# Congo Swamp Monster (750l biotope)



## gltjc (23 Aug 2017)

Hello everyone. I’m a long-term fishkeeper and persistent lurker on this and various other fora. Thought it was about time I took the plunge and started sharing my thought process and plans for a new project, as tank and stand are now (hopefully…..) ~4 weeks away from delivery.

Been without anything fishy since a house move 18 months ago, so a lot of thinking/research/dreaming to communicate and get reactions to.

Definitely more of a fish person (been through killifish, anabantoid and cichlid phases at one time or another) than a ‘planted tank’ person historically, so will need to learn a lot as I go.

Itching to get started...

My overall aim it so satisfy a few different long-held desires at once:

A broadly biotope-ish home for a community of more unusual fish, with enough space to allow me to find, collect and breed things over a few years
A shallow tank with lots of emersed plant growth
Growing water lilies indoors and being able to view them from underneath and on top (not sure where this came from)
Keeping killifish in a large tank / community setting

Major inspirations are Tom’s peerless Bucket O’Mud and his Poco Pozo. I definitely tend towards the natural style rather than the manicured ‘nature aquarium’ style (particularly in its recent ‘aquascaping contest’ manifestations which to my eye can be very artificial).

Tank will be a big one: 3100 x 45 x 54, but will only be filled to 35ish deep – looking to get towards the shallow style of tank within the constraints of the space I have along one wall. Will definitely be a challenge to create any sense of depth with these dimensions…

Plan I have settled on is a biotope tank (without being 100% strict) set somewhere in the middle Congo basin / Lefini River / Ubangi River area.

There is a good list of potential inhabitants with at least some chance of getting hold of them over time from this broad area, but particular targets are some of the beautiful new tetras that have entered the hobby over the last few years, such as _Phenacogrammus  aurantiacus_, _Bathyaethiops breuseghemi_, _Alestopetersius hilgendorfi_ (or whatever the species being sold under that name eventually turns out to be..) and _Distichodus teugelsi_ (if I can get comfortable they won’t completely de-forest the tank), in combination with a couple of local killies (e.g. _Aphyosemion ogoense_ – worth googling if you want some immediate fish lust), a _Ctenopoma/Microctenopoma_, a mid-sized cichlid or two and perhaps some central African oddballs and catfish.


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## dw1305 (23 Aug 2017)

Hi all, 





gltjc said:


> Major inspirations are Tom’s peerless Bucket O’Mud and his Poco Pozo


There is another thread that might be of interest, <"Giant tank for Killi..">.

cheers Darrel


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## gltjc (23 Aug 2017)

Thanks Darrel. I remember reading that one some time ago. Definitely coming from a similar place to me. I'm looking to do something a bit different in terms of the aquascape to the well trodden driftwood and _Anubias_ style.


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## gltjc (25 Aug 2017)

I have made a quick sketch to help explain what I am thinking of, across four distinct zones:

1. A jungle stream bank on the left hand side with a decent sized area for emersed plants transitioning into a slope supported by some rocks

2. A lily pond area that will take up most of the length of the tank. Will have some other rooted and floated plants in this area, but looking to keep it relatively open

3. A rock and wood 'island' that will emerge above the water level to provide some visual interest and a place for Anubias and ferns

4. A sandy 'back bay' area with shallow water and emersed aquatic 'grasses'. Again, don't want this to be too crowded with plants




I have a few questions on substrate choice that I'm hoping some on here can help with. I'd like to have the top layer consist of a mixture of fine sand, coarser sand and some scattered gravel. I think a mix of substrate sizes looks very natural and I much prefer this look to specialist planting substrates. This raises two issues:

1. How to support the higher substrate in the 'land area' and the 'back bay'. I've seen some of the aquascapes on The Green Machine do this by simply banking up plant substrates with some plastic supports, but I'm a bit concerned that this could create deadspots in the substrate and is a high cost approach. I'm thinking about using a ceramic pond filter media (alfagrog) in cages made from eggcrate to build the height. Are there any potential problems with this approach that I'm not thinking of? Will emersed plants adapt to root in this? Should hopefully be similar to hydroton and other hydroponic substrates in this respect? Could I put the intake to an external filter in a big cage of alfagrog under the raised area on the left to ensure this doesn't go anoxic, hide equipment and add some filter capacity, or will the plants here not appreciate the flow of water over their roots?

2. Substrate requirements to grow lilies. I've seen some grow Nymphaea lotus in bare sand, but am also aware that lillies in general like a very nutritious substrate. Should I put a base layer under the 'lily pond' area to help with this, or will root tabs suffice? Any recommendations on what specific base layer to use here and how to stop it ruining the look of the top layer over time?

All comments / thoughts / reactions / questions welcome!


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## gltjc (20 Nov 2017)

So, this is now installed and up and running. After a solid month of sand and gravel washing the hardscape perhaps 80% there and planting 60% done. Really tough to photograph in its full 10' length! Have been practicing with the iPhone panoramas but don't have a steady enough hand. Will need to crack out my DSLR and wide angle lens.





I think it is close to what I had in mind. There are 6 _Nymphaea _lotus planted in the sandy stretch in the middle. Need them to hit the surface before it starts to look right.

I've tried to stick to plants native to the central Congo basin and nearby as far as possible, but have made a bunch of compromises as listed below.

Current plant list:

_Setaria palmifolia_ (this is an Asian species, but the similar _Setaria megaphylla_ is shown as native to the area on e-monocot.org. Haven't managed to track down the African species)
_Bolbitis heudelotti_ (listed at http://www.centralafricanplants.senckenberg.de)
_Pteris cretica_ (recorded in DRC according to http://fernsofafrica.com/blank-species.php?species_id=101100)
_Floscopa scandens _(again an Asian species standing in for two species from the right area, _Floscopa africana_ and _Floscopa glomerata_, see http://www.centralafricanplants.senckenberg.de)
_Ammannia senegalensis_ (listed in the Congo at http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/164331/0)
_Anubias barteri_ var. _glabra _(the 1979 revision of _Anubias_, which can be found here http://edepot.wur.nl/165228, lists _barteri_ var. _glabra_, _gilletti_, _hastifolia_, _heterophylla_ and _pynaerti_ as present in the Congo basin)
_Nymphaea lotus_ (listed at http://www.centralafricanplants.senckenberg.de)
_Glossostigma elatinoides_ (not from Africa at all, but came for free and so has gone in for now!)
_Anubias congensis_ 'arrow' (_congensis_ is a synonym of _heterophylla_ according to the 1979 revision of _Anubias_... so hopefully these plants are _heterophylla_...)
_Anubias barteri_ var _nana _(not from the right area. Despite their ubiquity in 'congo tanks', the _barteri_ varieties other than _glabra_ aren't found in Central Africa but further West...)
_Anubias hastifolia_ (see above - hoping these will do well enough to become emersed.. there is one at the top of the run of _Anubias_ on the front of the big piece of wood and two behind the sedge on the far right)
_Aponogeton distyachos _(this is a South African species. eMonocot lists a bunch of species from the right area but I haven't found any available. Will swap out if the opportunity arises!)
_Eleocharis acicularis_ (not from the right area, but standing in for the large number of _Eleocharis_ species that are found in the area and look identical!)
_Juncus effusus _(close to cosmopolitan, including in the Congo basin according to eMonocot)
_Pistia stratiotes _(listed at http://www.centralafricanplants.senckenberg.de)

Key immediate next steps are:

1. Covering the lighting cables in the centre. I've wrapped the others in masking tape which I've then painted to match the wall but haven't found time to do those two yet. This was worked pretty well.

2. Adding 10-15 vallis in front of the lighting cables. This will help disguise them in the short-term and may stay long-term to add some depth of vertical elements in the left centre when the water lillies have grow in.

3. Adding 100 or so dwarf _Eleocharis_ between the tall _Eleocharis _on the right and the big piece of wood and a few in front of the rocks on the left and scattered through the left central part

4. Scattering some larger gravel and coarse sand to add some more interest to the substrate. Will also add some small branches and leaf litter

5. Upgrading the heating. Currently running a 200W thermofilter and a 300W in-line Hydor. These aren't getting the tank above the ambient room temperature of 21C. Need to add at least one more Hydor and a temperature controller to make sure they are all working together.

Then fish!


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## Edvet (20 Nov 2017)

gltjc said:


> DSLR and wide angle lens.


Stitching ie easy in PS nowadays
Indeed the transfer between the hill pebbles and the sand is too harsh, adding more gravel to the transition will soften it
Any chance to use some kind of frosted background? Perhaps with some light lighting behind it?
Maybe cover the frontside of the gravelmount with black tape or plastic, same on the other side?


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## gltjc (20 Nov 2017)

Easy for you may not be so easy for me!

Agree with all these. The background is frosted but not v. heavily and, as you see, the cables still show very clearly. Would like to experiment with backlighting in the future - looking to give the impression of a cross-section through a swampy stream which I don't think I could get with a black background which tend to reduce the impression of depth. Really need the water lillies to grow before I know whether this will work out!.

Like the suggestion of black plastic on the left side. The gravel bank is hollow - there is only ~2 cm of gravel there before you hit an eggcrate structure - but I suspect the front of the gravel will still become unsightly with time.


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## Edvet (20 Nov 2017)

gltjc said:


> may not be so easy for me!


Just select all pics and PS stitches them automatically, even i can do it

I didn't mean black on the back side , i meant on the other (smaller) hill
A continuous black border until say 5 mm from the top of the substrate, all the way from left to right


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## dw1305 (20 Nov 2017)

Hi all,





gltjc said:


> _Juncus effusus _(close to cosmopolitan, including in the Congo basin according to eMonocot)


I'd try a _Cyperus spp._, rather than _Juncus effusus,_ they do much better as emergents. _Juncus effusus _is really better in wet soil, rather than in water.

_Cyperus (alternifolius) involucratus _is easy to source (I have a lot of it) and Tropical African (but I'm not sure about the Congo basin), _Cyperus papyrus _would be another option. 

We have a member who lives in the DRC (@zanguli-ya-zamba), it might be worth looking through <"his threads"> for <"plant images">. 

cheers Darrel


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## zanguli-ya-zamba (20 Nov 2017)

Hi All,

I will check the different plants, and see if I can have some info or pictures. I am a bit busy right now. 

Cheers


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## gltjc (20 Nov 2017)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,I'd try a _Cyperus spp._, rather than _Juncus effusus,_ they do much better as emergents. _Juncus effusus _is really better in wet soil, rather than in water.
> 
> _Cyperus (alternifolius) involucratus _is easy to source (I have a lot of it) and Tropical African (but I'm not sure about the Congo basin), _Cyperus papyrus _would be another option.



Thanks. I already have a _C. involucratus_ (behind the large piece of wood). Missed it from my plant list! The native distribution does seem to include the Congo basin: http://e-monocot.org/taxon/urn:kew.org:wcs:taxon:237063

I hadn't picked up that the _Juncus _may not do well planted this way. If they do fail / struggle I may move the front one to the back of the 'land area' on the left, replace the one at the back with papyrus and put some more of the 'pond size' _Eleocharis_ at the front right. Should keep more or less the same look.


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## mort (20 Nov 2017)

That looks fantastic already. Definitely my kind of tank. I don't have any experience with the region to offer but looking forward to seeing it fill out.  You mention you wanted to be able to see the water lillies from above and below for some reason, well thats something I really enjoy as well.

Can I ask what the emergent plants are on the left?


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## gltjc (20 Nov 2017)

mort said:


> Can I ask what the emergent plants are on the left?



The plants on the left are _Setaria palmifolia_ (the large wide leaved grass), which is doing well and already growing quickly, _Pteris cretica_ (a fern, immediately to the right of the _Setaria_), which hasn't grown since I flooded the tank - not yet sure it will survive, two _Bolbitis heudelotti_ (behind these two, not yet visible), a lot of _Anubias barteri_ var. _glabra_ (emersed and submerged, coming down the back of the slope) and in front there is a lot of _Floscopa scandens_ and _Ammannia senegalensis_ in 1-2 inches of water which I am hoping will grow out emersed and create a 'wabi kusa' type area and shelter for killifish and fry. Once the tank is established I'll play about with the planting in this bit!


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## mort (20 Nov 2017)

Thanks for that. Always on the look out for nice emerged species as I'm planning something similar to your tank but only about 6ft with riparium planting either side of a lily pool. Still only at the thinking stage so please keep the inspiration updated.


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## dw1305 (20 Nov 2017)

Hi all, 





gltjc said:


> I already have a _C. involucratus_ (behind the large piece of wood).


Now you've told me where it is, I can see it. 





gltjc said:


> _Pteris cretica_ (a fern, immediately to the right of the _Setaria_), which hasn't grown since I flooded the tank


It doesn't like the wet, it used to grow on an outside wall in one of the <"basements in Bath">, but I think gentrification has done for it.

cheers Darrel


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## tam (20 Nov 2017)

Just wow! Can't wait to see it with the lilies grown in too.


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## zozo (20 Nov 2017)

Regarding Nymphaea's they can be growen in inert substrates, but wont be at their best in low tech. Adding clay root tabs definitively is a pre. You got a N. zenkeri? At least that's the official name of the N.Lotus, it grows from a tuber, this stores energy, so kinda the grow habbit of this plant depends also a bit on the maturity of the tuber. If the this tuber is relatively small the lily will stay rather small for a long time.. I'm growing a large lily sp. from a tuber as large as a thumbs fingernail and after 2 years it still is in dwarf size. It grows floaters not much bigger than 3cm in diameter and only 4 at the time, i don't have enough light for it to realy thrive. The floaters have a life cycle only live X amount of time.. And actualy this lily is in mature state much to big for an average aquarium, it's a medium pond lily.  Depriving them from light and rich soil forces them into dwarf growth. 

They are real sun worshippers, so getting them off indoors to make lots of floaters in a relative deep invironment  > 25 cm you need quite some light and co2 also will help.. Without it you need quite some patience. 

I gt another smaller cultivar (no name) lily from a private collector, it made tons of floaters in medium light with co2 added.. This tank now also is back to low tech with lesser light and haven't seen a floater since.

