38 gallon mixed stocking

[Jacko]

I can't figure this out anywhere... quite a few I've talked to say they have no clue what any the fish I ask about are lol

38 gallon
xp3
8.4 ph/ ~20 dgh
6 paracyprichomis nigrippinis
5 or 6 gold occies (either 2 males/3 females or 2/4)
2 goby cichlids (m/f pair)
3 dwarf petricola

would I have space for a pair of smaller featherfin cichlids?

[Jacko]

Hmm... based on some advice from Dave, I think I'll go with a 55 gallon

so stocking would be changed to:

10 paracyps
5 goby cichlids
6 occies (2m/4f)
3 petricola 'dwarf'

Still with an xp3 and whatever the tank comes with off of craigslist:hmm3grin2orange:

[rangur1]

i was informed that the gobies were quite territorial, dont know the occies, would think the featherfins would get along with dwarfs and nigrippins well---in a bigger tank. tanganyikans need more space than malawis. they are substrate spawners, which means they are accustomed to acquiring bigger territories to raise their brood. sorry to say,in this instance, you need a bigger tank.

[toddnbecka]

You really need at least a 6' tank for featherfins, preferably larger. I'd recommend the same thing for gobies and 6 occies, though the Paracyp's and catfish would be fine in a 4' tank. If you want to stay with a 55 I'd drop the gobies from the stocklist and add a few more Syno's to the group.

[mac]

I agree with toddnbecka with the Feather Fins. Get as long a tank as you can.

IMO try getting one made up. Then you could get even more gallons out of it, for a space it can fit in.:22:

Other wise sounds like a great stocking plan to me.

mac

[Jacko]

55 is the absolute biggest I can go unfortunately, hard enough to convince my parents to let me get that as it is, If they'd let me I'd be perfectly happy buying a 210 and having a ncie big school of paracyps and all that, but alas, they just don't understand...:hmm3grin2orange:

So, drop the gobies? I'd like to have more than just the occies, synos and paracyps though, could I get julies or calvus in there in some way? any suggestions on other fish?

[toddnbecka]

Calvus are incredibly slow-growing fish; they'd work territory-wise but would pick off Paracyp fry for certain, and likely shellie fry too. Same deal with the Julies, though you would likely have Julie fry surviving.
Paracyp's are a rock-dwelling fish, so are Julies. Rock piles at each end of the tank with shells in the center would be the best bet.

[Jacko]

Thanks! I don't mind if I don't get any or very many fry, I just want to be able to watch the fish happily. How many calvus could I comfortably fit in there with the rest? And could I go calvus and julies or just stick with one or the other?

I like that idea... I could use feather rock with them right? Cheapest stuff I know of :hmm3grin2orange:

[toddnbecka]

You could fit shellies, calvus, and either Paracyp's or Julies in a 55 w/out too much trouble. The number of calvus depends on whether you just want a single specimen or a pair, same w/Julies. Start with 4-6 of each, then move out the extras after you have an established pair.
Limestone works quite well for rift lake cichlids, and can often be collected rather than bought. I'm not familiar with feather rock.

[Jacko]

K, I'd like a pair of calvus...

So to start would this work out?
8-10 paracyps
5 calvus (knock down to 2 when they pair up)
5-6 occies
4 petricola (I'd like more but not sure if they'd fit)

as for limestone, I'd like it but I haven't a clue where to find it locally, haven't seen it on any of my hikes through the area here either. Feather rock is what the local mineral yard sells for lava rock chunks, it's a lightweight lava/pumice type, gray/black colored.

[toddnbecka]

You could start w/6 petricola if they're small juvies, they take about 2 years to grow to full size IME. The Paracyp's and occies will also need to be thinned out as males mature, no more than 2 male Paracyp's and 1 male occie long-term.