Ive finally got round to getting my second show tank
Im thinking of a Lake Tanganyika set-up as my water is 15DH, 12KH and PH7.4 (a little low i know).
the tank is 42"x18"x24X. A light sandy substrate no plants rounded boulders etc.....
To go with possibly Neolamprologus brichardi and N. leleupi (still to be confirmed).
Any ideas of small 4" or less cats ??? they dont have to be Synos... ANY help at all please
Interests: African catfishes and oddballs, Madagascar cichlids; stoner doom and heavy rock; old school choppers and riding them, fantasy novels, travelling and diving in the tropics and all things nature.
They'll do fine, both species even tolerate each other, but you sould have some horizontal caves (like a hollowed rock lying flat on the sand, where the cats can dig out a hidy hole), wich the cichlids won't claim.
especially Neolamprologus leleupi likes vertical, narrow slitlike caves to use as nesting place. But that same fish can be very tough on any cat, esp Lophiobahgrus. They "know" that such a fish is a danger to fry. (probably share habitat!)
Leleupi's can claim sizable territories, so does Neolamprologus brichardi. You might think about getting more peaceful Tangies instead of those two; if you're bent on keeping non-Synodontis catfish.
Synodontis are definitely more agile and they don't "wedge" themselves in a cave (like Lophio's and Phyllo's). They just "move along" when a cichlid attacks and are highly agile and fast; much better at swimming free in the water, and thus much better at withstanding cichlid-attacks.
matpreec wrote:To go with possibly Neolamprologus brichardi and N. leleupi (still to be confirmed).
Personally I'd go for Cyprichromis/Paracyprichromis and some Callochromis/Xenotilapia/Enantiopus. These shouldn't represent any threat to your chosen Catfish and are stunning fish.
If you want to talk Tanganyikan Cich lids try the BCA Forum at http://britishcichlid.com/phpbb that should give you some ideas on good sources.
Another fish that wasn't mentioned that would give you great behavior to watch, without outgrowing the tank would be A. compressiceps "sumbu dwarf". You get the interesting shape, in a smaller, shell dwelling package. They live quite peacefully with Cyprichromis (which I also highly recommend) and also Paracyps, which are another midwater dweller that wouldn't outgrow your tank, but tend to hover near their chosen "territory" rather than chase and posture as much as the Cyps will. IMO, its very hard to beat Synodontis petricola for interesting activity levels. They're constantly cruising and a group of 4 or 5 would be perfect for your size tank.
Neolamp. brichardi complex fish, and also leleupi can be QUITE aggressive when defending a spawn. If you start with fish that can manage to raise fry without keeping everything else shoved up in the corners of the tank, you'll probably enjoy them much more. Many people end up with smaller tanks with a pair of brichardi crammed in them, just to save their other fish.
BTW, the Catfish of the Month article this month might make for interesting reading for you also!
