I want to start a biotope with java moss

[greenmiddlefinger]

I want to be excruciating obsessive over accuracy here, so . . . can anyone tell me what South East Asian fish can be found in the same environments as java moss and also are common in the industry? Also can anyone give me info of what other types of common plants can be found in the same environments as java moss? Thanks

[ruyle]

Wow, 76 views and no reply It might be your nick You could change it to "Green digitus impudicus." Anyhoo, java moss is all over SEA--you need to narrow the window abit as far as what plants you want to use for a particular biotope. And all kinds of fish, too: Aplocheilus species, gouramie species, barbs, rasboras, betta species, etc etc.

Worthwhile project, keep in touch,

Bill

[budak]

First: are you talking about the moss known as Taxiphyllum sp. (the old hobby mainstay) or the Vesicularia dubyana (now popularly known as Singapore moss)? What I can tell you myself from my own observations is that I have found Singapore moss only in terrestrial (e.g it grows abundantly in a local coconut plantation) and rheophytic environments (waterfalls, damp banks by streams). I haven't seen submerged growth in the way we like them to be in our tanks (draped on wood), although I am sure they are out there somewhere. A 'biotope' would probably have to be a coolish, stream-like environment with fishes (e.g. danionines, small rasboras and barbs, glass catfish, halfbeaks, loaches, hillstream suckers happy in such conditions. And I would envision a mixed rock and and wood scape, with the mosses growing from crevices or draped over semi-submerged rocks/wood. Crypts, hairgrass, liverworts, java ferns are typical SEA natives which you could consider as tankmates, although I haven't seen all these species growing together in the wild.

[greenmiddlefinger]

The taxipyllum species that is common in the hobby. Anyway, I made a kind of India, black-water-pond set up with dwarf puffers.


Plants:
Java Ferns
Java Moss
Aponogetan Crispus
Duckweed

Fauna:
Dwarf Puffer (3)

Front of the tank:



Back:



Side (can you see the puffer?):

[ruyle]

Steven,
These dwarf puffers, are they a variety that doesn't need brackish water?
I kept scats and small puffers (long time ago) in brackish water with
rocks, sand, and few plants. The puffers pictured look pretty close to what
I had. What kind of lighting are you using and are you finding that it's
adequate?

Bill

[greenmiddlefinger]

Species name is Carinotetraodon travancorius, and I'm pretty sure they are commonly kept in freshwater.

My plants are pretty low-maintenance, with the possible exception of pomatogetan crispus. This tank is about 6 gallons, so I'm probably a bit over-stocked. I'm using a 19w coral life fixture, and the lighting seems adaquate. I've actually tipped the lighting a bit so that not all of it hits the tank-- 19w might be a bit much here. I'm guessing the duckweed will hopefully suck up excess light/nutrients.