Help w/setting up Tropheus aquarium

[Syno-cat]

One of the best Tanganyikans to show are Brichardi, 6 for the swimming part and some julies for rocks.

Thanks, I'll look into those. Are there different types, or color variations in Brichardi fish? The other cichlids I was thinking about are Frontosa. Would a small group work in my 50 gallon up until they get larger?

[Riyadh]

also have a look at
Neolamprologus leleupi
Kribensis

not sure how compatible they will be with Tanganyikans.
Your other Tanganyikans you can consider would be Cyprichromis leptosoma, Neolamprologus brevis, Benthochromis tricoti.
Tanganyikans should get along, but generally best to keep a huge community of one species in a very large tank.

[fissh]

A frontosa is too big. There is a dafodile bichardi and albino, all would get along. If you want to try something different, try the goby cichlids (spathodis erethodon and eretmodus cynostiktus. Excuse my spelling but I didn't want to take the time to look it up.

[Riyadh]

A frontosa is too big. There is a dafodile bichardi and albino, all would get along. If you want to try something different, try the goby cichlids (spathodis erethodon and eretmodus cynostiktus. Excuse my spelling but I didn't want to take the time to look it up.

I would love to keep frontosas, but need a massive tank!!

[toddnbecka]

Any of the brichardi complex species will overcrowd the tank relatively quickly. They're very socially territorial, and the colony will just keep expanding as the older fry protect the new, smaller ones. Same thing will happen with julies IME, though not as quickly as the brichardi. However, if you can find a plagiostoma spiney eel, that would effectively control the growth of the population. They're a small eel, 8-9", and unlike most of their relatives they don't stay burrowed in the substrate. They eat substrate-spawning cichlid eggs, even leleupi can't protect their nest from one. Aside from cichlid eggs they thrive on frozen bloodworms. Cyprichromis need a larger tank, and tricoti need a really big tank. I have a 220, 7'x2'x2', and even that's too small for tricoti. Paracyprichromis would work in a 50, they're not open-water schooling fish like Cyp's.

[Syno-cat]

I haven't been on here for a few days, so thank you for all the info everyone! Looks like I'll have to wait to get a bigger tank in order to do what I want to do. I enjoyed doing some investigating of the tanganyikan cichlids you all suggested and amazed how many options there are. I'm very interested in the Cyprichromis species, what a beautiful fish, and now I know when people say something about their Cyp's, I actually know what the hell they're talking about lol.

I do in fact have a larger 72 gallon tank which is another dilemma since it houses a clown loach we inherited 19 years ago. I've seen them kept in groups along with geophagus as well as in African cichlid tanks, but usually the aquarium they're in is at least twice the size of what he's in now.

[sudhirr]

One of the best Tanganyikans to show are Brichardi, 6 for the swimming part and some julies for rocks.

+1 to that, Brichardi are subtle yet stunning...

[Riyadh]

Dammit you guys making me want another 2m plus tank again.