Tang Tank Shuffle

[Tony]

Over the last year or so, I've picked up a few Tangs here and there.

75 gallon:
8x Gold head comps (2"-3.5") - pairing/breeding
10x P. nigripinnis - breeding, but too difficult to ever catch
10x Cyp leptosoma Utinta - breeding, but too difficult to catch
2x Callochromis pleurospilus (2") colored-up male, assume the other is female b/c it is still alive

40B:
6x N. cylindricus (2" - 3") - At least 1 breeding pair; no fighting (yet)
6x A. Comp - Red Fin Lufubu (2"-2.5")
4x L. caudopunk (2")
8x Syno multi (2") - growing out - plan on moving in with Malawi stuff

20H:
2x Black Congo calvus (2.5") - Bought as vented pair, but they hate each other, lol
6x J. dickfeldi (1.5"-2") - Not sure if they've paired

20H:
Multi colony

10:
6x C. pleurospilus (1.5" growing out)

I like the action in the 75 right now. The Comp ratio seems pretty even M/F and at least two pairs have taken over the two calvus caves. No one is hiding in the corners or getting wrecked; no jumpers. Is this something that will last? Is there any chance of 8 comps working long-term in this tank? Would pulling the Paracyps help space-wise (and leave just the Cyps and Comps)?

I have a 50long (48"x 18"deep x13" tall) slated for the Callochromis once the little guys put on some more size. Would the Paracyps make good tank mates for them or maybe a pair of the rock dwellers? Maybe a few small rock piles and the group of small calvus?

So besides these two larger tanks, I still have the 40B and a couple of free 20s available. I think it's going to come down to pairs in 20s (who will work long term?). Who would you put in the 40? Any of the above fish seem like they would go together particularly well?

I know that a lot of "extra" fish will not fit in and will have to be gotten rid of.

Yeah, probably way too many questions for one post.... Thanks so much for your help in advance.

 

[minifoot77]

i think you should just give me the nigripinnis and you will have more room

 

[Charlutz]

IME male comps won't share a tank once they get big. You've got a while since they grow so slowly, but eventually, you might have to remove some. They are harem breeders, so you could remove your extra males and keep 1 male with all the females. The males don't bother other non-altos, so you could put the males in other tanks if you wanted to keep spares or couldn't sell them.

I've read that cyps and paracyps shouldn't be kept together for fear of interbreeding, but the 75 could certainly handle both. I've mixed the fry in the same tank, and you can tell them apart by their swimming habits, even when small. Not so sure you could ID a hybrid though.

I had a tough time with callos. The males wrecked everything. Even when they were balanced for a while, they'd all of a sudden go on a rampage and attack each other or kill the females. I had a trio of julies in with them and they and their fry staked out a rockpile in the corner of the tank and held their own. [Edit - just saw you have your own julie group.]

I've become a big fan of cyps. They seem to make everyone else in the tank happy. I haven't sold any fry in a while and just keep adding them to more tanks and building the schools. They even mellowed out my boops. It took a school of 35 of them, but that seems to be enough distraction so that the boops have chilled out.

Hope that helps. Always happy to talk ideas if you want.

 

[Tony]

Thanks for the tips, Charlie. I'll keep an eye on the gold heads in the 75 and move out males if I really have to.

I guess that's why you don't often see tanks with tons of Altos in it.

I didn't think that cyps and paracyps could breed, but I'll take the precaution anyway. They've been holding a lot, but the tank has a bunch of large rockwork and anubias in it and catching sardines in a heavily-scaped 75 is not a good time. I've tried, but only been successful once and ended up killing the fry anyway.

I'm thinking that both groups of my sardines - the cyps and paracyps need to be in one of the 4' tanks.... which one appreciates more height again? Cyps? Would you try either of those with the Callos in the 50 or just stick a small group of rock dwellers in with them and call it a day?

Someone on the big forum has their Callos in with Enantiopus and small Altos in a 72, I think. Have you ever heard of more action in the tank making them less psychotic? I know it's a Malawi mentality...

How about Paracyps in the 40B with a group of rock dwellers? Too short a tank?

 

[Charlutz]

Cyps take a while to wake up. If you wait until after they sleep and then turn the lights on, they will come out of the rocks pretty quickly but before they are totally awake. You can catch them pretty easily then.

Cyps go everywhere, but stay near the top of the tank mostly. Paras hug to the rocks and like vertical surfaces and ledges. A tall piece of slate leaning against the back glass makes both of them happy.

Paras would be fine in a 40br. At least mine would. They are very mellow.

