As you've moved up to a 55 (4ft long) then I think both multies and ocellatus are doable in the same tank - set up a shell bed at either end and the rockwork containing julies, synos and a calvus or two in the centre. You could also add 2m 4-6f cyprichromis leptosoma (non jumbo variety). Make sure you get the shell bed right for the 2 species of shelly; lots of shells, some rockwork and little sand for the multies, 2" depth of sand plus shells spread around singly for the occies.
Greetings from a new member - need shell-dweller advice
- Thread starter Exister
- Start date
hi, just want to tag on to the end of this tanganyikan thread beacsue as some of you know i'm planning a tang set up to 29 gallons. But i have another question, and save start a new thread thought i'd stick it in here...
I want a small colony of shell-dwellers, most likely multies but was wondering if i could also have a few neolamprologus tetracephalus in there as well as i can get hold of these fish and think they're gorgeous. Will it work?
I want a small colony of shell-dwellers, most likely multies but was wondering if i could also have a few neolamprologus tetracephalus in there as well as i can get hold of these fish and think they're gorgeous. Will it work?
Karma llama - not sure if you mean tetracanthus or tretocephalus, probably the latter as they're more readily available in the hobby, but in neither case would that work. You could have a single tret in a Tang community tank 50-100 gallons, or a species breeding tank for a pair, but you'd need at least 100g to attempt a breeding pair with other species.
Just a quick update - I still don't have fish yet! 
But I do have pictures of my DIY background - it just needs one more coat of cement to give it some more realistic coloring. The right hand side of the tank (the "chamber") will house the Aquaball internal powerhead/filter, the canister uptake with prefilter, and the digital thermometer probe. You can't see it in the photos, but at the bottom of the chamber, there is a hole with a fine mesh paint-strainer sheet siliconed in place to keep the fish from swimming up in there.
Behind the "rock" wall on the left hand side of the tank is an indentation for the canister filter return spray bar, so you won't see that either when looking at the tank.
I'm using a Hydor external inline heater on the return hose of the canister filter also, so there will be no equipment visible in the tank.
Also, I painted the floor of the tank with a couple of coats of cement so that when the shelies dig up the sand, you won't see glass on the bottom.
But I do have pictures of my DIY background - it just needs one more coat of cement to give it some more realistic coloring. The right hand side of the tank (the "chamber") will house the Aquaball internal powerhead/filter, the canister uptake with prefilter, and the digital thermometer probe. You can't see it in the photos, but at the bottom of the chamber, there is a hole with a fine mesh paint-strainer sheet siliconed in place to keep the fish from swimming up in there.
Behind the "rock" wall on the left hand side of the tank is an indentation for the canister filter return spray bar, so you won't see that either when looking at the tank.
I'm using a Hydor external inline heater on the return hose of the canister filter also, so there will be no equipment visible in the tank.
Also, I painted the floor of the tank with a couple of coats of cement so that when the shelies dig up the sand, you won't see glass on the bottom.
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All in good time! With the work your putting into this, I'm sure the fish will greatly appriciate it!
Looking very good so far. I like the forethought you have put into where the equipment is going to go, it should serve you well.
Is there a reason you didn't paint the backglass under the chamber? Just wondering.
Looking very good so far. I like the forethought you have put into where the equipment is going to go, it should serve you well.
Is there a reason you didn't paint the backglass under the chamber? Just wondering.
Thanks! I didn't paint the backglass under the chamber because I couldn't @#$#%@% reach it after everything was in place! *laughingc So I just placed a small piece of holey rock and a few shells there.
Anyway, I finally got the pH down to around 8.8 after curing the flippin' background for over a month. It started out at over 11.0!
So I set everything up this weekend with the holey rock, the shells, the sand (3M ColorQuartz S-Grade Black), and all the equipment.
Here's a (not very good) picture of the tank.
I need to clean the outside of the tank (lots of salt residue from the concrete curing process), and I need to get a few more pieces of holey rock from my brother in Texas to complete the "holey pile" on the left-hand side of the tank. And I will need to rearrange the 100 shells before the shellies arrive.
