Converting 300ltr planted community tank to Tangs

So I'm gonna make the move to a bigger african setup and have chosen to go with
Tanganyikan Community Tank. So after much reading I've gathered a few fish types for the tank. Can anyone see a problem with the combo below or any addttions? In the past I've run the tank with just the juwel filter and never had any problems with the water quality. Will it be enough for the Tanganyikan setup? Also any other hints and tips before I start the tank on friday.

Tank selection.

Open Water:
Cyprichromis leptosoma

Rocks & Caves:
Eretmodus cyanostictus
Julidochromis ornatus
Chalinochromis brichardi

Shells:
Lamprologus occelatus
Neolamprologus brevis

Open Sand:
Xenotilapia ochrygenys

Hi Jim,

open water cyp.leptosoma are stunner have a few myself and are a lovely peaceful cichlid excellent choice though can be a bit tempermental if water quality isnt right,

rock and caves
stay away from Eretmodus cyanostictus these goby cichlids are a bit nasty for the rest of your setup choices and can be quite aggressive, think of leluipis stunning fish or even some calvus or compressiceps which are stunning too and not as fericous except of course when breeding & then they all defend very well
Julie ornatus are stunning and although i've heard they can be aggressive to others of their own type and from a group you may only end up with a pair i've never found it in my tank, they also say not to mix with other species of julies again i've never had a problem with this (i've dickfeldis and transcriptus together)but maybe i;m just lucky or the fact its a 6' tank and they each have loads of territory
Brichardi's again lovely fish, never had a problem with them and they breed like rabbits when they get going and are very territorial when breeding

shellies
occelatus super little fish provide about 3 shells per fish so they can pick their own territory, put clusters of 3 shells around the tank cause mine figght like buggers amoungst each other when one goes near anothers shell but usually its just a chase away no real aggression, yet they have no fear my hand has been attaked by these guys so many times when cleaning the tank and they'll even chase away fully grown duboisi males if they get too near... great little characthers i've the gold and blue versions love both
Brevis get a bit bigger than occelayus and in my tank are def. less aggressive then the occelatus, but will stand their ground again super little fish, i'd stick to the same rule of 3 shells min per fish

open sand
never kept the Xenotilapia ochrygenys but from what i know of them they are relatively easy to keep and grow pretty fast, males can harass females when spawning so provide loads of little area of cover for them as females may abort first couple of mouthbroodings due to too much attention... if you can get these guys let me know from where i'd like to start a breeding project of them myself

As for hints or tips, plenty of cover and shells, use a coral sand to help keep ph up and i use both coral rock and limestone in mine for the same buffering effect, you could also add a few batchs of live plants for cover just make sure their hardy enough for hard alkaline water, not many plants are and your selection arent plant eaters except for the gobies which are algae grazers and could develop a liking for plants like my trophs did..
i would also go with an external to increase water flow tangs for me work best in highly oxygenated water.

hope some of this helps
Seamus

oh ya keep ph between 7.5 and 9 somewhere in the middle prob best, i keep mine at about 78 degrees and have the water quite hard

Seamus

Thanks Seamus i intend to rebuild the tank on Friday so I'll post pics when I get everything sorted.

Tangs also require a bit more oxygen than your typical freshwater species,
I'd add another filter and/or airstone to the tank too.

Sounds like a great mix. looking forward to seeing the progress

Sounds like its gonna be some great lookin tank....... lucky f**ker.

Wish i was aloud a tank that big i had to beg a pled and give her driving lessons before i was aloud get 180l tank a even then it was a big deal......

Cant wait too see the pics good luck.

better not tell ya I have a 120l in the sitting room as well both tanks are there.. guess i'm lucky she loves the tanks as well...but still.. trying to push the marine tank

Best of luck with it!Sounds like a good project, make sure and get some pics for us all.
Ive only gotten herself to agree to keeping the quarantine tank that Ive set up now! Doubt Id squeeze any more tanks out of her for now! I pleaded with her for the poor sick fish!! (Even though they arent sick!))

Didnt get a chance to start it yet.. still looking for rocks for the tank and a friend of mine was suposed to take the current tank inhabitants this weekend but couldnt make it. So it been put off till next week.

On the rocks.. Was looking for some smooth spawning rock and couldnt find any in the pet stores.. Would rocks from a local stream\river be ok to use? Also i'm looking to source some slate any idea's on a where to pick some up?

Jim,
I mainly use rocks from the local river where I live. I find them them fine,give them a good scrubbing and boiling before you put them into the tank. Some people would say not to use them in case they contain chemicals or pollutants however Ive never had any issues.If you need to test them for hardness etc, then just go down the vinegar route!
Personally Id go for it,you can find the exact rock you need for your tank. Its far cheaper also! I just know Im going to face a backlash from people saying not to use them from the river but its down to personal choice,Ive never had a problem with them and have got some cracking rocks from the river,even if I was soaked wet from it!

