tanganyikan catfish biotope

[bigamefish]

hello all! i have fully stocked my current tank and have been looking for a new challange! so i have my mind pretty set on setting up a tanganyikan bio-type! I was just looking for some tips or suggestions on how to set up the tank! It will be a 55 gallon 48" 12" 20" not sure what kind of filter. also i would like some reccomendations for catfish! i am looking into some lophiobagrus brevispinis but not set in stone! i do like synos! but as i said i will take some suggestions! if any additional info is needed please ask away!

[racoll]

Well, there isn't a lot of choice as far as catfishes goes. See here.

Lophiobagrus brevispinis

would be a nice little catfish to keep though, if you can find them.

I assume you would be wanting to keep some cichlids too? It's good to have a plan for these, as inappropriately chosen cichlids could really ruin the fun.

Also, it may seem pedantic, but the word "biotype" has a completely different meaning to "biotope", the word you are looking for. I would suggest changing the title and text in the post, as your thread will not appear in any forum searches under the correct term "Tanganyikan biotope".

[bigamefish]

Thanks racoll! I didn't really know there was a diffrence! And I can indeed get some straight from the lake!!! My lfs gets wild ones in thought the summer ! Maybe I should just set up African tank and have a choise of a few fish!!! And I really don't want any cichlids I am not a fan of them I must say! Would the lophiobagrus brevispinis be compatible with any kind of syno?

[racoll]

And I really don't want any cichlids I am not a fan of them I must say!

Well cichlids rule Lake Tanganyika, so without them it'll be a pretty lousy biotope. Not even some cute little shell-dwellers tempt you? If all you want to keep is the

Lophiobagrus

, then why not just get a smaller tank and keep just that species?

Would the lophiobagrus brevispinis be compatible with any kind of syno?

I would have thought the synos would be too dominating, but I could be wrong.

[bigamefish]

Haha your righ of course about the cichlids! What would be a good tank size for just a species tank? What would be the reccomended group size? And what is a good male to female ratio? Some breeding action would be nice too!

[racoll]

What would be a good tank size for just a species tank? What would be the reccomended group size? And what is a good male to female ratio?

Not sure. Other forum members have kept this species, so hopefully they will be able to advise.

[bigamefish]

What would be a good tank size for just a species tank? What would be the reccomended group size? And what is a good male to female ratio?

Not sure. Other forum members have kept this species, so hopefully they will be able to advise.

should i start a new thread?

[Birger]

No, would be best to just keep it here and we can add any further comments.

Birger

[bigamefish]

Ok thanks birger! I guess I will wait and see if anybody has anything to say!

[Phyllonemus]

Well cichlids rule Lake Tanganyika, so without them it'll be a pretty lousy biotope.

Why ?
I don't agree, I've kept an non c i c h l i d Tanganyikan biotope with :

Synodontis lucipinnis 6x
Phyllonemus typus 2m/2f.
Mastacembelus tanganicae spiny eels 2x.

I've kept this combination without problems, not boaring at all.

reccomendations for catfish! i am looking into some lophiobagrus brevispinis but not set in stone!

When you like Synodontis and you do realy like Tanganyika, put in stones.
Without stones this will be a lousy biotope, unles you wat te keep an sandcichlid only tank.

[bigamefish]

[quote="]

reccomendations for catfish! i am looking into some lophiobagrus brevispinis but not set in stone!

When you like Synodontis and you do realy like Tanganyika, put in stones.
Without stones this will be a lousy biotope, unles you wat te keep an sandcichlid only tank.

Haha you have misunderstood this! By not set in stone I mean not for sure ! Its merely a figure of speech! I think now I may just get a smaller tank and make it a species tank for some kind of lophiobagrus or phyllonemus species!

[Richard B]

If you go for the 48" tank, my personal preference would be one of 2 things:

half a dozen brevispinnis and half a dozen lucipinnis (groups of small fish that grow up together where the lophio's get the chance to form a pair(s)). I'd carefully construct 3 rockpiles that stretch right up to the surface (one at either end and one in the back-middle) Into the base of these could be incorporated an upturned flowerpot with entrance/exit hole, with or without bowl/marbles/collecting device which presents the Lucipinnis with territory and breeding opportunity. The remainder of the base should incorporate numerous brevispinnis caves - at least 6 really in case things get rough and each lophio needs a separate abode. You want to discourage them from trying to get under rocks.

Option 2 - the brevispinnis and some tanganyikan killis Lamprichthys tanganicanus (http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/c ... p?sid=3502). Hard to come by but amazing. The synos would be too much of a danger to the killi eggs but lophios should be ok