Stan's freshwater 240 gallon extravaganza. Trials and tribulations of a sunlit aquarium

[Wills]

Really like the Ozelot Red! But got to love all the plants around it that Ludwigia is looking great and is that Bolbitis I can see on the left?

Wills

 

[Stan510]

Thanks!...Yes Bolbitis and to the right Alternanthera. Not perfectly grown, but doing ok. I think my habit of feeding my fish heavily is the algae's best friend. But at least I've turned a corner on getting those two to look pretty good in low tech. Lots of iron helps.

 

[Stan510]

Ok, NEVER use a houseplant fertilizer in your aquarium. I tried a Miracle Grow stick of fertilizer and BGA has reared its ugly head. So just clean and wait for that to subside.
Again- never a terrestrial plant fertilizer!

 

[connorlindeman]

Ok, NEVER use a houseplant fertilizer in your aquarium. I tried a Miracle Grow stick of fertilizer and BGA has reared its ugly head. So just clean and wait for that to subside.
Again- never a terrestrial plant fertilizer!

Any fish in the tank?

 

[Stan510]

Lots- 8 big Bozey rainbows..then the size of fish drops for Panda garas, Clown Loaches and assorted others.
House plant ferts really are all wrong for aquarium plants. Just stick to iron like I should have done.

 

[Stan510]

A few sunbathed update pics. Taiwan moss is the BEST moss I have ever tried- buy it,and enjoy moss growth like the youtubers get. Its upper right in the first photo...and I have smaller growth here and there that were snipped off already from the original clump- it grows FAST.
The Swords like Red Ozelot and Marble Queen are sending out big paddle leaves. Iron is to be thanked. Dose regular as you can.

 

[Wills]

Oh man your Rainbows are absolutely amazing!! Really interesting about the moss! I want to buy some for my puffer tank but not sure which kind to get, I don't want Java as it grows a bit too crazy for me. I was looking at Spikey or Taiwan and you might have just tipped me to Taiwan

That first picture with the sunlight coming through is amazing - any chance of a full tank shot from square on?

Wills

 

[Stan510]

Thank you Willis..those Rainbows are very good at eating!
This is as close as I can do..the room is only 10 x 10' and a dresser and large potted plant is opposite the big aquarium. As always I wish I had a better camera to take indoor low light photos...
Double click for full tank!

 

[Stan510]

Later,to try again with better settings and lighting. What happens when the sun moves all day long!

 

[Stan510]

One thing about large paddle leaves? Especially with some color? They seem like some kind of sea creature like an anemone or even Kelp like when you contrast them with small foliage. I since the photos added H. tripartita next to Marble Queen's big leaves and it makes a good look. Aquascapers are missing on big leaved plants because they are either "too big" or " too common"...a mistake!

 

[Back in the fold]

Those Rainbow Fish are cool. Never knew they were THAT colorful. Yeah , pretty cool.

 

[Colin_T]

Those Rainbow Fish are cool. Never knew they were THAT colorful. Yeah , pretty cool.

The following link might interest you then. It has all the known rainbowfish from Australia and New Guinea, and they are all in colour

Melanotaeniidae and Pseudomugilidae

A website dedicated to Rainbowfishes of Australia and New Guinea

rainbowfish.angfaqld.org.au

 

[Back in the fold]

The following link might interest you then. It has all the known rainbowfish from Australia and New Guinea, and they are all in colour

Melanotaeniidae and Pseudomugilidae

A website dedicated to Rainbowfishes of Australia and New Guinea

rainbowfish.angfaqld.org.au

Wow , very cool ! Why do you not see them in shops more ? Are they rare or hard to breed ? I've only ever seen one species years ago and it was just a silvery drab minnow looking kind of fish . Nothing like these beauties.

 

[Wills]

Thank you Willis..those Rainbows are very good at eating!
This is as close as I can do..the room is only 10 x 10' and a dresser and large potted plant is opposite the big aquarium. As always I wish I had a better camera to take indoor low light photos...
Double click for full tank!

Thankyou this is absolutely amazing, must be incredible to live with.

 

[Colin_T]

Wow , very cool ! Why do you not see them in shops more ? Are they rare or hard to breed ? I've only ever seen one species years ago and it was just a silvery drab minnow looking kind of fish . Nothing like these beauties.

Rainbowfish are incredibly easy to breed. They are serial spawners and the females lay eggs each day for as long as conditions are good. The eggs take between 4-14 days to hatch (depending on species) and the fry can be fed on powdered fry foods, green water and infusoria. After a week you add newly hatched brineshrimp. Feed well and do lots of water changes and they can breed at 3-4 months old.

Most rainbowfish look silver for the first half of their life. They develop colour when sexually mature and get full colour and size by the end of their second year (a bit sooner if kept in huge tanks or ponds and fed heaps).

They need lots of plant matter in their diet (at least 50% of their diet should be plant based). The rest can be insects, insect larvae, small fish and fish eggs, and shrimp.

They are prone to external protozoan infections if kept in soft water and dirty conditions. So big regular water changes, gravel cleaning, and a clean filter is essential. If they do get sick you can treat a lot of their issues with salt.

Unfortunately they are sometimes infected with Mycobacteria (Fish TB) and there is no cure. There is also no way of telling if the fish have the disease. So you can get fish and keep them for 2 years and then they start dying. By then it's too late and everything in the tank will have it. If you can get wild caught fish or fish or eggs from someone who has not lost any fish to TB, they should be fine.