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Project Redchin

Aqua360

Aqua360

Member
Joined
15 Feb 2016
Messages
2,188
Location
UK
Hi all,

Having watched some of George Farmers recent videos, I'm really enjoying the new content, and something he said stuck with me on one of his videos where he interviews aquascapers.

In discussing the length of time aquascapes are maintained for, it was mentioned how many aquascapers set up a tank, for brief periods just to basically capture the end result for photo/video logging and then broken down again just as quickly. Not that there's anything wrong with this, but I realise I definitely have done this regularly and it can deprive of some long term benefits with established tanks.

That said, with the advent of the biotope forum and a separate thread discussing favourite fish types, I thought this could be a good opportunity to set up a (hopefully) longer term biotope aquascape for epiplatys dageti (red chin panchax) (dagets Killifish).

Previously the group of these I kept, I had fry emerge, but limited hiding spots and therefore they didn't survive. It's since been something of an objective to achieve this successfully.

Anyway, apologies for the wall of text, I have a dennerle 55l tank as a blank canvas, and I'd welcome input on what people would suggest for what I believe is a South/African Ghana biotope.

My initial thought process is sand, leaf litter, bolbitis, African wood types, if anyone also has good sources of info that's also appreciated!
 
Also, red chin panchax pic for reference below (not my pic!)
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I'm not very well versed in E. dageti but I found this biotope aquarium from Nigeria (from what I have read they seem to have a rather large distribution area) which might be a good start: Backwater in the rainforest in the lower Ogun River in Nigeria, 60 L • Biotope Aquarium . I'm keeping Fundulopanchax gardneri and if E. dageti is similar I would go for plenty of structure, like a deep leaf litter bed, slow water flow, lower temperatures, and if possible floating and/or emersed plants for cover (and a very tight fitting hood of course). Looking forward to following this project :)
 
Tyko_N said:
I'm not very well versed in E. dageti but I found this biotope aquarium from Nigeria (from what I have read they seem to have a rather large distribution area) which might be a good start: Backwater in the rainforest in the lower Ogun River in Nigeria, 60 L • Biotope Aquarium . I'm keeping Fundulopanchax gardneri and if E. dageti is similar I would go for plenty of structure, like a deep leaf litter bed, slow water flow, lower temperatures, and if possible floating and/or emersed plants for cover (and a very tight fitting hood of course). Looking forward to following this project :)
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If I could even have something half as good as that, I would be very, very pleased. That tank looks like the ideal balance of aesthetically pleasing, mostly accurate for nature and suitable for the fish species chosen.

Thanks for sharing it, great motivation and source of info!
 
This is going to be a slow burner, I'm determined not to rush this so that I can hopefully collect:

A) accurate images of dageti habitat

B) accurate fauna types, including wood types, plant types etc. I realise this may be very broad ranging as mentioned above, but even if I could somewhat narrow this down.

I'm considering reaching out to perhaps some source of info in Africa, perhaps there are universities that could facilitate, but this may be a long shot!

Backup plan is doing epiplatys annulatus, but again likely to face same challenges.

I've decided an end goal to this could be entry to the biotope aquarium design contest, but whether I can do justice to this project, will inform that decision nearer the time!

Does anyone have practical fishkeeping issue, February 2019? It has some info on dageti I believe.

Thanks
 
Tyko_N said:
Got it, I'll try to PM you the relevant pages. You could try to contact Gabor Horvath (who wrote the article) as well, he should have some good tips on breeding.
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This is much appreciated thank you
 
Aqua360 said:
This is much appreciated thank you
Click to expand...
No problem! I have been considering a killi biotope for some time, but in my case for Fundulopanchax gardneri, so looking forward to see what you'll come up with. I think the trick with a good biotope aquarium is to let it mature properly before considering it "finished" (not that it'll ever be ;) ), you need some algae and mulm on the substrate to make it resemble nature.
 
Tyko_N said:
No problem! I have been considering a killi biotope for some time, but in my case for Fundulopanchax gardneri, so looking forward to see what you'll come up with. I think the trick with a good biotope aquarium is to let it mature properly before considering it "finished" (not that it'll ever be ;) ), you need some algae and mulm on the substrate to make it resemble nature.
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Agreed, I've had pale imitations before, but they were nowhere near complete, for example the below
IMG_20180809_232418.jpg
IMG_20180620_234102_crop_1008x451.jpg
 
The fish look happy at least, which is the main point for me :) (also, nice dimensions on the second tank).

