Je®vis 4FT PLANTED TANK

**Shadow** · 16th Aug 2008, 19:46

its a planted sump tank

**route** · 17th Aug 2008, 00:02

first time seeing such a nice sump tank

**StanChung** · 17th Aug 2008, 02:50

Originally Posted by Jervis

Here's something sad to report... because of my carelessness and stupidity... 2 Altums ended up on my filter floss

I didn't modify my overflow comb... apparently the gaps are wide enough

Hi Jervis, those were probably too weak to swim away, I feel a bit of pain too. I myself have some success at the one month mark at the moment.

BTW, it's very difficult to QT altums in a planted tank because of the medications. A few folks at Finarama have stated that a round of antibiotics would help and not many antibiotics would go well with a planted tank.

I used a dose of 1ppt salt to curb fin burn in my bare QT tank. Did a few rounds of Tetracyline for 9 days.

The weak ones have dropped off and there's two struggling with fin burn but the fellas looks ok for the past week.

Try not to feed moderately during this period. Too much eating stresses the liver and kidneys and also produces ammonia thru the gills. Ammonia is bacteria food and most likely attack the gill soft tissue.

**Jervis** · 17th Aug 2008, 12:22

Thanks Stan for sharing your Altum experience... they are definitely one of the hardest fish I have ever attempted... even most marine fish seem easy in comparison. I guess the Altums will not stand a fair chance inside my planted tank... a matter of time I guess

**blue33** · 17th Aug 2008, 12:44

Originally Posted by Jervis

Thanks Stan for sharing your Altum experience... they are definitely one of the hardest fish I have ever attempted... even most marine fish seem easy in comparison. I guess the Altums will not stand a fair chance inside my planted tank... a matter of time I guess

Maybe you can try to raise them in your 2ft tank till they grow bigger, later then introduce to your big tank, that would be easier for you to manage them in terms of any outbreak.

My 2 cents!

**StanChung** · 17th Aug 2008, 13:37

Hi Jervis, You're welcome. This is my only 'successful so far' with wild altums. 3 previous tries were failures in planted tank.

My QT tank is run with drip at ~100L daily turnover, with a large overhead box filter+powerhead. Antibiotics that can be tolerated by beneficial bacteria include tetracycline based ones.

**Jervis** · 17th Aug 2008, 23:44

Anyway... just an update. Went back to office to do some work today (yes, I work on Sundays too)

My remaining Altums socializing quite well with the rest of the tankmates

**Jervis** · 17th Aug 2008, 23:55

The Rotala wallichii is growing quite nicely

Can someone help ID the pinkish tip stem on the left?

The UG is not growing too well... probably acclimatizing to the submerse environment

That's all for tonight.

**cheetf** · 18th Aug 2008, 08:32

Originally Posted by Jervis

Anyway... just an update. Went back to office to do some work today (yes, I work on Sundays too)

Hahaha yeah right... work

**fireblade** · 18th Aug 2008, 10:39

this i interesting..

your tank look interesting...
lookslike got many different kind of fishes..

how come keep altum cannot keep rainbow?

**Jervis** · 18th Aug 2008, 10:52

Originally Posted by fireblade

this i interesting..

your tank look interesting...
lookslike got many different kind of fishes..

how come keep altum cannot keep rainbow?

Yeah... my tank is looking like 'rojak' now

I think it's the bioload that one has to tackle when keeping too many specimens of Altum and Rainbow.

**fireblade** · 18th Aug 2008, 10:55

think with your high tech system and the pasion you have, there won't be any problem ..

but a tank full of big rainbows will look very pretty... my, I missed rainbows!! maybe I should try breeding them soon!!

**illumnae** · 18th Aug 2008, 12:38

I love the rojak look of the fauna in your tank Jervis. The Dicrossus filamentosus are showing wonderful colour, and the altums will make a striking statement when they grow to their full majesty!

**EvolutionZ** · 18th Aug 2008, 21:59

oh gosh.. the altum temptation in me is growing stronger and stronger..

**fireblade** · 18th Aug 2008, 22:24

better don't think about it!! haha...

Originally Posted by EvolutionZ

oh gosh.. the altum temptation in me is growing stronger and stronger..

**Jervis** · 18th Aug 2008, 23:28

Originally Posted by fireblade

better don't think about it!! haha...

I am just being a tad luckier than the rest... I heard some hobbyists got very disappointing deaths

Come to think of it... Altums are really the ultimate 'money-burning-machine'

**Jervis** · 18th Aug 2008, 23:36

Originally Posted by fireblade

think with your high tech system and the pasion you have, there won't be any problem ..

but a tank full of big rainbows will look very pretty... my, I missed rainbows!! maybe I should try breeding them soon!!

I have not been allocating sufficient resources on bacteria media... bought 5kg of Biohome today to replace the generic white ceramic rings periodically. Hopefully this upgrading will help sustain my remaining Altums

**fireblade** · 19th Aug 2008, 10:54

I bet you are...
heard my friend bought 10, 20 pieces of them and then after 2 weeks, 1 by 1 gone case with burn fin...
hear already also heart pain, for the fish and the wallet...
think the only one laughing will be will be LFS owner..

Originally Posted by Jervis

I am just being a tad luckier than the rest... I heard some hobbyists got very disappointing deaths

Come to think of it... Altums are really the ultimate 'money-burning-machine'