The cyps would be fine with callos and my paras were ok with them too. I don't know about putting them in with enantiopus. Seems they'd be too similar. When I was having trouble with my male callo I moved him to my 7 footer with my foai. Foai are big wimps, but they were a full 6" and the callo was 4". He went right after them, lit up like a Christmas tree and started to harass them not 5 minutes after being dropped into the tank. I pulled him. Based on that, I'd not think it would work with any other sifter or featherfin. You could try it and I think it would be evident fairly quickly whether it would work.

 

[Tony]

Cyps take a while to wake up. If you wait until after they sleep and then turn the lights on, they will come out of the rocks pretty quickly but before they are totally awake. You can catch them pretty easily then.

Dude.. good tip! Totally doing that this weekend... well, maybe after I separate the Cyps and Paracyps.... hybrids no son beuno.

Cyps go everywhere, but stay near the top of the tank mostly. Paras hug to the rocks and like vertical surfaces and ledges. A tall piece of slate leaning against the back glass makes both of them happy.

Got a huge piece of slate on the end of my 75 now... probably 18" long, leaning in the corner. They hang underneath their cave and spawn on top of it.

Paras would be fine in a 40br. At least mine would. They are very mellow.

I like that prospect.

The cyps would be fine with callos and my paras were ok with them too. I don't know about putting them in with enantiopus. Seems they'd be too similar. When I was having trouble with my male callo I moved him to my 7 footer with my foai. Foai are big wimps, but they were a full 6" and the callo was 4". He went right after them, lit up like a Christmas tree and started to harass them not 5 minutes after being dropped into the tank. I pulled him. Based on that, I'd not think it would work with any other sifter or featherfin. You could try it and I think it would be evident fairly quickly whether it would work.

Dang dude... fish that punk foai. Sheesh.

I'm thinking of pulling the paracyps, leaving the gold heads and cyps in the 75. When the gold heads start beating on each other, pull some of them and maybe make room for another pair of rock dwellers.

The paracyps go into the 40B with the red fin comps and maybe a pair of the cylindricus.... still thinking about this one.

Lastly, we have the callos in the 50. Without comps in the tank (and fear of the smaller callos (1.5") getting eaten, would you worry about them getting beaten on by the larger ones (2"-2.5")?

Beacause it's a short tank, thinking of either adding a couple of rock piles and two pairs of rock dwellers (julies and punks or julies and black calvus). How about the julies and some multis? Can callos be kept with multis?

Thanks again, Charlie. :happy0180:

 

[longstocking]

I have never heard of Paracyps and Cyps crossing.

Not sure I would do cylindricus with the paracyps. Once full grown and breeding they could give the paracyps some problems.

Julie, multies etc... I'd do these in species only tanks. I wouldn't do callos with shellies... just a bad combo IMO.

Think of tang tanks as three areas....sand, rocks, upper water.... stick one fish in each area and you should have success if the tank size is suited for the fish.

 

[longstocking]

And just to tease you :lol: My old male from the group that I used to keep not in breeding coloration:

 

[Tony]

Thanks Sarah. Do you think the Paracyps will be ok with the Callos in the 50?

I have too many rock-dwellers, lol.

 

[Tony]

And just to tease you :lol: My old male from the group that I used to keep:

NICE! I have one coloring up.. only about 2" though. I'll try to get a shot of him sometime, but tough as they never sit still, lol.

 

[longstocking]

The callos should be fine with the paracyps.

 

[Charlutz]

I have never heard of Paracyps and Cyps crossing.

Nor have I, but I've read it frequently on the "big board" and thought it fair to mention it. I was hoping that by posting that "I'd read it" an internet savvy guy like Tony would pick up on my meaning.

Think of tang tanks as three areas....sand, rocks, upper water.... stick one fish in each area and you should have success if the tank size is suited for the fish.

So, you would suggest that nobody should ever mix enantiopus and ventralis, and especially not in a 3 foot tank?

 

[longstocking]

lol it was a four foot tank... and guess what, it stopped working :lol: Had to move the ventralis. No, I would never recommend it :lol:

I knew it wouldn't work long term :lol:

 

[Charlutz]

LOL. I thought that would grab your attention! Never hurts to be reminded that it's all just advice, trial and error, etc. and the fish have minds of their own and typically don't read the forums or even Ad's books.

 

[Tony]

Nor have I, but I've read it frequently on the "big board" and thought it fair to mention it. I was hoping that by posting that "I'd read it" an internet savvy guy like Tony would pick up on my meaning.

lol. Internet savvy guy. Honestly, I've been looking for an excuse to separate them anyway. Other than the colored males, they look too much the same for me.. plus I could use some non-strictly rock-dwelling fish in one of the other tanks to mix it up a bit.

the fish have minds of their own and typically don't read the forums or even Ad's books.