# Starting Up a 55G Tang Tank!



## DiSabatino (Jan 1, 2013)

Hey guys,

I've decided that after 9 years of keeping fish from Malawi, it's time to try something different!
I've got a completely blank slate to work with here, as I've cleared out my 4ft 55g, and was wondering if anyone could help me out with stocking suggestions 

I'm really interested A. Calvus, and possibly brichardi, but am open to anything!

This is the tank set up as of now... Will something like this (with higher rock stacking as I acquire them) work? (Unless I go with shellies, and have to clear a spot for them)










Thanks for any help!!!  :dancing: :fish:


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## TheImperator (Apr 17, 2013)

Congratulations on your first foray into Tanganyikans. Calvus would work great with that setup, also paracyprichromis. If by brichardi you mean Neolamprologus Brichardi, if they spawn they'll kill everything else in the tank. You might also look at xenotilapia or enantiopus for a bottomdweller alternative to shelldwellers


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

enants are likely to need a bigger tank. In a 55G I'd do 12 non-jumbo cyps for the top, a pair of calvus for the rocks (make separate piles) and 5 synodontis multipunctatus, petricola or lucipinnis for the bottom.


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## DiSabatino (Jan 1, 2013)

I did mean the Brichardi...that's too bad as I don't love them enough to do a species only tank..
I do like the Xenotilapia, especially the 'Black Chinned Xenotiapia' (Seen here @ 51 seconds : 



 ) But would they replace the possibility of having shelldwellers?

The non-jumbo's are a good idea, do they school? (schooling fish would be neat) My only issue with them is the females colouring...They kinda look like sardines  Are the above mentioned Paracyprichromis similar or something different? and are there other interesting top swimmers I could look into just to compare with? Or other open-swimming schoolers?

I'm not a huge fan of catfish... :$

I've been looking at Multies or Lamprologus ocellatus for shelldwellers (can they be kept along with the other bottomdwellers?), also interested in Neolamprologus leleupi, and Neolamprologus tretocephalus...

Anything I can do with some of the above mentioned?  (Sorry if this post is kind of all over the place...I'm tired! haha! :zz: )


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I'd get one bottom dweller.

Cyps do school, but you will see the behavior more in a larger tank. You can get 50% males. Many fish have drab females, and there are not a LOT of top swimmers in the Tang world. Paracyps females are drab too...and even the males look flesh colored to me, LOL. But they can work.

Leleupi you would do instead of calvus and shellies. Leleupi will kill your shellies and they would be the one rock dweller in your tank.

Trets are a big aggressive fish, you probably want a bigger tank for them. They have a rep for killing everything in the tank when they spawn as well.

Think in terms of 3 species...top, rocks and bottom.


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## TheImperator (Apr 17, 2013)

The thing about paracyps is that the males like to hang out under ledges to attract females while the females and juveniles school out in the open, and don't need as much space as cyprichromis. If you raised the rock formation a little higher, it would make a great paracyp tank. You could do paracyps, calvus, and xenotilapia/ shellies, and that would be a great tank.


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## DiSabatino (Jan 1, 2013)

Okay, so if I were to go with the C. Leptosoma, Calvus, and multies/xentilapia what kind of numbers for each should I be looking to get?
Thanks for the advice!


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

A dozen cyps, a pair of calvus and 6 multifasciatus. To get a pair of calvus buy six unsexed juveniles and rehome extras when they pair up.


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## DiSabatino (Jan 1, 2013)

That's awesome! Thanks for your help!

I just need to find somewhere to get them....I'm in Ontario, Canada around the Toronto area, but my problem is that all the lfs here hardly stock Tangs...


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## Shaky (Jan 2, 2003)

If you're willing to pay for shipping, there are many good vendors that have all you want right now.


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## DiSabatino (Jan 1, 2013)

I am willing to pay shipping, anybody able to direct me in the way of some reputable suppliers?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

CF prefers that vendor recommendations not be made in the forums, but you can find feedback and fish lists in Retailer Reviews. Also Members can send you a PM.


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## DiSabatino (Jan 1, 2013)

I've found someone at a lfs who's looking for a supplier for me, however If I can only acquire 6 of the Cyps, is that okay? (At least until I can get more)


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## DiSabatino (Jan 1, 2013)

All the fish are ordered! 
6 Non-Jumbo Cyps (for now)
6 Black Calvus
6 Multi's

Any advice as to how to go about introducing them? I've got the empty 55G, and a 10G housing my 9 year old Red Zebra  should I re-home him, and set up another 10G, and have each species in it's own quarantine tank for a while?


