My Planted 34 gallon

[George Farmer]

Thanks for all the nice comments.

Justinsane - I appreciate the advice about the Angels but have to defend my decision to keep them. The tank is tall (18") so the normal lack of vertical space associated with a smaller volume tank isn't a problem. My Angels have shown no signs of being stressed whatsoever, in fact they regularly spawn every 10 days. This is the only time they show aggresion to their tankmates, even then it's minimal as there's so much plant cover.

I don't beleive the Angels will eat the Cardinals. So far they've co-existed happily for two years. The Angels are so well fed I don't beleive they'll ever get hungry enough, combined with the fact they're so far removed from their wild cousins I believe they've lost most of their hunting instincts.

I respect your opinion and understand that many sources state a pair should be housed in a 48" tall tank. If my Angels grow much larger then obviously I'll consider rehousing but until then they'll continue to live happily in my humble ecosystem.

 

[Paul_MTS]

I don't like cobomba as it gros like made and makes the tank look untidy as it breaks up alot.

 

[George Farmer]

Fair point. I'm hoping mine won't break up too much as the water movement is minimal. Luckily I enjoy pruning too!

 

[JustinSane]

Thanks for all the nice comments.

Justinsane - I appreciate the advice about the Angels but have to defend my decision to keep them. The tank is tall (18") so the normal lack of vertical space associated with a smaller volume tank isn't a problem. My Angels have shown no signs of being stressed whatsoever, in fact they regularly spawn every 10 days. This is the only time they show aggresion to their tankmates, even then it's minimal as there's so much plant cover.

Have you measured the stress hormone consentrations from your water?
I suppose that isn't so bad since your tank is fairly tall. But I'd still preferably have them in a bigger tank (as with most fish )

I don't beleive the Angels will eat the Cardinals. So far they've co-existed happily for two years. The Angels are so well fed I don't beleive they'll ever get hungry enough, combined with the fact they're so far removed from their wild cousins I believe they've lost most of their hunting instincts.

Unfortunately, it is not a matter of your faith but a natural fact, that small Characins with a relatively low body structure belong to Pterophyllum scalare's diet.
I've heard of angels and small tetras living for years together without any problems but then, during some regular feeding, an angel happens to take a bit out of a tetra by incidence. And then the whole school has quickly vansihed. No matter how much food you give them, live food is always live food
As what comes to alienation from natural instincts, well that just doesn't really happen amongst lower vertebrates (as in fish) unless the strain is utterly screwed up, like in FUBAR style.

I respect your opinion and understand that many sources state a pair should be housed in a 48" tall tank. If my Angels grow much larger then obviously I'll consider rehousing but until then they'll continue to live happily in my humble ecosystem.

That's good to hear.

 

[George Farmer]

Have you measured the stress hormone consentrations from your water?

LOL Do stressed fish spawn every 10 days?

 

[tear-scar]

Once again the bogwood has disappeared from the scene. lol

I'm glad that your microswords are starting to fill in, they look good.

I would consider moving the anubias slightly so it grows up and under the java ferns.

Then have those microswords extend all the way to the left until they reach that green plant I cannot tell by the photo under the lilies. Have them extend as far right as possible too.

I'd also add a long piece of bogwood that goes behind the micro swords but in front of the cabomba-- right now the change from short swords to tall cobomba seems a bit too harsh. Crypts might work too. Or you could plant shorter stalks of combomba infront of the combomba, but that will soon be made a pain in the butt.

This is a bit more extreme but . . . I would take out the rotalla and vallis on the right side (use them to thicken the left side or toss 'em or whatever) and extend the taller sword species to take up the background on the whole right side (which is still a bit empty for my taste).

Tank is looking good dude.


PS: Amano kicks ass. His style kicks ass on Dutch style.

 

[JustinSane]

Have you measured the stress hormone consentrations from your water?

LOL Do stressed fish spawn every 10 days?

Yes they might actually. Though that was meant more or less as a joke

It makes me curious though, every 10 days? Do they not look after their fry or does it not survive, do the parents eat it or what?

 

[George Farmer]

Justinsane - The eggs are eaten by the Cardinals normally. I suppose it's just a matter of time before the Angels get their own back!! BTW I realised there was an element of humour in your comment regarding stress hormones, that's why I replied with a LOL and an equally dry comment.

