• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Rain Forest

Nuno M.

Member
Joined
23 Dec 2012
Messages
305
Hi everyone,

This is our other big passion besides planted tanks, we maintain two biotope aquariums were we breed Apistogrammas. ;)

I will show you guys our main Biotope tank

This one is inspired by Tom C and Mike Wise collecting trip in Pebas, Río Orosa and Río Shishita 2008.
So this tank only has native fish and plants from Shishita River in Peru, simulating a sand river bed with fallen driftwood/root system .

The tank was created to give the best conditions for a wild caught couple of Apistogrammas Bitaeniata sp. ‘Shishita’ to breed,
for that we had to ensure the water parameters were perfect for reproduction this meaning that the dGH had to be aroud 0-1 degrees top’s, and the pH around 5 for maximum eclosion rate.
This could only be achieved with RO water and dry salts.

It was with great pleasure that the past year we ranked with this Tank on the top 10 AGA 2013 Contest on the Biotope category, we almost diden’t believe it ...

Here goes the setup started on April 15 2013 hope you all like this dark water scape :D

Tank:
180L (90x45x45 10mm glass by Vidromoldura)

Lighting:
Hailea 2x39w T5 HO
1x Osram 840, 1x Radium 865

Filtering:
1x JBL e901 greenline

Heating:
TMC V2 Therm Digital Heater 200w

Other Equipment:
TMC V2 Pure 50 Advanced RO System

Hardscape:
ADA Colorado Sand, 3x Red Moor Wood Branch, Oak and Terminalia Catappa Leaves

Fertilization:
We only had dry salts on water change day do assure the fish and plants have the essential minerals to thrive . (CaSO4, MgSO4, K2SO4 TNC Trace)

Fauna:
2x Apistogramma Bitaeniata sp. ‘Shishita’ Wild Cougth
50x Nannostomus Marginatus

Plants:
Amazon Frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum)

And Pics from the the tank lots and lots of them since its start to de little apistogrammas now growing, hope you all enjoy …

8733594794_5b2ab84ed5_b.jpg
Rain Forest

8732478415_daf25680d8_b.jpg
Rain Forest

8744110883_31b598788f_b.jpg
Limnobium Laevigatum

9378579421_a0b09eb7d7_b.jpg
Apistogramma Bitaeniata Sp. 'Shishita'

9381364302_b5b281b491_b.jpg
Apistogramma Bitaeniata Sp. 'Shishita'

9419842796_f9705faa93_b.jpg
Rain Forest

9417075209_aa834f55bc_b.jpg
N. Marginatus

9417074475_5420e322bc_b.jpg
N. Marginatus

10410631195_6cdc5b27fa_b.jpg
Apistogramma Bitaeniata sp. 'Shishita'

10410783373_4547da42e0_b.jpg
Apistogramma Bitaeniata sp. 'Shishita' with free swimming Fry

10482681985_5fb4a9f996_b.jpg
Ap. Bitaeniata sp. 'Shishita' - 5 days free swimming fry

10595910874_f83ec798d7_b.jpg
Ap. Bitaeniata sp. 'Shishita' - 11 days free swimming fry

10678876466_96a8087a0c_b.jpg
Ap. Bitaeniata sp. 'Shishita' - 15 days free swimming fry

10904182495_4ac53f084a_b.jpg
AGA 2013 Biotope Aquascape - Rain Forest - Apistogramma Bitaeniata Sp Shishita (F)

10904312934_95a33eac9c_b.jpg
AGA 2013 Biotope Aquascape - Rain Forest - Apistogramma Bitaeniata Sp Shishita (M)

10904475143_d8aa78b30b_b.jpg
AGA 2013 Biotope Aquascape - Rain Forest - Nannostomus Marginatus

10904473063_f9c9585b45_b.jpg
AGA 2013 Biotope Aquascape - Rain Forest - Rio Shishita Biotope

10904472783_511dc013e8_b.jpg
AGA 2013 Biotope Aquascape - Rain Forest - Rio Shishita Biotope

10976692484_f0479b993a_b.jpg
Ap. Bitaeniata sp. 'Shishita' - 32 days fry

10976503875_6a8df017ec_b.jpg
Ap. Bitaeniata sp. 'Shishita' - 32 days fry

10976727393_60a7124274_b.jpg
Ap. Bitaeniata sp. 'Shishita' - 32 days fry

10976692824_48969658a1_b.jpg
Ap. Bitaeniata sp. 'Shishita' - F

11401812384_58d01e0231_b.jpg
Ap. Bitaeniata sp 'Shishita'

11401794416_6a17bd73f7_b.jpg
Ap. Bitaeniata sp 'Shishita'

11401794196_c28c2acba6_b.jpg
Ap. Bitaeniata sp 'Shishita'

11401794695_41123c1f24_b.jpg
Ap. Bitaeniata sp 'Shishita'
 

