F15hguy Posted June 19, 2013 Report Share Posted June 19, 2013 Got bored one day, and a off hand comment to one of my tutors Has ended up with me being given a 450L tank (long tall thing) and a filter and free run of what I want to do. So im setting up a Native Freshwater tank Just to raise awareness of the lack of Conservation going on in the Native side of things (25 people who will be working as Environment Scientists is probably a good place to start) also is an invaluable teaching tool (will be doing a class on Surber sampling and MCI's next week that wasn't on our syllabus) So current stage is it has gravel and is filled and Filter is running, since I had no fish available I ran a small fishless cycle untill I can get something in there (will chuck in a couple of Leopard fish to really kick it off Tomorrow) Next week we will be going out and looking at inverts, so I will be taking a couple of containers for fishies as well :nilly: :happy2: Will update with pics once I get a bit more decoration in there. unless you all want to look at a tank with gravel in it. Its going to be a VERY low stocked tank, hopefully with a few Kokopu , bullies and shrimp and if I can get a Torry I will create a high current zone for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reuben.a Posted June 19, 2013 Report Share Posted June 19, 2013 sounds good, keep us updated :thup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish guy Posted June 20, 2013 Report Share Posted June 20, 2013 Subscribed :spop: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M@. Posted June 21, 2013 Report Share Posted June 21, 2013 :gpo2: If you get a purple head banging kitty profile pic things will get real confusing (do it) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calculator Posted June 21, 2013 Report Share Posted June 21, 2013 Sounds cool, when are we getting pictures? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godly3vil Posted June 21, 2013 Report Share Posted June 21, 2013 :iag: :spop: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nativelover Posted June 22, 2013 Report Share Posted June 22, 2013 what will you stock it with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted June 22, 2013 Report Share Posted June 22, 2013 Its going to be a VERY low stocked tank, hopefully with a few Kokopu , bullies and shrimp and if I can get a Torry I will create a high current zone for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted June 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2013 thank you LA, saved me a silly answer. atm its got stones water, 2 bitsa driftwood and 5 young leopard fish to cycle the filter, I don't think its going to be the prettiest tank, but hopefully very interesting scientifically. I am happy to take any donations of lighting equipment to have a go at some native plants as well. BTW the native snails that came with some wild glosso are freaky looking (but small) spikes everywhere btw anyone else encountered a native shrimp that is black???, My inverts tutor thinks its the Nerve tissue that is taking on the colour from BBA it is eating, if anyone is interested its in the display tank at Carine Garden Center. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reptilez Posted June 23, 2013 Report Share Posted June 23, 2013 What are the dimensions of this tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted June 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2013 the rough measurements I took were 1.7m x 45cm x 60cm oh and btw found a picture in a book today that shows the shrimp as being black. here it is (copyright image) http://www.rodmorris.co.nz/New-Zealand-Invertebrates/New-Zealand-Invertebrates/13888831_wkTcGr/1429716469_vJZzxJ5#!i=1429716469&k=vJZzxJ5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted June 24, 2013 Report Share Posted June 24, 2013 That is a remarkable colour form, a shame that they are almost impossible for the home aquarist to breed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted June 25, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 well new additions today are 14 x shrimp (all males, we released the females) and a couple of caddis fly larvae, driftwood and mayfly larvae (all destined to be eaten im assuming) btw BEST ever shrimping spot on public land found today, just sweep a net through the vegetation under the Ruahihi bridge on the Tauranga/Hamilton road (very popular swimming hole during summer, damn feezing atm), got hundreds. the biggest was easily 6cm (yes seriously, I have 20 witnesses) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disgustipated Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 yeah i've never had trouble finding shrimp amongst underwater vegetation. my fish looooove eating them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted June 25, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 yeah, common little guys. keep getting asked for a spot though and this is the first easy to access public spot I've found, its less than 20m from the carpark and is a nice picnic spot and swimming hole for kids. just about all the other sites I used to catch them from are full of mosquito fish now :an!gry :an!gry hrmmm..... I wonder if anyone in my class wants to do a study on the effects of Mosquitofish on MCI scores..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disgustipated Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 i'd say dambusia are pretty good at eating young shrimp. net them, kill them, put them back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted June 25, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 I use them to fertilize the riparian plants seagulls love them too. oh well heres the first pic, still gotta organize the hoses (need something to lift the filter up) and one sunken bit of driftwood suddenly decided to float. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted June 29, 2013 Report Share Posted June 29, 2013 I use them to fertilize the riparian plants seagulls love them too. Gambusia make such a satisfying pop! 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted July 19, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2013 update: added 2 Inanga and 3 common bullies. all settled in nicely then got 3 Banded kokopu which promptly ate the inanga :facepalm: the I removed 2 of the bullies (could not catch the 3rd) and took them home and set them up in a 20L tank I had cycled and waiting for something else. they are now settled in with their Leopard fish tank mates and posing for pictures. (they will go back once they put on a bit more weight, if I don't fall in love too much til then :love: ) since then I have noticed that the Banded tend to ignore the bully except when he's literally on top of them, then they give a small chase then ignore him (he is around 3-4cm they are 12-15cm) off tonight to search for Giant Bullies and Redfins. p.s. Tank looks exactly the same except the long bit of wood has sunken, will post pics when I get some decent backing and lights attached. plus the pile of driftwood I have sinking atm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disgustipated Posted July 19, 2013 Report Share Posted July 19, 2013 what's the temp sitting at? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted July 19, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2013 atm it is around 10-12 degrees (no thermo atm, but thats what it was last I looked, possibly colder atm ) last summer it climbed to 24 degrees maximum. its cold enough atm that the leopard fish have slowed their breeding down. and that my hand aches when im working in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disgustipated Posted July 19, 2013 Report Share Posted July 19, 2013 last summer? i thought you had just set it up recently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted July 19, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2013 same tank same position, was my mudflat tank, had to shut it down as the heat started to kill the clams in it and so on and so on..... the garage is abnormally hot compared to the house so i'll bring it in when it starts to heat up. (plus all the extra options, 20L is quite easy to cool down with a bit of ingenuity. those ice wraps fit perfectly across the back of the tank and last all day. (kinda look pretty too in a gooey bluey way) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted July 19, 2013 Report Share Posted July 19, 2013 Giant bullies will eat anything smaller than them (well about 1/3 of their size any way) and can be very shy, the one that I had never came out like the other bullies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted July 19, 2013 Report Share Posted July 19, 2013 oh and they are redfin females btw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.