biotope-ish

[rasmusW]

Hi everyone!

Here's my take on a biotope-ish setup. I recently moved things around so the plants are resettling.

Tank size: 110 liters

Sponge filter and LED light setup, set to a fairly low intensity.

I got redmoore roots and beech branches, different type of seedpods, coconut shells coconut fibers and leafs.

Water parameters: not sure really, but my A. baenschi bred a couple of times in this tank. Our tapwater is quite alcaline. -So i use rainwater as much as possible.

Plants: Echinodorus ... (can't remember the full name), Hydrocotyle leucocephala, frogbit and horntail (don't know the latin name on that one).
Fish: 5 Nannostromus Marginatus, Ancistrus Sp., 2 x Apistogramma Baenschi males (which i'd like to sell, to make room for some other fish).
Next friday i'm going to pick up 8 Copella nigrofasciata.

I'd like to try keeping Apistogramma atahualpa in this tank, though i am a bit hesitant after reading about the aggression issues.

uhh! last few things.. i'm going for a "somewhere in Peru" tank and then i have learned that i probally should mention it is not a breeding tank, though any fry are more than welcome...

ps. -sorry for the bad quality pictures. Next time i'll try do better ones.

-r

 

[ButtNekkid]

Welcome to the best apisto related forum on the internets!
That´s a really beautiful tank!

 

[rasmusW]

thanks a lot, glad you like it.
ye! i really hope to pick your brains... heheh

-r

 

[Dean Castle]

Lovely tank. Given me some inspiration!

 

[rasmusW]

thanks a lot dean.
here's a few shot of the new inhabitants..
it looks like they are adapting nicely to their new home.

and here's one more shot of the tank... i need to figure out a better lighting scenario, so i can get better pics.

-r

 

[Dean Castle]

Nice fish. Forgive my ignorance, but what are they?

 

[rasmusW]

No sweat! I’m rather new to these fellas too. It’s copella callolepis.

-r

 

[rasmusW]

here's a little update. i redecorated the tank a bit (i was trying to catch the 2 a. baenschi males that had resident there, so i was forced to take out some of the decor.. )
my a. baenschi couple from the smaller tank, somehow lost their latest batch of fry (-i suspect they wasn't satisfied with the food i gave them), has now moved back into this tank and is already looking at the new coconut caves..

i have added 5 more splash tetras.
in the fish store they where labeled calopella calolepis, but they don't really look like the last batch i got. it might be color variation as these are from brazil and the others are from peru, but i'm not sure. -can anyone help me?

top pictures is the new fish.

second picture the "old" ones.

and here's a few pictures of the tweaked setup.

-so i guess now that i have introduced a brazilian fish, my "peru themed" tank is out... -but i still like it

-r

 

[Dean Castle]

Looks fantastic. Keep up the good work!

 

[Tom C]

...
i have added 5 more splash tetras.
in the fish store they where labeled calopella calolepis, but they don't really look like the last batch i got. it might be color variation as these are from brazil and the others are from peru, but i'm not sure. -can anyone help me?

Your new Copella were Copella callolepis until August 2017, when Marinho & Menezes redescribed them and gave them the name they had before 2011: Copella nattereri. They are found in Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela, probably also in very eastern parts of Peru.

 

[rasmusW]

thanks a lot dean. always good to hear.

once again, thanks a lot tom... -those names.
well, now i just hope they can live together. otherwise i'll add them to the other tank.

funny enough it seems like the new "alpha" male if you will, of the c. nattereri is guarding the same leaf that the big male callolepis did when i got them.

my a. baenschi female got in her fancy brood dress today.. hopes are up.

-r

 

[rasmusW]

hey all!

just thought i'd show a little tank update. i took the lid off and my three swords just went crazy, they are around 50 cm tall and way out of the tank. the limnobium laevigatum i have in there also seemed to really like the extra air (or maybe it's the morning sun light from the window).
sadly, none of the fish procreation, seems to pay off. so i guess it's on my end, to get them succed. i have started to buy a little ro water, since we haven't had any rain for quite some time.

the copella natternri still "use" their leaf, but i'm not sure if the small snails i got in there eats eggs or if it even is eggs i see. do any of you know this?

lastly but not least i have bought two "auqael leddy smart plant 6" lights, instead of the other led light i had. i was a bit unsure if it was enough light, but so far it seems to go just fine.
i also added some hanging flowerpots, to make it up for the riparium feel.

well! enough babbling... here's the pictures.

-r