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Prob OK all in together given average size of ordered cichlids.
If the Cyps are small I would say maybe grow em on a bit first (and yep up the numbers ASAP). Same with multies with black calvus. If the calvus are big you want the multies settled first. Kind of depends on the size of each you get if they can be popped in together or if you need to grow on the cyps and/or get the multies settled first.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I'd put them all in the empty 55G upon arrival and get 6 more cyps like next week.


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## DiSabatino (Jan 1, 2013)

Might not have to do that...the initial plan isn't going to work...
Turns out when the guy at the the lfs said they ordered them, he meant that he'd have a look around...he can only get the Multi's in...
I've got another nslfs (not so local fish store...haha) that has some of the cyps & calvus coming in for the weekend. Would it be okay to get the multi's in the next few days, and the rest over the weekend or next week?
(This also means that I should be able to get all 12 cyps at once! :dancing: )

My next question was going to be about scaping the tank. I like the way the rocks are atm, would it be okay if I took a part of them out, and put the cluster of shells in between two piles?
(I'll post a photo of what I mean when I've got something that resembles what I mean)


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## Phildo (Jul 29, 2004)

That will be a fun tank, and you will not have the problem that I am having with my 55g tang tank that is similar. It is 3 species also, except I put a pair of J. transcriptus instead of the calvus and started with an adult colony of 10 multies. At this point the tank is maxing out because both the transcriptus and multies are breeding successive generations and not enough of them are dying/being eaten. I was considering throwing a single predatory rock dweller in but I doubt they could survive the onslaught that they will receive from both colonies. The tank is fantastic, however, I am just worried about carrying capacity.

Calvus are probably a better choice, but I have had problems in the past with larger calvus bullying multies and other shellies out of their shells to use them for spawning. I had a pair of white calvus that would only spawn in muffin shells, not cichlid caves or terracotta pots or rock piles, only muffin shells.

Best of luck! Oh, and you may need two distinct shell piles for the multies, depending on the ratio you got. I had to put 2 piles with a sight break inbetween before my colony settled down.

I


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## DiSabatino (Jan 1, 2013)

The more I'm looking into it, the more anxious I am! Really excited to get a real community going, rather than the constant wars of my Mbuna's...
Could you try re-homing a portion of one or both colonies, then adding some rock dwellers to prevent it from happening in future?

I'm hoping that my future Calvus will take to the caves and rocks that are currently set up and intended for them...One of the main reasons for going in the direction of Tangs was to get a sense of community, rather than the chaos and non-stop aggression with my previous stock... I don't expect this tank to be peaceful all the time, but hopefully they'll get along better than I'm used to!

Just got my hands in the tank, and this is sort of what I meant before:








(Aweful picture quality...but I didn't want to grab my dslr, iphone's good enough  )

So in that empty space (that I'll probably be making a bit bigger upon looking at it again) was where I was hoping the colony would thrive, along with the small pile in the left (where only fry or other small fish would be able to hide).
Would this work? or should I clear the left completely? Any suggestions?


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## JL15219 (Jan 2, 2008)

Any updates? opcorn:


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## DiSabatino (Jan 1, 2013)

Quite the update actually!

I fully stocked the tank on Friday!
Final list:
7 Multi's (got one for free)
10 C. Leptosoma
6 Black Calvus

Their behaviour and interaction is amazing, I've spent hours infront of the tank already!
Here's a few pics of the setup! Let me know what you think!


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

8) very 8) 
And none of the usual trying to squease in too much cichlid wise.
Me I do it that all the time.


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## DiSabatino (Jan 1, 2013)

Thanks! 
And honestly, I feel like this is about the perfect number right now (We'll see as they get bigger) But there's enough space for all of them, and they seem to like it!
I used to have that urge to squeeze with my mbuna's haha...maybe because I was picking all of these guys up at once, the price of overstocking was overwhelming ;P

I may have an issue though, I'm starting to believe that I've got a much higher m:f ratio with the multi's...would it be wise to take a few of the males out, and swap them for some others that look to be females?


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Yep idealy more females than males. But seen male heavy groups get on. Big fear is unrelated ones can fight worse than related males.


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## DiSabatino (Jan 1, 2013)

Well the males chase each other around and fight, but then they'll be fine swimming next to each other. They don't seem to be injuring each other. All but one tend to leave the only (assumed) female alone. The only male that interacts with her much just swims near her, and chases the other males away from her. I'm guessing that could be an indication of a pair forming?