Found an article that actually describes a couple of places were E. dageti were caught (A Survey of Fishes of the Geebo – Dugbe River Confluence, Sinoe County, Liberia, with an Emphasis on Tributary Creeks):
"Gbloe Creek NW of Joplopko (5.046216 N, -8.5542 W), 33 m elev., 3-4 m wide, 5 February 2014. 6 species: Bryconalestes longipinnis (1), Epiplatys dageti (16), Epiplatys olbrechtsi (3), Hemichromis fasciatus (1), Pelmatochromis buettikoferi (2), Ctenopoma kingsleyae (1). Silt and clay bottom, flow very slow. 95-100% canopy. Much woody debris. Some Nymphaea in scattered spots. Stream blocked by decaying weirs used to divert fishes into traps during start of dry season. Emanates from swamp on north side of road."
And: "Nyenagblae Creek on road to Joplopko (5.05865 N, 8.55653 W), 37m elev., 3-4 m wide, 5 February 2014. 14 species: Brienomyrus brachyi - stius (4), Marcusenius meronai (1), Isichthys henryi (2), Petrocephalus pelligrini (1), Petrocephalus tenuicauda (3), Bryconalestes derhami (1), Amphilius atesuensis (2), Malapterurus punctatus (2), Epiplatys dageti (1), Epiplatys olbrechtsi (39), Scriptaphyse - mion schmitti (1), Poropanchax normani (1), Kribia sp. (2), Ctenopoma kingsleyae (1). Slow flow, but substrate sand, with silt and detritus accumulated alongside braid and in pools along channel. Some aquatic vegetation limited to near bridge primarily"

Based on those it seems that a fine substrate with plenty of botanicals, slow flow, and preferably some riparian vegetation, is a decent approximation.
 
Hi all,
Aqua360 said:
accurate fauna types, including wood types, plant types etc. I realise this may be very broad ranging as mentioned above, but even if I could somewhat narrow this down.
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Found this from <"Ghana">
......... We found Epiplatys dageti many places in the western part, i.e. within 100 km. from the border to the Ivory Coast. We brought specimens from one locality back to Europe, collected at Ndatiem just before the sign to Axim Beach Hotel. This locality was a small stream, 30-50 cm. wide and a water depth of 15-25 cm. Gravel bottom, some water lilies and a slight current in the water. Water temperature at 3 p.m. 26 degrees C., DH close to 0, pH 6.2............ We found dageti a few more places in the area, not far from Ankobra Beach Resort. The whole area is heavily vegetated with coco-, banana- and oil palms.,.............. Another area with many dageti was near Nkroful, where we found dageti literally everywhere where there was water......
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cheers Darrel
 
@dw1305

"This locality was a small stream, 30-50 cm. wide and a water depth of 15-25 cm. Gravel bottom, some water lilies and a slight current in the water. Water temperature at 3 p.m. 26 degrees C., DH close to 0, pH 6.2............ We found dageti a few more places in the area, not far from Ankobra Beach Resort. The whole area is heavily vegetated with coco-, banana- and oil palms."

This is great info 😁
 
Chamedora elegans (parlour palm) have similar leaves to both coconut and oil palms, albeit much smaller, so might be a good substitute if you know someone with leftover fronds. I have used the leaves on a few occasions (mainly because they look great) with no ill effects to the inhabitants, and they seem to last a fair time underwater before the leaflets start to fall off.
 
Well, this has moved forward another small step!

I now have a young male and 3 females, currently quarantining. I've also got a ciano tartarium 80 to prep up, as it seemed to be a really good fit with the described measurements corresponding to areas dageti have been found in the wild. I have some sand there, but I think the next thing will be more wood to add, then looking at emergent plant types.
PXL_20220207_145832082.jpg
 
In-situ...

Now I need to try and source some authentic wood type and rock, I want to steer away from typical ones like manzanita, I think the most logical is probably going to be mopani, despite its somewhat unaesthetic shapes; it's likely to be the most authentic.

Rock wise, I'd like to use some spare lava rock I have there in the shadows, so it isn't noticeable and ruin immersion, but this is still something I'm looking at.

Thoughts and suggestions welcome as always, especially for clip on lighting! A muted sort of spotlight I think will be what I'm looking for...
PXL_20220208_210514785.jpg
 
I think I’d get one to three of them wall mount spotlights and add some lower power leds. Probably wouldn’t even bother with “daylight” spectrum and just get incandescent yellow if there’s no plants and tannins.
 
Looking good so far!
Aqua360 said:
Thoughts and suggestions welcome as always, especially for clip on lighting!
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If you want to have emergents beyond moss, I recommend mounting the lights as high up as you can, to give them enough space to grow properly. In my experience those plants that like having their roots in aquarium water tends to do a bit too well... :) On the plus side, bright lights will not be a problem, with the plants shading the water as they grow.
 
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