55 Gallon

Open Water:
12 Cyprichromis leptosoma

Rocks & Caves:
2 Eretmodus cyanostictus

Shells:
6-8 Neolamprologus Multifaciatus

So this is what i have so far.
I'm really excited about all three of these species. Is there anything else I should/could add or would this be a good start?

I was thinking of having a shell pile on one side. with the middle be open and a rock tower on the right side. This scares me though because it seems like it would look pretty unnatural! Any advice on aqua scaping?

I think i would like to add 2 Chalinochromis brichardi to the list. Or if there is something else that would hang out in the mid section of the rock pile. the cypriochromis will be at the top/middle right. and the ertemodus is be hanging on the ground, and the multis in there area of shells.

Could I get away with
Open Water:
12 Cyprichromis leptosoma

Rocks & Caves:
2 Julidochromis or more if I cut the chalinochromis
2 Chalinochromis brichardi <-- Could live without these

Shells:
6-8 Neolamprologus Multifaciatus

I think I'd choose either the Julidochromis or the Chalinochromis, cut to 9 cyps and keep with the smaller varieties, and go with 8-10 multies.

WYite

I'm fine with dropping the chialinochromis, but ive read multiply places cyps should be in a group of at least 12.

Over the years I've found having X individuals of a certain fish in a group is less important than maintaining a functional group. Having exactly four, six, nine, twelve, fifteen or thirty individuals, ensuring I have groups in multiples of three or five, or keeping odd-numbered/even-numbered schools IME is irrelevant. I spent years trying to keep fish at the "perfect" numbers and found the fish really don't care. The important thing is ensuring the fish are in a school, pair, harem, etc. situation appropriate to their natural behavior. I know numerous people who've whittled their cyps to a harem with good results. But I'm not going to get into an argument over popular dogma.

I always have better luck with lighter stocking rates in most of my tanks (mbuna excepted), and ya run out of volume in a 55 gallon tank pretty quick. The cyps is the best place IMO to make a stocking reduction as having the julies and multies in the same tank will dampen the cyps skittishness if they're in a smaller school.

WYite


This post has been edited by Wyomingite: Aug 14 2012, 12:19 PM

Excellent thank you so much for your response.

a tip for your cyps: In a 55 the less males you have the better. Females tend to waste away when their are too many males trying to mate with them. I keep 2 males in a 6 foot tank with 8 females for example. 2 males would probably be fine in your setup but 1 would be even better.

And why no calvus?