Roma 240 slow burn...

Hello Captain,

It was really interesting to discover this thread out of the blue! I have read the whole thing. For me, it encompasses the full spectrum of emotions within our hobby. The stunning layout, beautiful plants, and the amazing behaviour and colouration of the Rainbows. Imagine if the hobby was just that? All the loveliness, ahhhhh what a dream! Then to read about potential TB issues in the tank, death, euthanasia and the heartbreak, and you, in one post atleast, alluding to feelings of packing it all in.

I have experienced the full range of these feelings and thoughts in the hobby. The highs and the lows. Moments of bliss and euphoria, and moments of tearing our hair out, panic, and loss.

It's been a bit of a ride, thanks for reading the thread! I'm glad of a place like this to share my experience with and I've really appreciated the advice and support through all the drama. I have 2 Praecox left, I'm assuming they'll peg it as well at some point but I'm grateful that none of the other fish have presented with any symptoms

Marryjohn said:

dwarf neon rainbowfish - they'll look stunning in that setup!

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They did for a time

So here are some updated photos of what the Roma looks like today...
I'm pretty happy with the progress, the wood adds so much to the look. I really need to get better at taking photos, I can't never seem to do it justice!

It's incredibley low maintenance, especially in winter when the sun is weak. I just clean the front glass with my magnet cleaner, pick out the old leaves and do a water change once a week-ish. The crypts are happily growing tall at the back now which I'm pleased about, I love that Balansae.

I have just one little praecox female left, it's been a very sad experience but thankfully none of the boesemani were subject to the TB.


These two have been interesting to watch, they display most of the day to each other, they're the biggest of the group so I suppose they're competing for dominance. The one on the left has been tank boss for a while which is surprising considering his defect. He doesn't have the back portion of dorsal fin...I thought it may have been damage when I first got him but there doesn't appear to be any scarring or indication that the fin was ever there...so I assume he's never had it.


And here is a very rarely seen shrimp...

CaptainBarnicles said:

So here are some updated photos of what the Roma looks like today...View attachment 334241View attachment 334242View attachment 334243
I'm pretty happy with the progress, the wood adds so much to the look. I really need to get better at taking photos, I can't never seem to do it justice!

It's incredibley low maintenance, especially in winter when the sun is weak. I just clean the front glass with my magnet cleaner, pick out the old leaves and do a water change once a week-ish. The crypts are happily growing tall at the back now which I'm pleased about, I love that Balansae.

I have just one little praecox female left, it's been a very sad experience but thankfully none of the boesemani were subject to the TB.

View attachment 334244View attachment 334245View attachment 334246
These two have been interesting to watch, they display most of the day to each other, they're the biggest of the group so I suppose they're competing for dominance. The one on the left has been tank boss for a while which is surprising considering his defect. He doesn't have the back portion of dorsal fin...I thought it may have been damage when I first got him but there doesn't appear to be any scarring or indication that the fin was ever there...so I assume he's never had it.

View attachment 334247
And here is a very rarely seen shrimp...

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Beautiful!

I had amanos in a big rainbow tank and I didn't see them for years at a time, but they were still there. It makes me wonder if the rainbows pick at them when we aren't looking.

Looks great. Everything seems happy. The wood really adds some structure that you don't realize is missing until you do it.

WhistlingBadger said:

Beautiful!

I had amanos in a big rainbow tank and I didn't see them for years at a time, but they were still there. It makes me wonder if the rainbows pick at them when we aren't looking.

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I wondered the same, I have at least 7 in here!

noahm said:

Looks great. Everything seems happy. The wood really adds some structure that you don't realize is missing until you do it.

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True. I had been waiting for the right pieces to be available to me, I had a picture in my mind of what I wanted to do and thankfully I've been able to achieve it with some patience

nice tank, @CaptainBarnicles
Tank of the Month contest contender?
February...tanks sized at 31 gal and larger
March...tanks sized at 16 gallon and smaller
April....tanks sized at 17 to 30 gallons.

Fishmanic said:

March...tanks sized at 16 gallon and smaller

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i’m definitely gonna enter in march

Algae season is upon me...the sun shines straight onto the left hand corner of the tank from Spring until Autumn. Its a pain but the rainbows love it, and the colours are just

Them's some mighty shiny fish!

It took me a minute to find the right position to take the photo, the camera couldn't pick up their colour, they just looked white on the screen!