In the meantime, I decided to opt for the old-fashioned method of cycling and bought 6 Giant Danios today. I was going to just buy some Bio-Spira when the time came, but I won't be getting the fish for at least another month and a half, so I figured I'd get something for the kids to enjoy until then. In any case, it's great to FINALLY have some fish and I'm really looking forward to the multies, julies and petricola cats!
Anyway, I finally got the pH down to around 8.8 after curing the flippin' background for over a month. It started out at over 11.0!
So I set everything up this weekend with the holey rock, the shells, the sand (3M ColorQuartz S-Grade Black), and all the equipment.
Here's a (not very good) picture of the tank.
I need to clean the outside of the tank (lots of salt residue from the concrete curing process), and I need to get a few more pieces of holey rock from my brother in Texas to complete the "holey pile" on the left-hand side of the tank. And I will need to rearrange the 100 shells before the shellies arrive.
In the meantime, I decided to opt for the old-fashioned method of cycling and bought 6 Giant Danios today. I was going to just buy some Bio-Spira when the time came, but I won't be getting the fish for at least another month and a half, so I figured I'd get something for the kids to enjoy until then. In any case, it's great to FINALLY have some fish
and I'm really looking forward to the multies, julies and petricola cats!
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If your lucky you still may see a few multie fry grow up. But I literaly meen a few. In my 75 gallon the multies seem to be able to protect and raise about one fry every few months to the juvie stage, and thats with cyps, julies, and S. multipunctatus swarming them. Still, its a great tank.
Looks like yours is comming along very nice! I would love to get some of the 3M quarts. I just need to hop to it and start calling people up in the yellow pages. lol
Looks like yours is comming along very nice! I would love to get some of the 3M quarts. I just need to hop to it and start calling people up in the yellow pages. lol
Orion, here's a list of ColorQuartz distributors I cribbed from the cichlid-forum thread:
Connecticut
Phoenix Products
55 Container Drive
Terryville, CT 06786
800-928-7665
Florida
Coastal Construction Products
1901 Service Street
Jacksonville, FL 32207
904-398-7171
Coastal Construction Products
660 N. W. 85th Street
Miami, FL 33150
305-757-2121
Coastal Construction Products
1095 Business Lane
Naples, FL 34110
239-513-0633
Coastal Construction Products
3330 W. 45th Street
West Palm Beach, FL 33407
561-478-2000
Coastal Construction Products
4901 W. Grace Street
Tampa, FL 32607
813-289-8949
Coastal Construction Products
4605 L. B. McLeod Road, Suite 900
Orlando, FL 32811
407-849-1717
Coastal Construction Products
3455 N. Alcaniz Street
Pensacola, FL 32503
850-432-7155
Gulf Coast Chemical
101 Wayne Place
Tampa, FL 33619
813-623-5471
Georgia
Georgia Construction Products
4640 Granite Drive
Tucker, GA 30084
770-491-9100
pderby@gcp1.com
National Pool Tile
3105-C Gateway Drive
Norcross, GA 30071
770-368-8440
Supreme Coating Inc.
3434 Browns Mill Road
Atlanta, GA 30354
404-305-8555
sc@wallguard.net
Illinois
AGSCO
160 West Hintz Road
Wheeling, IL 60090-5755
847-520-4455
Fairmount Custom Products
3624 East 2351st Road
Serena, IL 60549
815-792-8750
Louisiana
Pool Corp.
109 Northpark Boulevard
4th Floor
Covington, LA 70433
Kentucky
Southern Sealants Distribution, Inc.
2700 Holloway Road, Unit #102
Louisville, KY 40299
502-966-5412
Maryland
Brodsky & Associates
812 West Patapsco Avenue
Suite M
Baltimore, MD 21230
410-303-7100
rbrodsky@home.com
Metro Sealant & Waterproofing
1041 West Nursery Road
Linthicum, MD 21090
410-789-7400
Minnesota
Sterling Supply
459 Harding Street NE
Minneapolis, MN 55413
612-331-5125
Mississippi
GraniTite, Inc.
1113 Hwy. 72 East, #130
Corinth, MS 38834
662-284-9891
New Jersey
AGSCO
621 Route 46
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604
201-393-0300
Mid Atlantic
220 Boswell Road
Marlton, NJ 08053
856-988-6374
North Carolina
N.T. Ruddock
1805 Center Park Drive
Charlotte, NC 28217
800-426-4644
linda@ntruddock.com
jim@ntruddock.com
Quality Construction Products, Inc.
