New Additions: Black Widow Tetra

20 Black Widow Tetras, Gymnocorymbus ternetzi were added to the 360 litre community tank.

This is a fish that I have overlooked, and I guess that I am not alone. Maybe this is because they often seem quite pale in the local fish shops or maybe that they rarely are displayed in large numbers.

The fish have settled in very well and really look well together with the Cardinal Tetras. The Black Widows school separately at a high level in the tank while the Cardinals most often stay at lower levels and therefor the two species complement each other very well.

Quick tank updates,

Things are moving along quite well and I just wanted to share some smaller updates of what's going on in the fish tanks.

The 125 litre corner tank above has changed quite a bit (don't mind the algae), the breeding pair of Pelvicachromis taeniatus "nigeria red" had to move to a separate tank. The pair was moved as they were getting to aggressive during spawning to let me keep community fish in this tank.

One Red Tiger Lotus, Nymphaea zenkeri which had outgrown one of my smaller tanks has been added and I think it really makes the difference.

12 Ember Tetra, Hyphessobrycon amandae moved in and they really seem to enjoy this environment and are constantly schooling. The colour of this fish also matches that of the Red Lotus plant very well.

I have been trying to spawn the Ember tetras for the last few weeks but have had no success so far.

A group of five L129, Hypancistrus debilittera have moved into the tank and they have already spawned in there which is great.

The pair of Nigerian red have moved to a separate tank and they seem to enjoy their new home, they are now guarding their second batch of fry.

Finally my group of Corydoras concolor are getting on well, they are growing like mad and have started to excibit their trademark hi-fins!

That's all for now,

Happy fish-keeping!

Mature community tank, 30+ years running

Update 20.12.2013

20.12.2013; black beard algae has taken over the tank

22.12.2012

22.12.2012; first photograph in this series

Just wanted to share a couple of pictures of this mature aquarium.

The tank holds about 360 litres, run by two internal filters; one Eheim and one unidentified. The tank is heated by a Jäger heater.

This aquarium was bought second hand in 1980, it was moved once in the early eighties and had a leak once also in the early eighties. Apart from those disturbances the tank has been running since.

I would probably have chosen a different background and substrate today but has it been there for that long it can be there for while more.

The inhabitants have changed; the main difference has been if there has been Discus or Angelfish inhabiting the tank.

The stocking today:
5 Angelfish
around 100 Cardinal tetras
around 20 Platys
3 Bristlenoses

I was saddened not to find the 10-15 year old Banjo catfish I spotted last year, I hope it’s still around in there though.

The interior has been the same, the small piece of bogwood in the middle once took up 1/3 of the tank and the Anubias originated from one plant.

I really, really regret not having taken one photo of it per year as it would have been very cool to have seen the evolution of the tank. This is something ill try to do with other tanks from now on and that could be an idea for fishkeepers in general.

Melander