Amazon Biotope

[rdfs87]

Hi Guys,

So, I just bought a new tank, trying making a somewhat decent Amazon Biotope.
I have attached some pictures, that i would be very happy, for you guys to look at.

Any criticism is welcome - as I said, i am new to this!

I searched the entire internet, to find some european retailers selling decent Manzanita branches, but without look.
If i finally found on, they wouldnt ship to Denmark :-(

The redmoor roots, are more expensive then gold, so i went with some plane old "roots"!
I then added some Corylus Avellana, since we have a very large tree/bush in our garden. Hopefully, they should make out for the "rooty" look!

To be honest, i am thinking about removing the driftwood, and just put some oak leaves at the bottom.

What do you guys think?

 

[Jonm]

I think the root / oak leaves look would be nice looking. I would remove the drift wood if it was mine

 

[DwarfApisto]

Looks good with the driftwood too!! maybe a little sand then the leaves,if it were mine. Just my opinion.

 

[rdfs87]

Thanks for the replies.

Yeah, i cant decide wether i would be with or without the driftwood... The picture doesnt do its justice!
Guess I will decide when i have added the sand!

I bought some white sand (o.2-1 mm), and planning on adding the oak leafs, or maybe ketapang leaves...

Regarding plants.
I was thinking about adding a few H. Leucocephala, mainly in the middle, and slightly to each side, plus a few anubias on the roots (if i keep them.) Finally some plants for the surface, but i cant decide what to choose :-/

 

[Mike Wise]

Anubias aren't Neotropical, but African. If you want a true Amazon biotope, then check some of TomC's articles that show what it really looks like: http://apisto.sites.no/.

 

[Kruz]

I like the root man. the driftwood looks kool. IMO I thank it would look better with out it. Once you add the oak leaves and sand its going to look good.

 

[rdfs87]

Mike: I know it isnt.. But i have a sh*tload of them in my planted tank, and thought it would a nice addition!

Kruz: I think ill remove the driftwood, and place some more Corylus Avellana, and hopefully make it look a bit more compact!

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=134097

I like this one a lot!

 

[rdfs87]

Another picture added!
I decided to try and go without the drift.. I might add a single piece or two, in the background.
I was walking the forest today, and found some oak leafs. Just need to boil them now!

If you pay attention to the left/right corners on the stand, you will see that i am missing around 6 mm on the surface, for supporting the full bottom of the tank.

Is this gonna be a problem? Or should I play safe, and make something, to support the whole bottom?

 

[Mike Wise]

If your table is stable and can handle the weight of the tank with water, then I would not worry about the overhang. I had a 30 gallon long (90x30x40cm) tank that overlapped the 20 gallon high stand by 15cm on each side (for many years). I did have a 90x30x1.2cm board between them. I have some smaller tanks right now that overlap on the front about 8cm. They have been this way for 25 years!

 

[Tom C]

........http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=134097
I like this one a lot!

I have a few of objections to the tank you like and linked too.

- Apistogramma trifasciata have never been found in blackwater. They prefer clear- and white water, usually not as soft or acid as blackwater.

- A tank for Apistogramma needs hiding places and structures which breake the lines of sight.
(Even if you put only one fish of each sex in the tank, there might more often than not be some aggression from either of the fish, especially before they have "figured it out")

- Never combine Corydoras with Apistogramma. They don't live close together in the nature.
Apistogramma are territorial fish, especially when they breed. Corydoras won't understand anything of the "territorial communication" like "Don't get closer or I will attack you".
The Corydoras will approach the Apistogramma's territory again and again. As the dwarf cichlid will have difficulties finding vulnerable places on the (armed) body of the catfish, they will sooner or later find out that the eyes are the most effective place to attack to make them leave the place. You'll quite often end up with Corydoras with one or no eyes at all.
Besides; Corydoras will often eat any small fry they'll find ....
(Yes I know: there are people who have had this combination for years, without any problems. I also know many people who wouldn't listen, but who, after seeing what happened, would never repeat the experiment)

Blackwater habitat of Apistogramma atahualpa:

Good luck!

 

[rdfs87]

Mike Wise:
Yeah, i will buy a board today, fitting the bottom of the aquarium! Just to be sure.
30G is a lot of water, when you live on 3 floor

Tom: Thanks a lot for the explanation!
I was only referring to the hardscape of that aquarium, and i am aware of mixing cory's and apisto's is/can be a bad thing.
But, what do you think about mixing Mikrogeophagus Ramirezi and Cory's? Is that the same story?

About the hiding places.. I might add some 7 cm cornered PVC tubes, in each corner of the tank.. They cannot be seen from the outside. I would like to avoid the driftwood, but if that isnt possible (with thoughts on the hiding places), i see no other solution.

 

[rdfs87]

Mike Wise:
Yeah, i will buy a board today, fitting the bottom of the aquarium! Just to be sure.
30G is a lot of water, when you live on 3 floor

Tom: Thanks a lot for the explanation!
I was only referring to the hardscape of that aquarium, and i am aware of mixing cory's and apisto's is/can be a bad thing.
But, what do you think about mixing Mikrogeophagus Ramirezi and Cory's? Is that the same story?

About the hiding places.. I might add some 7 cm cornered PVC tubes, in each corner of the tank.. They cannot be seen from the outside. I would like to avoid the driftwood, but if that isnt possible (with thoughts on the hiding places), i see no other solution.

Forget about the Mikrogeophagus Ramirezi!
I want to keep it as strictly as possible to the Blackwater Amazon Biotope.

What sp. of the Apisto's would you recommend? I have a hard time deciding myself!

 

[Mike Wise]

With over 300 different apisto species/forms, I too have problems deciding.

 

[rdfs87]

That's what I mean... I can see myself asking my LFS, "which of these 300 species, can you order"... :-/
Im both happy and sad for the info I got about not mixing Cory's and Apisto's, since I now have to rethink the fauna for the tank!

 

[Mike Wise]

I can see myself asking my LFS, "which of these 300 species, can you order"... :-/

Actually this is probably a good idea if buying from a LFS. This will probably whittle down the number to only a very few species.

 

[rdfs87]

Problem is (or at least in Denmark, dont know about your LFS), you cant just order lets say a trio of apisto's, since they have to buy a whole bunch. And if they dont think they are gonna sell the rest, well, they are not gonna order the fish.
So, the only way is to just choose what they have OR, find a breeder somewhere... Its a PITA!

 

[Mike Wise]

The same here in the US, but many fewer apistos offered. Most of us here have to mail order. We don't get to pick specimens, another PITA.

 

[rdfs87]

Ive been sceptic about the mailorder-thing.. How do you make sure the fish isnt dead when arriving? Water temp, food, etc etc etc...
I like the thought about just ordering from somewhere, but yeah! You have to tell me how it works!

 

[Mike Wise]

Most reputable mail order retailers offer some kind of 'live arrival' guarrentee. Since you won't normally buy 100 specimens, shipping costs for a pair can be expensive. Most of these retailers will give you information if you ask. If not, then buy elsewhere.

 

[wethumbs]

It is always better to buy the fish from LFS instead of mail order. The main advantage is picking the sexes. You can never trust anyone selling fish at 1" size and offering pair. With apisto., some have a tendency to produce brood with very skewed sex ratios. They have no problem selling two of the same sex as pair to you.

I once spent over an hour in front of a tank full of 3/4" A. diplotaenia picking out 8 fish. Needless to say, it was not a pleasant way to spend an hour. I ended up with 4 pairs once they got older. If it was mail order, I would be at the mercy of the seller to 'do the right thing'.