to the unused shells which may trap the fry if theres any in them thats why i have only 1 shell per fish


Depends on what sort of shell-dweller you have, actually. My multi's jsut dug all the sand out from underneath their shell pile, and were perfectly happy with more shells than fish. A shell might have gotten buried incidentally, but they didn't seem to be purposefully burying shells.

-Rick


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## rrich741 (Apr 18, 2008)

my lamprologus meeli once bred on rocks even though there were shells in the tank.


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