Do you dim those kessils? If so than try to find the point to give to kessil above the lily as much output as possible without growing algae. 

Would be awsome in this tank to get it going.


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## zozo (20 Nov 2017)

Btw the Nymphaea i mentioned that floated so well is this one..
https://www.ebay.de/itm/Kleinste-Se...501676?hash=item33be16ddac:g:QgkAAOSwd0BVxNDN

I asked the nursery the real name but she went mysteriously quite and never answered this question. Doing investigattion myself, the smallest Nymphaea and the second smallest are both African Nymphaeas spp. She claims this is the smallest in the world, but the true smallest is almost extinct, so it likely is the second smallest and i got it to flower one day (well 5 days to be exact). I suspect it to be the Nympaea capensis rosea (pink). 

https://www.exotic-plants.de/seeds/aquatic-plants/Nymphaea-capensis-Pink.php


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## Edvet (20 Nov 2017)

Or she was the one that stole that mini from Kew


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## zozo (20 Nov 2017)

Edvet said:


> Or she was the one that stole that mini from Kew



Nah!?  Its much to big for that.. And flowers in a different color.


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## zozo (20 Nov 2017)

Another one N. Nouchali also African and suitable for aquarium regarding size.. 
https://www.ebay.de/itm/Die-Attrakt...d=121462453359&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m2219


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## gltjc (20 Nov 2017)

dw1305 said:


> It doesn't like the wet, it used to grow on an outside wall in one of the <"basements in Bath">, but I think gentrification has done for it



Thanks Darrel,

That would certainly explain why it is not doing well. Tom had one in his Poco Pozo so I thought this would be OK emersed, but looking again it seems that his may have been elevated out of the water. I've pulled mine out of the water so that only the bottom half of the roots are in the water. It seems to have stuck a decent sized ball of the substrate it was planted in (Alfagrog) together, so it may have been doing OK after all...

Any suggestions on other plants that I could try in the emersed part?


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## gltjc (20 Nov 2017)

zozo said:


> You got a N. zenkeri? At least that's the official name of the N.Lotus, it grows from a tuber, this stores energy, so kinda the grow habbit of this plant depends also a bit on the maturity of the tuber. If the this tuber is relatively small the lily will stay rather small for a long time..



Yes, I assume they are zenkeri. They are standard aquarium 'N. lotus'. I guess I will have to wait until they flower to be able to confirm. There are a bunch of other Nymphaea from the right area, but couldn't find any available. The tubers I've plated seem a decent size - perhaps a bit bigger than the end of my thumb. 4 of the 6 have quickly put out leaves and seem to be growing OK. Two are a bit sleepier!



zozo said:


> Do you dim those kessils? If so than try to find the point to give to kessil above the lily as much output as possible without growing algae.



I had the Kessils on full blast to start with, but have just dialed them back to 60% to try to stop algae. The are A80s so quite a bit less punchy than the A160s et al. I have a base layer of quite fine Dennerle Deponitmix under the sand, so hopefully they are getting something like a clay substrate!



zozo said:


> Another one N. Nouchali also African and suitable for aquarium regarding size..
> https://www.ebay.de/itm/Die-Attraktion-des-Teiches-Blaue-Seerose-winterhart-wirksames-Antialgenmittel/110623211567?_trkparms=aid=222007&algo=SIM.MBE&ao=2&asc=49134&meid=093278699dad45c4901c1b93a106cc39&pid=100005&rk=2&rkt=4&sd=121462453359&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m2219



These are great. Thank you for the link.... couldn't find nouchali in the UK (at least not under that name).


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## gltjc (20 Nov 2017)

dw1305 said:


> We have a member who lives in the DRC (@zanguli-ya-zamba), it might be worth looking through <"his threads"> for <"plant images">.
> 
> cheers Darrel



Thanks Darrel,

I've seen the pictures from  'zanguli-ya-zamba'. Other good sources of inspiration are Takashi Amano's pictures from Africa (http://amanotakashi.net/portfolio/west_africa/index.html), habitat pictures of various ditches and ponds on the killifish of west Africa site (http://www.wak.aka.org/) and photos on a Pictorial Guide to Central African Plants (http://www.centralafricanplants.senckenberg.de/root/index.php, you can hit 'browse and search' and then 'hydrophyte' under 'life form' to get a more targeted list of plants.


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## gltjc (30 Nov 2017)

The first fish are in! I introduced 5 _Microsynodontis_ sp (perhaps _M polli)_ and 6 _Otocinclus vittatus_. It is perhaps not politically correct to think of our catfish charges as 'clean up crew' but that is essentially where I have started. Clearly the Otos are a long way from biotopically correct, but not sure I see a great alternative from Central Africa that is ever likely to be available (perhaps _Labeo cyclorhynchus_, but I think they are a bit thuggish..). I can always remove them further down the line. The Otos are busying around happily, the microsynos occassionally seen after dark but have largely disappeared. Getting some more fish in should build their confidence. Hoping to get a first group of characins this weekend. 

Plants are doing OK. I cut down the light a lot to (so far quite successfully) keep algae at bay. The _Nymphaea, Aponogeton_ and _Floscopa_ that were growing very quickly have stalled a bit, the _Juncus_ and _Eleocharis_ are continuing to do v. well, albeit with a fair bit of die of older leaves that had grown outside in the cold in a shallower basin, the _Setaria_ and_ Pistia_ are continue to explode. Less positively the _Pteris cretica_ is not at all happy and may have expired, despite being raised up so that the 'root ball' is half out of the water, and the _Anubias barteri _var _glabra_ have lost some of their emerged leaves - I think because they were scorched when the lights were on more brightly. I'm hoping they will recover once I've got more established emersed plants providing shade. That would be the natural order of things!.I've just increased the lighting to hopefully get the right balance between plant growth and retarding algae. 

Key pain point is finding some more plants for the 'stream bank' section on the left that are biotopically correct and will do well emersed. May add some _Zantedaschia. _Any suggestions?


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## zozo (30 Nov 2017)

gltjc said:


> Key pain point is finding some more plants for the 'stream bank' section on the left that are biotopically correct and will do well emersed. May add some _Zantedaschia. _Any suggestions?


Maybe Hesperantha is an option, it is readily available iin about every garden centre or pond shop.. It even is moderately winter hardy.. It does realy good in shallow bogy conditions and is realy easy to grow.. There is an aquascape from Amano where he has some quite large Bolbitis heudelotii growing emersed above an open top tank. He said it took some years for the plant to addapt to the lower humidity. But it did and grew rather large. So put an Bolbitis bellow the surface in the shallow and just wait for it to pop and grow out. This also can be done with a Anubias, but it takes an agonizingly long time. I'm still in the proces of waiting 2 years already on my emersed Anubias, but it slowly addapts more and more to low humidity. Only the rhizome is submersed.

Another suggestion is Aeschynomene fluitans now and then to be found in shops.. Maybe even via the sale/wanted topics here at UKAPS.
Ceratopteris cornuta is very easy to grow, seen it a lot in open top tanks doing very well.

https://www.flowgrow.de/db/aquaticplants?filter[regionsearch]=439
Nice database, search can be filtered on region, even parts of Africa can be sellected.

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/plantfinder/
This also a very nice database and can be filtered on "Can grow emersed" (Left hand bottom, little drop down box).


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## Kitalexander (30 Nov 2017)

This is my dream tank, great to see someone make an effort with the plants in a biotope people normally focus on the fish!


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## Edvet (30 Nov 2017)

Snails or shrimp as "cleaning crew"? (vampire shrimp, http://applesnail.net/)


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## zozo (30 Nov 2017)

Sure snails  Physella acuta, very common cosmopolitan and with a bit luck you get them for free with the plants. Also Ramshorn and Pondsnail are cosmopolitans. 

Viviparus also, but a bit difficult in aquarium. aquariums are generaly not dirty enough for them.


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## gltjc (30 Nov 2017)

zozo said:


> Another suggestion is Aeschynomene fluitans now and then to be found in shops.. Maybe even via the sale/wanted topics here at UKAPS.
> Ceratopteris cornuta is very easy to grow, seen it a lot in open top tanks doing very well.
> ).



Thanks. These are great suggestions! 

I’ve ordered some of the _Aeschynomene _from an eBay seller to partly sit in front of and partly shade the _Anubias_ on the left hand side. I still need something taller to replace the _Pteris_. I may just get another _Pteris_ and this time not drown it...

I’ve got plenty of _Bolbitis_ and _Anubias_ at the water line that I’m hoping will grow out emersed over time.


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## zozo (30 Nov 2017)

Maybe you like this.. It's more about SA but likely also to be found higher up noth as well.
http://www.dwa.gov.za/iwqs/biomon/a...Easy_identification_of_Aquatic_Plants_web.pdf


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## zozo (30 Nov 2017)

And of course you do not particularly need aquariumplants or aquatic only, or what's available in aqaurium shops, this will only limit the search.. If you want them bigger, you might find one in the wetland tolerant spieces from the area.  A small list of known wetland tolerant plants..
https://www.acs.edu.au/info/hobby/landscaping/wet-soil-plants.aspx

One i saw one listed, among wet soil tolerant ferns
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todea_barbara
From Africa. 

Colocasia spp (Elephants ear) also is a plant growing in the african rainforests and about all love boggy conditions. Several are readily available in most garden centres.

Scavange the plants listed for what grows (also) in Africa. Many plants already travel the globe for 1000dns of years and by now its forgoten where it originated.


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## gltjc (1 Dec 2017)

Kitalexander said:


> This is my dream tank, great to see someone make an effort with the plants in a biotope people normally focus on the fish!


Thank you. Still feels like a mountain to climb before it is meeting my expectations!


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## gltjc (1 Dec 2017)

Edvet said:


> Snails or shrimp as "cleaning crew"? (vampire shrimp, http://applesnail.net/)


Vampire shrimp could be interesting. Are there any apple snails or algae shrimp native to the area in the trade?


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## gltjc (1 Dec 2017)

zozo said:


> And of course you do not particularly need aquariumplants or aquatic only, or what's available in aqaurium shops, this will only limit the search.. If you want them bigger, you might find one in the wetland tolerant spieces from the area.  A small list of known wetland tolerant plants..
> https://www.acs.edu.au/info/hobby/landscaping/wet-soil-plants.aspx
> 
> One i saw one listed, among wet soil tolerant ferns
> ...



I was tempted by dwarf _Colocasia_ but held off as they aren’t native to the area. As you say they’ve been cultivated for centuries, so perhaps I should just go for it - they would contrast well with the _Setaria_. Thanks for the ideas - it is very well appreciated!


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## zozo (1 Dec 2017)

gltjc said:


> cultivated for centuries


According to some courses 280 centuries..


> Elephant ear plants have been in cultivation for over 28,000 years as a food crop in equatorial regions including India, China, Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Polynesia, the Mediterranean, Africa, and South America. Because Colocasia has been in cultivation for so long, no one knows for sure where it truly is native, but all evidence points to somewhere in Southeast Asia.


 WHat ever this evidence is, likely because it's more common in Asia, but that still circumstantial evidence..
https://www.plantdelights.com/blogs/articles/elephant-ears-bulbs-colocasia-plant

Same goes actualy for the Nymphaea, it grows in every continent, but nobody knows where it originated.. There are also claims that this is Asia but it speciated by now all over the planet.

Same as you can read as listed in the SA aquatic plant list from above. Water poppy (Hydroclyes nymphoides) is considered native in SA after a few centuries. But it's true origine is Brazil. Same the Nelumbo nucifera, also asian origine is introduced to SA wetlands and considered native by now.
Lately a saw a serie of photographs from the borneo rain forests and there are Anubias growing  in the wild in Borneo.

Hydrocotyl also is such a cosmopolitin sp. which btw also is very easy to grow above open top tanks. And are actualy quite decorative..

In many cases the birds are the distributors.. E.g the The Nordic Tern living in Wetlands flies from the Alaskan wetlands to European wetlands and further on to South African wetlands making several pitstops along the way. The true globetrotter among the birds, distributing not only plants but also fish and snails etc. over parts of the globe.

All that, says, don't go to hard on yourself with the Biotope idea.  We often don't realy know what and where evolution is taking us for a ride and more often just have an educated guess.


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## Costa (2 Dec 2017)

This is a wonderful project. The tank looks great! Subscribed. Please post more shots!!


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## gltjc (2 Dec 2017)

Costa said:


> This is a wonderful project. The tank looks great! Subscribed. Please post more shots!!



Thanks, that is kind. Can’t wait for the lilies to reach the surface, it will then get much closer to what I have in mind.


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## gltjc (2 Dec 2017)

Another poor phone picture. Really need to find time over Christmas to work out how to take decent shots. Videos may be easier! Those with good eyesight will see that I’ve added a lot of coarser gravel to create more interest in the substrate, some _Vallis_ and more _Pistia _and the lillies and emersed sedge and hairgrass on the right are growing quite well. Still need to hide the cables behind the vallis and chuck in a few handfuls of dry leaves (if I can find any that aren’t already too sludgey already - winter is definitely upon us..).


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## gltjc (2 Dec 2017)

zozo said:


> WHat ever this evidence is, likely because it's more common in Asia, but that still circumstantial evidence..
> https://www.plantdelights.com/blogs/articles/elephant-ears-bulbs-colocasia-plant
> 
> don't go to hard on yourself with the Biotope .  We often don't realy know what and where evolution is taking us for a ride and more often just have an educated guess.



Thanks again zozo. Really appreciate your support and suggestions. I may add a _Colocasia fallax_ to replace the ailing _Pteris_. 

The _Glossostigma_ is the only plant that isn’t found in Africa so far - suspect it might be a stretch to claim that is established in the Congo basin!


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## gltjc (2 Dec 2017)

I’ve just added 4 _Phenacogrammus_ _aurantiacus_, 4 that were sold as _Phenacogrammus_ sp ‘red’ and seem to be the same as ‘red makoua’ and 3 _Microctenopoma_ _ansorgii_. I’d like to get more of all of these over time. 

