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TANK
INFORMATION
(See next page for more information on the technical
aspects of this tank)
DIMENSIONS
(cm) 150X50X65 (LXWXH)
FILTRATION:
3.600 Liters / hour (two external canister
filters and two internal sponge filters)
LIGHTING:
7X40W fluorescent tubes (2 Penn Plax
Untra-Tri Lux, 2 Penn Plax Tri Lux, one Philips Aquarelle and two
OSRAM fluora). Thirteen hours per day (timer).
SUBSTRATE:
Medium sized green quartz gravel with
Terralite plus a thin top layer of sand.
AQUASCAPE:
Rocks and many live plants. Carbon dioxide
injection is "on" for roughly one hour daily (6 bubbles
per second till pH drops to 7.7).
CHEMISTRY:
pH=8.3, GH=10, KH=14, Temp: 26 degrees C
(30 in summer).
WATER CHANGES:
50% change every other week.
ADDITIVES:
Liquid plant fertilizer (also mid-week),
Aquarium salt, Baking soda, Tap water conditioner. Clear-Ease (from
Mydor) added if needed. General Remedy (from Wardley) is added once
every month as a preventive measure.
OTHERS:
Heavy aeration
during the night to eliminate excess of carbon dioxide (timer).
Continuous pH monitoring.
INHABITANTS
MBUNA
MELANOCHROMIS
AURATUS Two pairs and
dozens of fry in the same tank. Aged 3 years, one of the males
(dominant) is breeding with both females alternatively (one birth
per month). Initially I bought one male with four females. One
female was killed by the male during the first week and another
female turned to a submissive male. Upon change of the color the
second female was also killed on the spot.Very
aggressive species, even females are
territorial. Males are colored black with white stripes while
females are yellow with black stripes and white borders.
See
photo of carrying female. See
also photos
and info on this species.
MELANOCHROMIS JOHANNI Two
pairs. Initially bought a pair which proved to be two males. I later
acquired two females which are much younger and smaller than the
males. Spawned in February 99 for the first time. A
peaceful species (by Melanochromis
standards anyway) with a beautiful black color with a deep blue
stripe (male) yellow with a black stripe on the dorsal fin (female).
See photos
& info.
MELANOCHROMIS CHIPOKAE One
pair and dozens of fry in the same tank. Spawning takes place every
month. A very aggressive species
comparable to Melanochromis auratus. See
photos & info.
Maylandia LOMBARDOI One
male and two females. One of the most
aggressive Maylandia species it is
the ideal tankmate for the Melanochromis species. The male is yellow
(an exception for mbuna) and the female is blue with dark vertical
bars. Females also intolerant of their own species. See
photos & info.
CYNOTILAPIA MBAMBA One
pair and a dozen of fry in the same tank. They keep on spawning
every 45 days though the fry is very small. An excellent coloration
(yellow dorsal fin, blue-gray body with deep blue vartical bars for
the male). Will not show its coloration if Pseudotropheus lombardoi
is present in the same tank. This I didn't know when I acquired this
species. A relatively peaceful
species. See
photos & info.
LABIDOCHROMIS CAERULEUS One
pair and a couple of fry, The male passed away some days ago but it
left its successors in the tank. Electric yellow color for both
sexes. A very peaceful and
shy fish. See
photo & info.
NON
MBUNA
HAPLOCHROMIS NYERERI One
male and two females donated by Francesco
Zezza aged 18 months.
See photos and info.
CHOIRORYNCHUS ACANTHOPSIS
One horseface. See
photos and info.
PTERIGOPLICHTYS MULTIRADIATUS
Two of my favorite plecostomus
species. See
photos and info See
more photos of this tank in the next page. |
