Tanganyikan Community Tank
Sat, 12/26/2009 - 23:08
Hey all,
i have recently aquired a 46 gallon bowfront tank (christmas is the best, isn't it?). I also recieved a Marineland power filter with two bio-wheels and a 350 gallon per hour rating, and a 50 watt heater.
I have been researching african cichlid species over the past couple of months, and really enjoy tanganyikan shell dwellers, Neolamprologus Brevis being my favorite species. Originally my plan was to house a breeding pair of brevis in a 10 gallon tank I have, but christmas morning changed my plans 
With the goal of creating a community tank, I researched species that inhabbit the different parts of the aquarium: the substrate, the rocks, and the open water. 6 Neolamprologus Brevis will inhabit the substrate, 5 Julidochromis Ornatus will live in and around the rocky area, but the open water area is still up for grabs.
My original plan called for a school of 8 cyprichromis leptosoma, but I found out today that they generally cost about $80 per fish, and that's a bit outa my budget. Another species that I also like is Ophtalmotilapia ventralis, but I haven't researched them much.
Does anyone know of a relatively inexpensive mouthbrooding open water tanganyikan cichlid? Comments, tips, and help are greatly appreciated.
-Connor
Tue, 12/29/2009 - 20:54
#2
Samuel,
Even only with 5 Julidochromis and 6 Neolamprologus I couldn't add a small group of a third species? I was so attracted to the Cyprichromis because it was an open water species that was also a mouthbrooding fish. Then I would have fish that occupied all the parts of the tank and also showed several of the more common reproductive methods. That's why I'm really interested in another mouthbrooding species. Are the ventralis overly aggressive? Would a group of three fit in with my current mix?
Thu, 12/31/2009 - 22:28
#3
I think capacity-wise you could add a small group, however keep in mind that Tangs are different than Malawi Mbuna. They do not always behave better with overcrowding. Sometimes the most interesting behavior will be in a moderately stocked tank. Once you start to "fill up" the tank, the behavior becomes more generic territorialism.
Samuel
Fri, 01/01/2010 - 16:44
#4
Samuel,
I understand what you mean now. I chose Tanganyikans for their character and personality, and I wouldn't want to ruin that. Thanks so much for the advice, it's nice to talk to someone who really has a grasp on the hobby.
Sun, 01/03/2010 - 11:06
#5
Of course, with the cichlids you always have to take advice with a grain of salt. No matter how much experience you have and what conclusions you draw, you can always find someone online who has had the exact opposite experience 
Poke around on the cichlid forums and you'll find people with all sorts of "not recommended" combination that seem to be working out fine.
The fish have enough individual personality that it will really depend on your specific fish. On the bright side, you should be able to start out slow and add something later if it is in a different strata.
Every tank has its own personality and it is difficult to generalize.
Wed, 01/06/2010 - 20:56
#6
I talked with Mike at Clark's (that's when I found out how crazy expensive cyps are) and he said it would take him a while to get the julies and brevis in. In the mean time, I was planning on adding 5 or so Neolamprologus Brichardi. That should give me some time to plan. When I start setting up (probably some time next week, my dad and I aren't finnished making a stand yet) should I put egg-crate on the bottom of the tank? I've read online and in several books that egg-crate will support rocks in the aquarium instead of the bottom pannel of glass, but with a two inch layer of sand, wouldn't the sand evenly distribute the weight of the rock? Or should I put egg-crate under the sand just to be safe?
Fri, 01/08/2010 - 13:47
#7
I have 2 Neo. Brichardis I can make you a deal on they are almost 3 inches long if you are inetested in them let me know
Sat, 01/09/2010 - 15:14
#8
You can use egg-crate. There are plenty of debates about the benefits. I don't use it personally, but I don't think it hurts and in some rare circumstances it might save your glass. With sand, one thing you want to think about is making sure you have a way to periodically perturb all of the sand so that you don't get stale pockets. This might be harder with egg-crate, but never having used it I'm not sure.
On the brichardi, they are great fish.... make sure you read up about the "brichardi death squad" before you proceed. If they pair off there is a good chance they will kill everything else in the tank. Be forewarned. I would prefer to keep them in a tank by themselves because of this.
Samuel
Sat, 01/09/2010 - 17:20
#9
As far as the egg crate, it will depend on how deep of a sand bed you are using. If there is any chance the rock could touch the glass (moving things around to clean, etc.) then I would use egg crate as some cheap insurance. If you are going to do a 3-4" base of sand, then I think you should be OK. Normally you would only use it to keep it away from the glass.
