questions about shell dwellers

[starluna]

My tank's empty again - I downsized my sorority and now I've got a 20-gallon to work with. I've been looking into shell dwellers for a while, and I finally have the space to give them a home. I've narrowed it down to a few species I really like - Lamprologus speciosus, Neolamprologus caudopunctatus, Neolamprologus multifasciatus (I know these guys are awesome), Neolamprologus brevis, and Neolamprologus similus.

Has anyone kept any of these species before? I'd love to hear about your experiences.

My tank's got a pH of 8 and a hardness of 12-18dH. I can get the tank's dimensions if you need them. I'm thinking of using crushed coral flake as accents, but I'd rather have white or black sand as the main substrate. I'm on the hunt for slate or Texas holey rock to create some rocky areas, and I've got plenty of mopani wood to stain the water.

I'm thinking of adding some danios as dither fish - will they work in this setup? Here's a rough stocking plan I've come up with:

- 8 zebra danios
- 4-5 shell dwellers (depending on the species)

Will this work? Thanks for putting up with all my questions.

[dorvex]

I've got a decent-sized colony of multis in my tank - it's 2.5 feet long, 15 inches wide, and 12 inches tall. I've found that they're pretty territorial and don't take kindly to other fish being around, so personally I'd advise against adding dithers like danios.

Also, I'd recommend against using mopani to stain the water with tannins - it's not a good idea since tannins can lower the pH, which might not be suitable for shellies.

[starluna]

I can get spiderwood instead, it's more branchy and barely stains the water. My tank's dimensions are roughly 2' x 1'4" x 1'5" - I'm still on the hunt for my measuring tape.

Honestly, I'm not too keen on having fry, and any that do survive will likely end up as a snack for my betta. I've come across info suggesting that faster, surface-dwelling fish like dwarf neon rainbowfish or danios don't really bother shellies - should I reconsider my plan to include them?

Also, how active are your multis, dorvex? This tank is a family affair, and they love watching the fish swim around. That's why I thought a dither would be a good idea, but if it's not going to work out, I can convince them otherwise.

We've decided on black sand, and multis are still our top choice - fingers crossed we can find some.

[reelpursuit]

I've always been a fan of adding some color with Platies as dithers, but honestly, I think it's best to wait and see what your shell dwellers prefer before adding any.

[starluna]

I'm over livebearers, my mom's mollies are just churning out babies nonstop. Thanks for the suggestion though.

One last thing - are shellies notorious jumpers? I'm thinking of ditching the T2 on this tank, not to dim the light, but to have a less elaborate lid.

[dorvex]

Wood's fine in the tank, I just don't want tannins. I've had a big enough taste of them with my mopani pieces.

Fry are indeed fun, I can see why you'd want them. A bigger colony does bring more movement to the tank. My multis are pretty active, especially with multiple males in the mix - it's like they're constantly defending their territory. If you do decide to add dithers, just have a backup plan in case things don't work out.

Your shellies won't care about the sand color, trust me. They'll just move it around until they're happy with it. I've seen mine do it time and time again.

As for jumping, I've never had an issue with my shellies. They tend to stay near the bottom of the tank, and my lights are pretty bright, so I think you're good to go.

[starluna]

Spiderwood it is then. I'm glad I can avoid the tannin issue. I was really worried about ending up with a tank full of fry that I wouldn't be able to rehome. I think I'll take everyone's advice and skip the dithers for now, I don't want to risk them getting harassed by the shellies.

So, maybe I'll go with a group of 8 multis? I'm really excited about the idea of having a small colony in my tank, and I think the black sand will provide a great backdrop for them.

[flourman]

I had the most amazing Lamprologus ocellatus once. He was the smallest cichlid I've ever seen, but this little guy had the biggest personality. I was so attached to him that when he passed away, I even gave him a proper burial in my garden.

What I loved about him was how feisty he was - he'd always nip at my hand whenever I got too close to his shell. I think having a single male with a few females and plenty of shells would be perfect. The females are much smaller than the males, but it's incredible to watch them build and defend their homes.

The males are quite the romantics, too - they'll literally grab a female with their mouth and drag her into their shell for breeding. My male was stunning, with a silvery coat and a dark purple spot on his... well, I suppose you could call them cheeks. When the light caught him just right, you could see this beautiful yellow color around his fins and eyes.

[eaglebay]

I'm so over livebearers, my mom's mollies are basically a fry factory. Thanks for the suggestion though.

[starluna]

I'm aware of that, but I'll be honest, I'm not too keen on adding dithers right now. I might consider them later, after I've gotten to know my shellies better.

Those ocellatus are really stunning, I actually forgot to include them in my initial list of species. I'll definitely keep an eye out for them - they're probably my second choice at this point.