New fish house

[J.Mcpeak]

nice. nice aquascape too

Thank you kindly. This is the second time I've set this tank up. This time it is much nicer looking even though I needed to adjust it a bit. Most of the wood pieces I've been growing plants on for most of my 8 years. They are only simple plants java fern and various Anubias. The 'scape is designed specifically for the clowns and plecostomus sp. it needs some taller broad leaves in it to make the fish feel more secure, something simple. I really like the red tiger lotus, and perhaps a long, easy growing grass curtain along the back. I'm hoping to get my hands on L090 panaque as the water pH and T' is ideally suited. I'm also considering attempting to breed my tetra shoal, 50-100 black neons would be an awesome sight, these fish will also fit the water bill quite nicely.
If you read this and you are a plant pro please suggest to me some items (Latin pref) that may fit the bill, no C02, not an option with the fish concerned, low/medium light. I can go to four tubes but would prefer just the two 36W.

 

[J.Mcpeak]

I'm a happy man.

 

[J.Mcpeak]

My lovely catfish

The plecostomus move. 120 tank in the room, fish in holding tank.
Should be a complete system sometime tomorrow.
Fishing Tuesday.

 

[tarpon]

nice, how big is he? and i really only have experience with java fern and anubias as well. i think tiger lotus is a difficult plant to keep, use the search function and try to find a thread on them. as for a curtain plant, you could do a "java moss wall" its low light, but it would probably take a lot of moss for that big tank

 

[J.Mcpeak]

nice, how big is he? and i really only have experience with java fern and anubias as well. i think tiger lotus is a difficult plant to keep, use the search function and try to find a thread on them. as for a curtain plant, you could do a "java moss wall" its low light, but it would probably take a lot of moss for that big tank

It should be an ancistrus sp. Bristlenose, the males have the beard type feeler array. She may develop a complex about her looks now!
12-14cms 4.5/5 inch.

I have experience with a few plants, Anubis and Java fern are the only things I've not killed, or, that havent died off. The leaves are tough but it takes years to grow anubias, Java fern, I have loads of plantlets, the leaves aren't really big enough. The thing about tiger lotus, it's beautiful for a plant, has big leaves, I've never found one in a store.
I had a smaller tank with long grass in it which I really enjoyed the look of, yes though, I agree, I'd need a ton of moss! It does look nice though, like a mini hedgerow. Maybe when there are more fish, ones that don't hide, it won't look so bare.
The fish seem more content with overhead cover, I had amazon sword in this tank before which looked ok, until the plecs found it! Anubis are plec proof, they clean the leaves but don't consume them. Patience maybe?

 

[J.Mcpeak]

120 system, Ancistrus, 6 Kryptopterus Minor. Current stock at this point.

Corydoras still in holding (45) tank. I will breed these while they are isolated.

 

[J.Mcpeak]

My fish house currently looks like this.

Most systems in place, I need to top up the 120 and fit the lid. The whole room needs a clean!
Fish happy, alive, healthy. So far so good.
Pretty much down to re-stocking only.
A few minor jobs on the building then it can be called finished.

Priority job, the O2 system, this can be seen top centre, need to fetch some new air stones then fix it all in place, this will feed all systems that can be seen. More pumps in boxes.

 

[Surfer]

Well done J, everything is moving along nice

 

[J.Mcpeak]

Well done J, everything is moving along nice

Hola mi Hermano, I looked that up! (I only knew hello)
Thank you sir. I was really surprised when I moved my 120 tank in, the Bristlenose came out (caught for the move) in full adult colours! Last time I saw her she was juvenile, dark brown with barely any spots, those she did have were really faint, First off I thought she was sick! Aaa-argh panic!
She's a proper charmer!

All the clowns came out to see me tonight, it's still magic, I'm going to try and get a picture of the shoal. The black spots have gone, tip top condition.

 

[loverofdogs]

that fish tank looks amazing! I wish I would be able to get something as cool as a fish house...
How many fish tanks will you have in there when it is complete?

 

[J.Mcpeak]

that fish tank looks amazing! I wish I would be able to get something as cool as a fish house...
How many fish tanks will you have in there when it is complete?

Thank you, you are starting off in the right way, one tank, then two, every time you get a tank perhaps you will see something else that needs its own tank.
Six systems, while it doesn't sound very many that's enough to keep one person really busy! The big tank takes up a LOT of time, the empty shelf in the last picture I have no plans for, yet. Once a few smaller jobs have been dealt with and I have stocked up the fish tanks that can be seen, I have plans for a long awaited reef system. Originally I wanted a marine fish, my local store suggested I go with freshwater to learn the ropes, that was 8 years ago!
There is also space for up to three 60x30cm 2x1ft quarantine/fry tanks.

The original fish room was kind of accidental, when I started out I just kept buying fish, soon they grew, so another tank was added to care for the fish properly. I ran the "room" for many years, this is the next step up with none of the problems I had in the original room, the best addition is the sink. The second best will be the RO reservoir. In the room I had to cart all the water through the house to the kitchen, not a problem on the regular sized tanks, the big tank had 100-200 litre water changes twice a week, that's a lot of walking!

 

[J.Mcpeak]

Please allow me to introduce, the star of the show,

DIDDY P.

Tetraodon biocellatus. Figure 8 puffer.
Acclimating, to freshwater, SG increases for the next few weeks.
JOY!

This is him, still bagged up,

 

[Brilliant_Barbs_21]

DIDDY P. Tetraodon biocellatus. Figure 8 puffer. Acclimating, to freshwater, SG increases for the next few weeks. JOY! This is him, still bagged up,

great looking puffer! I'd PM you back, but your inbox is full

 

[J.Mcpeak]

great looking puffer! I'd PM you back, but your inbox is full

Sorry, I went crazy and told everyone! Oops, I'm real excited, the fish house just wasn't the same without one, now though it's back on, he's eating well, I just need to up the S.G. on his water then the colour should come back. Usual course worms/anti bac. peace of mind. Lots of people replied! I thought they'd think I'm crazy, which would be a good guess!

This is the fish, if I could only have one, I guess all puffers behave in a similar fashion, freshwater puffers would possibly be easier but as far as I am concerned, this IS the best fish money can buy.

 

[J.Mcpeak]

Chomp chomp!

 

[J.Mcpeak]

Elbows off of the table! Properly stuck in! Head first with aggression and speed!

 

[J.Mcpeak]

Back on patrol!

 

[J.Mcpeak]

Half a shoal of C.Macs. 6 of 11

Nearly got the shot of the lot. They are getting more and more brave.
The dream shot of all of them is not far away!

 

[J.Mcpeak]

Clean the glass!

The size difference, some of the biggest and smallest in the shot.

 

[J.Mcpeak]

Another size comparison 5 of 11

One of the biggest pair is in this shot. It has been in my care for 8 years.

Could be considered 6/11, there is a beady pair of eyes lurking in the cave!