Hope that helps!
Sat, 01/09/2010 - 18:14
#10
I regularly set rocks weighing up to 40 or 50 lbs, pretty much straight on the glass or with a very thin layer of sand. In fact, I tend to work the rocks down to the glass instead of sitting them on the sand because cichlids will burrow and knock over rock piles built on sand.
Tempered glass or acrylic tank bottoms are plenty tough to handle this. I think the only risk would be dropping a big rock from a pretty good height, although I've done that too with no ill effect. I don't worry about it too much
Sat, 01/09/2010 - 19:18
#11
I have seen a video of a guy actually standing on the bottom pane of a 10 gallon tank with tempered glass. I agree 100% with you Samuel, I just throw the egg crate in to offset it a bet and not grind the sand into the glass.
I guess the moral to this story is to each is own.
One thing Samuel did point out was this is normally with tempered glass. Not all tanks have tempered bottoms. Just one more thing to think about.
Sat, 01/09/2010 - 22:01
#12
Thanks all for the great info on the egg crate. I'll probably put some in at the bottom for a little extra insurance. Under two inches of sand I don't think rocks will be much of an issue.
On the brichardi, my plan was to keep them in there for a a month or two while clark's is still getting my julies and brevis. Once the other fish are in I planned on returning the brichardi to the store, so they won't take over the tank. I think the colony style of life that the brichardis take on is pretty interesting though, and it will be good to get some experience on my hands with a hardier tanganyikan species before working with julies and brevis...and maybe eretmodus cyanostictus? Goby cichlids seem pretty cool and from what I've heard aren't very aggressive towards tank mates. My only concern is that they need a high amount of greenery in their diet, which might be a bit challenging to achieve in a community setting. If anyone has any experience with goby cichlids I'd appreciate any information.
Sun, 01/10/2010 - 00:39
#13
I've kept the julies and brevis before and I would consider them both very hardy and easy to keep. The gobies are another story. I've not kept them, but have read a fair amount. Other than greenery in the diet, the other main concern is they need highly oxegenated water. They're from a different environ than the other two, the surf zone. They can be kept in a normal tank, but will do best with plenty of rocks and a wave-maker. Between that and the diet, I would consider them much harder to keep and probably not a great starter fish.
Hope that helps. Have you checked out: http://www.duboisi.com/
I consider that forum the authority on Tangs. You have to watch out though... they will recommend all sorts of hard-to-keep fish, because they assume everyone is as fanatical as they are
Sun, 01/10/2010 - 10:08
#14
So a beefy air stone wouldn't create the propper current for gobies? I just need to give up on mouth brooders, my quest is hopeless 
. I just wish a decent school of cyps didn't cost $800 flipping dollars. I think I'll just go with the julies and brevis for now, and if something catches my eye online or in the store I'll jump on it. I haven't ever visited the website you mentioned because I assumed it only had information pertaining to tropheus species, which I ruled out early on because of their aggression and dietary requirements. I'll give it a go sometime. Thanks for the help.
Wed, 01/13/2010 - 21:16
#15
Hey all,
Finally got everything set up and running after school today. Filling the tank with a pitcher probably wasn't the best idea (two and a half hours later it was probably one of the worst) but it worked out fine. I figure that in about 3 weeks I should be able to start adding fish? Or would that be too soon? What should I feed my Julies and Brevis? I plan on going to Clark's this weekend to talk about ordering fish, so I'll probably get some food too. I already have TetraMin flakes, and I was planning on getting some freeze-dried brine shrimp too, but is there a specific brand of cichlid pellet that anyone recomends? Thanks for all the help.
Wed, 01/13/2010 - 23:31
#16
Its not clear from your comment whether I should say anything or not, but I will just to be on the safe side.
Read up a bit and make sure you understand what it means to cycle your tank. Just letting it sit with water won't do anything. You have to start feeding the bacteria. You can do that by adding ammonia to the system somehow. The key is not to wait a certain amount of time, but to be taking measurements and add fish when the cycle is finished. Which should take around 3-5 weeks if everything goes smoothly.
When you are looking for ammonia to add, make sure you get some without surfactants. If you shake the bottle and bubbles form at the top then don't use it. You might be able to find pure ammonia at a hardware store, but I've had some trouble finding it locally.
