Roma 200, My First Journal

[crago1990]

So i cleaned out the tank today. Moved everything around and added a bin bag for the background lol. Only to see if i like having a black background, and i think i do. So ive got to get a proper one now. Still need another peice off wood i might have a look at my local pet shop tomorrow. Still looking for a standout fish not sure what to get.

Heres a pic without the background...

Now pic with the background...

Bit more of a close up...

What do you think? anything you would change? I need my vallis to grow in more if not might have to change it for another plant. I cut my stem plants into lots of cuttings on the right hand side so need them to grow back up to the top of the tank. At the front right im trying to grow a moss carpet its kind of growing but i want to change it for a carpet plant but dont think it will grow in my tank. So i might just get some more crypts to fill out the floor space.

 

[crago1990]

Well today i went to my lfs and completed my final stocking. I picked up 2 kribensis. Well they were actually called super read kribensis are they different to normal ones? I got a male and female. They were advertised as a pair, but im not sure because my male is huge and female is quite small. I dont know how big they got to be to breed but she seems a bit small. Shes got the red belly ( colour not as much as she had in the shop guessing its down to stress) but the size difference in the two fish is massive. Is this normall? Hard to get a picture because there always swimming arround in my crypts, my male seems more confident then the female. They also dont seem to stick together too much at the moment but that could be because there in a new tank. But he does seem to chase her every so often. Would be nice to have a pair but its not the end of the world if there not. Also picked up a flower pot for them to hide in which they havent actually gone near lol. Ive read up a little about them but has anyone got any advice about them? Also picked up another anubias, my favourite plant

Male (Hope someone can confirm he is male)

Female (Confirm she is a female? was very hard to get a pic shes very shy)

There Cave/Pot

 

[crago1990]

Few updates on the tank. My Kribensis have laid eggs in my pot. Hard to see the eggs because its quite dark in there. Was pretty happy they laid eggs shows the tank is going well i supose, and only had them just over two weeks. Had quite a few eggs in there yesterday but today seems to be about 10. Guessing a few have got eaten. The eggs have all moved off the side now and seem to have tales. Female is in the pot 100% of the time. She hasnt eaten for two days since she laid the eggs. Which means shes not eat in two days is this normall? Male seems to gard to the pot most the time but still comes out every so often and comes out to eat. Read lot about them being aggressive when they have eggs aswell but luckily they havent shown any of that. When other fish come near he just still at the enterence to the pot. I thought the was going to chase me fish off all time.

Most of the plants are doing well. Added some duckweed which when delivered wasnt in a great state but its been in the tank for about two weeks now and looks nice and healthy and green. Vallis is growing across the top of the tank but aint growing any new leaves which is weird. But i like the look of it along the top. My two anubias is doing well, both gowing new leaves every half week or so. Crypts are doing very well need some more though. My big sword is doing very well still growing a new leaf every couple of days and started to spread out nicely. Be good if it started making a new plant. My other two sords are still the same as i got them no new growth atall. Im doing a water change tomorrow so im thinking about chopping all the leafs off and seeing if it will grow better? what do you think? I cut my stem plants because they were at the top of the tank and i wanted to make more of them. Since ive replated them all some are growing nicely again but some of the cut ones have stayed the same size as i cut them dont know what i done worng to stop them growing. My moss is growing well had to chuck a bit away because grew too much.

Heres some pics anyway

Cant see they eggs or fry in the pics

 

[pablothebetta]

Nice

 

[crago1990]

Female krib is out and about swimming around the tank which confirms that all the fry have now been eaten. She's still in the pot quite abit but i cant see anything. Anyone know how long it will be before my kribs want to try again? This morning i done my water change and my lemon tetras starting laying eggs everywhere lol. Pleased my tank is good enough to have fish breeding. Wish some of the tetras would survive would love to have some more lemons.

 

[minnnt]

Hiya mate, sorry i haven't had chance to catch up on your journal for a while. Seems you have really moved things on!!

The Kribs just look to be normal Kribs rather than Super Reds. Super Reds really are Super Red (rather than purple).

The background has improved things 10 fold. Black gloss or something a little less permanant (but more scratch prone) black emulsion would be another massive improvement.

The Crypts are very nice indeed as is the new scape.

Well done!

 

[crago1990]

Cheers bud. Yeah im really starting to like the scape. Would love to paint the back of it but too much hassle to move so mayb at a later date. Still want some more crypts so thats on the to do list. I want more anubias, not sure where i would put it though.

 

[minnnt]

How about a few different varieties of Anubias? Would mix things up a little!

 

[crago1990]

Yeah that would be cool. Just finding them is the problem. A member of the forum is selling one for £15 on some wood so thats always a possibility. Also now i have this tank getting to where i want it to be i have a 95l tank empty. Not sure what to do with it. Sell it on here or ebay and get a small nano tank or keep the 95 and do something with it. Any ideas anyone?

 

[minnnt]

Breed some Dwarf Cichlids in it or maybe a Shell Dweller tank?

Maidenhead Aquatics usually have a few different varieties in. And there is always the online retailers.

 

[crago1990]

Think online is probs best place to look just not a fan of getting plants off ebay.

I was thinking about a breeding project. Wouldnt mind doing it with my kribs seeings as i have a pair but i quite like them being in my main tank now. I have 2 bolivian rams but pretty sure there same sex. Mite have to have a think about that. What other types would you reconmend for breeding that aint too difficult but fish shops may perhaps pay for or give store credit?

Did also fink about have like 2 goldfish in there but im guessing tank is abit small for it.

 

[minnnt]

Apistogramma species are always popular mate. Nannacara are aswell. Both have been successful for me although the Nannacara have never raised fry due to being in a community tank with a fair few Plecs. They will definately be getting a tank of their own once some fry have been jiggled about. Alot of African riverine Dwarf Cichlids are usually popular too, but i would say Apistogramma will have the edge for re-sale.

You're not limited to eBay for plants online. Check out PlantedTanks, The Green Machine etc

 

[crago1990]

Cool cheers for that. Ill have a look into that species tonight. Sounds interesting. Haha greedy plecs i used to have a bn plec but took him back after he keept eating all my plants. My rams were the ones who eat all my fry.

Ill also have a look at those 2 websites!

 

[minnnt]

You're welcome.

A little teaser...


Male Apisto by David Raynham, on Flickr


Male Anomala by David Raynham, on Flickr

 

[crago1990]

They look awsome! Great pics.