# Help me stock my 55gal please!



## Alexpol08 (Jun 29, 2014)

Hello, so i got my 55 gallon set up. *** been in the cookie cutter section and i love the sand sifter set up. But those fish are really expensive and hard to find. So my biggest thing is affordable and relatively easy to find fish. By affordable i mean around 10$.



So i would like some open water tangs and cave dwellers. Preferably 4in in length, no shellies as im setting up another tank for them. 
Any other recommendations would be great. Thanks !


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

The open water tangs are cyps and paracyps. You could try dwarf rainbow fish.

One or two rock dwellers: calvus, julidochromis, caudopunctatus are all favorites of mine.


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## Alexpol08 (Jun 29, 2014)

One or two pairs or 1 or 2 groups? If groups how many in each group? Also how many open water tangs should i get?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

You said you did not want to buy cyps or paracyps?

Let's say you stock calvus and julidochromis. Buy six and end up with a pair of each.


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## Alexpol08 (Jun 29, 2014)

No no, im fine with cyps and paracyps. I didnt want shellies.

What stocking would i look at for the most fish?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Add 12 cyps. Mine cost $20 per fish 10 years ago. And I bought from a breeder...not a retailer so that price was probably low for that time.

IDK how commonly available they are. They did not seem to fit the criteria you set.


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## Alexpol08 (Jun 29, 2014)

Well im trying to find cheaper one. I was able to find cyps for 12$ per but they were of the jumbo variety do i wouldnt be able to get them


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## Alexpol08 (Jun 29, 2014)

Will Paracyprichromis nigripinnis "blue neon" work? I found them for 8$ a piece!


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Yes. And you could probably get away with six of them instead of 12. They like high caves. Leave open swaths of substrate for them to sleep.


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## Alexpol08 (Jun 29, 2014)

Well my plan was to get 6 at first then get six more a few months later. And i have as high of caves as i can get without having very heavy rocks. And i have the open space on the substrate!


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Oh I thought the substrate looked pretty occupied by your rocks. Maybe a pile on each side and a swath in the middle...like divide the tank in thirds?

Not sure about aesthetics of this idea, but one experienced fish keeper leaned slates against the background that extended to the surface.


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## Alexpol08 (Jun 29, 2014)

I can try that. It does look pretty covered in the picture but there is actually alot of open space


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

For Cyps and Paracyps, that's a pretty good setup rocks wise, and looks nice too. Not what you'd want for substrate spawners though.


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## Alexpol08 (Jun 29, 2014)

Yes, no? Better? Any over all recommendation on the aquascape?


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## Alexpol08 (Jun 29, 2014)

Fogelhund said:


> For Cyps and Paracyps, that's a pretty good setup rocks wise, and looks nice too. Not what you'd want for substrate spawners though.


I didnt see your comment before i reshaped
But thanks! 
I dont believe I'm going to have substrate spawners. Unless cyps or paracyps are. I was going to have some julidochromis and i belive they lay eggs on the side of the caves, correct? Id love a pair of caudopunctatus as i had them before and loves them, but they always spawned in the substrate


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Cyps and Paracys are not substrate spawners. Julidochromis and caudopuncatus are. IMO, caudopunctatus would be the better fish to mix with the other two.


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## Alexpol08 (Jun 29, 2014)

Well atm im not set on any fish, just on the lake. And i want whatever will give me the most fish and still be around 12$ per fish.


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## Alexpol08 (Jun 29, 2014)

I forgot to ask, why is this substrate not good for substrate spawners?


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Alexpol08 said:


> I forgot to ask, why is this substrate not good for substrate spawners?


The substrate is fine... substrate is the sand/gravel...

Typically, those which are named substrate spawners would prefer flatter rocks, made into multi level caves.


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## Alexpol08 (Jun 29, 2014)

Ohh i see, i stopped reading after you said subsrate. I didnt see "spawner" after substrate.

Okay, so how would you set it up for both species? 
Im definitely not glued into this aquascape.

Also the cookie cutter section had one setup with 8 cyps and 12 paracyps. Is that a possibility?

Say 
8cyps
8 paracyps
And
4 caudopunctatus 
4 julidochromis 
(Ditching the rest hoping i get atleat a pair of both substrate spawners)


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## Alexpol08 (Jun 29, 2014)

Okay so new aquascape. Suggestions? 


