firefish Posted March 14, 2011 Report Share Posted March 14, 2011 At the end of january, I set up my first native set up, in a 60x40x40cm tank. Due to some big changes petwise- I will only have 1 tank(of natives, no tropicals), sky- blue tongue lizard, my cat and next weekend I'm getting 3 southern bell frogs! Last night I moved my 2 bullies in to a slighly larger tank (75x38x38cm). I need to get another fern for the rest of the background I would like to introduce some inanga, how many would suit this tank? Or could I add 1 or 2 more bullies and a few inanga? I'm not sure whats best for this tank... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephanie Posted March 14, 2011 Report Share Posted March 14, 2011 I can't answer your questions but cool setup! Get lots of bullies! They're so cute! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted March 14, 2011 Report Share Posted March 14, 2011 again, very nice! You have a good eye for rock layout 60x30x30 is pretty small. You could have a small number of bullies (at 5-6cm long I would have only 4). It is a bit short for inanga to look good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firefish Posted March 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2011 The tank they're in now is 75x38x38 - I moved them from the 60x40x40 in the hopes of potentially getting inangas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted March 14, 2011 Report Share Posted March 14, 2011 Sorry I was trying to race against the leechblock clock before it banned me from the site for another hour, didn't read your message properly! You could try a few small ones and see how they go, but they can't really show their schooling behaviours in that length. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 It is a nice looking set up you have there. I agree with Stella though... I would be putting a couple more small bullies in there rather than inanga... I can just imagine a couple of Bullies perched on top of the middle bit of rock I can see why you want to get a mid level fish though... not a lot happening in the higher areas of the tank, maybe a decent piece of wood going into the higher areas that the Bullies can climb on and be merry... would break up the black background some more too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firefish Posted March 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 would break up the black background some more too My larger fern disintergrated, i'm going to get another one soonish - that will reduce the black A pity about the inanga. Should I aim for more redfin bullies (there are lots where I go) or other species? How many more would suit this tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 I have had a pair each of commons, redfins and Cran's in a 120x35cm base, and in a 60x30cm I had two pairs of Cran's, both seemed to work quite well, only the Cran's tank needed more hidey-holes. They were all 5-6cm. Also had two pairs of uplands in a 60x30cm base, 4-5cm fish length, which was a better size. It depends on what species you like and what sizes you want. Obviously small fish grow, so also what length of time you think this tank will be set up for. Also small fish adjust to captivity easier (I avoid taking anyone over 6cm when it comes to bullies, with good food they grow well). Species-wise, any can be kept together, apart from bluegills as they are so small and slender and easily out-competed. Giant giant bullies can be a problem as they eat/harrass others. Had a problem at Turangi recently where the 4 unexpectedly enormous giant bullies ate 26 inanga in three days. Not entirely sure how they fitted them all in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firefish Posted March 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 Sounds good - I'll choose on the night then. I think i'd like 2 more bullies, so that the bioload is still low. The place I go is pretty awesome, the 2nd time I was there, we caught (and released) some really big bullies that we think were fully grown commons. And almost every 2nd bully caught was a redfin... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 Nice... of all the streams in my area I have only found one that has bullies, all the rest are full of Koura, Banded Kokopu, Eels, and Shrimp... well, that's what I've been able to spot in my night time wanderings Got any photos of the bullies in the tank doing their thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 I wish I could find a stream with Kokopu in it around here. I know that there should be banded, giant and short jawed kokopu around-a-bouts, just have to find them... /me keeps looking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 yes, should be crawling with them! Reember perched culverts and other bad barriers downstream will stop many things travelling upstream. If the only fish present at a site are non-diadromous or good climbers (eels, koaro) then that might be the problem. Though bandeds are also very good climbers.... Banded streams tend to be: less than 2m wide bush-covered lots of large hiding places, especially undercut banks and woody debris. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firefish Posted March 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2011 Got any photos of the bullies in the tank doing their thing? Sure do - took some last night. I'm still looking for names, at the moment they are Big one and Small one Small One: Big One: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted March 17, 2011 Report Share Posted March 17, 2011 Names can be tricky... how about Big One and Small One? I had Rufus and Ruby redfin for a while, then Rufus II, who was a total wuss and didn't live up to his predecessor. Ian the Inanga Ronnie and Reggie Cray Joe Common Maxine the giant kokopu. And far more unnamed fish than named ones! It is funny how sometimes a name sticks and other times you forget immediately. Nice looking fish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 We have "gossip fish" the lone common bully. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey Posted March 20, 2011 Report Share Posted March 20, 2011 Great looking fish... nice colourations. Thanks for the pics. My wife names all the aqautic life in our house... wonder what she will call a Koura? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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