Attachments

  • 8733594794_5b2ab84ed5_b.jpg
    8733594794_5b2ab84ed5_b.jpg
    311.1 KB · Views: 1,450
  • 8744110883_31b598788f_b.jpg
    8744110883_31b598788f_b.jpg
    244.8 KB · Views: 90
  • 8732478415_daf25680d8_b.jpg
    8732478415_daf25680d8_b.jpg
    338.6 KB · Views: 129
  • 9378579421_a0b09eb7d7_b.jpg
    9378579421_a0b09eb7d7_b.jpg
    317.2 KB · Views: 100
  • 9381364302_b5b281b491_b.jpg
    9381364302_b5b281b491_b.jpg
    316.5 KB · Views: 97
  • 9419842796_f9705faa93_b.jpg
    9419842796_f9705faa93_b.jpg
    335.4 KB · Views: 137
  • 9417075209_aa834f55bc_b.jpg
    9417075209_aa834f55bc_b.jpg
    319.9 KB · Views: 104
  • 10410631195_6cdc5b27fa_b.jpg
    10410631195_6cdc5b27fa_b.jpg
    41.6 KB · Views: 107
  • 9417074475_5420e322bc_b.jpg
    9417074475_5420e322bc_b.jpg
    287.6 KB · Views: 107
  • 10482681985_5fb4a9f996_b.jpg
    10482681985_5fb4a9f996_b.jpg
    227.5 KB · Views: 108
  • 10410783373_4547da42e0_b.jpg
    10410783373_4547da42e0_b.jpg
    149.8 KB · Views: 99
  • 10595910874_f83ec798d7_b.jpg
    10595910874_f83ec798d7_b.jpg
    228.6 KB · Views: 101
  • 10678876466_96a8087a0c_b.jpg
    10678876466_96a8087a0c_b.jpg
    231.2 KB · Views: 110
  • 10904182495_4ac53f084a_b.jpg
    10904182495_4ac53f084a_b.jpg
    298 KB · Views: 116
  • 10904473063_f9c9585b45_b.jpg
    10904473063_f9c9585b45_b.jpg
    189.2 KB · Views: 121
  • 10904312934_95a33eac9c_b.jpg
    10904312934_95a33eac9c_b.jpg
    362.2 KB · Views: 136
  • 10904475143_d8aa78b30b_b.jpg
    10904475143_d8aa78b30b_b.jpg
    197.3 KB · Views: 110
  • 10904472783_511dc013e8_b.jpg
    10904472783_511dc013e8_b.jpg
    272.6 KB · Views: 176
  • 10976503875_6a8df017ec_b.jpg
    10976503875_6a8df017ec_b.jpg
    240.2 KB · Views: 112
  • 10976692484_f0479b993a_b.jpg
    10976692484_f0479b993a_b.jpg
    267.5 KB · Views: 105
  • 10976727393_60a7124274_b.jpg
    10976727393_60a7124274_b.jpg
    236.6 KB · Views: 91
  • 10976692824_48969658a1_b.jpg
    10976692824_48969658a1_b.jpg
    228.8 KB · Views: 94
  • 11401812384_58d01e0231_b.jpg
    11401812384_58d01e0231_b.jpg
    170.7 KB · Views: 126
  • 11401794416_6a17bd73f7_b.jpg
    11401794416_6a17bd73f7_b.jpg
    178.2 KB · Views: 108
  • 11401794196_c28c2acba6_b.jpg
    11401794196_c28c2acba6_b.jpg
    213.6 KB · Views: 110
  • 11401794695_41123c1f24_b.jpg
    11401794695_41123c1f24_b.jpg
    127.2 KB · Views: 136
lovely picutres, its good to see some very nice biotopes here
 
Hi everyone,

Thanks for all your positive comments and likes, it's an experience that I recommend to you all ...
Fish behavior and colors are superb in this kind of environment.

It's really a pleasure to have this kind of scape, almost like having a little slice from a far away river in your living room :D

More news to come soon, maybe I'll show you our raising tank were the little apistos are now growing, or maybe a video ...
 
maybe I'll show you our raising tank were the little apistos are now growing, or maybe a video ...
Not maybe, due it already Nuno, great tank, parabens :clap: :thumbup:
 
Lovely tank, great fish choice, was there any spawning activity from the pencilfish?
 
Not maybe, due it already Nuno, great tank, parabens :clap: :thumbup:

I will try Paulo, maybe I'll join both threads here in Rain Forest and change the main thread name ;)



Lovely tank, great fish choice, was there any spawning activity from the pencilfish?


Hi Glen,

Tanks for your kind words, regarding the Nannostomus, there's plenty male showoff , but I think they need more plants for the spawning to occur.
I will try this in the near future, I will let the Amazon Frogbit Take Over the water surface and see what happens ...
 
Nuno, I remember seeing this tank in the biotope pre-screening process. It's very nicely done! Bitaeniata is my favorite species of Apisto. Excellent choice. :)
 
Nuno, I remember seeing this tank in the biotope pre-screening process. It's very nicely done! Bitaeniata is my favorite species of Apisto. Excellent choice. :)

Thank you Phil,

It gives us great pleasure, just sitting and looking at it ;)

A. Bitaeniata is also our favorite Apistogramma species specially the ones from Shishita River, we also had another spectacular specie on our Planted Tank with fantastic colors from the Bitaeniata family, Apistograma Eremnopyge sp. Fresa

You can see some pics of the male on our CristalRio journal

Thank you for your comments, on our AGA 2013 entry ...
 
Great set up and Apistos. Yes! Yes!
I will set up black water tank in near future.
 
This is great. I have a few of these A. Bitaeniata I got from M Wise a few years ago (second generation) but I haven't had any luck breeding them. I am in Colorado so I recently got to hear him talk about this last trip at out local club meeting.
 
Back
Top