Set up for Altum!!!

[nature beauty]

Thank to all Bro once again for giveing me advice all this while the valuable input that had been given really serve a long way.

This year for my office tank i'm thinking of my mission impossible setting up a tank for Altum!!!!

Time of completion for this project would be by end of November. (Need time to gather money..... i know it not cheap)

Not wanting to rush into things and of course trying to make sure when i bought the Altum they live i hope to gather inform about this beautiful fish before i buy them, hence i would like to seek some advice on the following:

1. I'm thinking of planted tank but not high tech please advice on the tank size (Can't be too big as it in the office) and the type of substrate used thinking of 3ft by 2ft by 1.5ft.

2. when ready where to find realiable source for these fishes? and what is the min pcs i should be having and what is the market rate now.

3. what would be the transfering and quantine process like? i.e to say what is needed to be in the quantine tank, how long what water to use should i add black water or not etc.

currently still under planning stage hence i really need to know is this workable or not before asking my boss for permission.

so Thank you in advance for all the advices given!

[David Moses Heng]

You may want to relook at the tank size. Altums need deep tanks for a start. 1.5feet in my opinion is way too shallow for these beauties. Given their tall finnage, they need at least 2 feet deep tanks.

To find out more, may I humbly recommend april's issue of PFK as a Initial resource of information.

I have this publication with me as I am also looking at starting a 322 for this beautiful fish hopefully by this year

Price and source wise is not a concern as I believe that the local shops are quite well price and stock when the season is here. More importantly get the right facts on hand first.

Hope this helps

[nature beauty]

You may want to relook at the tank size. Altums need deep tanks for a start. 1.5feet in my opinion is way too shallow for these beauties. Given their tall finnage, they need at least 2 feet deep tanks.

To find out more, may I humbly recommend april's issue of PFK as a Initial resource of information.

I have this publication with me as I am also looking at starting a 322 for this beautiful fish hopefully by this year

Price and source wise is not a concern as I believe that the local shops are quite well price and stock when the season is here. More importantly get the right facts on hand first.

Hope this helps

Thank Altum Lover for your valuable inputs, i'll check if my tank's table is wide enough to house 2 ft or not.

with regard to the PFK april issues do you know where i can get my hand on it? so that i can have more to read about it.

Lastly when would the season be like and how to choose Altum? Maybe if possible can i buy you a cup of coffee for a tips or 2 for this beauty?

Thanks a million!!

[David Moses Heng]

I don't mind lending you the magazine but I will need it back for my setup when the time comes.

Actually I am no expert myself but I don't mind meeting up for sharing And discussion. Let me know when. Pm me the details ? Now I might just want to focus on apistos first. Altum will be the eventual target.

[bossteck]

Hi,

You will probably start to see P. altums available for sale in middle of August.

Most likely, you won't get to select individually. Some LFS will house 2, 3 or 5 in individual tanks, you will have to buy them in batches, ie, you choose which tank you want, they will bag every fish in the tank for you.

Others will house all in 1 large tank, but will stipulate 'no choosing'. You most likely have to buy in batches of 10.

Based on my past, painful, experience, it is best not to buy during August / September, wait till early October, prices may be slightly more expensive then, but the fishes will be more stable and would most likely have acclimatized to local water parameters, and would have started feeding on frozen food.

[nature beauty]

Hi,

You will probably start to see P. altums available for sale in middle of August.

Most likely, you won't get to select individually. Some LFS will house 2, 3 or 5 in individual tanks, you will have to buy them in batches, ie, you choose which tank you want, they will bag every fish in the tank for you.

Others will house all in 1 large tank, but will stipulate 'no choosing'. You most likely have to buy in batches of 10.

Based on my past, painful, experience, it is best not to buy during August / September, wait till early October, prices may be slightly more expensive then, but the fishes will be more stable and would most likely have acclimatized to local water parameters, and would have started feeding on frozen food.

Thank bossteck for the input i will keep that in mind.

Can i seek your advice on the substrate to be used for this tank?

I had read the PH is to be kept at around 5+ to 6 so what kind of substrate would be advicable to use?

Thanks!

[bossteck]

You're welcomed.

Yes, recommended pH levels for P. altums are the low 6 region, but then, if you're getting them in the early Oct period as I have recommend you will probably find them living happily in water of pH 7. Personally, I would advice just make sure it is no higher than 7.0. If you can achieve that using co2 injection / ketapang leaves / black water extract / peat, then choice of substrate is really up to you.

A note on pH reducing soils... I read that with most pH reducing soil like ADA or Gex, what is usually observed is a period of very low pH before it stabilizes at the low 6 region. Should you decide to go with these soils, then make sure your fishes don't have to go through this transition... that is, set up your tank way before you get your fishes.

