Julidochromis marlieri

[daimen]

Hi all,

Can anyone help me i think i want to keep these guys. First im looking for some. And if they will be ok in a aquanano 40? Any help appreciated.

[kizshrimp]

These are a very nice Julie, and a pair might well be ok in a 40cm cube. You'll have to grow out a small group to get that pair though. Tanganyikans can be tricky in small tanks; the pH has to be very high so ammonia is very toxic. You have to manage the tank well and ensure it's cycled before stocking up. 

If you must keep a Tanganyikan in such a small tank, why not a shell dweller? Neo multifasciatus are certainly small enough for that tank and happily live in a small colony together. 

 

I don't know the Sydney shops but both species are available here. 

[daimen]

Yeah i might go the multies or even the occies. But i wanted to try something different but you may have convinced me other wise.

[kizshrimp]

Julidochromis are beauties and we did grow up and keep a big pair of J. regani in a 60x45cm shop tank where I once worked. It started as a sale tank but the pair formed and soon there were no other fish left. I think it would work for you with marlieri but you have to be ready to accept some losses. Some J. ornatus are exceptionally beautiful fish too. Don't let me put you off, I'm just pointing out potential issues. 

 

Be very wary of ocellatus in a small tank though, the males are especially aggressive and have huge territories. They have great character but are better suited to a large tank with bigger fish. I kept them in a 600L 3' cube with Cyprichromis and for a while some adult Cyathopharynx furcifer. The 2 male ocellatus still had disputes across that 3 foot gap and I've had angry males kill females in smaller tanks. I think you'd best avoid that whole complex - meleagris, speciosus etc.

 

I've never kept them, but similis have been around and I'd guess these behave like multifasciatus, ie. nicely. Some of the other shell dwellers aren't too bad, like brevis and "Magarae" (calliurus), even caudopunctatus are great fish. When I was keeping Tanganyikans the Neolamprologus were my favorites and (now) Variabilichromis were the first cichlid I ever bred. Discussions like this one make me feel "homesick" for Neos, so please keep your thoughts coming. 

 

Good luck with the setup and please post some pics as you get going. 

[daimen]

All this talk im thinking of getting a larger tank but i like the sump in the back of the aquaone Nanos. Im hoping i can try some julidochromis but i dont particularly want any losses.

[fishmosy]

You could try Neolamprologus brevis. Kept and bred a pair in 25L and they are super cool. Often thought about keeping the sumbu dwarf compressiceps

Edited December 7, 2014 by fishmosy

[daimen]

That sumbu is nice man. How do you think a trio would go in that tank

[fishmosy]

I would try a pair, maybe a trio if you can get enough structure in there without losing too much volume. I haven't kept them before so I dont know for certain.

[daimen]

Well they are a little different i think i will give it a shot. I was going with brevis but they seem to common

[daimen]

What about neo speciosus?

[fishmosy]

Never kept them.

[kizshrimp]

Cichlids have a habit of being very rare, then being bred up until they're "common", then becoming very rare again. I've been out of the loop for a little while, but I haven't ever known brevis to be a really common fish. 

I wouldn't worry about something being common or rare, either way. Keep what you like and what will work for you. The mini shell dwelling Altos could be lovely but you'll probably have to buy a group of juveniles if you want a pair or trio, same for any other cichlid. 

I have never kept them either, but as I said above I think speciosus and meleagris will behave similar to ocellatus. Multifasciatus are the common shell dweller because they're so good. It's like running a tank of shrimp with those guys - you just set them up and keep the water good and babies will be everywhere, growing up with the parents and adding to the colony. If you need something rarer I assume similis will be the same (never kept them). There are very, very few Cichlids that demand that little effort from the keeper. 

[daimen]

Its just that i have kept alot of different fish over the years having many Malawian cichlids also a few tangs. Aussie rainbows and alot of other types im looking for something a little different in regards to behaviour. I am really going to have to buy a tank and decide what species will fit best in that tank.