Gavin

Its well for some i tell ya.......!!!!!

Cycling my 180 at the minute and all i keep hearing is when can you sell the 54l tank... She doesnt know yet but i gonna keep it and put dwarf puffers in it got the idea from one of the lads on the forum so hoping she will fall for the cute lokking little puffers

I have said about a marine tank and well lets say i wont bring that up for a long time ha ha ha ha

Hi jim

Would rocks from a local stream\river be ok to use?

Re river rocks ; Where in the country are you located ...? ,Just be careful about where you take the rock from in other words not downstream from your local chemical factory.... as Gavin says give them a good powerhosing\scrubbing and then boil them

what type of slate are you looking for...would a roofing slate do...? or are you looking for something thicker...?

Lar

Yea roofing slate was exactly what i was thinking about, its to create an overhang and divide up the rocks for different territories. Also want to use it as a base for the rock structure so the weight is distributed over a wide area.I live in dublin was going to head up to the dublin -wicklow mountains.

Hi Jim

RE Slate ....would you not be better off looking in your local builders yard for the slate...you may even get broken pieces for nothing,tho I'm not sure if modern "slates " are really Slate if you know what I mean.. maybe try a reclaimed building materials yard they would have old slates which would be weathered and reclaimed from old buildings.

Wicklow - From what I can remember Wicklow is just one big lump of granite which IMO would look out of place in a chiclid set-up ( it would also be very heavy) ,down here (the Midlands) there is a stone used for building walls ect known as Clonaslee stone I think its a limestone or sandstone (limestone seems more correct) see link below I reckon this would be nearer to what your looking for check your local paving shop tho I think what they carry is mainly Indian Sandstone at €30+ a sq mtr and I remember pricing some off an old farmer in the area for about €5 a sq mtr he used to cut it himself by hand from the side of a hill I'll have a look around and see if I can find his number and PM you

Lar


Here's what the stone looks like - www.searchandsell.ie/bizDetail.php?bizID=104

Jim
Also bear in mind that most of Wicklow is a National Park and rules apply...the same as beaches IE;you are not allowed remove rocks ,plants ect.... If Your caught ...You WILL be fined.....

Just so you know

Lar

Went over to B&Q today and was able to pick up some slate for €3 a piece so well worth it they even let me take the broken Bits for free so have plenty to get the tank sorted now. Its nice and thin as well so really light weight. FYI Its called black quary slate.

Well here it is. Tried to use the slate to create over hangs and spawning locations.. all caves have bits of slate in the back and most of the sections are broken up by the slate as well. So lots of caves for individual fish so should keep agression at bay. It was realy easy to work with a the slate and shape it. The over hags reduce the light on the rest of the rocks so i hope it will keep the algea in check

Fish so far

Open Water
2 Cyprichromis leptosoma :- want 12( been all over the place looking for fish)

Rocks & Caves:
0 Eretmodus cyanostictus :- want 2 no luck finding them
2 Julidochromis ornatus
4 Chalinochromis brichardi

Shells:
5 Lamprologus occelatus
3 Neolamprologus brevis

Open Sand:
0 Xenotilapia ochrygenys :- want 6 no luck finding these

4 Synodontis Petricola

BTW not one shop had shells for the shell dwellers so if anyone has some spare give me a shout please.

Jim the tank is looking great... what's the plant?

JimMooney wrote:

Cyprichromis leptosoma :- want 12( been all over the place looking for fish)
...

BTW not one shop had shells for the shell dwellers so if anyone has some spare give me a shout please.

I have a tank full of young leptosoma
that i could sell some to you if interested.

They are still young so not coloured up yet, but the parents are:
my brothers: www.irishfishkeepers.com/cms/component/o...d,43/id,33432/#33463

He also has some escargot shells that he has used for his shelldwellers
ill pick you up some too if you youre interested in the fish.

Only thing is.. im going to australia this saturday
for 5 weeks, my brother has the keys and seeing as they are his fry
maybe you should buy them off him!

Drop me a pm if you're interested.

how much for the leptosoma?

why not try some calvus and tropheus moori or dubosi in your tank.
id highly recomened some snails to keep on top of algae mabye mts or zebra snails cause they dont eat plants.
post pics of the fish aswell

Hi Jim....

......Tank is looking well, That slate does the job.....did you pick it up in the garden centre in B&Q......??.

Lar

cardinal wrote:

Hi Jim....

......Tank is looking well, That slate does the job.....did you pick it up in the garden centre in B&Q......??.

Lar

Got it in the building yard in B&Q in Liffey Valley.

what's the plant?

Micorsorum pteropus have had it nearly 2 years got them in wackers on parnell street. Hardy easy to manage plant
www.tropica.dk/productcard_1.asp?id=008
Can always provide some cuttings if ya want some.

why not try some calvus and tropheus moori or dubosi in your tank.

Wanted to go for something a little different.Also wanted to get as wide a range of fish as possible.