Dither fish for Tanganyika shell dwellers

[doppelbanddwarf]

i'm interested to know what dither fishes would fit into a tanganyika shelldweller tank.
I've recently obtained about 20+ Neolamprologus brevis sp sunspot juveniles. I want some fishes which would create some movement in the middle and top levels as well as act as dither fishes when these shelldwellers grow up.
What fishes would have the same ph requirements? Thanks

[Justikanz]

Lampeyes?

Or for more colours, you can try mollies. They don't come from the Rift Lakes but they will tolerate and might even love the higher pH...

[benny]

hmm... come to think of it, I don't recall my african cichlids friends having any dither fishes for their shell dweller tanks. Would be interesting to know what fishes can be good mid and surface dwellers. I do know there are some african characins, but I think they are soft water fauna too.

Cheers,

[doppelbanddwarf]

i do think there is a fish called the tanganyika lampeye but i don't think that it is readily available in our LFSes

[|squee|]

I used to keep the occellatus, and I didn't need any dithers. My hands were full trying to solve the problem of aggression haha.

Just get lots and lots of shells. I went to Cold Storage and bought a heck load of escargots and ate them for the shells.

[mickthefish]

the fish i would use is sawba resplendens,
ive used them in my N multifasciatus tank and they do better at that ph and gh than in neutral water.

mick

[doppelbanddwarf]

That's quite a nice fish. Does anyone know which lfs in singapore sells that fish and the price?

I've put 3 swordtails from another tank into the 2 ft with them. They seem to be doing fine, not attacking the juvenile brevis or anything. Still looking for more shells!

[Mez]

I used to keep the occellatus, and I didn't need any dithers. My hands were full trying to solve the problem of aggression

Haha, i had one in my tanganyikan tank and he was the nastiest thing ever, attacked my gravel vaccume too.
I, personally, depending on tank size would use a Cyprichromis of some type, they are an open water shoal-swimming Cichlid from tanganyika.
Alternitivley, you could go for some nice Rainbow fish. They do not mind an alkaline pH.
Thanks,
James

[doppelbanddwarf]

Haha the brevis i have are hardly aggressive compared to occelatus . Also the ones i have are just juveniles so i think a cyprichromis might attack them.

The hardy livebearers i have with them now (swordtails, mollies and platies) seem to be doing the job ad the mollies are really good at removing algae from the walls

Thanks

[|squee|]

Yea I should have taken brevis when I set up that tank, or better still multifasciatus! I still keep the shells in hope of starting a tank like that next time

I don't know if you know this site? http://www.shelldwellers.com/

I used to go there for information and was told that my ocellatus needed a bigger tank or many many many more shells. Perhaps you can try the Sawbwa resplendens suggested by mickthefish?

[doppelbanddwarf]

Yup i've been to the site. Thanks.
I would be off loading some of the N. Brevis 'sunspot' in the future when the 2ft gets too small for so many of them.
Any idea which lfs currently stocks sawbwa resplendens? Y618 or Y934?
Thanks

[doppelbanddwarf]

I saw some sawbwa resplendens in a lfs shop very near to my house. Wanted to come home to check internet to confirm. Will go and get some of them tomorrow. Will they pose any threat to young fishes?