The _ansorgii_ immediately hid and haven’t yet emerged. They did evict 3 of the _Microsynodotis_ in the process, including the largest one that I haven’t seen since he was introduced 2 weeks ago. He had a nice round belly so is clearly eating the Hikari sinking pellets that go in each night. The _Phenacogrammus_ seem to be settling  OK. They have formed a mixed species shoal in the middle of the open area and the _aurantiacus_ have immediately coloured up quite well. I suspect it will take a while for the ‘red makoua’ to get back their colour.

My memory may be failing me, but I think these might be the first tetras I’ve had since the mid 90s!!!


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## OllieNZ (2 Dec 2017)

A very cool build.
On the unusual fish front have you considered either of the following?
http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/xenomystus-nigri/
Or
http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/pantodon-buchholzi/


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## Edvet (2 Dec 2017)

First is a nightactive fisheater, and second is a jumper, might not be the best choices


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## gltjc (2 Dec 2017)

I have considered them. Probably not going to go for them for exactly the reasons Edvet mentions. I’ll still tempted by _Pantodon_.. I’m hoping that when I’ve got the surface covered with lily pads, _Pistia_ and other floating plants then I can persuade a pair of them to stay in the tank...

Perhaps the hardest stocking decision I have to make is whether to ‘stay small’ and have the _Phenacogrammus_ be the largest fish and stick with _Congochromis_ and other dwarf cichlids or to ‘go large’ and get a pair/trio of _Hemichromis_ or _Pelmatochromis_ and forgo any smaller fish (plus possibly have to remove the _Microctenopoma). _The go large route would allow some fish with proper pet personality and presence, the smaller would open up lampeyes, _Neolebias_ and the small barbs like _hulstaerti. _I do like the idea of a shoal of 30 lampeyes under a cover of lily pads, but they are really small and easily consumed...

_Pantodon_ would for me fit well as surface dwellers in the large fish option, if I could get convince them not to launch themselves across the room... they are common enough that I might just risk it one day!


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## Edvet (2 Dec 2017)

I have a large tank, and staying small gives more options.


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## nel.pogorzelska (2 Dec 2017)

I have 4 butterfly fish in my 345 liters tank. They love to stay under lily pads, but wherever the surface is not covered they might jump. When food is appearing they won't even think before jumping, maybe with enough cover they won't find a place to jump out...
Nice thing about them is they keep to themselves, they never fight with other species, only among their own. They're true surface dwellers, they rarely swim anywhere else. Even killifish aren't so permanent surface dwellers.


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## OllieNZ (3 Dec 2017)

I would advise against hemichromis if you want a community. My pair dug like no tomorrow, were highly aggressive and were actively predatory. I busted the 3" female happily eating adult guppies. The X. nigri on the other hand were peaceful, quite active, kept them with fish as small as Trigonostigma heteromorpha  never lost a fish to them.


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## zozo (3 Dec 2017)

Same for me, i always disliked large fish sp. cramped in to small tanks. My personal rule of thumb i handle is make sure the fish can swim 20x it's owm maximum lenght. So for a 60cm tank i don't keep fish getting bigger than about 3cm.. Double the size of the tank makes it 6 cm and so on.. For me personaly this gives aestheticaly a most natural scaling able to adchieve in living space and size of the fish relative to the size of the group. Anything larger always make sme think of a jail cell.. I live myself in a less than 30m² living room and i have to get out once in a while when it feels like the ceiling is falling on my head.. Luckily i can. The fish don't, they are stuck in my choises.. 

That's by the way what Vivarium stands for, Living Space. We should respect that from the inside out.


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## gltjc (4 Dec 2017)

Thank you all for your interest and advice. Digging almost makes me as nervous about _Hemichromis_ as their aggression.



zozo said:


> my personal rule of thumb i handle is make sure the fish can swim 20x it's owm maximum lenght.



I could have 6” fish and still be working within your 20x rule! I think staying on the smaller end of things will work better, though..

Does anyone have experience with either _Distichodus teugelsi_ or _D. decemmaculatus_? I know the larger species are highly herbivorous and far from a good resident in planted tanks, but keen to understand how far that extends to these smaller species.

Specifically, does anyone have access to the original description of _D. teugelsi_? Keen to see if they describe stomach contents.


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## zozo (4 Dec 2017)

gltjc said:


> I could have 6” fish and still be working within your 20x rule! I think staying on the smaller end of things will work better, though..



Yes you probably could..  It's not a standard size tank you made there, i guess your concern in choosing the correct fish and keep it in a balanced proportion is it's 45cm height.


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## Edvet (4 Dec 2017)

Maybe you can get some extra ideas here: https://www.einrichtungsbeispiele.de/aquarien/afrika/westzentralafrika.html


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## Lgtuk (4 Dec 2017)

Beutiful tank, i really like the look of this and it is the direction i would go if i had a more understanding wife


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## gltjc (4 Dec 2017)

Lgtuk said:


> Beutiful tank, i really like the look of this and it is the direction i would go if i had a more understanding wife



I do have an amazing wife!!!!

I’m not sure I would describe her as ‘understanding’ why I am doing this, though!


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## gltjc (9 Dec 2017)

Latest as of earlier today after removing the _Pteris cretica _and a lot of dead emerged leaves from the Anubias barteri glabra. Have started to get a bit of green hair algae in places despite  not having bright lighting at the moment and the _Pistia_ are going a bit yellow. I suspect a lack of NPK as I’ve only been dosing micronutrients and there are few fish in 80% RO water. Does that sound right? If so will start dosing macrofertiliser too. Most of the plants are doing OK and the right hand group of _Nymphaea_ have started hitting the surface. I’m a bit concerned about the front right _Juncus_, although the one behind seems to be doing well.


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## gltjc (9 Dec 2017)

Finally some pics of the area around the large root, which is starting to look like what I want, and the _Phenacogrammus aurantiacus._


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## Kezzab (9 Dec 2017)

hi, tank is looking fab. What are the lights you have? They look like kessil a80, but I'm not sure.


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## gltjc (9 Dec 2017)

Kezzab said:


> hi, tank is looking fab. What are the lights you have? They look like kessil a80, but I'm not sure.



Thank you. 

They are A80s.

Equipment so far is:

5x Kessil A80 Tuna Sun w Kessil Spectral Controller
2x 300w Hydor in-line heaters
1x Oase Biomaster 600 thermofilter
1x Eheim 3e 700 filter
1x Inkbird itc306 temperature controller

Next purchases will be an automatic top-off as there is a lot of evaporation and a replacement for the Eheim, which is slowly leaking and ~6 years old. 

The Oase is really well designed but massively noisier than the more powerful Eheim and so may also get swapped at some point.


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## Edvet (10 Dec 2017)

One of my new favorite tanks here


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## zozo (10 Dec 2017)

That's indeed a gorgious tank..  Can't wait to see this grown in..



gltjc said:


> Next purchases will be an automatic top-off as there is a lot of evaporation and a replacement for the Eheim, which is slowly leaking and ~6 years old.
> 
> The Oase is really well designed but massively noisier than the more powerful Eheim and so may also get swapped at some point.


Maybe a sump filter is a good option for this tank. With a sump the tanks water level stays always the same, evaporation will drain the sump instead. An auto top off can easily be installed and hidden away in the sump as well.


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## gltjc (10 Dec 2017)

zozo said:


> Maybe a sump filter is a good option for this tank.



Yes, a sump would probably have been a better option, but I was too lazy when planning this to think about how to design the overflow with the very limited space I have behind. Plus I already had the big Eheim. I also need to keep a bunch of space under the stand for my kids’ stuff! Maybe once I get it running and established I’ll think about changing to a sump.


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## gltjc (10 Dec 2017)

Edvet said:


> One of my new favorite tanks here



Thank you! I’m not sure it is even one of my favourites as it stands! If I can get the emersed part to work (really need some new plants and am a bit short of ideas...  the _Aeschynomene_ will help when it arrives), the waterlillies established and keep the hair algae in check then I’ll start to be happy with it. I’m not going to add many more fish before then, unless I come across something rare that I can’t say no to (eg more _Phenacogrammus_ ‘red Makoua’).


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## zozo (10 Dec 2017)

gltjc said:


> how to design the overflow with the very limited space I have behind.


Overflow syphons are an option, probably the only without drilling the tank to save space.. Than making it the maximum tube diameter you can use behind or at the side of the tank. But these are a bit bulky. I made 2 of these from 16mm clear pvc tube and they do a pretty good job. Clear tube was astecicaly the most decorative option. And since mine only need to swallow 600l/h 16mm does the job, actualy have to trotle them down. 

Another possible design, i yet didn't try out myself, only have to idea on paper. But it is actualy a down size of the standard overflow boxes for sale in LFS. Same principle, but realy mini version.  Smaller and less bulky as the above syphon design.

Also this is tube, inside and outside the tank are a piece of 25mm tube with end cap and a T. Obviously piece of tube and end cap for a cup holding water. Te T is inlet/outlet. The syphon should be a U made out of 16mm PVC using knees or warm bend, as long it a U pipe filled with water standing in the filled cups. 



 
As said this still is theoretical and basic diagram, i know it will work, just yet not sure about the proper dimensions. My first try out will be 25mm/16mm and see how it performs. using multiple small ones can also be an option. I always aim for 2 overflows, if for what ever reason 1 stops there is a 2nd.


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## Kitalexander (10 Dec 2017)

This tank just gets better and better. Those tetras are beautiful. What is the rush like plant on the right hand side?


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## Edvet (10 Dec 2017)

If you can manage to make an overflow: i drip water in my tank 24/7 and have the excess overflow in the sewer, never problems with water getting  low.


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## gltjc (13 Dec 2017)

Kitalexander said:


> This tank just gets better and better. Those tetras are beautiful. What is the rush like plant on the right hand side?



Thank you! The plants on the right are a mix of ‘pond grade’ _Eleocharis acicularis_ and _Juncus effusus
_
It is crazy how much more you get of the same _Eleocharis_ species you get for your money when they are sold as pond plants rather than aquarium plants!


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## zozo (13 Dec 2017)

gltjc said:


> It is crazy how much more you get of the same _Eleocharis_ species you get for your money when they are sold as pond plants rather than aquarium plants!


I've noticed the same..  I think it comes down to the steriliity they are nursed.. In the pond shop they usualy are displayed outdoors in pots on composted (biologicaly fertilized) dirt soil. so they obviously come from the nursery out of a greenhouse where everything is nursed on dirt soils. With this a lot of bugs and shrubs come with them. I have something like a pond in the garden en yearly buy new pond plants amd pick these pots apart and always find eggs in the soil. Outdoor this aint the problem. Indoors you don't realy want uninvited geusts. Than dirt soils buffers, pH etc. it regulates itself with microbiological process and these plants only need watering and time to grow. 

Nursing plants on inert rockwool not only requires more expensive fertilizers but is also more labor intensive, next to keep the workfloor tidy and clean etc.
You realy need to measure and prepare a fert schedule and constantly monitoring and adjusting if nececary.


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## gltjc (15 Dec 2017)

Can anyone suggest what might be going wrong with my plants? The _Anubias_ and _Pistia_ are melting and the _Eleocharis_ and _Cyperus_ that were growing well have stalled. 

This seems to have been triggered by me reducing the light levels rather dramatically (to ~50% if max output for 2 hours with a long slope either side) to counter the beginning of some green thread algae and a reduced level of circulation as one of the filters has stopped working. The thread algae has got rather worse since.. 

I suspect excess nutrients are to blame, but not sure if upping the light to help the plants take better advantage would be wise. I doubt it’s CO2 levels as the _Pistia_ and emersed _Cyperus_ are suffering. Could it be a lack of trace nutrients? Seems unlikely but not impossible with ~85% RO. Tempted to add some liquid carbon and up the light levels for a week and see if that helps or makes things worse.

Pics of the Pistia and Anubias:


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## Edvet (16 Dec 2017)

I would sooner expect to little ferts.


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## zozo (16 Dec 2017)

It's a rather difficult combination, Pistia is a nutrient hog and sun worshipper, not the easiest indoor plant even with enough ferts it can suffer from light defficiency. If it gets enough of all in an aquarium it never grows very big. People tend to name this Dwarf Pistia which doesn't realy excist it the same plant.

The Anubias on the other hand is actualy it's counterpart, hence it's named after "The Egyptian god of the underworld" I've seen this plant come out a 4 day complete blackout with accelerated new growth. It grows in extremely shaded spot it stores energy and even grows in the dark, this plant can suffer from to much light. Same for the midground, the Nymphaea next to the Anubias, if you want the Nymphaea to make floaters it wants rather a lot of light for that which again doesn't favor the Anubias.

Starting up a tank from scratch completely filled to the top planted with plants which thrive at the opposite end of the spectrum than it is quite a challange to find the proper mid way for both. I think what ever you do with such combination one will always suffer with serving the other. Here you have to make choises. Get the lilly floating so it shades the Anubias, that's the goal, i guess.. Mean while the Anubias will likely going to suffer from algae growth. If you worry about that and want to serve the Anubias you probably never will get those lillies to float.

also if your posting dates are real time and this tank is setup end november and about 4 weeks into startup. Than most of the plants probably still be in transplant shock and therefore stalling a bit.The grasses you planted at the left are for the biggest part of their foilage submersed, deprived from CO², that little bit that emerses has to make u for that. Imagine the depth you planted all, this needs a rather well developed rootsystem with a lot of stored energy. It yet doesn't have that.. that's where the action starts with transitioning plants, foliage comes from the rootsystem up and not the other way around. That takes time especialy under artificial light..

If you used fertilized soil bellow the sand for the lilies and the emersed parts. Than it likely aint fert defficiencies. It is more likely plant transistion you need to wait out. I would forget about the Pistia for now, focussing on that only will drive you mad, discard that plant for a later date and try again when the tank is established and starts to grow in. move the pistia away from the anubias to the other end and place it with the emersed grasses. Up the light above the emersed section and lower the light above the anubias where possible.