My issue is that out of the 7, two are too small to be able to tell (-1inch), 1 I'm convinced is a female, 3 are males and there is 1 unknown (but im starting to think male)
Just trying to decide if it's worth the risk of taking a few males out & adding some smaller fish hoping they're female...


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Maybe worth a try if you can swap from the original sourse. Otherwise with unrelated ones its kind of one male plus females. Yep the unrelated females fight but kind of kept in line by the male/s. That is unless separate shell beds which can work. Random males taking over females is a prob as they kill the kicked out males young to make the females breed faster with them.

In a 55g you have just enough room to set up two compeating colonies. Perhaps the most fun you can have with multies. Take rearanging the tank to give two shell beds I think.

Most peaceful start is all from one group. Male heavy or not. Idealy female heavy but not essential.

All the best James


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## Shaky (Jan 2, 2003)

Great Tank. I love it. Wish I could sit there ans watch.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Tank looks pretty sweet. Nice job.


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## DiSabatino (Jan 1, 2013)

I think I'm just going to leave it how it is for now then... There's the possibility that the pair will spawn and I'll be able to get a few other females that way...

Thanks a lot! I've actually moved a couch right in front of it 
They're insanely active


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

> I've actually moved a couch right in front of it


Get comfortable...


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

8) I think give em some time. One time I did get mutiple compeating collonies in one tank. Lots of oh I am sorry you got kicked out. Erm not sorry at all you have started a group of your own enticing a female from a near by group. It was in a 200g 7 foot tank but sure it could be done smaller. But best get em breeding first I think. Multies without young are kind of only half the show. The rest is iceing on a very enjoyable cake.
Funny thing, I watch my multies far more than nearly every other species I have. 

Set up a 30" in the school I work at for em. No breeding yet after a few months, I realy can not figure it. But multies being multies its kind of just a matter of time before they get going. 8)


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## aj2494 (Sep 27, 2009)

I'm just gonna toss in here that none of the fish you mentioned or have really form pair bonds. They much prefer harems, just like in the wild. You would be much better off with one (maybe two) male multi(es) and the rest females. I tend to disagree that you can only keep one pair of calvus too. I would aim for one male (only one with these guys) and two to three females. You tend to find more people that are successful with this setup than just a pair. The male will bounce around from female to female, and calvus juvies are pretty easy to offload. Some people may not agree with this, but it's been proven by many people and has always worked much better for me than single pairs. Also, be prepared for your calvus to take forever to grow. They are very slow growers and it can be frustrating to keep them for a year+ before they even start to show sexual dimporphisms. They are incredibly beautiful fish though, and it's awesome when they do finally reach sexual maturity. The male yellow calvus I have is probably the best single specimen I have ever kept of any fish, and I have a large reef tank as well as my three FW. You have a great start though, and you'll really enjoy this tank.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Yep I like to keep Altolamps one male to lots of females when I can. But to do that you need to grow them yourself in the UK. Prob is female Altolamps are very hard to get hold of in the UK. You pretty much have to offer to buy the "pair" and pay the full wack but say you do not want the male.
Saying that even young Altolamps are not cheap here and yep they grow sooooooooooo slow.
Sillyest thing I ever did was swap a WC female calvus Congo Black White Pearl (that killed her WC male) for lots of other fish. I should have just bought another "pair" of WC and kept her with those. Now growing on some F1s but its taking for ever and its already looking male heavy.


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## aj2494 (Sep 27, 2009)

Yeah seeing a group become male-dominated sucks. I got lucky enough and out of 6, ended up with 3 or 4 females.


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## DiSabatino (Jan 1, 2013)

Definitely was hoping for a harem setup with all three species that i've stocked...Thanks for sharing that info!
So far it looks like the cyps are 5-5 m/f so hopefully they'll begin to mingle 
I've got no clue about the calvus yet...sadly I had lost 2 of the smaller ones really early on, but the remaining four seem to be doing well! Around what size do they tend to exploit their sexual maturity?
Funny thing with the multi's though....there still appears to be the 4 males; 1 female and the remaining 2 that are too young to tell. BUT after getting home from a trip, I saw they'd rearranged the shells/sand to their liking. Right up against the glass was a small pile of shells & about 5 fry swimming in, out and under them! :dancing: :dancing: :fish: opcorn: opcorn:


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Look for sexual maturity in calvus after about 2 years.


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