Badger's 150g Rainbowfish Tank

[WhistlingBadger]

Got some nice video of the rainbow tank today. 3 years in, I'm still having fun with it, and it's still going strong! I'm telling you, these dirted tanks are ridiculously stable once you get them going the right direction.

It's funny--I tore down my other tanks because they were so stable I got bored with them. This one is different though. I think it's because it's in a dentist's office, a public place where people tend to be kind of stressed or even scared. The office manager has told me over and over how much the kids enjoy it. Adults too. That makes all that mundane tank maintenance feel a lot more important. It's fun knowing that other people enjoy one's work.

Setup:
Dirt under black sand substrate
Eheim pro 3 canister filter
Low-mounted powerhead for extra current
6,000K LED light fixture

Stocking:
Goyder River Banded Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia trifasciata "Goyder River")
Red Irian Rainbowfish (Glossolepis incisus)
Yellow Rainbowfish (Melantaenia herbertaxelrodi)
Wapoga "Red Laser" Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia rubrivittata)
Boeseman's Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia boesemani)
Threadfin Rainbowfish (Iriatherina weneri)
Feeder Guppy (Poecilia sp.)
Panda Garra (Garra flavatra)
Zebra Loach (Botia striata)
Emerald Cory (Corydoras splendens)

Plants:
Amazon Sword (Echinodorus grisebachii)
Dwarf Sagittaria (Sagittaria subulata)
Cryptocoryne wendtii
Alternanthera reineckii
Java Fern (Microsorum pteropus)
Dwarf Lily (Nymphaea sp.)

Cheers--
Thomas

 

[CassCats]

Now that's a lot of colour and activity!

My childhood dentist had a tank in their waiting room. Made waiting as a kid way better and definitely takes your mind off dental anxieties.

Yours though is wayyyy better, lucky patients get to enjoy that

 

[JuiceBox52]

its amazing!

 

[Retired Viking]

Wish my dentist had a tank like that, it would be nice to look at during the long wait in the waiting room thinking about the drill.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Very nice!

Hope you enter it in the upcoming TOTM contest!

 

[FishFinatic77]

That's a really nice tank!

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Thanks for the kind words, everybody!

 

[AquaBarb]

Beautiful tank you have there Thomas lovely natural setup and the colour on them rainbows are immense

 

[LostBear]

Got some nice video of the rainbow tank today. 3 years in, I'm still having fun with it, and it's still going strong! I'm telling you, these dirted tanks are ridiculously stable once you get them going the right direction.

It's funny--I tore down my other tanks because they were so stable I got bored with them. This one is different though. I think it's because it's in a dentist's office, a public place where people tend to be kind of stressed or even scared. The office manager has told me over and over how much the kids enjoy it. Adults too. That makes all that mundane tank maintenance feel a lot more important. It's fun knowing that other people enjoy one's work.

Setup:
Dirt under black sand substrate
Eheim pro 3 canister filter
Low-mounted powerhead for extra current
6,000K LED light fixture

Stocking:
Goyder River Banded Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia trifasciata "Goyder River")
Red Irian Rainbowfish (Glossolepis incisus)
Yellow Rainbowfish (Melantaenia herbertaxelrodi)
Wapoga "Red Laser" Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia rubrivittata)
Boeseman's Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia boesemani)
Threadfin Rainbowfish (Iriatherina weneri)
Feeder Guppy (Poecilia sp.)
Panda Garra (Garra flavatra)
Zebra Loach (Botia striata)
Emerald Cory (Corydoras splendens)

Plants:
Amazon Sword (Echinodorus grisebachii)
Dwarf Sagittaria (Sagittaria subulata)
Cryptocoryne wendtii
Alternanthera reineckii
Java Fern (Microsorum pteropus)
Dwarf Lily (Nymphaea sp.)

Cheers--
Thomas

Glorious!

 

[Kevstar]

Brilliant, lovely set up and well maintained. Thanks for sharing

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

I love it so much! The scape and plants are beautiful, rainbows in a big group and a huge tank like that have such a wow factor, and I love botia, so seeing the zebra botia schooling together like that was lovely. The way they suddenly appeared from under the log and hang out together. They must feel secure, having so much space and good hiding spots, and being in a school.
One day, I'll have my huge dream tank with room for a good school of zebras, yoyos or similar. My dads tank has two botia, not entirely sure of the species, perhaps pakistani, but they don't look quite the same as the photos on google images. He was given the pair, didn't know about needing groups, so it's been just the two of them in a 55 and they're pretty shy. They pop out to eat and at night, but tend to hide when there are people around. I felt so bad for them when I took over the tank and discovered what they were and that they like groups, but haven't been able to identify the sub species and don't want to put the wrong species in there and make it worse rather than better, plus the tank is already overstocked. They've been okay for about eight years, but I bet they'd feel more secure and show more behaviours if they had a gang.

