My new 2 month old tank w/ PICS

[ScottVinVA]

I like the overall setup and the slate placement. I too agree that a simple dark background will showcase the gouramis and hide your equipment. The only addition I would suggest are some small foreground plants like anubias or java fern.

Thanks, I do/did have some grasses but not right in front.

The only problem I see is the crayfish.
First, they do better in an unheated tank.
Second, eventually, it will get lucky one night and catch the pleco, and perhaps even one of the gouramis. It's just a matter of time, and the crayfish has nothing better to do but try to catch your sleepy fish every night. They grow to be about 4-5 inches, so those teeny claws will become quite formidable before you know it.

I don't know that I will keep it when it gets more than another inch large. I do have a 10gal tank but it has my beta in it. I really don't want another tank.

Third, it will probably mow down those lovely plants to 1/4 inch. My crayfish decimated my java moss (a supposedly indestructible plant). He didn't eat it - he just shredded it into little pieces that kept jamming up the filter impeller.

Done! Little crapper!!!!

I would suggest getting a 5 gal just for the cray. No heater is required, and a simple air-driven corner filter will be more than sufficient, so long as you don't overfeed. I give mine one shrimp pellet a day.

Thats what I have for my betta. I did find that the cray didnt eat the grass until I stopped droping slices of cucumber in there. Seems they all love cucumber, including the Plec.

 

[ScottVinVA]

I hope you know those plecos get to 10+" and poo quite a bit? :|

Big yes, I knew 10+ holy crap, no I did not. I don't plan on keeping him past 4-5" and by then, I might have a larger tank anyway.

 

[krap101]

yeah really nice tank. kinda wondering why i didnt see this link earlier... i took around a 4 hour nap (not normal) and usually threads dont get this big in 4 hours. must be popular

im thinking of getting some slate and a couple rocks for my tank but each one doesnt have the "positive energy" comeing from it. the vibes are very angry... lol no

but i cant see how the rocks will look in my tank without actaully ptting them in there.

yes caution for the crayfish. that looks like the feeder kind of crayfish and those get pretty big (kinda most crayfish are teh same size) but it'll grow.. i tried one out once and it tore up my corys. had to put them in an icebox. they survived around a year. and i was just feeding flakes and those algae disks etc. i hope you have somewhere to put it if it starts getting agressive..

and the sword looks great 8)

 

[smallfry]

Hi Scott,
Your tank looks beautiful! I hate to add yet another caution....but just so you're aware: 4 dwarf gourami in a 26g tank could mean trouble once they've settled in more and established territory. (Especially if you have more than one male)

They tend to like their own space and males are quite protective of their "turf". However, as with most fish, alot depends on the individual personality of each fish.
Hopefully yours will "play nice" with each other. 8)

 

[smallfry]

Oh, and another thing: gourami LOVE floating plants at/near the top of the water...

 

[Quake2player]

Great pics, tank and gouramis! I am jealous because I tried 2 honey dwarf ones and they never made it past a few months... this was a few yrs ago.

If the crayfish is in the same tank as your fish, don't be suprised if you find a fish missing one morning. I know from experience and it's just what comes natural to them.
Crayfish will never show any interest in fish when you watch 'em... they do their work at nite.

 

[ScottVinVA]

I figure as long as I keep the little sucker fed with vegis and maybe some meat, he wont go after more food. Who knows.

 

[afishoutofh2o]

Amazing picture of your tank! Beautiful
How are you managing to take such beautiful pictures of your aquarium?

 

[fearlessfisch]

That is a gorgeous tank. Gouramis are some of my favorite fish.

 

[ScottVinVA]

Thank you everyone for all the GREAT compliments. I am sad to say my tank is not that pretty anymore. My damn lawnmower (crayfish) took all the plants down excet for the tall grass looking plant in back.

However I am glad to say he has shed his shell one time which was pretty scary at first (I thought he was dead, it was just his shell) but after wards showing it to kids that my roomate takes care of off and on was fun. They looked at it in amazment and with a look on their face that said to me (wth is that?!)

I explained it was just the shell of the crayfish, they found it pretty cool. Kids don't get to see crayfish/crustations often, unless they are on their plates.

I will need to get more of the "grass" like plant because he does not seem to like those. Or find some more plants he wont like. He seems to like the roots of these plants. The little grasses...cut those down first. They must have been the most flavorful (or he just didnt like them LOL)

 

[greenmaji]

You might look into getting a tank for your crayfish to get him away from your planted tank.. Id give you a 5 gal I have sitting around but thats quite a drive for 7 bucks of tank..LOL

 

[ScottVinVA]

Thanks anyway, but he is no longer in that tank. I found him on the floor today after work. Actually I found him in my clear bin that my Fluval sits in (for emergencies and leaks).

He must have got out of the back cause the top was closed. I don't know how long he was in (out rather) but i picked him up, he was damp but not moving. I put him in a net and hung him in the tank to see if he revives.

 

[cinnastix911]

Sorry bout' your crayfish. Had you lived in southern oregon we could have gone to Lake of the Woods or some other hick lake by where I live and I could have gotten you over 20 of the little blokes. Either that or a few that are around the length of a small hand. We use scuba gloves.

My brother used one of my unused tanks and had about 15 of them. I am now trying to clean water marks from 5 years of nastiness from the tank and vinegar just ins't working good enouugh.

 

[GIMojo]

that crawl fish is perfectly fine. dwarf gouramis arent that big

 

[ScottVinVA]

that crawl fish is perfectly fine. dwarf gouramis arent that big

??

I was not worried about the cray at all. I was worried about the fish. Unless you meant the fish were in no danger because the cray was small.

Does not matter either way, hes dead now.