6925 Old Wake Forest Road
Raleigh, NC 27616
919-862-0026
Ohio
N.T. Ruddock
26123 Broadway
Cleveland, OH 44146
440-439-4976
Pennsylvania
Philadelphia
Concrete Services
Elm & Walnut Street
Conshohocken, PA 19428
610-825-1554
National Pool Tile
2880 Bergey Road
Suite E
Hatfield, PA 19440
215-997-7375
Virginia
Hatchik Supply Company
5260 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22151
703-321-7699
Metro Sealant & Waterproofing
7623B Fullerton Road
Springfield, VA 22153
703-912-4915
Wisconsin
MKM Distribution
1049 Ashwaubenon Street
Green Bay, WI 54304
920-336-7332
Western Region Distributors
3M Sales Representative - Bill Brown - 800-924-0347
Arizona
AMS
2040 West Buckeye Road
Phoenix, AZ 85009
602-307-9293
Mason Mart
2619 West McDowell Road
Phoenix, AZ 85009
602-278-5179
National Pool Tile
601 South Madison
Tempe, AZ 85251
480-968-9929
National Specialty Aggregates, LLC
4310 S. 80th Street
Mesa, AZ 85212
480-380-9880
Colorado
Rio Grande Company
201 Santa Fe Drive
Denver, CO 80223
303-825-2211
Kansas
Sturgis Materials, Inc.
624 Scott Avenue
Kansas City, KS 66105
913-371-7757
New Mexico
Custom Paint Center Inc.
6417 Lomas North East
Albuquerque, NM 87110
505-262-1775
Texas
National Pool Tile
2819 Blystone Lane
Dallas, TX 75220
214-366-4009
National Pool Tile
4300 Pine Timbers
Suite 128
Houston, TX 77041
713-460-8794
Wylie Pool Plastering
27070 Justin Road
Flower Mound, TX 75028
1-800-677-7228
Wylie Pool Plastering
20105 Nashburn Street
Pflugerville, TX 78660
1-800-677-7228
Wylie Pool Plastering
110 Regency Drive
Wylie, TX 75098
972-442-0017
Connecticut
Phoenix Products
55 Container Drive
Terryville, CT 06786
800-928-7665
Florida
Coastal Construction Products
1901 Service Street
Jacksonville, FL 32207
904-398-7171
Coastal Construction Products
660 N. W. 85th Street
Miami, FL 33150
305-757-2121
Coastal Construction Products
1095 Business Lane
Naples, FL 34110
239-513-0633
Coastal Construction Products
3330 W. 45th Street
West Palm Beach, FL 33407
561-478-2000
Coastal Construction Products
4901 W. Grace Street
Tampa, FL 32607
813-289-8949
Coastal Construction Products
4605 L. B. McLeod Road, Suite 900
Orlando, FL 32811
407-849-1717
Coastal Construction Products
3455 N. Alcaniz Street
Pensacola, FL 32503
850-432-7155
Gulf Coast Chemical
101 Wayne Place
Tampa, FL 33619
813-623-5471
Georgia
Georgia Construction Products
4640 Granite Drive
Tucker, GA 30084
770-491-9100
pderby@gcp1.com
National Pool Tile
3105-C Gateway Drive
Norcross, GA 30071
770-368-8440
Supreme Coating Inc.
3434 Browns Mill Road
Atlanta, GA 30354
404-305-8555
sc@wallguard.net
Illinois
AGSCO
160 West Hintz Road
Wheeling, IL 60090-5755
847-520-4455
Fairmount Custom Products
3624 East 2351st Road
Serena, IL 60549
815-792-8750
Louisiana
Pool Corp.
109 Northpark Boulevard
4th Floor
Covington, LA 70433
Kentucky
Southern Sealants Distribution, Inc.
2700 Holloway Road, Unit #102
Louisville, KY 40299
502-966-5412
Maryland
Brodsky & Associates
812 West Patapsco Avenue
Suite M
Baltimore, MD 21230
410-303-7100
rbrodsky@home.com
Metro Sealant & Waterproofing
1041 West Nursery Road
Linthicum, MD 21090
410-789-7400
Minnesota
Sterling Supply
459 Harding Street NE
Minneapolis, MN 55413
612-331-5125
Mississippi
GraniTite, Inc.