The fish that really caught my eye though was the panda garra. I'd heard the name, but never seen them before - they're adorable! I bet kids looking in the tank are charmed by them, chubby little clowns suckered to the glass, so cute!

Thank you for sharing the tank, it's amazing, love everything about it. I watched the video three times, and appreciate the stocking list too, you showed me a new fish I like a lot and identified it for me. Would love it if you share more tanks like this, with a video and set up/stocking.

 

[Stan510]

That's pure GENIUS!.....ehem,I have sort of the same in my old 240g. I have run of the mill M.boesemani..but also the Pandas,Queen Botia,Clown Loaches..and a mated pair of Angels..plus turquoise,New Guinea..
Anyways it's a combo that works. Color,peace,and active.
I just added 6 Snakeskin barbs....with really good color. They and the Giant Danios are schooling together as I write in their first 30 minutes (the barbs) with me.
Even our plant list is very similar. I do have a nice big clump of C.balansae..with the same swords as you.
Hey,great minds think alike....

 

[vanalisa]

I love it so much! The scape and plants are beautiful, rainbows in a big group and a huge tank like that have such a wow factor, and I love botia, so seeing the zebra botia schooling together like that was lovely. The way they suddenly appeared from under the log and hang out together. They must feel secure, having so much space and good hiding spots, and being in a school.
One day, I'll have my huge dream tank with room for a good school of zebras, yoyos or similar. My dads tank has two botia, not entirely sure of the species, perhaps pakistani, but they don't look quite the same as the photos on google images. He was given the pair, didn't know about needing groups, so it's been just the two of them in a 55 and they're pretty shy. They pop out to eat and at night, but tend to hide when there are people around. I felt so bad for them when I took over the tank and discovered what they were and that they like groups, but haven't been able to identify the sub species and don't want to put the wrong species in there and make it worse rather than better, plus the tank is already overstocked. They've been okay for about eight years, but I bet they'd feel more secure and show more behaviours if they had a gang.

The fish that really caught my eye though was the panda garra. I'd heard the name, but never seen them before - they're adorable! I bet kids looking in the tank are charmed by them, chubby little clowns suckered to the glass, so cute!

Thank you for sharing the tank, it's amazing, love everything about it. I watched the video three times, and appreciate the stocking list too, you showed me a new fish I like a lot and identified it for me. Would love it if you share more tanks like this, with a video and set up/stocking.

Panda garra, someday my prince will come...
Someday.
Seriously fell in love at first site at my LFS.
They were nice enough not to sell me one.

 

[Stan510]

Ah,I didn't realize this a dentists office tank you've documented three years now. Usually I can spot a tank that's done for a business as the fish act bored,underfed. These look all happy,gregarious.
Funny,like the dentist I've removed most,not all,stem plants. Tired of the grow and get spindly,pruning. Sword,crypts,moss and the coming on Bolbitis are enough.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

I love it so much! The scape and plants are beautiful, rainbows in a big group and a huge tank like that have such a wow factor, and I love botia, so seeing the zebra botia schooling together like that was lovely. The way they suddenly appeared from under the log and hang out together. They must feel secure, having so much space and good hiding spots, and being in a school.
One day, I'll have my huge dream tank with room for a good school of zebras, yoyos or similar. My dads tank has two botia, not entirely sure of the species, perhaps pakistani, but they don't look quite the same as the photos on google images. He was given the pair, didn't know about needing groups, so it's been just the two of them in a 55 and they're pretty shy. They pop out to eat and at night, but tend to hide when there are people around. I felt so bad for them when I took over the tank and discovered what they were and that they like groups, but haven't been able to identify the sub species and don't want to put the wrong species in there and make it worse rather than better, plus the tank is already overstocked. They've been okay for about eight years, but I bet they'd feel more secure and show more behaviours if they had a gang.

The fish that really caught my eye though was the panda garra. I'd heard the name, but never seen them before - they're adorable! I bet kids looking in the tank are charmed by them, chubby little clowns suckered to the glass, so cute!

Thank you for sharing the tank, it's amazing, love everything about it. I watched the video three times, and appreciate the stocking list too, you showed me a new fish I like a lot and identified it for me. Would love it if you share more tanks like this, with a video and set up/stocking.

Thanks! Panda garra are, in my opinion, the most under-rated bottom feeder in the hobby: Lively, cool looking, and adaptable as can be. They do a fair number on the algae, too. When I rebuilt this tank, it had a huge albino common pleco. The people at the office were sad when I recommended they get rid of it, because the kids loved seeing it stuck to the glass. I just smiled, and added "Big school of panda garra" to my stocking order.

No more tanks like this from me, Adora--it's my only one at the moment. I really want to set up a nano tank in my classroom, but since I have to travel between two buildings, it's just too hard to take good care of one. If you cruise my youtube channel, you'll see my old Rio Negro tank and my Southeast Asia tank, and there are stocking lists in the descriptions.

@vanalisa Sometimes it is a kindness to be told no. ha ha