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I'm considering a change to a Lake Tanganyika biotope for my tank and I've got a few queries.

What's the best substrate for this setup - I'm currently using Caribbean Eco complete black, would this be suitable as the base?

My tank is 125l - is that big enough for a Tanganyika biotope?

Also, any suggestions on stocking would be really helpful, I'm starting from scratch on this one.

Just finished my own Tanganyika tank and I'm over the moon with it. Went for a mix of lamprologus ocellatus as shell dwellers and julidochromis dickfeldi for the rocky areas - similar to what some others on here have done. Tank size-wise, mine's 3 ft, so I think we're in the same ballpark. If you're looking for ideas, I've got a thread with some pics - might be worth a look. The fish are already showing some great personalities.

I'm not familiar with Caribbean Eco complete black, but as long as it's fine-grained and doesn't have any sharp edges, it should be okay for your Tanganyika tank. Many Tanganyikan cichlids are diggers, so a smooth substrate is essential to prevent injuries. They use their digging skills for various purposes, such as burying shells, creating caves, marking territorial boundaries, or making spawning pits.

*waves to Matt* I got playsand for my substrate and it's been a huge hit with my Tanganyikans - they're always digging and rearranging things, so I definitely agree with the advice to go for a fine substrate.

I'm looking into changing my tank to a Lake Tanganyika biotope and I've got a few questions.

What's the best substrate to use? I've currently got Caribbean Eco complete black as the base - would this be okay?

My tank's 125l, is that big enough?

Also, any stocking suggestions would be great, I've got no idea at the moment.

reefwalker wrote: ↑Thu Jul 03, 2025 11:08 am I'm looking into changing my tank to a Lake Tanganyika biotope and I've got a few questions.

What's the best substrate to use? I've currently got Caribbean Eco complete black as the base - would this be okay?

My tank's 125l, is that big enough?

Also, any stocking suggestions would be great, I've got no idea at the moment.

Typo alert I'm aware my iPhone's spell check is on the fritz

Always catches me out too.

I've decided on stocking,
Alto Calvas,
Juli Dickfeldi x 4,
Neolamp lelupi x 3,
Brevis x 4.

Is this a good mix?

I'd lose the lelupi, they're a handful. For a 125l tank, I'd cap it at two, personally. With calvus and julies both vying for rock space, you're left with brevis and a choice between the julies or the calvus.

I'm still trying to finalize my setup, what type of rock would you guys recommend for a Tanganyika biotope? Can I just use the same type I'd use for a Malawi tank or is there something specific I should be looking for?