Who Gives A Fish Forums

Starting up a 40 gallon breeder, decided on shell dwellers. Black ocellatus caught my eye, thinking of starting with six - anyone think that's doable? I know multis and similis tend to colonize pretty well, do ocellatus follow a similar pattern?

They can definitely thrive in colonies, especially in larger tanks like your 40 gallon breeder.

I'm really into shell dwellers right now, pics would be awesome.

A 40 gal tank seems sufficient, but I'd advise against anything smaller. The black ocellatus is a territorial species that will fiercely defend its shell and surrounding territory.

Their preferred shell type is Neothauma's, so be sure to include those in your setup. In terms of water parameters, they require a pH of 8-8.5, with GH between 16-20 and KH between 8-15.

Thanks for the feedback. I'm actually thinking of going with multis now, they're not the flashiest but seem like the most low-maintenance option for a first-timer like me. Luckily, our local water parameters match what they need, so that's a bonus.

NeoLamprologus multifasciatus is indeed beautiful too, and they also have a fondness for Neothauma tanganyicense shells. The water parameters are similar, pH 8-8.5 and GH 16-20, KH 8-15. I recall that it's best to avoid feeding them Chironomus plumosus, also known as earthworms, as they can be toxic to fish in hard and alkaline water. Instead, it's recommended to feed them small crustaceans, insects, larvae, and plankton, similar to what they'd find in their natural lake habitat.