Hope this helps.

[nature beauty]

You're welcomed.

Yes, recommended pH levels for P. altums are the low 6 region, but then, if you're getting them in the early Oct period as I have recommend you will probably find them living happily in water of pH 7. Personally, I would advice just make sure it is no higher than 7.0. If you can achieve that using co2 injection / ketapang leaves / black water extract / peat, then choice of substrate is really up to you.

A note on pH reducing soils... I read that with most pH reducing soil like ADA or Gex, what is usually observed is a period of very low pH before it stabilizes at the low 6 region. Should you decide to go with these soils, then make sure your fishes don't have to go through this transition... that is, set up your tank way before you get your fishes.

Hope this helps.

Thank you Bro bossteck,

In this case, are you advicing me to use lapis sand as substrate and add peat in the filter to attain a PH of 6-7?

[bossteck]

You planning to keep plants?

If you do, then go ahead and use soils.

Otherwise, yeah, lapis and peat should be a cheaper option.

Of course, I am coming purely from the angle of costs, some people prefer dark substrate (myself included) and feels it will relax the fishes, bring out their colors better etc

My setup was planted, with lapis + base fert, that was for the past 2 years.
Only until the May Day holiday, I decided to change to ANS plantas soil... the change was quite stressful for the fishes, fortunately, no casualties *touch wood* aside from the fact that all my plants melted.

I think buffering the pH drop with baking soda during the recently transition helped.

[mervin]

From my limited experience ........you need a BIG tank for these creatures !!!

I have 8pcs in my 5ft x 2ft x 2.5ft tank and I still feel that its still way too small.
Would have preferred a 8ft tank however space is a premium..........

PH is also very important, try to get it to be at least 6.8, mine was 6.0.

Treat all of them especially wild ones with some internal worms med. and fin rot is very commom when stressed.

Have fun !!!!

[joopsg]

From my limited experience ........you need a BIG tank for these creatures !!!

I have 8pcs in my 5ft x 2ft x 2.5ft tank and I still feel that its still way too small.
Would have preferred a 8ft tank however space is a premium..........

PH is also very important, try to get it to be at least 6.8, mine was 6.0.

Treat all of them especially wild ones with some internal worms med. and fin rot is very commom when stressed.

Have fun !!!!

Hey Bro, How are you...
Long time never heard from you....
Still keeping fishes? Or gotten new hobby???
Catch up soon...

[nature beauty]

Thank you Bro for the inputs, i know that these guys really need a big tank hence i'm considering putting them in the biggest tank i can afford in the office. not intend to keep more than 4 pcs although i know 6 would be the best.

[mervin]

Hey Bro, How are you...
Long time never heard from you....
Still keeping fishes? Or gotten new hobby???
Catch up soon...

Me good, gave up fishes a while back, moved and new place no space.

Anyway I am a father now therefore not much time for anything else

[mervin]

Thank you Bro for the inputs, i know that these guys really need a big tank hence i'm considering putting them in the biggest tank i can afford in the office. not intend to keep more than 4 pcs although i know 6 would be the best.

Height is very important if you want long finnage

[Raul-7]

Problem with Altums is that they are aggressive and grow very tall. The minimum height for young Altums is 24" or 60cm and the ideal for adults is 30-32" or 76-80cm.

See http://www.finarama.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=21 ; all the members there have Altums. Check their aquarium sizes to get an idea.

[ChiLLs]

Problem with Altums is that they are aggressive and grow very tall. The minimum height for young Altums is 24" or 60cm and the ideal for adults is 30-32" or 76-80cm.

See http://www.finarama.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=21 ; all the members there have Altums. Check their aquarium sizes to get an idea.

Thanks for the lead as I am thinking of setting up a tank for altums.

[nature beauty]

Thank to all bro out there who had help out with all the burning question that i had in my mind.

After all the reserach i think Altum may not be suitable for my office set up due to space constraint.

Still i had not give up on having tanks in the office had confirmed that i will embark on my next project (Macrostoma Breeding Project) I had to say not all advice are put into waste as some of the information provide are also useful for this setup.

I will put up some picture once the setup is completed.

[Eddylimst]

I also keep 6 pcs of Altum about 1 1/2 yrs old, this creature really need big space to keep them. The perfect tank height for this creature is 3ft, but I think 2 1/2 ft is good enough. Previously keep them in 4 x 1.5 x 1.5 tank, they really cannot have full stress of their beauty. Going to move them into 6 x 2.5 x 2.5 tank in few days time.

They do prefer black water condition, pH < 7 & soft water ( Low KH, & GH). And put more drift wood for them to hide and play, this will help to reduced they stress.