Fighting algae at that young stage, is rolling up sleaves and work with manualy removing and water changes and see how it goes. There is no say up front.. I had a tank driving me nuts for over 6 months, in the end it worked out well i won the batlle. But lost some hairs along the way.

Actualy, staring a tank setup like that imho,  (a oh!? Now you say so scenario.) best is to do that in stages.. Dry start what you want emersed to sufficient mass, flood it plant the lillies and other faster growing submersed plants grow them to sufficient size floating and well. Then you have your shading and time for planting that what loves shade. But it's to late for that now.. Have fun!.. (Sorry..)

And succes.. It's a wonderfull tank..


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## gltjc (16 Dec 2017)

Thanks! Super thoughtful post.

I was probably a bit impatient.

I have 6-7 floating leaves on the _Nymphaea_ now, so that seems to be going well. As you say the grasses on the right are a bit confused - I seem to have some that are doing well and some that aren’t of the same species next to each other - i guess some are making the transition better than others.

I think you are right that I give up on the _Anubias_ on the left for now, until I can get the emersed plants on the left growing and shading the area.

 So my strategy will be to focus on helping the emersed grasses, the _Floscopa_ and _Ammannia_ and the _Nymphaea _and looking for something else that will grow quick in the emersed section on the left to suck up nutrients if the_ Pistia _fails - may need to temporarily go out of region with a proven emersed plant like a potho. If the grasses fail I’ll replace with ones in the riparian planters and gradually lower them to the substrate. I can then worry about _Anubias_ later. I think this means a bit more light, enough ferts and perhaps Liquid CO2 for a while.

Does that sound right to you?


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## zozo (16 Dec 2017)

I don't know if you have to give up on the Anubias, but just don't worry to much about it. It likely will survive the ordeal as long as the rhizome isn't rotting.. They are extremely resilient plants. I have them in a tank i never fertilize and they do ok, they don't require much attention. Also got one growing about emesed with 4 leaves and this took me 2 years.. Not with love and still suffering but it refuses to die on me.

Here you see an example from my experience with anubias, bucephalndra and a floating lily planted closly together. This 50 litre tank i started about 2,5 years ago was lit with medium intensity with total 50 watt led light at 100%. Actualy to small for a lily i had to keep trimming off floaters. I only kept 4 or 5 floaters at a time there wasn't much room for more.




I kept it like this for 2 years.. I have no detail shot from the anubias at that time, only from 1 buce which was planted much lower in the tank at substrate level. Anyway All Anubias, Buce and fissidens kinda constantly looked like this in macro shot. All those 2 years i never managed to get them 100% clean. It was a constant BBA battle on the slow growers. They received way to much light..




After 2 years i had enough of it, lowered the light intensity, switched of half the lights and did hang it 40 cm higher above the tank.
Looking like this now for 6 months. The lily stopped making floaters and only makes much smaller submersed leaves. But the Anubias etc.thrives and is spot on clean. But never seen a lily floater since.




The Pistia is indeed a plant you can beter forget about, it will not grow big enough to do much good regarding uptake. Than you would need quite a lot more with such surface you have. I think a floater like Salvinia would be a better option, al least for the startup periode to get the tank established. For this plant it's also the same story for size.. Under the sun in eutrophic waters it will grow into this.




In an average aquarium it wont grow much bigger than the size you buy it. But it will propagate like a little racecar and double in numbers weekly. It's also easy to maintain and scooped off what's to much. Pistia is much to demanding to be of any help and doesn't propagate that fast. It's a nice decorative plant to try in an established tank that's about it and by than for that all little bits help. 

Easy carbo etc. surely will help the tank faster over the hill, it's a good algicide, but as growth accelerator it still works only mildly, nothing beats presurized CO².



gltjc said:


> I was probably a bit impatient.


That's the most difficult part of the hobby.. And having unrealistic expectations probably  is something we all started with. It takes a lot of patience and many years of experience. Even with multiple tank syndrom the learning curve is an extremely slow process and can be extremely frustrating. When you think you know something after a few years than something occurs that prooves you wrong.  Welcome to the hobby..  3 steps forward 2 steps back.


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## gltjc (16 Dec 2017)

I have grown _Salvinia_ before. Will get hold of some. Guess I am guilty of thinking that all floating plants are the same and dead easy.


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## zozo (16 Dec 2017)

That Easy, as manny plants are described is also very relative and sometimes misguiding.. It's marketing, after all they have to say something to make you buy it. I can name you at least 5 plants described as (very) easy i completely failed to grow in my aqauriums. It beats me why, i just can't.. I don't know if it's me.. Lots of other plants are doing well but these are easily to dificult for me or for the way i setup the tank. I don't know..


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## nel.pogorzelska (16 Dec 2017)

gltjc said:


> Thanks! Super thoughtful post.
> 
> I was probably a bit impatient.
> 
> ...



I wouldn't worry too much about plants not doing good in freshly started tank. They need to adjust, just fertilize, give them time. When Nymphaea's roots will be established you will have another worry - it will cover all the surface. Mine is sprouting around 10-15 floating leaves every week (African butterfly fish love it!).


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## Edvet (16 Dec 2017)

Ooh i liked that first tank Zozo


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## gltjc (4 Jan 2018)

Updated full tank shot and series of pictures down the length of the tank - usual caveat/embarrassment at quality of photos applies!

A bunch of changes since the last update. Most notably the _Juncus_ clearly failed (as Darrell predicted) and has gone, and the large _Anubias_ at back left has also largely gone. I suspect it never made the transition from being supplied emersed to submerged growth. Will have another go with more _Anubias_ ‘congensis arrow’, which is growing well for me on the front of the wood, when I have a bit more shade in that area from the water lilies and emersed grass. 

On the positive side the plants in the middle two ‘sections’ (the ‘lily pond’ and the big chunk of wood) are doing well (albeit growing slowly). The _Nymphaea_ are putting out masses of floating leaves, the mix of _Pistia_, _Salvinia_ and _Lemna_ floating plants all doing fine - the _Pistia_ has recovered remarkably well from looking very dodgy a month or so ago. The _Ammania senegalensis _and _Floscopa_ in the front part of the big slope and in front of the wood also doing OK and the odd bits of _Glossostigma_ are slowly carpeting. 

I have the lights dialled back a lot (50% for about 5 hours, sloping down 2 hours either side), and am dosing liquid CO2 and only micronutrients to try to limit algae growth. I still get a fair amount of green hair algae but it is manageabale with physical removal and I don’t get much diatom or green spot growth.

I’ve done a bunch of replanting of the far right and far left. 

On the left, the emersed section is probably the biggest frustration still and I still don’t have a full plan. I’ve moved an _Anubias hastifolia_ from the far right to the front left corner to see how it does and have added some _Hygrophila pinnatifida _and some _Marsilea crenata _as I’ve seen them do well emersed in other tanks. The _Bolbitis_ that is in about an inch of water is not doing well, but I’ve read that they can take a lot of time to transition to emersed growth...

On the right I’ve added a bunch of _Ludwigia palustris_ and interplanted it with dwarf vallis and some relocated _Floscopa_. I’ve also added some more _Marsilea_ and small _Eleocharis_ in front. I’m excited about how this will look when grown in... the pond grade _Eleocharis_ on the right is doing fairly well - throwing out 4-5 leaves to twice the height of the tank every week or so. I will get some more when the pond season starts in the Spring!

Any questions, comments and suggestions very much appreciated!

Have also done some more fish stocking but will leave that to a separate update!


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## dw1305 (4 Jan 2018)

Hi all, 
Looks good, the _Setaria palmifolia _is doing well. 

cheers Darrel


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## Edvet (4 Jan 2018)

Looking good. You'll notice large tanks are different beasts then smal ones. Just keep tweaking and you'll get there.


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## zozo (29 Jan 2018)

Found this video and had to think of this Africa scape.. The guy is growing a rather big Anubias frazeri emersed above his tank.


You might find interesting.. And it's comon trade name is 
https://www.flowgrow.de/db/aquaticplants/anubias-afzelii


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## tam (29 Jan 2018)

Hydrocotyle sp japan grew well for me emersed if you wanted something smaller and speedy growing to fit gaps.

You're sure you aren't short of macros if you have a low stock and started with RO?


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## gltjc (6 Feb 2018)

zozo said:


> Found this video and had to think of this Africa scape.. The guy is growing a rather big Anubias frazeri emersed above his tank.



I love this! I have 3 _Anubias heterophylla_ that I am hoping will grow emersed. One at the top of the pile of _Anubias_ on the large piece of wood, one on a rock on the far right and one in the very shallow section on the far left. The latter has suffered a lot from the lack of humidity but hopefully will throw some new leaves up from the rhizome. Any tips on how to encourage the _Anubias_ to throw up emersed leaves? I assume they have a different morphotype that can stand lower humidity than the submerged leaves and that at some point they will expand above the waterline...


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## gltjc (6 Feb 2018)

tam said:


> You're sure you aren't short of macros if you have a low stock and started with RO?



I think I am. My algae problems have largely abated, at least in most bits of the tank, and so I've started dosing macros, trace and liquid carbon more consistently and upped the light levels a bit. Hopefully this won't lead to a massive resurgence in algae but to faster growth in my plants. Overall it is going quite well, with the notable exception of the right hand quarter where the original large _Eleocharis_ and the _Cyperus alternifolia_ are not doing great and both the _Ludwigia_ and _Marsilea_ have also failed to thrive. Hopefully higher nutrient levels will help with them. I've replanted with some_ Myriophyllum_ and some _Bacopa_ that I hope will do better.


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## zozo (6 Feb 2018)

gltjc said:


> I love this! I have 3 _Anubias heterophylla_ that I am hoping will grow emersed. One at the top of the pile of _Anubias_ on the large piece of wood, one on a rock on the far right and one in the very shallow section on the far left. The latter has suffered a lot from the lack of humidity but hopefully will throw some new leaves up from the rhizome. Any tips on how to encourage the _Anubias_ to throw up emersed leaves? I assume they have a different morphotype that can stand lower humidity than the submerged leaves and that at some point they will expand above the waterline...



As the guy in the video explains, it needs to go through a transition to addapt to lower humidity. Than if you want a plant with some body to it, than first grow it in controlled high humid condition e.g in a closed container. Than put is with it's roots into a well fertilized dirt soil, don't dig in the rhizome. Grow the plant to it's required size in it's prefered humid condition under enough light will be fastest. Once it has the size you prefer, than very slowly transition the plant back to getting used to lower humidity. Once you have done that, than it's time take 'm out flush all the dirt from its roots and tie or glue it into the aquarium with it's leaves emersed.

All this you have to do very gradualy and slowly, it might take a year or more to grow an anubias big enough and going through the transiton cycle.

Starting from scratch with a little anubias from the LFS very close to the surface will take even much longer. It first has to go through a lot of stress to transition and then it needs to grow big in a moderately fertilized water column. I've tried and 2,5 years into the process it's still far from where i like it to be.  Firstly growing them bigger and healthy under perfect prefered conditions in a seperate container and slowlly transition the big plant will be much more succesfull.

Some LFS also sell (previous) big mother plants, nurseries use several mother plants to take cuttings from and grow on. And they can't realy keep damaging a mother indefinitely, if they do, at one point health deteriorates, mutations start to form etc. So mother plants need to be refreshed over an X periode of time. SO nurseries grow a population of bigger mothers and sell the babies. Also these so to speak worn out mother plants finaly end up in some LFS. Search for the LFS selling these plants, you pay a bit more but you get a big one. 

Here is a German web shop selling Mother plants for example.. No idea where to look for this in the UK. Depends if there are aquarium plant nurseries in the UK. But in any case this Gemran webshop also ships to UK..
https://www.wasserflora.de/p/mutterpflanze-der-woche-anubias-speerblatt-t302wf-a15483.htm?wgruppe=26

https://www.wasserflora.de/p/mutter...bias-hastifolia-t10098st-a1506.htm?wgruppe=26

https://www.wasserflora.de/aquarienpflanzen/mutterpflanzen-w26


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## gltjc (6 Feb 2018)

Thanks, as ever, zozo. 

So the _Anubias_ leaves gradually 'harden' to lower humidity rather than different leaves emerge.. I will have to put a couple of _A. heterphylla_ or _hastifolia_ in a spare small cube in the garage for a year or so!


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## zozo (7 Feb 2018)

gltjc said:


> Thanks, as ever, zozo.
> 
> So the _Anubias_ leaves gradually 'harden' to lower humidity rather than different leaves emerge.. I will have to put a couple of _A. heterphylla_ or _hastifolia_ in a spare small cube in the garage for a year or so!



Yes that's the fastest route to go.. As said above i tried it 2,5 years ago with a larger Anubias,  don't know it's true identity. But i planted it 10mm bellow the surface. It took a year to grow 3 emersed leaf that all died with in a week. Now after 2,5 years it has 5 emersed leaves but all have brown tips again. Still they don't realy get the chance to grow to full potential size they completely dry out before they do. I guess at one point it will finaly adapt, but i have no idea how much longer it will take. It's a low tech tank with moderate fertilization and low light. In such a condition you might expect Anubiua to grow 3 or 4 leaves a year. I'm monitoring the air humidity permanently 3 cm above the tank, now during the winter in a heated house it's averagely  between 33% and 45%.  There is to much ventilation and the livingroom is to big to get it any higher. But you don't realy want it any higher because than your walls and windows would be dripping wett.

So bottom line it would take a small cutting from a big anubias many years to grow to it's full potential. You realy need to give it a helping hand in a controlled invironment to grow some body and than slowly transition it to lower humidity. Or buy a big one and start immediately with the transitioning.
Which likely also is a gamble how this particular var. Anubias will take it. Some plant spp. just are about impossible to grow in low humidity, or it might take a few generations of trail and error or a crossbreed. I've tried a few absolutely non aquatic Nepentes spp. i wanted the small ones and i never succeeded to grow one bellow 70% humidity. And because they are so expensive i gave up on the idea, constantly killing €25 + shipping.. And the more hardy crossbreeds (cultivars) are to big for the plan i had.. This to give you an example that it can be extremely difficult even with tropical non aquatic plants growing up in the trees. Rather expect faillure, to beging with, don't get frustrated. Adapt your plans and expectations to what's possible..