Alternative methods are adding fish food to the tank as if you were feeding the fish, but that takes longer as you have to wait for the food to decay into ammonia for the process to start. Another way would be to buy or obtain a seasoned filter from someone who has an established tank.
i would not recommend the fish cycling method as it will do permanant damage to the fish even if it doesn't kill them.
Samuel
Fri, 01/15/2010 - 21:08
#17
Quick question, who quoted you the price for the fish? This place has them for 21 a piece, granted they are all females. http://www.tomstanganyikans.com/order_form.asp
If Clark's quoted that price, I would look somewhere else or start scouring the forums to look for someone selling them. Just a suggestion.
Regarding your tank, you can also use the refrigerated bacteria (Bio-spira is the brand I used) to start your tank. I have started four tanks this way and never had any issues. You add it and fish at the same time.
However, and by far the easiest, is to get someone to give you some seeded filter media. I am sure someone would have something to offer. You could buy a filter and give someone the media, put it in a woman's stocking, and have them put it in their tank/sump/filter and wait a few weeks. I think most everyone here would be happy to help.
Sat, 01/16/2010 - 17:46
#18
Chris,
It was Clark's who said that cyps were so expensive, and I have also seen them for much cheaper prices online (~$17). Unfortunately, buying online isn't exactly an option for me...Are there any other good stores in town that do freshwater fish? The only others I can think of besides Clark's are fins and critters and petco, petsmart, etc. which aren't really as good as clarks. Do you know anyone locally who is really into tanganyikans and might have some cyp fry? I would be more than happy to pay about $10-$15 dollars a piece.
Actually, I went to Clark's today to get filter inoculation stuff (I saw an add in a magazine for SeaChem's stability) and I wound up with the Bio-Spira instead. I'm glad to hear it works better than the competition.
Sat, 01/16/2010 - 21:30
#19
Just make sure to keep it refrigerated. I do not know anyone here locally that breeds Tanganyikan cichlids. Sorry that online is not an option for you, because I there are no other places in town that I know of that carry freshwater fish.
Sorry, but I am all out of ideas.
Sat, 01/16/2010 - 22:50
#20
This is Dennis from roswell. first there is a fish store in Rio Rancho Called West Side Pets at 3296 Coors N.W. Phone # 505-836-7387. I do not Know if they carry what you want or can get it but it is worth a phone call.
Secondly if you are going to use eggcrates on the bottom of your thak why not use undergravel filters. they do the same job plus more.
Sun, 01/17/2010 - 10:17
#21
Undergravel filters are great if you are using gravel, but I think that Connor was going to use sand for the Tanganyikan tank. Sand canot be used, or I should say, would not work well with undergravel filter plates. I like undergravel filters, except when it comes to cleaning them. Unfortunately you have to pull everything out to really clean them. With other filters you do not have to do this. Granted, it is years between cleanings, but a chore nonetheless.
Sun, 01/17/2010 - 10:41
#22
Chris,
A quick question about the bio-spira, it's completely necessary to add it at the same time as fish, right? Otherwise the bacteria won't have anything to eat to stay alive and the tank would cycle all over again when I added fish, right?
Just want to make sure I'm doing everything right because I won't have fish in for a couple more weeks.
Thanks,
Sun, 01/17/2010 - 11:09
#23
Connor, you are correct. You need to add the Bio-Spira when you add the fish. Now, there is also a need to not run any type of UV sterilizers or do water changes for the first week. But wait a minute...
OK, something interesting. I looked for the original instructions I had and notice that the old product I used a few years ago is no longer available. Which Bio-Spira did you get?
Sun, 01/17/2010 - 11:27
#24
Chris,
Well...I haven't actually bought it yet, Clark's only had the saltwater version, they said they should have the freshwater stuff in a couple of days. I'm not entirely sure if it's the exact same brand as what you have, but the guy who was helping me called it 'Bio-Spira' and it was in a refrigorator, so I'm assuming it's pretty close.
Sun, 01/17/2010 - 12:12
#25
OK, after looking it up it appears that the Freshwater version is discontinued. At least the refrigerated version. Here is a link to what I believe has replaced it, http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=19607.
Now I cannot speak for this product as I have never used it before. The stuff I had used came in a little pouch and required refrigeration. I do not know the shelf-life of this so I would be cautious. In fact, this is looking more and more like a bad idea. You may want to go with the methods Samuel was discussing or others to cycle the tank rather than look to one of these methods. Do some research on the internet first, because initial posts were not promising as to the results. Many of these products tout they are the be all, end all solution but may not be able to deliver.
