giant tank for killis

[Gary Nelson]

Really nice fish you have and great photos too - Nice to see all the lamp eyes in the background

 

[Ian Holdich]

Wow!
this is amazing, and that shot of the tank in the room gives it the wow factor! Really well done mate!

 

[Iain Sutherland]

You can rant like that all you want andre, the tank is lovely and the killi's really are something with the M. ansorgiis adding some beautiful variation. A inspiring journal also (makes me realise my fish knowledge is pathetic!), its great to see beautiful planted tanks that arent just relatively short lived display/comp tanks, safe to say you and Sanj have a niche of your own (just for now i hope ) and the forum is all the luckier for it.
This would make another great PFK feature tank... 😎
I WILL make the trip down to see this in the flesh one day!!

 

[Little-AL]

Loved reading and catching up on this thread - your detailed posts are a treat to read tbh fella!

I've been planning to set up a smallish tank for a single male fighter recently but I think you have inspired me to research a suitable pair of Killis now!

 

[Lindy]

I love this tank, especially the choice of fish. I've just got some lampeyes and love them. If I get a bigger tank I'll get some more killie fish as our tap water is perfect for them. I could replay your video again and again....

 

[killi69]

Really nice fish you have and great photos too - Nice to see all the lamp eyes in the background

Thanks Gary. As I mentioned I have had casualties with the lampeyes with a number of CO2 accidents I have had over the last few months. They seem very sensitive to high levels of CO2. A couple of times I lost a few when I had turned up the gas too high and more recently when I cleaned the atomiser and did not think that a cleaner device would deliver more CO2. These accidents were made worse by the fact that some lampeyes, which are normally too fast for the Fundulopanchax, did fall victim to their aggression when intoxicated by the CO2.

Wow! this is amazing, and that shot of the tank in the room gives it the wow factor! Really well done mate!

Cheers Ian for the feedback

You can rant like that all you want andre, the tank is lovely and the killi's really are something with the M. ansorgiis adding some beautiful variation. A inspiring journal also (makes me realise my fish knowledge is pathetic!), its great to see beautiful planted tanks that arent just relatively short lived display/comp tanks, safe to say you and Sanj have a niche of your own (just for now i hope ) and the forum is all the luckier for it. This would make another great PFK feature tank... I WILL make the trip down to see this in the flesh one day!!

Iain, thanks so much for this feedback, am really encouraged by it! Well, as I said to you before, you are always welcome and it would be really cool to get some live feedback from a ukaps member.

Loved reading and catching up on this thread - your detailed posts are a treat to read tbh fella! I've been planning to set up a smallish tank for a single male fighter recently but I think you have inspired me to research a suitable pair of Killis now!

Brilliant! One of the reasons of me deciding to keep this journal was to encourage people to consider keeping killis. Killis are really suited to small tanks, are beautiful and unusual and IMO display much more interesting behavior than many others. I am no expert but am willing to give feedback if you have any species in mind, just PM me or leave post on this thread. Also, the British Killifish Association auctions are very good sources of fish and access to breeders who are very happy to share tips and knowledge. Tim Addis's website is also quite useful; killifish from west africa.

​

 

[killi69]

I love this tank, especially the choice of fish. I've just got some lampeyes and love them. If I get a bigger tank I'll get some more killie fish as our tap water is perfect for them. I could replay your video again and again....

Cheers idc! Do share your experiences and pictures when you get more. I must try and post another video soon. I normally struggle to find time to keep up with tank maintenance and live foods for my breeding projects etc, let alone keeping the journal up to date. Xmas holidays are a blessing lol.

 

[Iain Sutherland]

it would be really cool to get some live feedback from a ukaps member.

​

you might regret saying that!! lot of members in london... lol
And im not sure with a little dribble on my chin counts as feedback.

Happy new year!

 

[killi69]

You might regret saying that!! Lot of members in london... lol. And im not sure with a little dribble on my chin counts as feedback. Happy new year!

Hehe! Well I would be more than happy for ukaps people to come by and pick their brains. I do not really know any aquatic plant enthusiasts so it would be great to get feedback and advice in person... so let me know when you are around the area Iain!

 

[Ady34]

Awesome write up and very informative.
This journal is a belter

 

[alanyusupov]

Hi Nathaniel. Time for a quick update before heading off for our Xmas dinner.

Plants growing ok. Slow overall but then most of the plants are ferns. I had to move some of the Aponogetons away from the centre as they were growing too much into the gap in between the two islands. Here is picture taken just before I moved them;


Here are some current pics of tank;






Here you go Ady


I am having some trouble with hair algae growing in the higher regions of the tank especially;


I have reduced the lighting period to six hours a day. Tried increasing CO2 further but unfortunately that led to some casualties among my lampeyes, so I am running at maximum levels possible. Also the hair grass carpet is still very thin. I bought a new filter, replacing the Eheim Pro2 with its 1140 l/hr rated output with an Eheim 2076, rated at 1650 l/hr. This is running alongside the more powerful 2180. I notice the plants at the bottom swaying more in the flow now, so i hope I am going to see an improvement in the carpet soon.

I have started double dosing EI ferts as the plant mass is very high. Not sure if it was needed or not?

I noticed an interesting plant(?) growing in between some ferns and wood at the back of the tank, about one third from the surface. At first it looked like a clump of algea but I think its actually a plant. I moved a little towards the front to take a picture.



It does not seem invasive. Does anyone know what it is??



Thanks Sanj, I will post some more pics over next few days.

Thanks for reading,
Andre

Hi Nathaniel. Time for a quick update before heading off for our Xmas dinner.

