# Best First shell dweller from Lake Tanganyika



## mbuna77 (Aug 25, 2010)

I have raised several cichlids from Lake Malawi and looking to start a small tank of shell dwellers from Lake Tanganyika. Which ones would be best to start with?


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

What are the dimensions of this aquarium?


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## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

I started with Lamprologus brevis (Kitumbia) and had a good experience.


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## ssondubs (Nov 16, 2008)

IMO Multies if you want to see them breed often or Occelatus if you want more aggression. 20 long tank or larger should be considered.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Question should realy be which one is good to start with?
Whichever you like and have space for but not more than one species per tank except very rarely in suprisingly large tanks. Generaly the different species/types do not get on well at all.
Also depends on what you want to keep with them.
Some stay as pairs others form colonies. I like colonies so am a sucker for multies and similis.
Some are more tollerant of other fish but all are pretty spikey to other fish esp when they breed. (Unless very badly bullied in communities not come across one that did not breed, given a choice of mates)
For character Lepidiolamprologus are a must to try at some time but might be best avoided at first as they can be real nasty to each other but I know folk who have had success with em as their first shelly.
Colour wise they are not the best but some man made (line bred) 'Lamprologus' ocellatus are quite colourful. But then if you do not have a raising tank you prob want one that will not eat its own young so prob recommend a collony guy as first shelly to try if no raising tank available.

Funny I did not keep shells for about 30 years of cichlid keeping. Now I can not get enough of em after trying a few. But they are far from the same so lots more for me to try too. 8)

All the best James


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## Mr Mbuna (Nov 16, 2007)

I've bred multis, brevis and ocellatus but the one that gave me most pleasure was probably the multis as their colonies are really interesting to watch. Ocellatus have more character though with their little froggy faces and they are more feisty. Brevis I found boring tbh as they just stayed in their shells all the time, but maybe I just had some lazy ones.


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## mbuna77 (Aug 25, 2010)

I was going to start with a 20 long and possibly work towards a larger aqaurium. Thank you guys for all your responses.


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## jlagory (Aug 11, 2003)

I took my brother's shelly tank when he moved long distance. 10 gallons, 3 brevis pairs. These fish are an absolute joy and really not difficult to take care of. Very cute.


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## exasperatus2002 (Jul 5, 2003)

Mr Mbuna said:


> I've bred multis, brevis and ocellatus but the one that gave me most pleasure was probably the multis as their colonies are really interesting to watch. Ocellatus have more character though with their little froggy faces and they are more feisty. Brevis I found boring tbh as they just stayed in their shells all the time, but maybe I just had some lazy ones.


I've only had experience with the occies myself. I love em, would get some again in a heart beat if I could find a local source.


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## Jamey (Jul 19, 2008)

my first tanganyikans after a 10 year break were multis. My wife loves em, I love em. They're interesting from a sociological perspective, watching the colony develop, etc, they're excellent parents, and watching multiple litters grow at once is a joy. It's also a lot of fun to watch them rearrange the tank sand wise. They'll move absolutely everything and eventually spend weeks spitting sand into their neighbor's holes and having it spit back, and spitting it back again, over and over... They're also dirt cheap because anyone who has multis has multies for sale! I got mine as fry and it took them a good 9 months to start producing but once they did they were very good spawners. I kept them in a 29 which was frankly a bit too big... a large area never got used, and they never went above the half way point vertically. a 20 would probably be choice. That or a 30 breeder if you wanted to really let the colony go and grow on it's own.

of the 6 I started with I lucked out and got 2m 4f. one male took 3 f and moved to the right side of the tank. 2 of them started nesting in the rocks, 1 in a shell. on the other end of the tank the 1m 1f set up shop. They never produced as much (usually 1 to 3 fry per batch) but colonies on both ends slowly developed and intermingled in the middle. A great time if you can put them close to your office chair as I have mine so you can see them up close easily. The ones I've moved to the fish room aren't barely as accepting of me looking in, they've gone reclusive without my constant presence.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

I would concur that multi's are a very interesting and easy to raise shelldweller. Their colonizing behaviour is very interesting, and there will be a ton of action in your tank.


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## Keith1964 (Nov 4, 2009)

I like shellies, I bought some multies from a friend not knowning that I had 1 female and 9 males as they were still juveniles. I had them in my 200 gallon community tank. A pair bounded immediately and took refuge in the one corner of the tank where I spread out lots of shells. This pair was defending this area and spooked off any intruders. Their were no signs of fry as I had them almost 7 months inside this tank. Early this year I googled one our local sites and someone wanted to sell off his colony comprising of 5 females and 9 males so I purchased them with there fry. I setup my 120 gallon tank and it looks like an ocean to them. I spread out the bottom of the tank with various types of shells. Most of the pairs bonded immediately with each other and boundaries were formed. Some of the pairs allowed there fry to bond with them. Three weeks later I started seeing little fry swimming at the entrances of the shells during feeding time. To my suprize all 5 females had fry at the same time I am still amazed at this spawning simultanousely. I also introduced my previous multies to this colony. Since then there has been an ongoing spawning period. There was a break at one stage as I introduced some on the species with them not shellies, but my julidochromis. An 3 weeks ago I noticed that most of the shells have lots of new fry and the batches are extremely very big compare to their previous ones. All females are carrying again. The previous fry had quite a few females and they also started spawning there batches are still small like 2 fry each. It is great watching this species interact with one another and forming colonies. The tank is quite spread out with various groups forming and how they buikd wall of sand to separate each other nesting site. I like the nursery that they build for the younger fry to swim and there older simblings taking care of them.


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## tranced (Jan 11, 2006)

the best kind of shelly to start with is... any of them!! once you get one type you will soon find your house filling up with tanks as you want to try them all.

i have ended up with gold occies and sumbu compressiceps, they are my favs, i sold all the rest


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