Bottom line, research before you buy and consider your alternatives that may be cheaper and better in the long run. Sorry for any confusion I may have caused. I really should have done more research before providing my opinions.
Sun, 01/17/2010 - 12:55
#26
Connor,
What was your objection to buying online? If there is a logistical problem, I'm sure someone could help you out. I know the mortality rate on those guys is pretty high in shipping, so I'd make sure you get a live delivery guarantee wherever you find them. I think the reason Clark's and other local places crank the price up is that nobody buys small quantities so they get stuck with ones they can't sell. Also, they put a premium on anything "exotic".
Sun, 01/17/2010 - 17:58
#27
Don't sweat it chris, if anything you saved me the money I would've spent on the stuff as well as any fish that would have wound up dead I'll definatley look into it a little more, but I think the link you sent is the product that Clark's is carrying. The saltwater stuff they had was in the same 'tetra products' sort of bottle but it was purple instead of yellow...
Actually it was something by instant ocean (http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3975+21331...)
When I go to buy it I'll ask the guy if he has any experience with the product they sell instead of the original Bio-Spira. If not I've already got some used filter media in my filter so that will do the trick eventually.
Anyway, thanks for the help, I'll do some research.
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 19:53
#28
My bad, I guess I should read the whole message. I missed the sand. thank you. I have tried sand before but I have no idea of how to keep it from going bad.
Sat, 01/23/2010 - 10:58
#29
No problem Dennis. What do you mean exactly when you say you've had trouble keeping sand from "going bad"?
And for all interested, I picked up the Safe Start on Thursday along with a trio of juvenile Neolamprologus pulcher. Great looking fish with lots of personality. I'm working on getting some pictures onto a disk so I can put them up. Maybe by the end of the weekend...
Sat, 01/23/2010 - 20:28
#30
Connor, I will give my $.02 for Dennis regarding the sand "going bad".
Sand can compact depending on the grain size and cause areas to be anaerobic (without oxygen) which can cause the aerobic bacteria (the kind we like to have in our filters) to die off and decay. This can potentially lead to toxic areas leaching into the water and poisoning the fish. Play sand is notorious for this because of grain size. Sometimes this is called "compaction". Pool filter sand and the substrate I use (3m ColorQuartz) does not compact because the grain size is larger. Also, in my tanks the plant roots and the fish also help to move the sand around to keep those pockets from forming.
In a Tanganyikan tank, the fish should probably be diggers so I think you should be OK. Alternately, you could also just move the sand around every other water change to mix it up a bit.
A lot of what I have written comes from this article: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/sand.php. I highly suggest it. There is also a great video on cichlid-forum.com about how to vacuum sand and also how to clean it before it goes into the tank.
Hope this helps.
Sun, 01/24/2010 - 15:31
#31
Thanks for elaborating Chris. I'm using pool filter media so I'm not really worried about trapped gasses and what not. Great article at cichlid-forum, thanks for the link.
Sun, 01/31/2010 - 18:29
#32
Neolamprologus pulcher
Hey all,
Clark's just got a TON of Tanganyikans and I don't really have room for these pulcher anymore. I have three to give away, the one pictured is the biggest and I'm pretty sure is a male. Sorry, about the horrible picture...If you're interested PM me.
Sun, 03/21/2010 - 09:33
#33
Realized it's been quite a long time since I last posted here, so here's an update. The stappersi have settled in quite nicely and color up beautifully during feeding time and territorial disputes. Everytime I walk by the tank or sit in front of it to watch for a while they immediatly swim to the top of the tank and beg for food. I really like these fish.
My Julidochromis are starting to pair off and I've noticed a lot of mouth to mouth fighting between two males. Gosh that stuff is fun to watch! I'm hoping that fry will be on the way and I'm still debating whether or not to remove the other six fish..
Does anyone know of any reliable online dealers of Tanganyikan cichlids? I really want to get some Cyprichromis, but the ones that they have at clark's are not for sale because they say that they're breeding stock and worth at least $100, which simply isn't true. I'm starting to think that buying fish online is the way to go, Clark's charges way too much for the quality of the fish that they sale...
Sun, 03/21/2010 - 15:00
#34
I've not ordered from them personally, but I've heard good things about Reserve Stock Cichlids: http://www.reservestockcichlids.com/home.php?cat=4
They have decent prices. One thing to keep in mind about Cyps is that they never travel well. One reason local places have higher prices is that they've probably already absorbed the cost of some losses in transit.
