A River runs through it

lol @tracyp ... busy cooking supper and set my laptop up on desk in front of tank.... They beginning to explore and chow down on algea like no tomorrow....might run out of the green manace soon...lol - never thought that would happen... Hmmnn, might have to up lighting period even more than the current 16 hours...lol

Promise some pics later - just want to eat and will haul the camera out then....he,he

 

those are some straaaaange looking critters shawn!
I think we need an updated full tank shot though

 

Looking really awsome! Love the Stiphodon, she is looking very happy
BTW what substrate are u using? where... where..... do one find nice subs. like that? Mind sharing?

 

O.K - note to self.... taking photos of Sewellias causes frustration,swearing and lotsa outbursts - take a chill pill before next attempts...lol
Unlike normal Hillstreams,their big cousins dont quite know the meaning of sitting still for the photographer...lol

@Anine - FTS included - my photo skills suck compared to yours though;@Naomi - it's a 60% Durban beach sand and 40% river gravel collected from stream on friends farm....LOVE the natural look it gives me....

So here's the pics...as usual crits,comments - even ooh's and aah's(lol) encouraged....

 

Took a slightly scew Full tank shot - liked the look of it better than the standard frontal shot(+ it hides the bulky sponge filter...lol) - 2nd pic is of two of the Gastromyzons squaring off(Excuse the big Endler female giving us a good look at her gravid spot...lol);4th is the best pic I could get of the Sewellia sp. Spotted male - a TRUELY magnificent fish and already ruler of the tank....lol;5th is one of the S.lineolata's exploring the taste of Jakaranda moss - @Firefly - seems it also concluded that it tastes funny and promptly left it alone...lol

 

But they are so flat Tank is looking good and the fish even more so.

 

lol - even flat fish need love,attention and adoring fans too...he,he - Your Goby is loving it in here btw,can swear its getting even fatter and bigger already....lol

One thing I love bout the sewellias is how they like swimming through the water column to get somewhere else - not just clinging to rocks or glass all the time like the Gastromyzons...

 

@azurekoi, LOVE LOVE LOVE the bamboo! man! you make me feel like ripping up my nano's scape.
your little mop fish are very cute though, they're like mini fresh water rays

 

@Anine . thanx.... busy curing some more freshly cut bamboo - want a veritable forest of it in that corner.... + need lots more little bits of Java fern to tie on - but will get there eventualy... As for ripping up your scape...NOOOOOOO...lol

Yup - the hillstreams is the closest I can get to keeping freshwater rays at the moment...lol - their space requirement and cost just WAY outa my budget... - the S.sp Spotted is big though - round 6.5cm - a true beauty!!!

 

That tank does look lekka,i also want now lol

 

Wow dude

very cool litte suckers....lol could not resist!

do you get alot in at petstop? and what do you feed them?

 

@Vez... Got about 30ish left of them - If you meant that wheter we have them in stock often,no mate - been looking for some for close on 15 years now... Their main diet consists of algea and aufwuchs in nature - in aquarium they will eat prepared foods,algea wafers,nori,frozen foods etc,but make sure they have some algea to graze on..

 

mmmmmmm this sounds on the cool side, will pm you a bit later.

 

:love:...they're even cuter than I expected! Another addition to the ever lengthening fish wish-list!!!

 

h: ....so no problem with high PH then?

 

pH stable at 7.2 ish.... The beach sand funnily enough does not contain lots of shell grit... + Ive had it for a long time and in various tanks through the years...

 

The bamboo is rocking dude! great effect, perfect arrangement

 

He,he - it's thanx to you @Mzungu.... Yeah - it came out almost exactly like I planned it.... BTW....got some for you now if you have any regrets and want to play with bamboo in your new nanocube... just gonna have to wait for it to dry out a bit first - can spare a length like you gave me if you want some...

 

Wesley dude just remember these guys love a current... I was thinking about them as well but!!! They need a decent current to be happy, I have even considered a current "stream" through my tank at one point, but dont think I will get it right.

 

Yup @Vez - thes guys just love current - dont think they would do too well in a standard aquarium - this tank has a turnover rate of close to once every minute as opposed to the "standard" of once every 15 mins or so...

Been sitting in front of the tank most of the evening watching the Sewelias play - they do just that! Gliding in the current,munching my fast dwindling algae supply and having their little territorial scuffles... A truely rewarding fish when one meets it's habitat requirements...

Hmmnn...now just for a few more Stiphodon gobies and some Botia striata and I think the stocking will be complete....