Amazon biotope in the making...

~Tucker&Me~ · #1 09-28-2012, 01:00 AM

I mentioned on Chaz that I was putting together a 90g tank, and now I can finally post some pictures. It was originally going to be an African tank, and for that reason I still have some African species, but I am slowly rehoming them. In the meantime the tank looks like this:

The rock on top of the main manzanita piece will be coming out once it stops trying to float. I intend to also put some leaf litter on the bottom, and the tank water is normally darker than this, it is just clearer because I did a water change right before the photo.

The fish are as follows:

2 Cupid Cichlids
1 Clown Pleco
6 German Blue Rams
3 Pictus Catfish
2 Leopard Ctenopomas (lost one a couple weeks ago )
9 Tiger Barbs
1 Krib

So the italicized fish are the Africans, and they are the ones I am currently in the process of rehoming. Once they are out of the tank I plan to add in around 20 Bleeding Heart Tetras to make a nice school, and possibly a school of ~8-12 cories. I will only get the cories if I rehome the pictus, which I am also considering doing since if my cichlids spawn the fry won't have chance with the pictus in the tank.

Anyway, on to more pictures!

GBR + Tigers

GBR

GBR + Tigers

GBR

So all those guys were the German Blue Rams, and they are so far my favourite fish in the tank. I have kept them before, but these guys are wild caught from South America vs. farm bred (I had to go through a private dealer but oh so worth it) and already I am seeing such a difference. They look a little bland at this point but these guys are still juvies and I am expecting that as they finish up puberty (in about a month or two) the colours are going to come in nicely.

Cupid + Tigers + Leopard's face on the far right

I could only get 1 photo of the cupid as they are incredibly shy. The one I got though is the female, she seems a little more bold than the male.

I will post more updates as things change if people are interested

Sorry the pics aren't that great, sadly I can't figure out how to take good shots with the cannon and am therefore limited to the iphone.

Moth · #2 09-28-2012, 06:35 AM

Nice tank...loving all the drift wood.

I always loved the GBRs when I had them. I also adored the leaf fish they were fun to keep.

Shai · #3 09-28-2012, 06:46 AM

Nice

Nommy bloodworms mmm lol

I love Amazon biotope tanks. I've had a couple and they are great. But I'd plan on getting rid of the pictus either way...they're likely as not to take out your BHT and GBR as they get bigger. I know mine ensured that I was tetra-less...I had BHT and Rosy Tetra...they started on the Rosy but I though the BHT would be safe, being so much bigger than the Rosy...nope...not so much...

Just my 2c though. Love the tank and looking forward to seeing those GBR color up!

Oh and what sort of background is that? I can't tell from the picture.

crazedACD · #4 09-28-2012, 09:03 AM

Gorgeous! Is your background an insert or did you DIY?

I agree about the pictus..once they hit a certain size, they might at least try to gulp down your tetras. You should check out the HY511 tetras...relatively new to the hobby, but they are just gorgeous.

~Tucker&Me~ · #5 09-28-2012, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shai

But I'd plan on getting rid of the pictus either way...they're likely as not to take out your BHT and GBR as they get bigger. I know mine ensured that I was tetra-less...I had BHT and Rosy Tetra...they started on the Rosy but I though the BHT would be safe, being so much bigger than the Rosy...nope...not so much...

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazedACD

I agree about the pictus..once they hit a certain size, they might at least try to gulp down your tetras.

You know it's funny, the previous pictus cat I kept actually left my zebra danios alone, and that was in a much smaller tank

He was also fully grown and could easily have swallowed them - though catching them might have been another story... They were fast little buggers

I got the pictus because I always loved the look of them, but I hadn't planned on getting the BHTs or the GBRs before I made that decision, so now that they will be living in the tank I will probably hold onto the pictus until they get a little bigger before I let them go. Part of the reason I chose BHT was because they could get on the bigger side for a tetra, but anyway, I will probably trade in the pictus for cories when I start to get worried, especially since your BHT weren't safe lol.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shai

Oh and what sort of background is that? I can't tell from the picture.

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazedACD

Gorgeous! Is your background an insert or did you DIY?

It's a pangea background, I almost did a DIY but I got this one for a good price and at the end of the day I do think the professionally made ones look quite a bit more realistic and detailed than the DIY ones. I'm just glad I found a bargain

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazedACD

You should check out the HY511 tetras...relatively new to the hobby, but they are just gorgeous.

Wow, they are gorgeous. If I find some of those locally or a person willing to ship I may just have to go with those guys! Now to find someone willing to ship to Canada...

~Tucker&Me~ · #6 09-28-2012, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shai

Love the tank and looking forward to seeing those GBR color up!

Oh I can't wait either! I'm really excited to see how their colours compare to that of the tank bred and farm raised ones

(I have had farm and tank bred in the past - the tank bred were much nicer but I am hoping these guys come out even better). Already I am noticing some differences, especially in the eyes and even in their 'hardiness'. My tank is still cycling and these little troopers have so far done really well with very little signs of stress. I know GBRs are very sensitive so I was incredibly worried but they seem to be faring better than the cupids and the pictus cats.

I can almost guarantee that if these guys were the farm bred or the tank raised ones I had gotten previously they definitely wouldn't be doing as well, especially the farmed ones...

crazedACD · #7 09-28-2012, 05:52 PM

I can get them all day long from the wholesaler...they go by a few different names, Peppermint Tetra and Candy Cane Tetra and the HY511. Maybe call some of your smaller shops and see if they can get them? I like them better than BHT, with similar characteristics, the BHT I get are a little iffy most of the time.