Succes!..


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## gltjc (3 Mar 2018)

The tank is now doing well and I’m starting to be happy with it. Most of the submerged plants are growing well. The emersed ones other than the Setaria and the maidenhair fern have passed away. Will have another go with some shower caddies behind the wood and on the right hand side in the next month or two.

I had some BGA problems for a few weeks that I thought at one point was going to become disastrous, but I bought an aquamedic dosing pump to make sure my fert and liquid carbon dosing was consistent and it has largely cleared up. Only major changes to the planting are adding a bunch of _Bacopa_ and _Hydrocotyle_ on the right hand side where the _Ludwigia_ and _Marsilea_ never really got established and explosive growth of _Ceratophyllum demersum_.

Here is a new full tank shot.. will take some more over the weekend.


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## gltjc (3 Mar 2018)

The fish are doing well. I am long overdue sharing some pictures!

Currently the tank houses:

8 _Enteromius fasciolatus_
9 _Phenacogrammus_ sp ‘red makoua’
4 _Phenacogrammus aurantiacus_
2? _Microsynodontis_ sp
4 _Microctenopoma ansorgii_
5 _Otocinclus vittatus_ 



 
One of the _Microctenopoma_ under the large bog wood. 3 of them share this large space, somewhat frostily, and the 4th lives on the left hand side amongst some _Anubias_ roots. I want to add some more wood on the right some time to give them some more options. 



 


 
Two shots of a pair of _aurantiacus_. Male in front. I love these and two more pairs of these are high up my shopping list.. not the easiest to find though.



 
Most of the group of barbs. They are rather shyer than I expected and don’t move
far off the bottom of the tank. Hopefully the better growth on the right will encourage them out a bit more.



 


 
Some of the ‘red makoua’. The group cover the full length of the tank pretty well and are very active. Surprisingly, and unlike the first couple of months in the tank they no longer shoal much with the _aurantiacus.
_
There is still masses of space for more fish without it feeling at all crowded and i’m back in the market for fish no the plants are getting established. Other than finding more _aurantiacus_, I’m on the look out for a couple of pairs of cichlids and a group of killifish. Work and non-fish life is probably too busy to hatch killie eggs in the next few months, so I am hoping to pick up some _Chromaphyosemion_ at some point from a store. I’m considering _Pelvicachromis subocellatus_ or _Pseudocrenilabrus nicholsi _- the latter are v tempting as they should be more outgoing. There is still a little devil on my shoulder that keeps whispering ‘_Hemichromis_’ in my ear, but I must continue to resist. I fear that if I come across a pair of wild ‘moanda’ or ‘bangui’ at any point my resistance will crumble!

As ever suggestions (particularly stocking ideas) and comments much appreciated...


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## zozo (3 Mar 2018)

gltjc said:


> Male in front. I love these and two more pairs of these are high up my shopping list.. not the easiest to find though.


https://www.ruinemans.com/en-GB/4737/phenacogrammus-aurantiacus.html
 Sale at the moment and still fully stocked..

Look under where to buy button.. There are about 4 adresses around London selling fish from this importer..


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## Edvet (3 Mar 2018)

Looking good, i love these kind of setups. Still hoping i can do a 400x50x50 next year.


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## Angus (3 Mar 2018)

Wow... amazing tank man it's really a focal point.


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## gltjc (12 Mar 2018)

zozo said:


> https://www.ruinemans.com/en-GB/4737/phenacogrammus-aurantiacus.html
> Sale at the moment and still fully stocked..
> 
> Look under where to buy button.. There are about 4 adresses around London selling fish from this importer..



Great. Abacus have some _aurantiacus_ and some more ‘red makoua’ in stock so will likely grab some more in the next week or so. I’m also tempted by a pair of _Enigmatochronis lucanusi_


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## Edvet (12 Mar 2018)

Big schools always work beter then a lot of different fish in a big tank


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## gltjc (12 Mar 2018)

Some pics of the tank today. 



 
Full tank shot. Now looking quite well grown in, and the algae problems have more or less disappeared - took a lot longer than I expected, I suspect because the failure of most of the emersed plants I had growing from the substrate added a bunch of nutrients that the submerged and floating plants couldn’t cope with when they were small. Still really need to find a better way of photographing the monster!



 


 
The left shallow bit from below and above the waterline. The palm grass and maidenhair fern are both growing well, as is some _Hydrocotyle_ under the palm grass. This is the area I’m most disatisfied with as I want much more greenery at the front of the tank but struggling to get cuttings to grow in the shade. Suspect I need to plant a couple of larger plants in the front and obsessively mist them for a while. Any suggestions v welcome!



 


 


 
Top view and the two sides of the ‘lily pond’. I’m putting in some more leaf litter, twigs and general detritus, but I think this bit may be fully planted! A couple of large _Cryptocoryne_ would look great in front of the right most _Nymphaea_ in the first pic and at the back right of the central gap, but I don’t want to go so far afield and I can’t find anything similar from central Africa.



 


 


 
The large bogwood area. This area is getting close. Need to continue to cut and replant the _Ammania senegalensis_ to make it denser, particularly on the left hand side and add a few more cuttings of _Floscopa_ further to the back on the right. The _Anubias _‘congensis arrow’ on the bogwood is suddenly struggling a bit. Not sure why. I’ve stopped dosing ‘leaf zone’ now that I have the dosing pump providing regular ‘Neutro+’ and liquid carbon. Wonder if that could be doing it? Will also add a suction shower caddy 



 
The right hand side. Also needs a lot of work. There is a lot of _Myriophyllum_ behind the _Bacopa_ that seems to be growing OK and will make this part look much better when it gets above the _Bacopa. _I need to move the surface skimmer from the back wall to the right hand wall so that is it hidden. To do so I need to move a large boulder that is largely under the substrate and the large and v healthy _Anubias hastifolia_ on top of it about 4 inches forward and replant a bunch of plants in front of it. This is not getting up my priority list v quickly. I then want to add a lot more of there red _Ammania senegalensis_ in the front right and a bit more _Floscopa_ at the back. I am hoping these will grow emersed before too long. I also want to add some new emersed plants at the back in shower caddies. May add a decent sized chunk of bogwood in the middle of this section (towards the left of this picture).


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## gltjc (12 Mar 2018)

Some pics of the tank today. 



 
Full tank shot. Now looking quite well grown in, and the algae problems have more or less disappeared - took a lot longer than I expected, I suspect because the failure of most of the emersed plants I had growing from the substrate added a bunch of nutrients that the submerged and floating plants couldn’t cope with when they were small. Still really need to find a better way of photographing the monster!



 


 
The left shallow bit from below and above the waterline. The palm grass and maidenhair fern are both growing well, as is some _Hydrocotyle_ under the palm grass. This is the area I’m most disatisfied with as I want much more greenery at the front of the tank but struggling to get cuttings to grow in the shade. Suspect I need to plant a couple of larger plants in the front and obsessively mist them for a while. Any suggestions v welcome!



 


 


 
Top view and the two sides of the ‘lily pond’. I’m putting in some more leaf litter, twigs and general detritus, but I think this bit may be fully planted! A couple of large _Cryptocoryne_ would look great in front of the right most _Nymphaea_ in the first pic and at the back right of the central gap, but I don’t want to go so far afield and I can’t find anything similar from central Africa.



 


 


 
The large bogwood area. This area is getting close. Need to continue to cut and replant the _Ammania senegalensis_ to make it denser, particularly on the left hand side and add a few more cuttings of _Floscopa_ further to the back on the right. The _Anubias _‘congensis arrow’ on the bogwood is suddenly struggling a bit. Not sure why. I’ve stopped dosing ‘leaf zone’ now that I have the dosing pump providing regular ‘Neutro+’ and liquid carbon. Wonder if that could be doing it? Will also add a suction shower caddy 



 
The right hand side. Also needs a lot of work. There is a lot of _Myriophyllum_ behind the _Bacopa_ that seems to be growing OK and will make this part look much better when it gets above the _Bacopa. _I need to move the surface skimmer from the back wall to the right hand wall so that is it hidden. To do so I need to move a large boulder that is largely under the substrate and the large and v healthy _Anubias hastifolia_ on top of it about 4 inches forward and replant a bunch of plants in front of it. This is not getting up my priority list v quickly. I then want to add a lot more of there red _Ammania senegalensis_ in the front right and a bit more _Floscopa_ at the back. I am hoping these will grow emersed before too long. I also want to add some new emersed plants at the back in shower caddies. May add a decent sized chunk of bogwood in the middle of this section (towards the left of this picture).


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## Edvet (13 Mar 2018)

Love it


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## zozo (13 Mar 2018)

The lilies are doing realy nice.  Very natural looking tank. This only can get beter in time..


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## a1Matt (13 Mar 2018)

gltjc said:


> Great. Abacus have some _aurantiacus_ and some more ‘red makoua’ in stock so will likely grab some more in the next week or so. I’m also tempted by a pair of _Enigmatochronis lucanusi_



Apologies if you know this already... That's a great shop to buy fish from, the fish are always properly quarantined and in fantastic health. (I'm lucky to live very close by, so have the same water supply which makes acclimating easier.)


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## Gill (13 Mar 2018)

Love this scape.
Have you thought abour having a nice large group of Armoured/Vampire shrimp in here. Think they would look great sitting amongst the wood and plants sifting for food.
Also A suggestion for the Banked area. Have you thought about putting in the Clear acrylic pipes, so that fish have a few cave areas to explore. Or even using a few  Pint Glasses close the front of the back. I am sure you will find that the Ansorgi will happily make it their territory. And would add an interesting dimension to that part of the scape.

Also a few butterlyfish to catch any flies that may fall into the water. You could watch them hunt for mealworms and crickets.


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## gltjc (13 Mar 2018)

Edvet said:


> Love it



Thank you! It is finally getting to a point where I am happy with it.


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## gltjc (13 Mar 2018)

zozo said:


> The lilies are doing realy nice.  Very natural looking tank. This only can get beter in time..



Thanks zozo. I think ‘natural’ is the polite word for ‘scruffy’, but that is what I am going for!


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## Angus (13 Mar 2018)

is it just me or does anyone else want to see a looooong photo down the length of the front glass? this tank is absolutely amazing, great work @gltjc


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## gltjc (13 Mar 2018)

Gill said:


> Love this scape.
> Have you thought abour having a nice large group of Armoured/Vampire shrimp in here.



I’ve never kept them, but could be a good add. I think I need to make some more caves and structure for future cichlids in any case - a bit short of hiding places for much more at the bottom level right now 



Gill said:


> A suggestion for the Banked area. Have you thought about putting in the Clear acrylic pipes.



This is an excellent idea! Not sure I can do it now, though - the bank is mostly a big cage made of eggcrate that would be difficult to re-engineer to make caves, or at least I don’t think I’m brave enough to do so!



Gill said:


> Also a few butterlyfish to catch any flies that may fall into the water. You could watch them hunt for mealworms and crickets.



I would love some, but I fear they’d jump/fly straight out of the tank?


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## gltjc (13 Mar 2018)

a1Matt said:


> Apologies if you know this already... That's a great shop to buy fish from, the fish are always properly quarantined and in fantastic health. (I'm lucky to live very close by, so have the same water supply which makes acclimating easier.)



It is a great shop! Sadly not quite as convenient for me. I had a pair of _Betta channoides _from there that I loved dearly and lived for a number of years in a 12” cube that was so overgrown with _Cryptocoryne_ and peat stained that I hardly saw them.


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## sonicninja (15 Mar 2018)

What a wonderful tank. I’m stressed about your tv falling in though!! ️ 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


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## Gill (15 Mar 2018)

TBH with enough cover to feel safe ABF dont jump. I had a 400Gallon Open Top and never had any jump. They tended to stay in amongst the lotus pads.


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## gltjc (15 Mar 2018)

Gill said:


> TBH with enough cover to feel safe ABF dont jump. I had a 400Gallon Open Top and never had any jump. They tended to stay in amongst the lotus pads.



Good to know. May well try a pair!


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## gltjc (15 Mar 2018)

sonicninja said:


> What a wonderful tank. I’m stressed about your tv falling in though!!
> 
> 
> ️



Thanks. I’ve at least not been brave enough to change the angle of the TV since the tank was installed in case it jumps off the bracket.


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## Tim Harrison (16 Mar 2018)

Looking great.

P.S. if you've lost your iPhone earbuds one of your fish has them


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## gltjc (16 Mar 2018)

I thought it was strange that I had some long calls to the Congo on my bill


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## gltjc (18 Mar 2018)

So I broke the bank and bought another 4 _Phenacogrammus_ sp. ‘red’/‘fantastique’/‘phantastique’/‘red makoua’ (all seem to be the same fish), 6 _Phenacogrammus aurantiacus_, and a lovely pair of _Enigmatochromis lucanusi. _

It is nice having cichlids at last! The tank is starting to feel a bit busier now and I quite like the daily cycle that the fish will race around the full tank in the morning and will relax under the lily pass as the lights crank up. 

The group of sp red where bright cherry red in the store and have already switched off their colours a bit in my tank - working out why is one of my top priorities. They were in a small dark and relatively fast flowing tank that was a 2/3 rap and 1/3 RO at the store. I’ll add a bunch more leaf litter when I can find some that is not mushy - may even have to resort to buying it rather than wait until autumn - to darken the substrate - add some peat to the filter. Will also bring down the pH and hardness a bit but I’m sceptical that is the answer given how they were kept in the store. I partly bought more to confirm it isn’t diet or size linked..

Feel like I am almost there with fish now! Still want a decent sized group of a ‘showstopper’ killie, perhaps 2 more pairs of dwarf cichlid and I’m tempted by a pair of _Pantodon_, but I think that will be it!


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## Tim Harrison (18 Mar 2018)

Pictures?


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## Edvet (18 Mar 2018)

Killies are jumpers as far as i know


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## zozo (18 Mar 2018)

As are Pantodons, amazing jumpers.. Almost equals flying through your room, only finding back the tank is not their best skill..


