Hi from Holland

[Ags11]

I am setting up a new 30*30*35 cm cube after a decade and a half away from the hobby.

I have hardscaped with 3-6 cm of Amazonia soil mixed with a bit of sharp black rock flakes (that I regret adding - not good for any animals). The flakes are mostly buried in the soil now. There is a small piece of spiderwood dead center in which I am growing weeping moss. Behind the spiderwood is a bubbler driving a small sponge filter.

I am trying to grow a carpet of Eleocharis acicularis 'Mini' and Helanthium tenellum 'Green' but it is going very slowly. I have a bright light but the floating Salvinia auriculata and Phyllanthus fluitans catch most of the rays and nutrients with their exponential growth.

As a background plant I am trying to grow Alternanthera Reineckii Mini to it's unpruned height of 20 cm.

It is still cycling so the only animals I have in there are substrate worms. I am thinking of getting a Nerite snail and some CPD. And maybe also a Dario.

At the moment I am dosing the tank with ¼ ml EasyCarbo daily.

 

[Melll]

Hi and welcome

 

[Tim Harrison]

Welcome

the only animals I have in there are substrate worms

I'm curious, what are substrate worms?

 

[Ags11]

I think the proper name is detritus worms, but I think that term is perjorative

I don't mind them, annelids are an important component of healthy soil. But I do wonder if i can feed them to a Dario by setting up a trap: a half pea draws in the worms and the Dario feasts on the worms?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I don't mind them, annelids are an important component of healthy soil.

I have <"them in my tanks">, it depends a little bit on the fish you have, but they are quite resilient. I've <"introduced Lumbriculus"> as well, but they don't persist in tanks with Corydoras, Apistogramma etc.

But I do wonder if i can feed them to a Dario by setting up a trap: a half pea draws in the worms and the Dario feasts on the worms?

That would work, my guess is that the Dario will actually hunt them fairly successfully from the substrate.

Can you get both sexes of Dario dario in the Netherlands? I've looked at a lot of them (and D. hysginon) in the UK, but I've <"not yet seen a female">.

cheers Darrel

 

[Wolf6]

Welcome fellow Dutchy looking forward to seeing pics of the tank! I personally have a huge dislike for nerites, as they will leave eggs everywhere which are hard to remove, but if you dont mind that, good luck

 

[Ags11]

Not sure about the Nerite either - I have heard about the eggs and my family just think "yuk, snails". We did think about a couple of Amano shrimps (it's a small tank, we don't want reproduction) but the thought of them getting out and running about alarms me! Maybe just fish...

@dw1305 Not sure about getting female Dario here in Holland and haven't really looked, we only thought of getting a solitary male.

 

[Wolf6]

There are other types of snails that dont deposit egg packages all over, but I'm sure other people here know more about those

 

[Ags11]

The other fish I have been thinking about is the clown killifish. It might be pretty cool to have clowns in the top layer, the CPD in the middle and a Dario hunting around the bottom. Don't want to overstock though.

@Wolf6 I think all the other snails leave baby snails all over!

 

[sparkyweasel]

Welcome!

 

[Ags11]

Here is the tank, all the plants are in vitro so still a bit small. There are some signs of black algae so I am reducing light hours and adding Tropical Premium Nutrition to help the plants compete.

 

[Ags11]

Better picture...