Jump to content

My first Native Tank.


F15hguy

Recommended Posts

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

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.

yddj.jpg

0ovm.JPG

y64p.jpg

tcfp.jpg

p2g7.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...