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## a1Matt (18 Mar 2018)

gltjc said:


> I’ll add a bunch more leaf litter when I can find some that is not mushy - may even have to resort to buying it rather than wait until autumn



Beech leaves decompose slowly enough that you can pick them now and they will still have good integrity.


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## Edvet (18 Mar 2018)

Hornbeam (?)(Carpinus betulus) leaves should be on the plant still, you can even cut of twigs with the leaves on.


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## PARAGUAY (18 Mar 2018)

Edvet said:


> Killies are jumpers as far as i know


I learned this to my cost after being warned,the pair were shy when first in the tank the male in particular started to get confident first for food ,it developed beautiful breeding colour ,a couple of days later found it on the carpet. In such a large tank as this with the plants and surface floaters might get away with it but it’s a risk


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## mort (19 Mar 2018)

Killifish are something I've never really kept but I recently got interested in them because of their colours and live cycle. Pretty much ever breeder that I've looked at has a cover glass or the water level dropped to a half or a third to stop them jumping out. You may get lucky with a more natural setup but I'd at least wait until you have more foliage to block their escape.


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## gltjc (19 Mar 2018)

I suspect all surface dwelling fish have evolved to jump as a defence against attach from below, so I think I have the choice to either leave that part of the tank empty or to take a bit of a risk. I’m a bit more willing to do that with killies than butterflyfish


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## gltjc (19 Mar 2018)

I am going to wait until the _Floscopa_ on the right have established themselves as emergents and I’ve put some  plants in shower caddies on the right. I can then reintroduce some more floating plants on that side and will have a lot of cover...


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## Angus (19 Mar 2018)

Edvet said:


> Hornbeam (?)(Carpinus betulus) leaves should be on the plant still, you can even cut of twigs with the leaves on.


Depends what part of the country, south east they are all leafless, however hornbeam and beech hedging still generally have leaves on, i wouldnt pick any leaves off the floor after rain or snow, they need to be propperly dry before collection. Hope that helps.

Sent from my E2303 using Tapatalk


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## zozo (19 Mar 2018)

gltjc said:


> I suspect all surface dwelling fish have evolved to jump as a defence against attach from below, so I think I have the choice to either leave that part of the tank empty or to take a bit of a risk. I’m a bit more willing to do that with killies than butterflyfish


That's the same question as "What was their first, the chicken or the egg?" Tho predation absolutely could be a trigger for fish to flee and jump especialy smaller schooling fish often victimized by predators show that flee behaivor also as a chain reaction. But there are much more variables under suspicion to think about.

Food competition since almost all fish species are predators, for example what falls on the surface. And it doesn't absolutely needs to be food to trigger curiousity, it can be a speck of dust landing on the surface you don't even notice. But surface dwelling fish spots this, that's also what they are evolved into. Gets curious and race towards it, than you see food competition others spot it as well and other spot something is spotted and the race is on, who's going to be first at the price. That's also a schooling fish chain reaction.. Obviously size of the fish in this case should be considered, for example Epiplatus annulatus a rather tiny Killie fish you wont expect this little fish to go after a housefly or an bigger adult misquito. As micropredator it's much less likely to jump large distances, if jump at all if enough surface coverage is provided. This way you provide sufficient aquatic micro fauna to predate on and block the eye sight to trigger food competition jumps. While the for the Pantodon a housefly hoovering twice the height of the fishes length over the tank is a potential snack and worth a jump.

Mating display and competiotion can trigger jumps, males trying to chase eachother away.

Parental care and protection. For example Chiclids which you have do parantal care and can be extremely protective and attack anything comming close.

Parasites or just a simple ich can trigger a jump. The stronger to fish the more agressive the jump.

Not only surface dwelling fish can have jumping behaivor.. Gobbies are also known to be excellent jumpers.. Another one, what was the english common name again? Siamese flying fox?

There are several things to take into account when it comes to well arranged scapes and stocking. This commes with experience, reading and logical behaivor paterns among different species.. For example breeding Cichlids in a relative shallow open top bellow a school of surface dwelling fish, 1 x1 = 2..


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## Edvet (19 Mar 2018)

I had a Pterophylum  (angel) male scare a female to jump out of my tank while they where putting down eggs. In the evening they started laying, next morning female was dead on the floor..........


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## gltjc (19 Mar 2018)

a1Matt said:


> Beech leaves decompose slowly enough that you can pick them now and they will still have good integrity.





Edvet said:


> Hornbeam (?)(Carpinus betulus) leaves should be on the plant still, you can even cut of twigs with the leaves on.





Angus said:


> Depends what part of the country, south east they are all leafless, however hornbeam and beech hedging still generally have leaves on, i wouldnt pick any leaves off the floor after rain or snow, they need to be propperly dry before collection. Hope that helps.



What do I do after I collect green leaves? I assume I need to dry them before I check them in? Do I just stick them in the garage for a while until they dry out or can I put them in the oven on low?

I'm in central London.


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## Angus (19 Mar 2018)

You can always collect from sheltered places that have not been exposed to weather, or if you are collecting green dry them on a windowsill preferably with a radiator nearby, then finish in a ink free notepad with a weight ontop. 

Was out and about at work today and noticed small amounts of hornbeam saplings 1 to 2 years old that had some small patches of leaves still attached, so keep your eyes open.

You can feed green hornbeam, mulberry, birch(be very careful of pollution contamination in birch in london) maple and apple to shrimp fresh, just make sure they are washed.


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## Edvet (19 Mar 2018)

Hornbeam leaves are dry as a bone now, just stick a twig in there.


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## a1Matt (19 Mar 2018)

gltjc said:


> What do I do after I collect green leaves? I assume I need to dry them before I check them in? Do I just stick them in the garage for a while until they dry out or can I put them in the oven on low?
> 
> I'm in central London.



I've never used green leaves, so I'll let others advise there. The beech will be brown and on the floor.


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## gltjc (22 Mar 2018)

Angus said:


> is it just me or does anyone else want to see a looooong photo down the length of the front glass? this tank is absolutely amazing, great work @gltjc





 


 


 

Something like this??


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## gltjc (22 Mar 2018)

Tim Harrison said:


> Pictures?





 


 

Female and Male _Enigmatochromis. _They’ve actually been pretty outgoing but retreated to the back of the tank when I pointed my phone at them. The lady fish has been showing off her plum coloured belly from time to time


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## Tim Harrison (22 Mar 2018)

They look great, it's almost like the images were taken in the wild


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## Angus (22 Mar 2018)

Fantastic, i'm happy haha!


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## gltjc (29 Mar 2018)

Just found this rather lovely underwater video of the Lufubu River. I'm aiming for a natural look and still felt the need to fight off the algae! It makes me think I've added far too much complexity in my mix of plants and basically cutting and pasting the mix of vallis and _Nymphaea_ with some undergrowth of _Myriophyllum, Ammannia _and _Bacopa_ mixed up across the whole thing could look fab...


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## Edvet (29 Mar 2018)

It's ok to start with a mix of plants to see what does well in the  tank. After you find out get bigger groups.


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## zozo (29 Mar 2018)

gltjc said:


> It makes me think I've added far too much complexity in my mix of plants



That's the most common pitfall for every aquarium keeper suffering from collecteritis in creating a theme or biotope aquarium. It kinda goes on automatic pilot. Actualy not realising no matter how big the tanks footprint is, in comparance to nature it's nothing but a tiny snapshot. Looking for example at a local somewhat large wildlife pond close to my house. It is rather shallow and cristal clear and the entire pond is overgrown but only contains 3 different Sp. of aquatic plants, Hornwort, Curled Pondweed and a Nymphaea, i'm trying every summer again but never found a 4th plant sp. in it. I guess everything else just gets outcompeted. Well it indeed has some hair algae growing i don't concider a plant. Even the bog plants growing marginaly is rather somewhat limited to about 3 or 4 maybe 5 different sp. around the entire pond, taking a snapshot as wide as the camera can see i'm lucky to find only 2.

Also if you look at most price winning nature scapes you rarely count more than 4 different plant sp. The more you cramp in the harder it becommes to maintan the natural flow and balance. 

I also suffer from collecteritis. Cramping over 7 to 8 plant sp. on less than ½ a square metre. Which is actualy far to much and has non to do with representing nature.


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## gltjc (30 Mar 2018)

Current state of the tank. I think it is starting to come together. Main changes are to the right hand side. I am going to introduce the same combination of _Myriophyllum_ and _Bacopa_ to the left of the large bogwood and some twigs and perhaps a large piece of bogwood on the right.


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## gltjc (18 Apr 2018)

Some recent photos.

On the aquascaping side I’m still working on replicating some of the same mix that I have in the right as undergrowth under and behind the lillies on the left. I’m trying to do this selectively to have a lighter feel and more open space on the left, and to have the different stems mixed up a bit to keep it natural. The _Floscopa_ have emerged on the right and the left and are up to 6” above the after line. I’ll add some more emersed planting in shower caddies behind it on the right and behind the wood when there is enough cover for it.

The plants are generally doing well. The _Nymphaea_ doing rather too well. These pics are after I took out over 20 pads last weekend! Only plant problem I have is the _Anubias_ ‘congensis arrow’ on the wood which is a bit yellowing and sickly. It is a bit strange as the same species is growing Ok on the left and the barteri lower down the wood is growing well. I may add some more _heterophylla_ or _hastifolia_ amongst it to see if that does better.

I’m now happy enough with the tank that I can sit and watch the fish...!

The _Phenacogrammus_ fantastique (as they
now seem to be called) are starting to colour up. I’m amazed by how different their behaviour is to the _P. aurantiacus_. I guess it is by no means certain that the former are a _Phenacogrammus_ at all. The fantastiques are very active, almost nervy, and spend their time in the open water much more than the relatively sedate _aurantiacus_.

I’ve added 8 _Aphyosemion louessense_, who should help add a bit of colour and movement at the top of the tank.

My female _Enigmatochromis_ is showing off her beautiful fat purple belly to the male at any opportunity. So far her advances are being rebuffed with dramatic 6-7 foot chases down the tank from the male but I’m hoping they will settle together OK.

Key fish challenges are the _Enteromius fasciolatus,_ who continue to hide too much. They aren’t a particularly rare fish and so I may sell them at some point. The _Microctenopoma_ have also taken to hiding a lot more since I added the cichlids who HATE them - they must recognise an ambush predator who could take babies.

I am eyeing up the Pier Aquatics stock list a lot at the moment and so may add more fish before too long!


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## gltjc (18 Apr 2018)

The enigmas enjoying a rare moment of marital harmony...


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## Saffa (18 Apr 2018)

Beautiful tank well done!


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## gltjc (18 Apr 2018)

Saffa said:


> Beautiful tank well done!



Thank you Saffa


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## Edvet (19 Apr 2018)

Looking good. I like the difference of the dark spot under the lilly and the dense growth on the right side, i think the fish will too. I would keep it like that.


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## Gill (19 Apr 2018)

This is the look I wanted to achieve in my 5*4*2 open top. If it has not been cracked. 
Still think a group of African Butterflies would look stunning. Simply drifting amongst the Lilly Pads. Great fun to watch them eating mealworms and Hoppers.


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## Petra R (19 Apr 2018)

That is just stunning!!


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## gltjc (19 Apr 2018)

Petra R said:


> That is just stunning!!


Thank you Petra!


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## gltjc (19 Apr 2018)

Edvet said:


> Looking good. I like the difference of the dark spot under the lilly and the dense growth on the right side, i think the fish will too. I would keep it like that.



I would have to take the floating leaves out every 2-3 days to eliminate the dark spot and I am far too lazy in my pruning to do that. I’m trying to add some density behind the lillies on the left and slightly to the right and on the first ‘step’ of the rocky terrace.


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## Kezzab (19 Apr 2018)

hi what is the little plant with the single round disc shaped leaf? Ta.


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## gltjc (19 Apr 2018)

Gill said:


> Still think a group of African Butterflies would look stunning. Simply drifting amongst the Lilly Pads. Great fun to watch them eating mealworms and Hoppers.



...and I am still tempted to add a pair. I’ve only lost 1 fish from jumping - one of the _Phenacogrammus_ fantastiques that was always a bit of a loony and super skittish.


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## Edvet (19 Apr 2018)

I meant, leave the dark spot, fish like that


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## gltjc (19 Apr 2018)

Kezzab said:


> hi what is the little plant with the single round disc shaped leaf? Ta.



It is _Hydrocotyle verticillata_. Not from the right region for my tank, but I got bored trying to get the mini _Eleocharis_ to grow in the foreground


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## gltjc (22 Apr 2018)

Very happy with the right hand side after a trim and water change today. The big wood section is also getting there. The rest needs work!


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## Kitalexander (22 Apr 2018)

gltjc said:


>


What is the plant amongst the Crinum natans? Looks like a limnophila or a water violet?


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## gltjc (23 Apr 2018)

Kitalexander said:


> What is the plant amongst the Crinum natans? Looks like a limnophila or a water violet?



It is _Myriophyllum_


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## zozo (23 Apr 2018)

Looks pretty wild...  Only thing that distrcacts me is that television above it..

How about a gaint poster like this?...





https://www.wallpaperink.com/upload.php/Tropical-Stream-


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## gltjc (23 Apr 2018)

zozo said:


> Looks pretty wild...  Only thing that distrcacts me is that television above it..
> 
> How about a gaint poster like this?...



Ha! I am imagining the face of a decorator coming in to do that job...

I do like that fern coming out of the top, though!


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## zozo (23 Apr 2018)

You could do some pretty decorative things to that wall fitting the whole setup more than that TV does.. A playfull triptych poster set , to break it up.
But never mind me, just an idea.. I don't even own a TV threw it on the scapyard 15 years ago, there was and still nothing on it anyway..


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## gltjc (23 Apr 2018)

I think the TV is going to stay! Thanks for your continued interest though, Marcel!


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## Kitalexander (23 Apr 2018)

gltjc said:


> It is _Myriophyllum_


Is it an African species?