I can still add more rocks to make it a bit higher.
Oh and that is a aqua tech filter. Not the one ill be using, was just using it as a place holder so i new where to stack the rocks


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

If you go with the Cyps and Paracyps... only one substrate spawner, like I'd said previously, the caudopuncatatus...

Those rocks... just not good rocks for most substrate spawners.... they aren't flat rocks, to build proper caves with.. you'd want slate, etc... that being said, if all you have is the caudopunctatus, I wouldn't get too worked up about it... give them a few rocks at one end, and a good sized shell... like a welch shell, or even barnicles, and they will be happy...


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## Alexpol08 (Jun 29, 2014)

Can you show me an example of what a setup would look like for substrate spawners? Im having trouble understanding what you mean. Thanks!


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## Alexpol08 (Jun 29, 2014)

I guess im having trouble understanding your definition of "caves". When i look at my last setup i see alot of caves, but my idea of caves if probably different than what is needed for tangs.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

There should be some pictures in the Neolamprologus buescheri article on this website.


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## Alexpol08 (Jun 29, 2014)

Fogelhund said:


> There should be some pictures in the Neolamprologus buescheri article on this website.


Okay. So i just checked it out, but there was only a couple smaller pictures, and it basically looked like mine but with plants. :-/

I do believe i have shale within walking distance of my house, i should be able to find some pretty flat pieces so ill see what i can do and ill post pictures. I do appreciate your help! Suprised more people havnt chimed in.


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## Alexpol08 (Jun 29, 2014)

Any closer? And i realize i need alot more shale! Im doing 3 little habitats as i may try cavus, caudopunctatus, julidochromis transcriptus, and a group of paracyps or cyps.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Better... I will post pictures of mine later.


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## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

For caves for Paracyps, you want the roof of the cave to be a flat rock/piece of slate to be placed on an angle (imagine one side of the roof of the cave being on the sand and the other side being propped up at a 45 degree angle by another rock). 
The males will hang upside down under the roof of the cave and when they spawn on top of the slate, the eggs will be allowed to roll down the surface of the slate where the females pick them up.
Having said that, my Paracyps will spawn anywhere and everywhere. Including on the back or sides of an empty tank.


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## Alexpol08 (Jun 29, 2014)

Okay so here is the finishex product. I hate the two large rocks in the center. I put them in as a sight break buut would i actually need them? If not theyre gone. As for the paracyps needing a 45 degree angle, i can def do that i have alot more shale laying around now. Thanks guys!


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## Alexpol08 (Jun 29, 2014)

Without the two center rocks. 


Maybe i could add some jungle val? Not sure if it would look out of place though.


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## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

Maybe take out the two rocks (if you don't like them) and stand up a couple of pieces of the shale, leaning against the back.


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## Perbunan (Sep 12, 2009)

To be honest I preferred your very 1st set up, plenty of swimming space for Cyps too. This latest set up looks unnatural imo..


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## Alexpol08 (Jun 29, 2014)

Perbunan said:


> To be honest I preferred your very 1st set up, plenty of swimming space for Cyps too. This latest set up looks unnatural imo..


I dont have too much of a preference, ill end up rescaping sometime when i clean anyways lol. 
What ecer is better for the fish is what id go with


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## Alexpol08 (Jun 29, 2014)

Lastest pictures. 



What do you all think? 
Seashells will be here saturday for the caudopunctatus.


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## Alexpol08 (Jun 29, 2014)

Okay sooo ditched the 3 column disaster waiting to happen and went a different route. What do you gus think? 



I still gotta get a piece for a 45 degree angle for the cyps a d the shells are due in tomorrow.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Last pictures look the nicest.


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## Alexpol08 (Jun 29, 2014)

Fogelhund said:


> Last pictures look the nicest.


Will this work?


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## Alexpol08 (Jun 29, 2014)

With the shells for the caudopunctatus, do they need to be in the same place or can they be like 8in from each other?


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

You could put a few shells close to each other, and one a bit further away. They will prefer to be closer to some rocks though, and mind chose barnacles over shells. As to whether that rock work will work... only time will tell. Sometimes you need to make adjustments depending on the situation.


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## Alexpol08 (Jun 29, 2014)

Will these barnacles work? Or do i need bigger? Thanks. http://www.ebay.com/itm/322432179087


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Those would be fine.


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