Another reason for higher local prices on more exotic fish is the scale issue. They sell them rarely and so have to maintain stock for longer periods of time, which is expensive.
The bright side is that you can inspect them and see exactly what you're getting... and they may already be acclimated to ABQ local water.
Tue, 03/23/2010 - 20:41
#35
Samuel,
Do you know why Cyprichromis species ship so poorly? As far as I know they have a reputation of being pretty hardy fish. Are the tight quarters-and the resulting elevated stress level-what cause death in transit?
The more research I do the more I lean towards Paracyprichromis nigripinnis than I do any of the Cyprichromis species. Paracyps usually do better in shorter tanks, and both the male and female show more interesting colors, in my opinion.
Tue, 03/23/2010 - 21:37
#36
I really don't know why. Maybe they are more sensitive to ammonia, which usually isn't an issue in an established tank? I just know that everyone I've heard talk about the cyps always mentions that they don't travel well. I think they are very hardy once you get them established.
I don't have any direct experience with either the cyps or paracyps, so I don't know how to advise you. I am very interested in hearing about your experience if you go for it.
Sun, 04/04/2010 - 14:58
#37
Here's a quick update:
I've been talking with Richb from duboisi.com (great website by the way, thanks for the recomendation Samuel!) and he says that the best fish to go with in my situation is Paracyprichromis brieni. According to Rich, they spend way more time in the water column than P. nigripinnis, but are not as hyperactive as Cyprichromis species. They're neat looking fish as well, especially the kitumba variety.
Paracyps show better under dimmer lighting, and unfortunately my lights are pretty bright. But instead of buying new bulbs, I was wondering if there would be any problems with putting some yellow or brown construction paper underneath the lights to dilute them a bit. Do you think this would cause any problems? I can't imagine any other than a fire if the paper got too hot, which I don't think would happen...
I'm also afraid that I might be overloading my filter biologically. I always thought that a good rule of thumb was to turn over the tank at least ten times an hour. At duboisi however, a lot of people with much heavier bioloads only turn over their tanks four or five times an hour. My tank gets turned over a little over seven times an hour. Is the ideal turn over rate dependent on the type of filter and media? I've noticed that the gallon/hour rating on a lot of canister filters is a lot less than the gallon/hour rating on power filters which are designed for the same size tank. Is this due to canister filters' greater media capacity, which leads to more thorough filtering than a power filter?
One more thing: I've been having a diatom problem lately and was thinking of using olive nerite snails to clean it up. I know a lot of people keep bristle-nose plecos in their African cichlid tanks, but I'd much rather get some snails that do the job almost as well without producing as much waste. Does anyone see any problems with them?
Thanks for all of the help guys,
Sun, 04/04/2010 - 18:07
#38
Connor,
Be careful with the GPH ratings on canisters. I have read, but cannot verify, that some advertise their flow rates with no media. Once you start adding media, etc., it will definitely go down.
If you are turning your tank over 7 times and hour then I think you are OK, but just remember if you are basing it off the advertised numbers it may be much lower.
With regard to diatoms, they are normal for newer-ish tanks and will go away eventually. My nerites did not take care of my diatoms, but my Otocinclus did. Also, with snails, they do not do well when bullied so I do not know how well they will do with your cichlids. I am not the expert though, if Pat is around, she could provide much better input.
Sun, 04/04/2010 - 18:36
#39
I've heard similar things about false advertisement and canister filters. I think that my filtration is pretty good for now, but I plan on adding seven to nine more fish some time in the future (when I have enough cash) and I want to make sure that everything will continue to be satisfactory for the future. Canister filters are WAY too expensive for me right now, so it's more of a thing to think about for a couple of years down the road. I actually tossed around the idea of making one myself for a while.
So nerite snails aren't the algae heroes that they're advertised to be? Figures. You're right about the diatom though, it's starting to die off on the back wall of my tank and I scrub it off the front and sides on weekends when I do water changes. It bugs my parents more than it bugs me, but I wouldn't mind a tank without it.
Thanks for the input.
Sun, 04/04/2010 - 20:10
#40
Nerites will eat the algae do not get me wrong, it will just take them awhile. Also canisters are not that expensive if you can get them used or second hand. I bought an Eheim Ecco 2236 for half off the regular price and its still in the box. You just have to wait for the right deal. Unfortunately on a tight budget makes that hard, especially when you are buying livestock as well.
