Sourcing for ideas on tank setup

[BT]

Hi all, I juz got a pair of checkboard from Gan yesterday, but I have not yet setup a proper tank for them. I have been thinking about what kind of setup to do but have not made up my mind yet. If you are keeping checkerboards now or have ideas on what kind of environment they like, I'll appreciate if you can share the ideas with me.

Cheers.

[Simon]

SA (south american) dwarf cichlid, lived in blackwater condition, ard PH 6.8.. do well in community tank, as well as apisto since they come from the same place.. only aggressive towards their own kind.. a biotope will be with lotsa driftwood (hiding places), slow growing plants (less maintenance)

[benetay]

Moss, javafern, echino family plants,wood,stone and cryptos are the source you can play around with.

[sherchoo]

Bryan,
Going into SA dwarves I see. How big is your tank anyway?

What Ben and Simon mentioned pretty much covers what you'll need. May I know how big is the checkerboard you got from Gan.

[BT]

I am going to house the checkerboard pair in a 2ft tank, all by themselves. I am hesitant abt setting up a planted tank as the maintenance work afterwards will be considerable. I am leaning towards driftwood and rocks combination, with some plastic plants, but have not finish conceptualizing yet.
BTW, I have not measured the pair yet but a rough estimation will be 4-5cm from head-to-tail.

Cheers.

[Simon]

BT, hear it from us, they defintely do better in a planted tank setup.. go with low maintenance plants.. really no hassle

[BT]

Hi guys, have taken the advice and setup a very simple driftwood cum planted tank. Comments for improvement are very much welcome.



Cheers.

[Simon]

bryan, use echinodorus species, less maintenance

[BT]

Hi, added more plants, hope the pair will find it more "homely"..



Cheers.

[BT]

Also, juz to show the pics of the pair...
Male Checkerboard


Female Checkboard


Cheers.

[benetay]

i thought i saw a gibbicep....[]

[BT]

what's a gibbicep??

[budak]

BT
the new plants you added on the sides look like Draceana sanderiana, which is not an aquatic plant, although many LFS sell it. Check by taking it out of the water, if it is standing up stiffly, it's Draceana. It will rot and eventually die, polutting the water. Best to rmove it.

IF you want low maintenance, just get crypts, anubias or echinodorus plants.

[BT]

sianz man, gotta change my plants?????

[stormhawk]

BT, that's not a female checkerboard in the photograph. i think u got a wrong pair. the male is a male though. [:0]

[BT]

wat???? hand-picked by Gan himself noe......gotta go back & 'speak' to him.
anyway, the female suddenly passed away last night(sob, sob), dunno why. the male is still very active though.

Cheers.

[Simon]

this is a A. gibbiceps, unless u referring to the checkerboard on the right side

[sherchoo]

Confirm it's a A. gibbicep the one in the middle. From what you said, the 2 footer only has the checkerbord only right? If you free you go down and have a chat with Mr. Gan.

[BT]

sigh, sometimes har this Gan......
anyway, nothing much more to talk abt, the apisto already passed away.

BTW, how to select a female checkerboard? in Gan's tanks, they all looked like males to me. Also, wat is the scientific name for checkerboards?

No cheers alredi...

[Simon]

which tank u got them from? sexing a female checkerboard which a virgin is 75% more difficult, only till she spawn for the first thing will she have reddish ventral fins, the other observation will be females r much smaller, but its a 50-50 chance since there will be competition of food, therefore no 100%