Tear-scar - Thanks for the advice. I like your ideas and may implement a few of them this weekend when I get some time. Unfortunately I can't plant the E. tenellus underneath the Lily as it's too shaded, that's why the Anubias is there. I will attempt to fill the right hand side more though. I agree with the contrast between the Cambomba and E. tenellus, I've got a spare bit of bog wood in mind. I was already consisdering moving the Vallis and Rotala, the right hand group of Rotala appears to be slowly dying, I'll keep the best and re-group with the left like you mentioned. I was thinking of filling the right up more with Stargrass, I think you've mentioned that previously. The light green plant on the front left is Cardamine lyrata, I'm hoping it will ok in my warmer water. I waiting for it to establish a little more first before I consider moving it. Any idea what the tall light green stem plant is on the front right, it wasn't labelled in the shop but I think it's Bacopi monierii? Good to hear from another Amano fan, I'm getting Nature Aquarium World vol 2 and 3 for Christmas. I've heard Ecology of a Planted Aquarium by Diana Walstad is good too. PS How's the Rotala walichii? Did it last?

 

[tear-scar]

I'm having an odd experience with the wallichi-- it grows super fast and pearls all the time, but it's the only plant in the tank still infested with brown algae so it's not looking that nice . . . The SAE have been moved to my breeder friend's 125g, and I replaced 'em with some otos. The otos rid the tank of the brown algae problem I was having except for on the wallichis . . . I might need some shrimp . . .

I think the Cardamine looks great. I meant that I wanted you to let e. tennellus to extend until it reached the cardamine. I can see why you'd have issues with the lilies though. I'd try some dense crypt species and move 'em in front of the anubias though if you cannot extend the swords that way.

Could very well be monierii

The star grass sounds like a good idea too. It will involve a bit more effort though in terms of trimmings than the sword. Also, I want to warn you that if you grow them as a back-ground plant, their stems are really bare below the top leaves. Tall star grass really needs something in front of it to hide stems-- either a piece of wood or really dense mid-ground plant. That's why I'd consider star-grass to really be a mid-ground plant, but it could work.

 

[George Farmer]

Tear-scar - I like the advice again. Great idea about the Crypts infront of the Anubius, what's the smallest Crypt that doesn't need much light, I'm thinking C. nevelii? I'll bear in mind the Stargrass tips. Thanks mate.

 

[JoKeR]

Dont know what u all talking about but sounds intresting!

Nice tank gff!

Also ur angels must be VER happy!

 

[tear-scar]

No probs dude, nothing more fun to talk about on this forum.

nevelii could work, though I find the smaller and less light consuming the crypt species the more rare and expensive it's gonna be, if ya know what I mean *knife through my wallet*

 

[panboy]

nice tank, only opinion is that for the short time that i owned cabomba, is that you'll want to put it farther back as its gonna cover your sword or whatever is back there.
i also think a carpet plant would look great, as it does in any tank
maybe glosso or those chain swords i think they are called

keep up the great tank

 

[panboy]

It looks awesome as it is but I reckon that I would look really good if you had some carperting plant that covered the gravel such as Glossostigma elatinoides....Takashi Amano uses this plant alot and it gives stunning results. Riccia fluitans is very rare in the uk but is a floating plant that Amano uses as well to carpet he ties it down to mesh with fishing line to keep it in place, this plant looks paticularly good when pearling    Can you tell im an Amano fan??

Glossostigma requires a lot of light to grow steadily and low. I don't even consider it very pretty. Amano's tanks are pretty unnatural to my eyes anyway, everything is tied down and ultrafinished, really not too natural. But hey, everyone has got their own taste

Riccia? It's a damn weed, my bigger tank is full of it! It just keeps growing and growing and looks stupid when it gets stuck with other plants, such as my rotalas. You really don't want it

if you consdier this...... http/photos.mongabay.com/en/349Takashi.htm .... unnatural, well you are just wierd

 

[maestro]

thats a Nice tank panboy, such spotted the angels in the bottom right hand corner, reckon they'd need moving to a bigger tank before long though