You have an Marineland Emperor 400 now? If so, then I think you should be fine for now. You can also add an internal powerfilter (they are relatively inexpensive or you can get a sponge and stick it on a power head) as well. Your options are pretty open.
Sun, 04/04/2010 - 20:32
#41
My filter is a Penguin 350, os it's one step down from the Emperor 400. It would be nice to get my hands on an Ehiem Classic 2213 or 2215 to help out, but the cheapest I've seen those online is $79.99, but I haven't checked E-Bay or places like that. In a year or so I should have enough free money to really entertain filtration thoughts, but I imagine a school of Paracyprichromis brieni will be pretty hard to find, not to mention expensive. Maybe after my Julies spawn (hopefully pretty soon 
) I'll have some money that I can devote to my aquarium.
Fri, 04/09/2010 - 11:38
#42
Has anyone ever bought cichlids from rockymountaincichlids.com? They have Paracyprichromis brieni for $7 which is really inexpensive for this fish. All of the comments on Cichlid-Forum about this group of people have been extremely good, so once I get the money I'll shoot them an email.
Fri, 04/30/2010 - 17:44
#43
HAHAHAH !!!!
I finally got some fry! About ten or fifteen little Julidochromis transcriptus-maybe a quarter of an inch-hanging close to the rockwork in my tank. Gosh I feel so cool The parents are being pretty territorial, but is there anything I ought to do to keep more fish alive? I have a spare ten gallon tank, but I don't want to move them when they're such a small size..
Thanks for any tips, I owe my success to all of the members of this forum that have helped me out through the past couple of months. Thanks everyone,
Fri, 04/30/2010 - 17:44
#44
HAHAHAH !!!!
I finally got some fry! About ten or fifteen little Julidochromis transcriptus-maybe a quarter of an inch-hanging close to the rockwork in my tank. Gosh I feel so cool The parents are being pretty territorial, but is there anything I ought to do to keep more fish alive? I have a spare ten gallon tank, but I don't want to move them when they're such a small size..
Thanks for any tips, I owe my success to all of the members of this forum that have helped me out through the past couple of months. Thanks everyone,
Fri, 04/30/2010 - 18:07
#45
Nice! My sajica had a brood hatch about 3 weeks ago and they are doing great, probable about a cm long. I counted about 25.
Fri, 04/30/2010 - 21:30
#46
Connor,
If you want to insure the babies survive, it is best to remove them from the tank. You can use a little siphon hose to suck them up into a bucket to move. They aren't too terribly delicate. If you leave them there, you may get some survivors, but you can't count on it.
Fri, 04/30/2010 - 21:35
#47
Wow good for you, fastj1. T-Bars are pretty nice looking fish. These julies are the first fish I've bread other than guppies so I'm a little bit too excited..
Fri, 04/30/2010 - 21:47
#48
That sounds like a pretty good idea, Samuel. I'll set up my quarantine tank again this weekend, and when I do a water change I'll try to suck the little guys up too.
Sun, 05/02/2010 - 15:33
#49
Samuel, do you have any tips for this? I've been having a pretty hard time getting the fish to sit still long enough to suck them up..
Would it be better if I removed the rest of the fish of that species from the tank and let the parents raise the fry? There's been a lot of aggression and I fear for the other fish.
Sun, 05/02/2010 - 20:40
#50
Yeah, those little guys can be hard to catch. I usually wind up taking all the rockwork out to get them.... which is a risk, because the rockwork may be the only thing keeping them alive. I've lost fry before between the time when I took the rocks out and when I scooped up the babies. If you have room elsewhere, removing the rest of the group may be a good idea. There aren't any easy answers. With my mouth-brooders, I usually try to move the mothers while they're still holding for this very reason. A community tank is not ideal for raising fry.
Another idea is to add another pile of rocks, or somehow break what you've got into two separate piles so that the parents can defend one and the others can move. Or, just let the fry do what they will and see how many survive. Just don't be too heartbroken if they don't make it. If it looks like the parents are becoming hyper-aggressive and might kill other adults, you may need to take action.
Africans are very hardy, but nobody said they were easy... good luck
Don't overestimate the room in a 46 gallon tank. I think you'd have a great tank stopping where you are. If you pile the rocks in the back up high, fish will be swimming through pretty much the whole tank. Other than the cyp-types, there aren't a lot of open water fish in that size range in Lake Tang. I think you'll be pretty pleased with the other two in a tank though.
Samuel