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## gltjc (23 Apr 2018)

Kitalexander said:


> Is it an African species?



I doubt it, at least not a native one. I think it is _spicatum_, which is invasive everywhere as far as I can tell, or _matogrossense_, which as far as I know isn’t...


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## gltjc (25 Apr 2018)

I wonder if the fish currently being marketed as _Phenacogrammus_ sp fantastique are actually _Phenacogrammus deheyni? _There is almost no info on _deheyni_ anywhere but the photo under that name on aquarium photo.dk aren’t very different to mine or to the pictures that Phenaco Congo, a Congo exporter, have provided...


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## gltjc (25 Apr 2018)

I’ve exchanged emails with Johnny Jensen, who runs the aquariumphoto.dk, site since writing this. I’d missed that his site already lists sp fantastique as a synonym of _deheyni_. He has had this confirmed by Melanie Stiassny, who has worked extensively on Congo fishes, so it should be quite authoritative. 

Pleased to know what my fish are


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## gltjc (21 Jun 2018)

Updated full tank shots and shots along the tank, a solo shot of one of the male _Aphyosemion louessense_ and a group
shot of the pair of _Enigmatochromis_, one of the louessense and part of the group of _Phenacogrammus deheyni._

I have just got the tank back in order after a month away. Not too much has changed since I last posted other than the whole tank getting massively overgrown and then backed back to respectability. On the plant front, I’ve taken out a huge number of floating leaves, moved one of the water lillies further back and thrown out another that was making 10” pads every week as they were making the whole left side pitch black, have added a few more _Anubias_ around the big log and the _Ammania_ and _Floscopa_ on the right are now showing a lot of emerged growth. The _Bolbitis_ on the big wood is also starting to emerge above the water line, which is quite exciting. Now I know I can get the _Ammania_ to grow emersed I’ll now try to neaten up how it and the _Floscopa_ are growing on the right. As you can see the palm grass has gone a bit nuts - it was halfway across the doorway before it was trimmed. 

No change in the fish, given the long trip. I think there are:

9 _Phenacogrammus deheyni_
10 _Phenacogrammus aurantiacus_
8 _Enteromius fasciolatus_
8 _Aphyosemion louessense_ RPC78/30
2 _Enigmatochromis lucanusi_
2 (possibly 3) _Microctenopoma ansorgii_ 
2 (possibly more) _Microsynodontis_ sp
1 _Otocinclus vittatus_

The ansorgii really suffered when the cichlids were introduced and I think 2 of my original 4 have succumbed. The catfish were and remain very shy, but there are at least two left and could be more in there..


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## Edvet (21 Jun 2018)

Looking realy good
One thing i would change is to get more continuance in the substrate, soften the transitions.  Add some more stones, maybe some wood on the bottom. Looks like some separate pieces now to me.


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## gltjc (21 Jun 2018)

Good point. Thanks! 

There is a lot of scattered twigs but could definitely be more eg in front of the left hand water lilly. 

There are really two piles of stones that are quite distinct and would be better integrated a bit more. You are also right that I need to build a clearer transition from the gravelly areas to the sandy ones and from the stones to the gravel.


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## gltjc (22 Jun 2018)

Things I’m planning in the next month or so

1. I’ve been peat filtering to help settle some rather skittish wild caught tetras but I am now planning to take out the peat and replace it with purigen to get back to bright clean water..

2. Neatening up the far right where the _Floscopa_ has gone haywire and a bit scruffy.

3. Making smoother transitions in the substrate!

4. Adding some more emersed planting behind the big log and in the back right corner, in shower caddies and hydroton

5. Adding some new hairgrass front left

6. Another pair of dwarf cichlids

7. A big shoal of lampeyes, either _Plataplochilus_, _Poropanchax_, _Congopanchax_ or _Procatopus_


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## gltjc (24 Jun 2018)

The tetras were all shoaling nicely together this evening and so I made a couple of videos. Quality is horrible, but they probably give a better sense of the tank than any of my photos. I really need to learn to take good/acceptable aquarium photos and videos. Any suggestions of sites that give good instructions would be appreciated.


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## gltjc (2 Jul 2018)

A few new additions to the family.

A pair of _Pelvicachromis subocellatus_ ‘Matadi’, who have taken up residence in a knot of branches on the right hand side of the tank and hunkered down. They take an occassional explore around a 1 foot radius but won’t go much further yet and won’t go into the main tree trunk area which is the right hand edge of the patch the _Enigmatochromis_ spend most
time in.

Two shots of the male:








The pair together




And the female. I believe the silvery scales around the belly are characteristic of _subocellatus.


 
_
Other new addition is a trio of _Plataplochilus_ lamp eyes. They have taken up residence swimming in the top half of the water in the right hand section, filling an area that the tetras don’t spend much time in. They were sold as _P_ sp ’Dolisie’, which I can’t find any mention of online. I’m hoping this is the same as _P_ sp ‘Les Bandas’ or ‘Tres Bandas’, which is from near Dolisie in the Republic of Congo and is currently listed by a few retailers in Europe. 3 is nowhere near enough - I’d like to build the group to more like 20. It may take some time to build the group as Congo lampeyes are not common - most of the commonly seen species are from further west. They swim fast and so I only managed rubbish photos...







I got some decent photos of a pair of the _Aphyosemion louessense_ RPC78/33 who were courting in front of the tree trunk. The Male louessense are probably my favourite fish in the tank now. They are beautiful fish and always active and out on display at the front of the tank.













The _Enigmatochromis_ seem to have settled as a pair. They spend a lot of time out sifting he sand under the lily pads together.
They have had occassional bouts of digging under various stones, twigs and more substantial chunks of wood and the female has had periods of proper plum coloured fat belly, but I’ve not seen any spawning yet. Below is a picture of the two feeding together and the female our cruising on her own.










They are generally very chilled out but make an exception for the _Microctenopoma_, which they attack on sight with real ferocity. I can only imagine they recognise them as a threat to their potential future babies. As a result the bushfish don’t stay out for long. I managed to get a quick picture of one during feeding today before it was bundled away by the male cichlid. The small piece of bogwood he is above is probably the cichlids favourite spot for excavations, so he/she didn’t stand much chance. The two that I have left at growing up to be beautiful fish. This one is probably about 1.5” and the other much bigger at 2.5”.




The _Floscopa_ and _Ammania_ on the right hand side are growing emersed pretty well. There is much more that is gradually reaching the surface and I also want to add some marsh plants in a shower caddy to build an area with dense greenery above the water to balance the left hand side.




Finally, I’m probably happiest with the submerged growth in the central part of the tank. It is need of a trim, but I think is now looking good. The _Anubias_ still needs to thicken out a bit and then I will stop fiddling for a while, at least with this bit! The _Bolbitis_ are starting to grow above the water line and I’ll add some emersed growth attached to the trunk and in a shower caddy behind when I get around to it.


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## Edvet (3 Jul 2018)




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## gltjc (15 Jul 2018)

Babies! 

Love is in the air in the swamp monster. 

I was getting worried about how well the 
_Pelvicachromis subocellatus_ ‘Matadi’ were settling, as they had gone to ground when they went in and I’d not seen much of them. Today I discovered why as the female popped up on top of the tangle of twigs and small bogwood pieces that they have been hiding in followed by a small group of at least 6 babies, who spent a few seconds picking at the top of the wood before being shooed away. It seems to be a small brood but I’ve really not been able to get more than a couple of glimpses. They are being kept well hidden!

They have done well to keep the _Microsynodontis_ (now probably 2.5-3”) and _Microctenopoma_ at bay. Not sure they will be able to keep it up.

There are also a few what I assume to be baby _Aphyosemion_ lurking in the super shallow patch on the left.

I haven’t seen much of the _Microctenopoma_ at feeding times for the last week or two, and suspect they are the reason there aren’t more young ‘uns.


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## gltjc (17 Jul 2018)

A few full tank shots today. I’m quite happy with the tank and not far off getting how I want it. Still want to put some more emersed plants in and soften some of the transitions between different section. Fish stocking is also not far off complete. I hopefully have a couple more pairs of dwarf cichlids, some rare Congo catfish coming and some new killifish coming soon. Will be close to done then - will keep space to complete the a big group of _Plataplochilus_ but I think it could be a really long wait to find some. I also really need to get my decent camera out..


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## tam (17 Jul 2018)

Looks awesome, really filled in nicely!


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## Conort2 (18 Jul 2018)

Looking great and loving the fish choice!

Cheers, conor


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## gltjc (18 Jul 2018)

tam said:


> Looks awesome, really filled in nicely!



Thanks. I think it now coming along well. 



Conort2 said:


> Looking great and loving the fish choice!
> 
> Cheers, conor



Thank you.


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## gltjc (14 Aug 2018)

I’ve added further groups of killies from various breeders from online auctions, a group of tetras from Pier Aquatics, and some wild caught
cichlids and catfish that Abacus Aquatics bought in for me from Europe, and the swamp monster is now close to fully stocked I think, at least unless/until I can find some more _Plataplochilus_ lampeyes.

The full stock list is:

Tetras

9 _Phenacogrammus deheyni _‘fantastique/red makoua’
9 _Phenacogrammus aurantiacus_
7 _Bathyaethiops greeni _

Barbs

8 _Enteromius fasciolatus_

Cichlids

2 (1/1) _Enigmatochromis lucanusi_
2 (1/1) _Pelvicachromis subocellatus_ ‘matadi’
4 (2/2) _Congochromis sabinae _

Killies

7 (4/3) _Aphyosemion louessense_ ‘RPC 78/33’
7 (3/4) _Aphyosemion pyrophore_ ‘komono yellow’
3 (1/2) _Aphyoplatys duboisi_
3 (1/2) _Plataplochilus_ sp ‘dolisie’
There are also a large number of baby killies in the very shallow section. I think they are largely loussense

Catfish

1 _Otocinclus vittatus _
3 _Microsynodontis _cf_ polli_ (these are getting big and stocky at >3” and now come out for food regularly)
3 _Trachyglanis_ cf _sanghensis_

Anabantoids

1 _Microctenopoma ansorgii_ (I think the others have now succumbed to the cichlids harassing them on sight, but possible there are others)

Here is a video of one of the weird little _Trachyglanis_ eating a bloodworm whilst a chubby _Microsynodontis_ looks on:


And pictures of the new _Aphyosemion pyrophore_ and one of the _Congochromis_ males:







And a current full tank shot:


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## Edvet (15 Aug 2018)

Maybe try to trim the leggy plants at the right side to see if they can get bushier ( try replanting the tops, maybe after letting them get roots in a glas jar).


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## gltjc (15 Aug 2018)

Edvet said:


> Maybe try to trim the leggy plants at the right side to see if they can get bushier ( try replanting the tops, maybe after letting them get roots in a glas jar).



Yep. The _Floscopa_ is not a particularly attractive plant, and definitely needs trimming. I’m growing more of the _Ammania_ out above the waterline, which is far more attractive. On a more positive note the _Floscopa_ does root easily when I’ve trimmed and replanted it. 

The palm grass also needs some hacking down!

The aquascaping still needs a fair bit of work on the right and far left.


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## gltjc (15 Aug 2018)

A baby _Pelvicachromis subocellatus_ ‘matadi’, finally escaped from mum. Probably ~8-10mm.



 
_Ammannia_ flowering


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## John. (18 Jan 2019)

Very nice setup.
Most of your species i have swimming in my tank.
The plataplochilus you have are the 'les bandes' type.
I have reproduced both 'les bandes' and 'les saras'.
I am hoping to reproduce the trachyglanis catfish. One female is full with eggs
Who knows what will happen the next months.

Greeting John.


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## gltjc (19 Jan 2019)

Thanks John. Nice to see you on here. I’ve been watching your success with _Plataplochilus_ on the Lampeyes Facebook group, and I am looking out on Aquabid for eggs to be available. Good to know what mine are - the very shallow part of my tank was designed as a refuge for baby killies so that they can breed naturally. My _Aphyoplatys_ and _Aphyosemion_ have all reproduced but the _Plataplochilus_ haven’t done so, unfortunately. Perhaps a trio is too small a group for them to be really settled and breed. They are probably my favourite fish in the tank - beautiful and wonderfully active!

I unfortunately lost the _Trachyglanis. _I was travelling a lot for a month and not feeding life or frozen often. They were tricky to feed in a tank the size of mine at the best of times. Wonderful weird fish! Glad that you are doing well with them. I may try them again as there are still some around from the import last year. What do you feed yours on?


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## John. (19 Jan 2019)

About the plataplochilus i can be short, i think you only have females.

Trachyglanis I feed when the lights are out. Always on the same spot. They eat frozen food: red and black mosquito larvae, cyclops etc.
Tubivex they really don't like.

Ik know somebody who keeps 11 trachy in a 80-40-35 tank with lot's of current.
No other fish, he feeds them live white mosquito larvae, they float around in the tank and the trachy catch them as they flow around.

Greetings John.


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## gltjc (20 Jan 2019)

Will get a better shot of the _Plataplochilus_ that I think is male. He has some fin extensions and some colour in the dorsal fin.

3 females would certainly explain my lack of breeding success!!


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## gltjc (26 Jan 2019)

This is the _Plataplochilus_ that I have have always assumed was Male. The others don’t have the causal fin extensions or the red in the fin. 

A couple of other (bad phone) shots from today:




This is the younger of my two Male _Pelvicachromis_ _subocellatus_. This one was born in the tank last summer.  



 
A male _Aphyosemion exigoideum _BBW 00/03. Probably 15mm or so SL. The killies all tend to stay in the shallow water on the left side until they are close to adult size and then explore the rest of the tank.


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## Edvet (26 Jan 2019)

Love the Kili, always wanted some biotope correct ones in my 400 gallon.


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## gltjc (26 Jan 2019)

Latest full tank shot and series down the length of the tank. Since the last update I started taking off floating leaves from the lillies late Nov and have let the _Bacopa_ and _Myriophyllum_ take over the main section, have added some more _Crinum_ _calimastratum_, a couple of java fern and had a complete re-scape of the far right with another big bit of wood. That side is still work in progress. I rather like the look of having the red lilly pads poking out of the sea of green, inspired by the Lufubu River video posted some time ago. 

