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Journal A nursery for my Carinotetraodon Travancoricus.

Well, I've lost the new male too.

They're jumpers and I didn't know this- seems to be a heavily disputed statement on the internet but that's how I lost my males.

I'm going to make a cover for the tank, non ideal but can't be loosing fish like this.
 
I'm setting up a slightly bigger tank (60x30x45) on Sunday. I'll also be looking at adding a cover which could be 100% limnobium cover.

Unsure on the plan, but thinking something fairly manageable, twigs, moss, sand and some crypts. Possibly some dirt under the sand.
 
I didn't set up the larger tank, but I'm preparing to.

I don’t think a 45cm length aquarium is big enough aquarium for these fish, but I feel like I haven’t quite got this aquarium to where I want it to be, improvements in plant growth is showing, so a shame to reset. I'm soaking some alder branches, and I'm thinking of an almost plantless tank for these guys with floaters doing most of the heavy lifting. Algae cannot be seen as a problem going forward either, well, I hope.

This all comes from a responsibility to the fish, I'm not convinced 60cm is enough either. Anyway, more tannin, moss, twigs, stones, possibly a lily, I’ll try and keep all of the plants I have, even the ones with algae on - I’ll photo as I go. I'll be taking some "last pictures" of the 45H tonight and I'll share soon :)
 
Artist rendition of the puddle I’m about to put together 😅

B9CC466D-CDA1-4F2B-B136-A0C85F25AF23.png
 
@MirandaB what signs do puffers show when they’re sexually mature?

Also, looks like one female is developing a small line down from her chin, common in males. But then, another proven female has a similar line, about the same size (~2mm in size)

I.l get some photos up
 
Just added a female who was very plump to the new males tank, they're immediately spawning by filter back of moss.
IMG_20210224_132721635.jpg


When I say new, he's been with me 6 weeks. I named him Feeble.
 
Normal for some females to develop a partial line :)
As to signs of sexual maturity,with females it's just generally down to size,with the males the colours tend to darken particularly the line down the stomach.
That being said I have a mature male with no eye "wrinkles" or dark line lol
 
Looks quite effective already! Is that an Alder branch? Have you had to do anything to it before using it, or just rinsed and added?
Yep, this is alder branch, soaked for about a week in a tub. No point stripping the dried old skin, it's barely bark and has no ill effects as far as I can tell.

I have added more branches in since the last image, but I think I will be removing them. Will photo a FTS later this evening, it's a bit messy as all of the detritus from the old tank went into this one :) plus some random sponges laying around. All the branches can be lifted out as one, so I will be making some changes over the next few weeks.
 
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If of interest, I have a lot of plants spare from the 45H as I didn't want them all. The fancy crypts were a bit of a loss, but still got a lot available. If I separate them out, it's kinda something I'd charge for, but if someone wants a bag of plants, I don't mind posting them out.

@mort / @MirandaB fancy a bag of crypts/legandra/rotala ? As you've both posted on this thread a bit, you get first dibs :D there will be some algae, obviously.
 
Thanks for the offer bud but I need to deforest my tank soon as I can hardly see in it at the moment.
 
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Day 3, about to do a large water change. Some mulm on the botanicals, but that'll go. Puffs look a lot happier, nice to see them shoal up a d be able to dart a bit further.

Going to add some black card to the back too.
 
Hi @castle, I found that java fern worked really well with puffers as it doesn't need much light and provides plenty of places for them to investigate. I had needle leaf but I'm sure any variety would work the same.
If no one else wants the crypts I'd be interested I've been struggling to find Cryptocoryne albida brown or costata.
 
How many do you in there now? I can see one near the centre.

Curious because stocking density advice seems very mixed and it would be nice to hear from someone that knows the fish well.
 
Hi @castle, I found that java fern worked really well with puffers as it doesn't need much light and provides plenty of places for them to investigate. I had needle leaf but I'm sure any variety would work the same.
If no one else wants the crypts I'd be interested I've been struggling to find Cryptocoryne albida brown or costata.

I tried really hard to get some java fern, a specific Indian species, but couldn't ever locate any. I've always tried to be at least somewhat region specific with this tank and fish, so that's why I haven't tried it :D

I may split the plants up, but that's a but of effort - there is well over 100 plants.

How many do you in there now? I can see one near the centre.

Curious because stocking density advice seems very mixed and it would be nice to hear from someone that knows the fish well.

3 female, 1 male. Feels very balanced; some skittishness but those branches help a lot. First time I've seen them tightly shoal up. Tank is large enough now that they all have an area too. I think larger numbers would work, but the minimum tank size is ever increasing. I started off with a 30cm cube; I do not recommend that, 45cm was ok but didn’t feel big enough. Now seeing them in a 60cm just feels about right. Could add one more female, I think.

Worth watching this too, shows they’re a fish a long way from being suited to a nano:
 
I tried really hard to get some java fern, a specific Indian species, but couldn't ever locate any. I've always tried to be at least somewhat region specific with this tank and fish, so that's why I haven't tried it :D
I know what you mean. I also tried to set a biotope tank for them but either didn't like the plants that were available from their region or couldn't find them. In the end I went for 'close enough' species.
 
If of interest, I have a lot of plants spare from the 45H as I didn't want them all. The fancy crypts were a bit of a loss, but still got a lot available. If I separate them out, it's kinda something I'd charge for, but if someone wants a bag of plants, I don't mind posting them out.

@mort / @MirandaB fancy a bag of crypts/legandra/rotala ? As you've both posted on this thread a bit, you get first dibs :D there will be some algae, obviously.
Hi Castle,that's really kind of you but I'm a bit plant heavy at the moment in the tanks will shortly be having to thin out myself :nailbiting:
 
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