Plants growing ok. Slow overall but then most of the plants are ferns. I had to move some of the Aponogetons away from the centre as they were growing too much into the gap in between the two islands. Here is picture taken just before I moved them;


Here are some current pics of tank;






Here you go Ady


I am having some trouble with hair algae growing in the higher regions of the tank especially;


I have reduced the lighting period to six hours a day. Tried increasing CO2 further but unfortunately that led to some casualties among my lampeyes, so I am running at maximum levels possible. Also the hair grass carpet is still very thin. I bought a new filter, replacing the Eheim Pro2 with its 1140 l/hr rated output with an Eheim 2076, rated at 1650 l/hr. This is running alongside the more powerful 2180. I notice the plants at the bottom swaying more in the flow now, so i hope I am going to see an improvement in the carpet soon.

I have started double dosing EI ferts as the plant mass is very high. Not sure if it was needed or not?

I noticed an interesting plant(?) growing in between some ferns and wood at the back of the tank, about one third from the surface. At first it looked like a clump of algea but I think its actually a plant. I moved a little towards the front to take a picture.



It does not seem invasive. Does anyone know what it is??



Thanks Sanj, I will post some more pics over next few days.

Thanks for reading,
Andre

Hi Andre
Plants looks like this

 

[killi69]

Awesome write up and very informative. This journal is a belter

Thanks Ady!🙂 🙂 🙂

 

[killi69]

Hi Andre Plants looks like this

Wow, you have got this as well. Does this mean I now have a 'super rare plant' in my tank? 25 quid anyone??
I have posted a thread in the 'Plants' section to see if anyone can help identify what this is. Happy New Year Alan, hope you are well.

 

[Lindy]

Hi, was just wondering how much water flow lampeyes like as mine seem no different with the filter on max as they do with it 1/2 power?It is pretty strong and has a full length spray bar. Obviously I'd rather have it on full(ish) but not sure what they prefer. They aren't going to the spot where I know there is reduced flow so don't seem to need to have a rest. I would be grateful for your knowledge!

 

[killi69]

Hi Lindy. As far as I know, they like some flow but not 'too much'. I too imagine that if your fish were unhappy, they would hang out in calmer parts of the tank. As long as they are not hiding from the flow or getting blown around the tank, they should be fine, I think.

 

[Lindy]

Thanks Killi69. Came down this morn to fish hiding or hanging around surface so dropped filter flow and did 7ltr W/C just to cover all bases. Temp had dropped to below 23 overnight so have raised heater temp too. They are shoaling again.

 

[killi69]

A while a ago, I wrote about how my fish suddenly turned on my Amano shrimp. Over a one week period, I noticed dead shrimp in my tank most days and could not understand why. Then, one Saturday morning, I witnessed two shrimp getting attacked at the same time and took this footage.

Shrimp lovers may not enjoy watching this but I am still posting the video as I find it interesting that the fish could co-exist with the Amanos for months and then suddenly - and collectively - turn on them and eradicate them within days.

Also notice how in the final seconds of the video, the Microctenopoma ansorgii in the centre of the screen changes his body colouration.

 

[BigTom]

I've seen a similar sort of thing in my tank with the Sawbwa replendens and Caradina simoni simoni.... they had no interest in the shrimp at all until I added some peacock gobies, which often have a go at catching shrimp. They're not very quick so the shrimp usually escape by backflipping across the tank, but this flight behaviour triggers something in the Sawbwa, which then hunt down and eat that individual shrimp.

 

[killi69]

Went back home for Xmas and came across a LFS with an entire wall dedicated to West African species;

Among their collection on sale I found Sicydium sp, a goby like fish from Cameroon.

This is a real rarity and of real interest to me as so far, standard algae eating fish, such as ottos and the like, had been out of reach because my tank is for Cameroon species only. This is the first time I have seen algae eaters from Cameroon in a LFS.

The owner also introduced me to an unknown (to him anyway) species of Microctenopoma, a single specimen that had arrived among a shipment of M. ansorgii from Cameroon.

So I bought six Sicydiums and the mystery Microctenopoma fish.



It took a while for the kills to get used to the Sicydiums but after they stopped getting chased around the tank, they got on with munching on two weeks’ worth of algae on the front window.





They are so CUTE!!! Shame they stay hidden most of the time. Just check out this little fella and see his expressions change (camera shy??);


The anonymous Microctenopoma coloured up nicely and despite its small size is not too shy among the lively killis.



15 sec video;


One more new arrival; a pair of Fundulopanchax fallax

Hard to capture the male in his full glory but he is a beautiful fish.





On the plant front, I have implemented advice obtained on this thread at the start of my holidays and have reduced lighting to 5.5 hours and ferts back to standard EI dosage. Am also doing water changes twice a week now to try and reduce the ‘hair algae’ I have in some places – visible in the second video above.

Current pic;


Gained some very interesting feedback about the mystery algae/plant which appeared in my tank (see post on previous page).

I posted a thread on the ‘plants’ section, as well as on a Dutch form, and the ‘plant’ has been identified as Caloglossa – a form of red algae that a couple of Dutch and Polish enthusiasts have put to good use in their showtanks. See pic I came across on a Polish site;

I moved a clump of the Caloglossa towards the front (the original clump sits on the other side of the fern, out of view towards the back) and wedged it underneath the bolbitis.

I have noticed that since reducing the lighting and EI ferts regime, it is not looking too happy and its 'leaves' (do algae have leaves??) seem to be shrinking. I think I read on some of the Polish/Dutch forums that the people who grew it had quite a bit of light above their tanks, so tomorrow I will move it out from under the shade of the plants to see if this will make any difference.

 

[Iain Sutherland]

Those Gobies are awesome! Are they eating the hair algae also? Youve got such a nice selection of fish now andre.