Also done a lot of work on the filtration and electrics to make space in the cabinet for toys (!).

Not much change in the fish over the last few months. I have lost 3-4 fish other than the _Trachyglanis _and moved the _Enigmatochromis_ to another tank, added a small group of the _Aphyosemion_ _exigoideum_ but no major purchases. 

I need to complete growing in the right hand side and may add a few crypts to add some more interest in the fore/mid ground (moving further from the original biotope plan,
but can’t really find anything congo to do the same job).

The tank still feels lightly stocked. Top of my list is a large group of lampeyes. Really want something a bit more unusual than the classic normani, but may give up and buy 30 normani at some point. I also want to add to my group of aurantiacus, and am contemplating another cichlid species. Perhaps something a bit bigger like _Pelmatochromis_, _Congolapia_ or _Hemichromis_.


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## John. (27 Jan 2019)

Nice picture of your plata.
The fish is definitely a male.
The species is Plataplochilus les Saras aff. ngaensis. Remember that the incubation of the eggs is approximately 4-5 weeks.
So the chance of discovery by hungry fish is big. The fry need paramecidium the first days.



Greeting John.


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## John. (27 Jan 2019)




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## gltjc (27 Jan 2019)

Thanks John. Lovely video. Would love to get hold of more of the Platas. I’ll need to keep an eye on all the killi egg trading boards!


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## gltjc (27 Jan 2019)

A better full tank shot this evening.


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## John. (28 Jan 2019)

Also like your exigodeium aphyosemion, very nice fish. Tank looks even better with the small plant changes, nice work.
Also saw the little bike in front of your tank, creating space under your tank is for a car garage or a doll house?
I am not going to breed with the plata this spring. The parents are retired and for the young ones spring will be a bit early.

Greetings John.


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## gltjc (30 Jan 2019)

Ha. Under the tank is a dolls house, a zoo for cuddly animals, bike parking, car parking, a football locker, artist materials storage and a cache of plastic projectiles....


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## gltjc (21 Apr 2019)

Photos earlier this evening, in case anyone is interested in how this has evolved. Now home to a group of almost 30 _Poropanchax_ _luxophthalmus_ and some _Crypt_. _wendtii_. So a fair way from a biotope at this point!


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## gltjc (21 Apr 2019)

And a couple of videos...


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## Kezzab (22 Apr 2019)

This looks fantastic!


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## Filip Krupa (22 Apr 2019)

Love the ripple effect on walls, from the light bouncing off the surface.

Id get a tank just for that 

Fil


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## Edvet (22 Apr 2019)

Looks good


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## gltjc (24 Apr 2019)

Thanks all. I’m quite happy with it and have achieved most of what I wanted to. Don’t have any major plans at this point. 

I want to swap the fern on top of the tree trunk and continue to build out the emersed growth. 

On the fishy front, I have lost a few of the original _louessense_ killies (still have some of their babies, now grown up) and will add some more killies at some point. Again, nothing much planned! Still tempted by _Hemichromis_, but suspect Id then have to move the _Congochromis_ and possibly the _Pelvicachromis_ out.


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## Edvet (14 May 2019)

Seen this?:


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## gltjc (27 Jul 2019)

Edvet said:


> Seen this?:



I hadn’t! Thanks so much for sharing. I loved it.

The tank is ticking along. It has been a bit neglected with the arrival of our third child earlier this year, and has some algae problems - I think from filter maintenance getting too infrequent and detritus trapped in the ‘hill’ on the left. Circulation has never been great.

I’ve been thinking about what to do next with the tank and will probably do a full rescape at some point late this year or early next.

I’m thinking take out the hill add two gyre pumps at each end and one more big bit of wood and make a lot more open space between islands of plants made from _Nymphaea_, _Anubias_ and _Myriophyllum_. probably looking Would really like to find a Central African alternative to the _Cryptocoryne_, but haven’t been successful. Ideas very welcome! There is something that would fit the bill in the video mixed in with _Nymphaea_ but have no idea what it is.


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## zozo (27 Jul 2019)

gltjc said:


> Central African alternative to the _Cryptocoryne_



I think the closest you can get is the Otellia ulvifolia, the Crinium natans and C. calamistratum.


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## John. (10 Sep 2019)

Ceratopteris cornuta, ceratophyllum demersum?
I am curious what you will change 

Greetings John.


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## gltjc (20 Nov 2019)

I thought there might be some residual interest in my Congo project...?

I have now completed a massive rescape after a combination of new baby driven poor maintenance, a stupid original design decision (the rock like on the left trapped detritus at massive volumes), a power cut whilst on holiday and a slightly psychopathic breeding pair of jewel cichlids completely f’ed the tank.

I packed the family off for the weekend did a solid 16 hours of work to take out all the rocks, wood and plants, about half the substrate and completely re did everything.

I’m happy. Should be much easier to maintain and has a lot more swimming space... still a bit to do. Want to put in a couple of stem plant bunches and some more houseplants in shower caddies at the back..


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## Kezzab (20 Nov 2019)

That's a heavy day at the office. Looking good.


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## dw1305 (20 Nov 2019)

Hi all,





gltjc said:


> a slightly psychopathic breeding pair of jewel cichlids


Been there.

cheers Darrel


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## gltjc (20 Nov 2019)

I had two pairs of Hemichromis sp ‘Moanda’. I now have 2 pairs and 40 3/4” babies. This is supposedly one of the more peaceful jewels, but the parents protected a full 6-7 foot of tank length quite happily, they and the cloud of babies cruised around the tank leaving a foot or so of ‘fish soup’ at one end and a lot of fish cowering in the shallows at the other. 

It was amazing...

They didn’t actually kill much, luckily. I had a bunch of jumpers and they murdered all but one of my Microctenopoma, but all the tetras survived.


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## gltjc (14 Dec 2019)

Some action from some of my _Poropanchax_ _luxophthalmus_ today


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## gltjc (9 May 2020)

Current shape of the swamp monster. Regaining its swampiness after the rescape. 




 


Current stocklist:

About 20 _Hemichromis_ sp Moanda. 3 adults, 17 babies. This is the 5th group of babies. They are machines.
2 _Pelvicachromis subocellatus_ ‘Matadi’. They have also bred in the tank.
3 _Tetraodon schoutedeni_
_Phenacogrammus deheyni
Phenacogrammus aurantiacus
Phenacogrammus interrupus
Bathyaethiops breuseghemi
Plataplochilus sp. _Mayombe
_Poropanchax luxophthalmus
Microctenopoma ansorgii
Microsynodontis batesii
_
I think that is it...


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## PARAGUAY (13 May 2020)

Wow


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## hypnogogia (13 May 2020)

zozo said:


> Looks pretty wild...  Only thing that distrcacts me is that television above it..
> 
> How about a gaint poster like this?...
> 
> ...


 If you could get a join between poster and your fabulous tank to make it look like a continuation and cross section of the river, it would be fantastic!


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## JeffK (14 May 2020)

You've got some nice fish over there.  Plata's are great fish. Do they combine well with M. ansorgii?  

Are any of your fish shy at all? Westies are sometimes a weird bunch. They either stay out in the open all the time or hide away whenever someone gets close to the tank.


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## gltjc (16 May 2020)

PARAGUAY said:


> Wow



thank you!


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## gltjc (16 May 2020)

JK1991 said:


> You've got some nice fish over there.  Plata's are great fish. Do they combine well with M. ansorgii?
> 
> Are any of your fish shy at all? Westies are sometimes a weird bunch. They either stay out in the open all the time or hide away whenever someone gets close to the tank.



Thanks. I love _Plataplochilus_! One of my favourite fish! Beautiful and constantly active. I’ve not seen any problems with the ansorgii. The _ansorgii_ have big problems with the _Hemichromis_, who seems to recognise them as fry predators and are super aggressive when they see them. To be fair my 3 _ansorgii_ constantly have bulging tummies when there are baby jewels around, so it is not unjustified.

My fish aren’t particularly shy. The _Tetraodon_ like to be right at the front of the tank and actively like people! They get hand fed bloodworm, my sis, mussels, cockles and prawns...The _Bathyaethiops_, lampeyes, _Phenacogrammus deheyni_ and _interruptus_ are always out. The _P. aurantiacus _and _Hemichromis_ definitely a touch shyer but usually visible. The _Pelvicachromis_ are quite shy and the catfish seen once a month max!


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## Wookii (17 May 2020)

Amazing tank - I don't know how I managed to miss this journal! 

What filters etc are you running on the tank? Are all the filter outlets on thew right end, and all filter inlets on the left end? Even though its a massive length you still seem to be achieving good flow.


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## gltjc (17 May 2020)

Wookii said:


> Amazing tank - I don't know how I managed to miss this journal!
> 
> What filters etc are you running on the tank? Are all the filter outlets on thew right end, and all filter inlets on the left end? Even though its a massive length you still seem to be achieving good flow.



Thanks!

There are two JBL e1901 externals on the tank. The inlets are in the back corners and the outlets cross over and are further into the tank. I also have two maxxspect gyre pumps at each end of the tank. They run at about 50% and have masses of power...


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## JeffK (17 May 2020)

gltjc said:


> Thanks. I love _Plataplochilus_! One of my favourite fish! Beautiful and constantly active. I’ve not seen any problems with the ansorgii. The _ansorgii_ have big problems with the _Hemichromis_, who seems to recognise them as fry predators and are super aggressive when they see them. To be fair my 3 _ansorgii_ constantly have bulging tummies when there are baby jewels around, so it is not unjustified.
> 
> My fish aren’t particularly shy. The _Tetraodon_ like to be right at the front of the tank and actively like people! They get hand fed bloodworm, my sis, mussels, cockles and prawns...The _Bathyaethiops_, lampeyes, _Phenacogrammus deheyni_ and _interruptus_ are always out. The _P. aurantiacus _and _Hemichromis_ definitely a touch shyer but usually visible. The _Pelvicachromis_ are quite shy and the catfish seen once a month max!



Thanks. Might have a go with M. ansorgii and Plata's some time then. A friend of mine breeds them and loads of other lampeyes. Tanks are fully stocked for now, though, so it'll have to wait.

I would expect some of your other fish to be easily startled, but not Pelvicachromis. They are normally rather bold.

My fish here are quite the opposite. I have Congochromis, who behave in a similar manner (they breed as such too, they're like aquatic rabbits!) and are always around and about. P. aurantiacus and N. unitaeniatus are different though, they can be quite shy.

They're moving to another tank soon, maybe things will change then. I'm going to sell the Congochromis though, they quickly overpopulate the tank, even predators lurking around every corner.

Love your tank btw. I'd love to set up something like your first drawing, combining two microbiotopes in one tank.


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## Steve Buce (19 May 2020)

Great looking setup


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## gltjc (23 May 2020)

JK1991 said:


> Thanks. Might have a go with M. ansorgii and Plata's some time then. A friend of mine breeds them and loads of other lampeyes. Tanks are fully stocked for now, though, so it'll have to wait.
> 
> I would expect some of your other fish to be easily startled, but not Pelvicachromis. They are normally rather bold.
> 
> ...



Congochromis have never done really well for me, even before the Hemichromis were in the tank. always shy to the point that I wasn’t sure they were getting enough food...


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## gltjc (23 May 2020)

Steve Buce said:


> Great looking setup



Thanks!


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## gltjc (19 Jun 2020)

Hi,

just started a rescape to make more open space.

Meanwhile my _Anubias heterophylla_ have decided to flower..


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## gltjc (19 Jun 2020)

And here are some recent photos of some of my favourite fish in the tank:

I think a male /female pair of _Tetraodon_ _schoutedeni_. Very fat female behind..





one of my male  _Plataplochilus_ ‘Mayombe’


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## gltjc (21 Jun 2020)

Full tank shot. I’m in the process of taking out the biggest piece of work (under the left hand edge of the TV) and moving the wood on the far left over to the same place. This should leave much more swimming space in the tank and I think give a much stronger design.
Any thoughts welcome!


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## castle (26 Jun 2020)

gltjc said:


> And here are some recent photos of some of my favourite fish in the tank:
> 
> I think a male /female pair of _Tetraodon_ _schoutedeni_. Very fat female behind..
> 
> View attachment 150610



Lovely fish, they're hard to sex -  assuming they're fully matured (1 year) the male generally has a longer snout - colouration varies fish to fish. I think you're right on this one, but you won't know until they spawn. Did you get them both at the same time? What size were they when you got them?


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## gltjc (28 Jun 2020)

They were probably 3cm when I got them. Now probably 4cm. The main reason I think these two are a pair (I also have a 3rd) is that the slightly larger, greyer one has developed a very far abdomen, so I think she is gravid. Others have suggested that body shape, more contrasting colours and the shape of  the head are sex difference and these two show all of those differences.


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## Classicdriller (30 Jun 2020)

Just read from the start, watching this tank evolve how it looks in its current layout is my favourite


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## castle (19 Oct 2022)

This still running @gltjc?


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## congopuffer (29 Dec 2022)

Ive a similar biotype on a much smaller scale. lotus is new  but my pista grows like mad cutting too much light out...btw if your adding fish and want oddball Tetraodon shoutedeni are a must have Congo fish ( only agression i see is between my group)


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## gltjc (3 Jan 2023)

I was a bit surprised to log in today and see my very old swamp monster thread on the forum landing page! I spent a nice hour going back. Some very happy memories. 

The tank was stripped down back in April/May last year as I moved house in August. We are now in a rental property as we complete a refurb project and so I currently only have a little 14” cube with _Boraras_, a lot of black crystal shrimp and some Kuhli loaches. It at least provides for some daydreams of a future ‘Borneo  Swamp Monster’!! 

The big tank was not fun to move…


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## gltjc (3 Jan 2023)

I challenge anyone on here to read much of this and not start thinking about a Borneo paludarium: The rainforests of Borneo & Southeast Asia

My favourite thing on the web!


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