# Multi Shell Dweller Tank



## Alasse (Mar 12, 2009)

My newly setup Neolamprologus multifasciatus (shell dweller) tank

Just moved fish into their new home....tried to divide it up a bit for territories, but nooooo, they all decide the middle section is prime real estate and are currently debating who gets to live where lol


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Beautiful!


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

you know what,how big do they even get?like what,half an inch,an inch?


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## discusbreeder (Oct 7, 2014)

Two and a half to three inches, males being larger than females. The fish I see in the photo appears to be sub-adult. Sub adults will school on structures until they mature and color up. The males will then stake out a shell and display for females. Too many shells in tank they prefer on shell out in the open which they will usually try to bury leaving the opening exposed. I usually put two structures in the back corners of the tank and two shells about midway from front to back and a quarter way from end with a rock in the center to hide the shells from each other. The moon snails are the best of what you have in the tank. Escargot shells work a little better.


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## Alasse (Mar 12, 2009)

These guys are breeding and are adults. The females are around 1 inch, the males about 2 inches.

They appreciate a choice of shells, i have dropped the number of shell back in this tank, only for the ease of me being able to vacuum well and without danger of accidentally sucking up fry. 

These guys are preferring to use the more pointed and prickly shells than the rounder type i've noticed.

One of the few cichlids that can be home in a 10gal tank. Awesome little fish


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

hmm do you think that a few could go in a 5 gallon?


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## discusbreeder (Oct 7, 2014)

If they are that small they may be brevis and not multifasciatus. Brevis is much smaller when adult and prefers a much smaller opening to the shells. They also will nest in tighter communities than other neolamp shell dwellers.


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## Alasse (Mar 12, 2009)

I have kept a male and 2 females in a 5gal


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## discusbreeder (Oct 7, 2014)

I must apologize for some incorrect information. Multifasciatus get 2 to 21/2 inches, leleupi gets 2 to 3 inches. I will attribute the error to having bred too many species. Both are shell dwellers but leleupi will also brood in caves. I have bred all three of these species along with leleopi and brichardi. You can spawn them in a tank with julidochromis but expect conflicts and losses.


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## Alasse (Mar 12, 2009)

discusbreeder said:


> If they are that small they may be brevis and not multifasciatus. Brevis is much smaller when adult and prefers a much smaller opening to the shells. They also will nest in tighter communities than other neolamp shell dwellers.


They are definitely multifasciatus....they are the smallest shell dweller


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## Alasse (Mar 12, 2009)

discusbreeder said:


> I must apologize for some incorrect information. Multifasciatus get 2 to 21/2 inches, leleupi gets 2 to 3 inches. I will attribute the error to having bred too many species. Both are shell dwellers but leleupi will also brood in caves. I have bred all three of these species along with leleopi and brichardi. You can spawn them in a tank with julidochromis but expect conflicts and losses.


Regardless, they are mature adults. I have had these guys for a while now. I have no intention of adding any other species to the tank. This is a multi tank.

There is a juvie pep, common & albino bn in the tank also


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## discusbreeder (Oct 7, 2014)

Sorry for the confusion, it was not a suggestion to re-populate your tank just information from experience. I myself prefer to breed in species tanks myself.


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## SueD (Aug 4, 2012)

This is a great tank, especially with the addition of the plants, not often seen in shell dweller tanks. As I've been considering a shellie tank, I've done a lot of reading up on types of shellies and their needs.

Multis are indeed the smallest of these as a little research shows here: Neolamprologus multifasciatus ? Seriously Fish

And it appears that it is the female who stakes out the desired shell, preferably from a choice of many options, and attracts the male.


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

love lil shell dwellers


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## Alasse (Mar 12, 2009)

I have sold these guys, they now live in a 7x2x2 tank lol


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