Set up the tank in my office over the weekend when boss is not around.The layout is not finalised yet, but will probably add some river pebles and HG on the left and some moss covered rocks @ the base of the dw. So I welcome any suggestion.
Mike, this is the tank I was talking about here!
p/s: The moss on the wall is taiwan moss while those on the dw is willow moss.
Looding good!!
Keep us posted of the development. I think the tank will look fantastic when it matures. Any consideration for the fauna yet? Given the light color substrate, it will be quite a challenge to pick something that is more "color fast".
Cheers,
I have dwarf cichlids in my tanks! Do you?
Thanks Benny! Well, I do have plenty of cherry shrimps and 30+ brigittae to transfer from my existing 1.5' , but thinking of cories too!Originally Posted by benny
hmm...
Corydoras pygmaeus will probably hold their color/markings best, given the light substrate and dark background. Cheap and good too.
Alternatively, just 6 to 10 pieces of Corydoras loretoensis or Corydoras atropersonatus will be just as impressive.
Cheers,
I have dwarf cichlids in my tanks! Do you?
Ya, between hastatus and pygmaeus (thanks for correcting my spelling error BTW) I prefer the latter.
Hi anakin
Where on earth did you get the “Snow White” gravel from?When I was setting up my 1st tank, I ran from shop to shop asking to buy Snow White gravel, but every Uncle I spoke to said “we no selling Snow White gravel.” I finally settled for a bag of white stones, which turned out to be limestone-based, screwing up my pH.
Be sure to check this, ya.
I’m assuming, from your choice of white and non-planted gravel, that you wanted your Corys to stand out against a snow-white bottom, which was the ultimate effect I’d hoped to achieve in my historical quest for the ultimate Snow White gravel. Great out-of-the-box taste, I must say!Of course, the purists will say there’s too much of a B/W contrast and that this is not so natural-looking. Don't listen to them!
I think the aquascape would look more natural if the “hard edges” of the driftwood are buried so as to blend it into the gravel. I would give it a slight tilt (right side lower, left side higher). The way your driftwood is resting on the gravel now reminds me of a chopped-off reindeer head, which also adds to the rather contrived appearance, given their stark colour contrast. Also, IMO, the tank would look more like a masterpiece if the driftwood is more centrally located.
The rest of the flaws such as glaring nylon threads, pipings, etc, will become more or less disappear once the tank is matured, and with the moss-wall grown in.
Hey, I’m sorry to say more lousy than good things about your tank.But then, criticisms are always more sincere than compliments, right?
Have I not said before that a tank will always look better later than now?
I promise I will say only good things if you show us more updates.
Actually, most fishes will not look their best in this type of set up. They will be stressed and will not show their normal coloration and end up looking pale. Fishes in general, try to blend in with their surroundings and as such, only light or pale colored fishes will feel comfortable here.I’m assuming, from your choice of white and non-planted gravel, that you wanted your Corys to stand out against a snow-white bottom, which was the ultimate effect I’d hoped to achieve in my historical quest for the ultimate Snow White gravel. Great out-of-the-box taste, I must say!
Shrimps on the other hand, seems oblivious to the color of their surroundings and blood red cherry shrimps will look as red with either black or white substrates.
As for pH neutral white riversand or gravel, they are quite commonly available. I get mine from C328, Ong's Tropical Farm (OTF) and this wholesaler near Qian Hu, amongst other places. However, if the lighting is too harsh, the substrate don't stay white for too long.
Cheers,
I have dwarf cichlids in my tanks! Do you?
Mike, actually, the sand is not snow white - it's a very light brown - it only appears very light under the lights. I think it was a brand call 'Angel'Hi anakin
Where on earth did you get the “Snow White” gravel from?
The sand doesn't affect the pH - water's still @ 7.
Hey, that's what matters most - constructive suggestions! - I've already taking notes what to add in next. The layout is not finalised; for eg, I intend to hide the bottom of the dw behind a series of moss covered rocks. Will be adding round river pebbles with HG on the left side of the tank too. The whole idea is to make every decor moveable in the tank for ease of maintainence and re-scaping. Will definitely update this thread! Thanks again!Hey, I’m sorry to say more lousy than good things about your tank.
Nice and simple set-up, I would love to see this tank when the plants settled in
I knew some Idol Moderator is gonna come in and say exactly this.
While I generally agree with this argument, I’m beginning to question if this line of thinking is not tantamount to underestimating fish ability to adapt environmentally. For all we know, micro-mutations might have already occurred within these tank-/ captive-bred fishes to enable them to feel at home under bright conditions. If not, my twilight-loving angelfishes would be hiding behind bogwood and plants all day long. We all know that most of these so-called dim light-loving fishes don’t do that, but love to hang out in the open and up close to light sources, at times bullying other fishes, and at other times begging the merciful or merciless for a worm or two. With the ranks of wattage-greedy planted hobbyists on the rise, aquarium fish have no choice other than to adapt, adapt and adapt.
I’m inclined to think that so long as fishes live amongst their own kind or with other peace-loving kind, brightness or Snow White gravel, for that matter, is a minute issue. The main culprit of fish stress is the continuous presence of bullies. And of course, even in the absence of bullies, fishes too, like humans, like to be able to withdraw into their hole for privacy as and when they feel like it, and this, can be adequately provided for by the resident bogwoods and plants.
Hi Mike,
Thanks for your compliment although I'm not deserving of it.
I have experiment with various species of corydoras and with various types of substrates. In general, even in a species tank, the average corydoras will not color up well in the tanks with sandy beige/white substrate, despite the fact that they are comfortable, feeding and interacting well. On the other hand, corydoras in black colored substrate exhibit a darker than usual coloration in an attempt to blend in. And this is usually the case for most smaller fishes too. As such, for anakin's tank, white/light color based corydoras will probably do better.
I do not disagree that the fishes, when cared well, will be fine and healthy in whatever colored substrate you choose, especially medium to large size cichlids.
However, there are always exceptions...
Cheers,
I have dwarf cichlids in my tanks! Do you?
I have no corydoras in my tank.
But hey, I’ve just learnt something about these fishes – that they’re quite charming
My understanding has been that most colourful freshwater fishes (platies, guppies, neon/cardinal tetras, even angelfish, or killies even maybe?) do not or have limited ability to camouflage (definitely not like a chameleon). Have can these fellas camouflage with their striking colours? Also, I’ve never thought of the paling of fish as camouflage at work. But darkening may be different thing, ya?
I may be wrong, but my observation has been that sudden extreme stress causes a fish to pale, but protracted stress, eg., from diseases, can, on the other hand, cause a fish to display strong colouration. I have had fishes that had exhibited intense colouration in their last days. Some even died showing their true colours!
The only fish I have in my tank that I know has camouflage ability is the ubiquitous ONE-$-ONE sucker catfish.
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