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Low Tech Sumatra Biotope
- Thread starter Ratvan
- Start date
Ratvan
Member
I am still making enquiries and have a few plans for my different tanks so we shall see what happens in the future...
Have a look on Band, there are quite a few wild betta breeders on there. Ive bought some from there in the past
Ratvan
Member
Thanks I am on the App and in a Few "Bands" already, plus the LFS that I am purchasing the larger tank from can also do a few small orders from Ruinemans (importer of wild Bettas and others) so I have my options once the tanks are sorted out. Plus slightly uncomfortable about ordering livestock in cooler conditions.
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If they can get from Riunemas you are very very lucky indeed. One of the best wholesalers in Europe.
Yeah i can understand not wanting to order in these temps
chickennublet
Member
Thank you, that is far too kind.
I am working on a biotope inspired tank at the moment for my Gastrodermus hastatus but am struggling to select appropriate plants and I don't really have the space for it at the moment i'm afraid. But I would really like a blackwater SE Asian themed tank for a wild Betta, that would be amazing.
Ratvan
Member
So got some lovely cuttings to add to the tank, but feel like I need to tweak the layout of this tank over this coming weekend
I am definitely keeping the wood within the tank (and have more that I have collected that can be added) however I seem to rapidly be running out of substrate space in the tank (not really surprising as its slightly smaller working area then 60cm x 30cm) so I think that I will be removing the Dragonstone from the tank this weekend.
I also have a couple of Gravid Rasbora, one of which is very full. She looks like a Balloon with fins. So I am hoping that the floating Hygrophila Difformis that is currently floating (from @Cazza) takes her interest
Also the growth rate of the Bucephalandra's are surprising me, I thought that they were slow growing. All 3 seem to be sending out 2-3 new leaves each week or 5 days
I am definitely keeping the wood within the tank (and have more that I have collected that can be added) however I seem to rapidly be running out of substrate space in the tank (not really surprising as its slightly smaller working area then 60cm x 30cm) so I think that I will be removing the Dragonstone from the tank this weekend.
I also have a couple of Gravid Rasbora, one of which is very full. She looks like a Balloon with fins. So I am hoping that the floating Hygrophila Difformis that is currently floating (from @Cazza) takes her interest
Also the growth rate of the Bucephalandra's are surprising me, I thought that they were slow growing. All 3 seem to be sending out 2-3 new leaves each week or 5 days
Cazza
Member
Looks great- hopefully she'll get laying soon!
Ratvan
Member
Decided that I needed to plant and replant a few more things and generally faff with the tank and was betrayed by the children!
Buces looking lovely
They threw away all my sticks 😞
Buces looking lovely
They threw away all my sticks 😞
Your Lagenandra Meeboldii is doing very well. I also only have low tech tanks and I might buy a Lagenandra Meeboldii. Or a Schismatoglottis prietoi. Or both. I'm still a little undecided. But the Lagenandra meeboldii looks fantastic in your tank.
Ratvan
Member
Schismatoglottis prietoi is one I would like to try also, some lovely photos about with it in its natural habitat. I do love the Meeboldii thinking it might make the cut in the big tank when it gets here...
Schismatoglottis prietoi grows fantastically in my lowtech tank, it's only in sand not soil, but it is a very dense healthy plant. It's much smaller than Lagenandra Meeboldii, worth trying both!
Ratvan
Member
The growth rate of the Hygrophila Difformis has surprised me somewhat, has practically doubled in size since planting in the substrate (28/12/2024) the Vallisneria however has more or less completely melted.
The fact that I also trimmed the floating plants roots 5 days ago as well things are ticking along nice, now we await the Fluval Roma's arrival.....
The fact that I also trimmed the floating plants roots 5 days ago as well things are ticking along nice, now we await the Fluval Roma's arrival.....
Vallisnerias are plants that I don't really understand either. At the moment they work best for me as epiphytes. That's no joke.
Hi all,
cheers Darrel
I can't grow it either. It is fine in our tap water (about 18 dGH, 18 dKH), but just <"dwindles away in the tanks"> (rain-water). Some people are fine with it in soft water, so it maybe the combination of low nutrients (or just low calcium (Ca) levels) and soft water it doesn't like.
cheers Darrel
Ratvan
Member
That was more or less the conclusion that I came too, as I have been using rain water for this tank and having a search around online seems that some others have had similar experiences
Ratvan
Member
Not really a great deal happening in this tank apart from slow and steady growth
I have some small maintenance and tidy up tasks to do in this tank, mainly attach the Java Fern to small pebbles and relocate this to the rear of the tank so that it forms a curtain similar to Vallisneria (which I have a single strand left of - rear right corner looking very melty). Also I forgot that I planted some Crypts in this tank so nice to see one or two of these still scattered about. Might look into getting a pot or two of the In Vitro Crypts and see if I can grow a few of these out in here. I find this much more enjoyable than adding fully grown specimens to the tanks
I also want to grade the sand to the pebbles and little more as well as slowly start to add more botanicals into the tank as the other half and children are now distracted by "their" Betta
The Gobies are much more active in this tank now and I see them making little "pits" around and under the rocks. They are also propagating the Susswassertang as they hunt little Daphia and Gammerus in here which I love watching. A friend of mine also has had an "explosion" of Shrimp in his tank so I might be adding some to this tank, but will see what ahppens there.
I have some small maintenance and tidy up tasks to do in this tank, mainly attach the Java Fern to small pebbles and relocate this to the rear of the tank so that it forms a curtain similar to Vallisneria (which I have a single strand left of - rear right corner looking very melty). Also I forgot that I planted some Crypts in this tank so nice to see one or two of these still scattered about. Might look into getting a pot or two of the In Vitro Crypts and see if I can grow a few of these out in here. I find this much more enjoyable than adding fully grown specimens to the tanks
I also want to grade the sand to the pebbles and little more as well as slowly start to add more botanicals into the tank as the other half and children are now distracted by "their" Betta
The Gobies are much more active in this tank now and I see them making little "pits" around and under the rocks. They are also propagating the Susswassertang as they hunt little Daphia and Gammerus in here which I love watching. A friend of mine also has had an "explosion" of Shrimp in his tank so I might be adding some to this tank, but will see what ahppens there.
chickennublet
Member
Oh, what happened to that huge Lagenandra? Some of the plants in here got moved to the bigger tank?
Ratvan
Member
Yes more or less everything in here apart from the smaller Java Ferns, Buce's and whatever was left in the sand moved over to the Roma
The Lagenandra is now 4 plants in the Roma.
chickennublet
Member
Since the rasboras got moved to the other tank do you have any plans to keep something else in here or will it just be the gobies?
Looking forward to seeing this tank grow in again.
Looking forward to seeing this tank grow in again.
