Calvus tankmates

Hey all,

I just picked up a group of F1 white calvus at an auction last weekend.
Currently they are just little ones, a bit less than an inch. I have them
in my 40 gallon tank. Originally there were 4, but now there are only 3.
They were in rather rough shape (tail rot) that was hard to see through
the auction bag (and could have happened due to the stress of being in the
bags which appeared to contain RO water). I have been considering
tankmates for these guys all week. I'm pretty sure I'll be getting a small
school (6-8) of the regular sized Cyprichromis leptosoma, but I have been
wondering if I could put anything else in the lower levels of the water.

Since the tank is set up with the bottom about 2/3 rock work and 1/3
shellbed (last inhabitants included shellies), I was considering
shelldwellers. I like Neolamp. similis, but am rather concerned about the
size difference between full grown calvus and similis. Anyone have
positive experience mixing calvus with shelldwellers? If so, which
shellies did you have with the calvus? I was also tossing around the idea
of one of the Xenotilapia species but I've had no experience with this
fish before.

"Cichlidiot" <fishlover.DeleteThis@nospam.net> wrote in message
news:bjau6b$6l2$1@woodrow.ucdavis.edu...
> Hey all,
>
> I just picked up a group of F1 white calvus at an auction last weekend.
> Currently they are just little ones, a bit less than an inch. I have them
> in my 40 gallon tank. Originally there were 4, but now there are only 3.
> They were in rather rough shape (tail rot) that was hard to see through
> the auction bag (and could have happened due to the stress of being in the
> bags which appeared to contain RO water). I have been considering
> tankmates for these guys all week. I'm pretty sure I'll be getting a small
> school (6-8) of the regular sized Cyprichromis leptosoma, but I have been
> wondering if I could put anything else in the lower levels of the water.
>
> Since the tank is set up with the bottom about 2/3 rock work and 1/3
> shellbed (last inhabitants included shellies), I was considering
> shelldwellers. I like Neolamp. similis, but am rather concerned about the
> size difference between full grown calvus and similis. Anyone have
> positive experience mixing calvus with shelldwellers? If so, which
> shellies did you have with the calvus? I was also tossing around the idea
> of one of the Xenotilapia species but I've had no experience with this
> fish before.

In the wild, shellies often help make up part of the Altolamprologus groups'
diet. I believe mixing calvus or compressiceps with any form of shell dwellers
to be a bad idea. You can look at the Neolamprologus (fairy) group, although
when they breed, they may dominate the tank. With your calvus being so young,
you may want to house them in a 20 gallon for a year or so until they've reached
a couple inches in length, then add them to a Tang community setting.
Amateur
www.amateurcichlids.com