• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Tom's Poco Pozo

Seems they enjoy having babies even more than making them



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Alexander Belchenko said:
I wonder, how many fish species and fish count you have in your tank? Approx estimate?
Click to expand...

Ermmmm.... off the top of my head

Guianacara stergiosi - 6 (2 adults, 4 subadult offspring)
Apistogramma hoignei - 6 plus some juveniles
Dicrossus filamentosus - 2
Chilodus punctatus - 6
Iguanodectes spilurus - 7
Iguanodectes adujai - 5
Iguanodectes geisleri - 6
Paracheirodon simulans - 50
Nannostomus marginatus - 30
Nannostomus anduzei - 6
Nannostomus eques - 12
Otocinclus sp. - not sure, 5-10?
Farlowella sp. - 4 plus increasing numbers of juveniles
Loricaria sp. 'Rio Atabapo' - 1

Unfortunately I managed to lose a few Loricaria 'Rio Atabapo', N. anduzei and some otos earlier in the year - I don't know exactly why, but I greatly neglected the tank for several months when finishing off my PhD corrections and when I took stock afterwards there were some losses. Probably high organics as a result of very little water changes coupled with low oxygen as filter flow had almost stopped. Now everything is much healthier 🙂

I also lost a few I. spilurus, N. eques and C. punctatus to jumping in the early days before having the corner covers cut. This was when the adult Guianacara were protecting their babies, and whilst they didn't outright harm any of the other fish I think they would startle them into jumping sometimes.

Every species in this tank except otos has been new to me, so I have made a few mistakes. Lots of breeding going on now though 🙂
 
Here's me thinking that your indoor pond is about as wild as it can get, then you respond to a stocking question with "Ermmmm.... off the top of my head". Bravo

I love the idea of a biotope setup but aiming to create a unique ecosystem that can support itself with the least intervention is on another level.
 
Some better photos of the I. adujai -

em500819_by_hairytoes-d991zuh.jpg

em500837_by_hairytoes-d991zuo.jpg

And I. geisleri -

em500919_by_hairytoes-d991zus.jpg

And today one of the baby Apistos broke cover for the first time - I wonder how many made it?

em500778_by_hairytoes-d991zuc.jpg

Getting overrun with baby twigs! Batches 4 and 5 have all hatched now and the male is taking a break - he's lost a lot of condition after 2 solid months egg guarding, hope he bounces back OK.

em500928_by_hairytoes-d991zv5.jpg
 
Last edited:
Igs'n'twigs

Super cool! Natural breeding tank for so many varieties speaks volumes about the quality of your tank Tom :clap:
 
BigTom said:
Does anyone else have to set up a drip to keep their Farlowella eggs wet during a water change?!

9e5ef13c8dc87e14f3d5488815cccb83.jpg

Posting from my mobile, please excuse brevity!
Click to expand...
Yep...of course, every water change I've ever done...doesn't everyone?😛
Good luck, hope they hatch and at least some make it to adulthood.
 
During a weeks holiday to Cornwall I arranged a sneaky visit to meet Tom and see the Poco Pozo. What can I say..........?

I went to visit Tom at work at Maidenhead Aquatics Carnon Downs just to put a face to the name and it wouldn't be right to not visit a fish shop at least once in a weeks holiday now would? Brilliant shop. Puts my locals to shame. All tanks have rocks and plants to provide cover for the inmates. Result? Really healthy fish and a great selection too. I've NEVER seen iguanodectes in any shop yet alone the range of apistogramma. Sweet.

Warmly welcomed at Toms place and a decent cuppa 😀. The tank? Epic! Tom was pointing out things to do and change but all I could think was 'I wish my tanks looked like that after I changed them' 😱

A 4ft tank is nice. Maybe even considered big by some. But having it front to back as well?!?! That with the natural planting obviously put the inhabitants at ease, dipping in and out of the planted areas or playing near the front glass. All displaying really natural behaviour and colouring that come when they are totally at ease. Seeing the male twig on the front glass with his 5th set of eggs was really beautiful. The head standers bobbing along, nose to the deck. The emergent growth was inspiring. So much so that I bought an umbrella plant from Hardy's tropicals the next day :cigar: The Kessils hanging from branches has convinced me to forgo the gooseneck and hang my light directly above. The really fun thing is that by Toms own admission, he's done all of this on a meagre budget and just found solutions rather than racking up the credit card for shiny branded toy :greedy:. 100kg of mixed sand from the builders yard anyone?

Meeting Tom and seeing the Pozo in the aqua was brilliant. Probably the highlight of the holiday (don't tell the Mrs) tying with the photography opportunities of Cornwalls landscape :snaphappy:

thanks to Tom for letting me visit.

Ps Tom is even nicer in person than he is on UKAPS :clap:
 
Last edited:
Hi Tom. After I had just dislocated my jaw watching you're bucket O' mud, and replaced it again, I unfortunately stumbled across this poco pozo. Man! What. a. great. thread!
I must say, you are really inspiring me with your tanks. Just great!

Good luck and i'll definitily subscribe to this thread.
 
AquaMartin said:
Hi Tom. After I had just dislocated my jaw watching you're bucket O' mud, and replaced it again, I unfortunately stumbled across this poco pozo. Man! What. a. great. thread!
I must say, you are really inspiring me with your tanks. Just great!

Good luck and i'll definitily subscribe to this thread.
Click to expand...

Haha, thanks very much Martin, always nice to know that people enjoy the journals.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top