1113 Hwy. 72 East, #130
Corinth, MS 38834
662-284-9891
New Jersey
AGSCO
621 Route 46
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604
201-393-0300
Mid Atlantic
220 Boswell Road
Marlton, NJ 08053
856-988-6374
North Carolina
N.T. Ruddock
1805 Center Park Drive
Charlotte, NC 28217
800-426-4644
linda@ntruddock.com
jim@ntruddock.com
Quality Construction Products, Inc.
6925 Old Wake Forest Road
Raleigh, NC 27616
919-862-0026
Ohio
N.T. Ruddock
26123 Broadway
Cleveland, OH 44146
440-439-4976
Pennsylvania
Philadelphia
Concrete Services
Elm & Walnut Street
Conshohocken, PA 19428
610-825-1554
National Pool Tile
2880 Bergey Road
Suite E
Hatfield, PA 19440
215-997-7375
Virginia
Hatchik Supply Company
5260 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22151
703-321-7699
Metro Sealant & Waterproofing
7623B Fullerton Road
Springfield, VA 22153
703-912-4915
Wisconsin
MKM Distribution
1049 Ashwaubenon Street
Green Bay, WI 54304
920-336-7332
Western Region Distributors
3M Sales Representative - Bill Brown - 800-924-0347
Arizona
AMS
2040 West Buckeye Road
Phoenix, AZ 85009
602-307-9293
Mason Mart
2619 West McDowell Road
Phoenix, AZ 85009
602-278-5179
National Pool Tile
601 South Madison
Tempe, AZ 85251
480-968-9929
National Specialty Aggregates, LLC
4310 S. 80th Street
Mesa, AZ 85212
480-380-9880
Colorado
Rio Grande Company
201 Santa Fe Drive
Denver, CO 80223
303-825-2211
Kansas
Sturgis Materials, Inc.
624 Scott Avenue
Kansas City, KS 66105
913-371-7757
New Mexico
Custom Paint Center Inc.
6417 Lomas North East
Albuquerque, NM 87110
505-262-1775
Texas
National Pool Tile
2819 Blystone Lane
Dallas, TX 75220
214-366-4009
National Pool Tile
4300 Pine Timbers
Suite 128
Houston, TX 77041
713-460-8794
Wylie Pool Plastering
27070 Justin Road
Flower Mound, TX 75028
1-800-677-7228
Wylie Pool Plastering
20105 Nashburn Street
Pflugerville, TX 78660
1-800-677-7228
Wylie Pool Plastering
110 Regency Drive
Wylie, TX 75098
972-442-0017
Haha, Your the man! I forgot all about that listing. I emailed 3-M and they wouldn't give me the names of the distributers, all they said was that I could get it from a local contractor.
So did you have yours shipped to you, or were you able to get it localy?
I really want to do my goby tank with black sand, but not to high on the moon sand, and I'm not going to pay LFS prices for black sand.
How do you like the s-grade? Is it about the same size as playsand?
So did you have yours shipped to you, or were you able to get it localy?
I really want to do my goby tank with black sand, but not to high on the moon sand, and I'm not going to pay LFS prices for black sand.
How do you like the s-grade? Is it about the same size as playsand?
Made by the 3M company. Its quartz colored with ceramic coloring (i belive) that is about the same substance as sand that is used for lineing the inside of in-ground pools to make it 'grittyer' (if thats a word)
Its totaly inert, and safe so great for aquariums. It comes in all shades of color, so its a great, cheap alternitave to black sand from the LFS or the Tahitian moon sand.
At least black is what I've seen from most people. A hot pink sand bed would look a little odd IMO.
Its totaly inert, and safe so great for aquariums. It comes in all shades of color, so its a great, cheap alternitave to black sand from the LFS or the Tahitian moon sand.
At least black is what I've seen from most people. A hot pink sand bed would look a little odd IMO.
For lots of good info and feedback on this stuff, here's a link to a great (and very long) thread over at CF:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=43290
BTW, thanks for the compliment, Cichlid-Man.
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=43290
BTW, thanks for the compliment, Cichlid-Man.