10gallons
- Thread starter infant340
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Multies are community fish and a pair would occupy the footprint of a 10g from the outset. I know they stay quite close to the maternal group of shells but any other fish (including a second female) requiring substrate territory in that tank would present problems.
When you first place the multies in the tank they will dig their shells into a pit and pile the sand into ramparts to mark their territory. In a 10g, even a 20g, depending on rockwork etc you will probably find that they will not build a set of ramparts but instead just pile up the sand at one end. This gives us a clue that this is because they feel constrained within the walls of the tank, an artificially small territory then.
With other fish in the tank, you can observe the male defending his ramparts against his neighbours - in a 10g species tank (as it would have to be) you will never see this behaviour which is a shame.
They breed quickly in the right conditions and the male will allow his older daughters to set up home close by and will start to eject his male offspring. In a 10g there's barely room for a second female to start breeding and nowhere for the expelled males to go.
I have multies in a 20g, 24x12", set up only 6 months ago, I have removed 4 young fish and have another 6 or 7 ready to come out. They share this tank with a pair of juvie syno petricola which the male multi watch all the time, nothing else is tolerated.
I started out with occies and multies in the same 20g and it was great to observe the two respective males but it was clearly too small for more than one shellie species.
I did notice that Aqualex recommended a much higher minimum volume, more like 30g, for any shellie and I can see what they mean now. I have my occelatus (1m 2f, 1 smaller spare m) in a 40g and that seems to be working well.
So there we are Flex, you are correct. I know it CAN be done and I know many will say they have done it and the fish have been happy and have bred. Good for them. I don't think the best should be the enemy of the good, however, I would still recommend a minimum of 20g for Tanganykan shellies. You will encounter fewer problems and be rewarded with a richer set of behaviours.
When you first place the multies in the tank they will dig their shells into a pit and pile the sand into ramparts to mark their territory. In a 10g, even a 20g, depending on rockwork etc you will probably find that they will not build a set of ramparts but instead just pile up the sand at one end. This gives us a clue that this is because they feel constrained within the walls of the tank, an artificially small territory then.
With other fish in the tank, you can observe the male defending his ramparts against his neighbours - in a 10g species tank (as it would have to be) you will never see this behaviour which is a shame.
They breed quickly in the right conditions and the male will allow his older daughters to set up home close by and will start to eject his male offspring. In a 10g there's barely room for a second female to start breeding and nowhere for the expelled males to go.
I have multies in a 20g, 24x12", set up only 6 months ago, I have removed 4 young fish and have another 6 or 7 ready to come out. They share this tank with a pair of juvie syno petricola which the male multi watch all the time, nothing else is tolerated.
I started out with occies and multies in the same 20g and it was great to observe the two respective males but it was clearly too small for more than one shellie species.
I did notice that Aqualex recommended a much higher minimum volume, more like 30g, for any shellie and I can see what they mean now. I have my occelatus (1m 2f, 1 smaller spare m) in a 40g and that seems to be working well.
So there we are Flex, you are correct. I know it CAN be done and I know many will say they have done it and the fish have been happy and have bred. Good for them. I don't think the best should be the enemy of the good, however, I would still recommend a minimum of 20g for Tanganykan shellies. You will encounter fewer problems and be rewarded with a richer set of behaviours.
You often here that shellies are one of the few Cichlids that can be kept in a ten gallon which is true but as Taffy says just because they are a small fish it doesn't necesssarily mean they need a small territory.
I would say a trio of Brevis would be the best bet for a tank that size. I easily kept 3 in a 10 gallon. Occellatus are a little too aggressive and the colony shellies need room to expand.
I would say a trio of Brevis would be the best bet for a tank that size. I easily kept 3 in a 10 gallon. Occellatus are a little too aggressive and the colony shellies need room to expand.
No worries Flex, didn't feel challenged and glad to share my thinking - happy to be challenged too if you think I'm wrong. 
I think julie transcriptus would be OK in a 10 so long as it was a species tank. You'd have to be very sure you got transciptus or bemba and didn't pick up gombe though as gombe can grow a fair bit bigger. Also bear in mind that the usual route to pairing is to buy 4-6 juvies and let them pair off - in a 10g you'd have to be quick with the net before the rejects got seriously stressed or even killed. Placing an established pair in a 10g might sound the best plan however julie divorce has been reported as a result of moving tanks and julie divorce can be pretty bloody - where would the female hide in a 10g? I have successfully moved julies and found that the pair bond remained in tact but I wouldn't guarantee it.
Personally, I think 10g's are good for nothing but Q tanks, bettas and test set ups, I wouldn't RECOMMEND anything less than a 20g for any other purpose.
I think julie transcriptus would be OK in a 10 so long as it was a species tank. You'd have to be very sure you got transciptus or bemba and didn't pick up gombe though as gombe can grow a fair bit bigger. Also bear in mind that the usual route to pairing is to buy 4-6 juvies and let them pair off - in a 10g you'd have to be quick with the net before the rejects got seriously stressed or even killed. Placing an established pair in a 10g might sound the best plan however julie divorce has been reported as a result of moving tanks and julie divorce can be pretty bloody - where would the female hide in a 10g? I have successfully moved julies and found that the pair bond remained in tact but I wouldn't guarantee it.
Personally, I think 10g's are good for nothing but Q tanks, bettas and test set ups, I wouldn't RECOMMEND anything less than a 20g for any other purpose.
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