aaron

Since most shell dwellers have the same water requirements can two or maybe even three species be mixed in a large enough tank?
thanks
Aaron

Butterfly

Funny you should ask, I was just looking at this
http://www.shelldwellers.com/index.p...ic,3881.0.html
I imagine you would have to have plenty of room and be careful which ones you mix.
Carol

aaron

Wow exactly what I was looking at doing! Your awsome butterfly. So whats your opinion on this? Shell dwellers are exspensive little boogers so I would want this to work if I tried it.

How big of a tank would be acceptable for 2 or 3 species?

Aaron

Butterfly

I personally have never kept mixed shellie species. That said... Some shellies like Neolamprologus brichardi really prefer rock caves instead of shells. So mixing a couple of species that have different preferences of "nesting places would be easier than keeping all species that prefer the same.
The bigger the tank the better of course and shallow. I have a 30g long that was perfect when I was raising a large colony of multies. Some thing that size with stacked rock along the back, shells in the sand in front should allow you to keep a couple of species happily. Just don't crowd them too much.
If you can tell the gender , one male and two females is a good ratio. If you get too many males in a tank they will fight or "banish' the extra males and sometimes starve them.
Carol

aaron

Well the shell dwellers seem really interesting. If I do a multiple(not multie but multiple )species set up I would most likely buy another 55gallon for it. I was thinking of having 4 to 5 shell beds more or less "fenced" in with small rock formations. I would love to watch the species interacting with eatchother.

Butterfly

Yep they are definately interesting But they will insist on arranging their tank to suit themselves. Pick your species the research, research, research! Good luck! keep us posted and you know we will need pics
Carol

Toddnbecka

You wouldn't be able to mix more than 2 species of shellies in a 55 long-term. A group of multi's will gradually expand their territory as the colony grows, while brevis, occies, and the rest will also want their share of the bottom for spawning even though they'll most likely eat their own fry. Pairing the up is another matter as well, particularly when the "outcasts" need somewhere to escape to, and the whole tank is already staked out.

btate617

One thing you might want to do also Aaron is put in your rocks then the sand.
Since they dig so much, you would hate to see a rock pile fall because they have dug all the sand from around it......

Brian

aaron

thanks for the input guys.

wouldent the other species halt the multies from taking over? I think it would be interesting to try and find a balance.

One other thing what shells do you guys use? I have read alot and I think I am going to go for the escargo shells for substitutes.

Butterfly

I buy shells in packs from petsmart and the dollar store. They are very inexpensive and clean.
Carol

Toddnbecka

Multi's will expand their territory as the fry mature, but will be somewhat limited by the number of shells available. They aren't as bad as brichardi for taking over the tank, but the whole colony wil work together to defend their territory/fry. One way or another there will be a balance, but it won't be among several different species of shellies in a 4' tank.
I used gold-mouth turbo shells from cichlidbreeding.com, escargot shells are also fine.

aaron

Thanks guys for all the help. This site is awsome.

should I be fine with just multies and Lamprologus ocellatus?

I wont be trying this out until I get an established colony of multies, but I am glad to get all this info now. The internet does not have much information at all on mixing shell dwellers. I would be content with two species, but I really want to do three.
Thanks Todd for your direct answer. I dont want a mess.

Toddnbecka

Occies are notoriously difficult to pair off, though their color is great. Brevis are the easiest (next to multi's). You could also fit some Julies another other rock-dwelling species in a 55 with the shellies, but I wouldn't try 3 in anything smaller than a 75, preferably a 6' tank.

SWilkins

Hee hee this is where MTS comes in....the more species you want the more tanks you need. Sorry just had to add that.

aaron

I know swilkins. Im getting it bad. Only sad thing is my parents insist the tank addiction does not come out of my room. My room is getting smaller with a 55g,20g,10g, and I have a 125gallon on the way. Hope it fits.

SWilkins

You could always get a smaller bed maybe a cot even sorry I could not help myself. My MTS has gotten me a whole fish room finally. I can't wait to see what shellies you decide on...I don't have any of those YET.

aaron

hahahaha....whats sad is I have thought about that! Even though about a bunk bed with a tank underneath.......lol

When I get out of college I am going to have a fish room half the size of my house. That PHD better pay off!

aaron

I sold my tropicals in the 55 today so its free. I am going to put the multies in it. They should arrive thursday. I am going to try Occies and multies together. Would it be best to introduce the two species at roughly the same time?