# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Rio parana/paraguay biotope



## glowballtraveller (Jan 23, 2004)

Hi Everybody!
Looking for some feedback on layout for a tank that reflects a clearwater streambed
or "Cristalino" of the Rio Parana or Paraguay

In a book (loaned to my friend, don't have the title) a Japanese author had a wide shallow tank with a few pieces of driftwood and a patches of what looked like E quadrostaticus.
The animals included were a school of corydoras and a few festivums.

Wanted to recreate that lawn of quad with cypress knees rising out of the sand base and some kind of planting around the edges for shelter.

Besides corys and festivums, I wanted to add a school of serpae, black-skirt and/or black neons. Possible a pair dwarf or medium size 
cichlids.

My two ideas for background planting would be either vals (SO EASY) or a staggered curtain of Amazon swords. Don't know what variety of sword to use if I go that route. Also floating Water lettuce on the surface.

Any suggestions as how to make it more "Biotopic", either plants, aquascaping materials or fish? Thanks for ideas, opinions or links.

Erik
36" x 18" 56 gallon
196w CF


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## glowballtraveller (Jan 23, 2004)

Hi Everybody!
Looking for some feedback on layout for a tank that reflects a clearwater streambed
or "Cristalino" of the Rio Parana or Paraguay

In a book (loaned to my friend, don't have the title) a Japanese author had a wide shallow tank with a few pieces of driftwood and a patches of what looked like E quadrostaticus.
The animals included were a school of corydoras and a few festivums.

Wanted to recreate that lawn of quad with cypress knees rising out of the sand base and some kind of planting around the edges for shelter.

Besides corys and festivums, I wanted to add a school of serpae, black-skirt and/or black neons. Possible a pair dwarf or medium size 
cichlids.

My two ideas for background planting would be either vals (SO EASY) or a staggered curtain of Amazon swords. Don't know what variety of sword to use if I go that route. Also floating Water lettuce on the surface.

Any suggestions as how to make it more "Biotopic", either plants, aquascaping materials or fish? Thanks for ideas, opinions or links.

Erik
36" x 18" 56 gallon
196w CF


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## Phil Edwards (Jan 22, 2004)

Are you talking about "The Natural Aquarium"? If so, the grassy plants in there are Saggitaria subdulata if I remember correctly. I wouldn't go too crazy with background plants in an aquascape like that, especially in a smaller tank like a 56. Most small streams like the Crystalinos have an overhanging bank rather than the slope which would support most Echinodorus communities.

Your idea of using Cypress knees is awesome. Those, along with some twigs hanging down in the back and some sort of small floater, such as Limnobium or Phylanthus species would be a much more effective background, not to mention more accurate. I'd stay away from water lettuce though, they get very large, and unless you've got a LOT of light they tend to die quickly indoors.

Overall your choice of fish is good. Have you thought about possibly using Hatchetfish? They would offset the activities of the corydoras well and are sized about right for the dimensions of your tank.

Don't forget to keep a large quantity of your substrate free of plants for the cories. Other than that, enjoy!

Best,
Phil

/masthead-refined-mini.jpg


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## glowballtraveller (Jan 23, 2004)

Thanks! Didn't think that Hatchets lived so far south, but found the "Spotfin Hatchetfish"
which lives in those rivers.

What would keep some of the shyer species out in the open, if I did go without background plants? Would the floating plants do the trick?

Are you familiar with Gymnogeophagus balzani?
They're from the area but not sure if they are biotopic or, more importantly, eventually to big for my tank. Heard they grow very slowly.

Would the correct substrate be sand, fine gravel, or a mixture of the two? Color?

Sorry for so many questions! Thanks!


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## skylsdale (Jun 2, 2004)

> quote:
> 
> Are you familiar with Gymnogeophagus balzani?
> They're from the area but not sure if they are biotopic or, more importantly, eventually to big for my tank. Heard they grow very slowly.


Not to mention that they'll uproot every last plant you have.


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## glowballtraveller (Jan 23, 2004)

Maybe a bigger tank like a 75gl.....more I look at these guys, the more I like them.

Phil- I've never tried to attach branches to the inside of my tank, any suggestions?
I suppose you mean thinner, branching ones.
Could fake branches be used?

Erik


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## Phil Edwards (Jan 22, 2004)

If you can get your hands on some suction cups with little clips you can attach them that way, or if need be, use twist-ties to attach them to suction cups. Alternately, you can get strips of plastic and staple/screw/nail pieces of wood onto them and hang them from the rim. There are any number of ways to rig wood if you're resourceful.

Oh, yes, I do mean thinner ones. However the thickness of the wood only depends on the thickness of the material holding it up.

/masthead-refined-mini.jpg


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## glowballtraveller (Jan 23, 2004)

Was wondering about lighting. This tank currently has 2x96W Compact flourescents on it, I previously had a SE asian planted tank.
Seeing that there aren't many plants besides the patches of "lawn" on the bottom, do you think I could switch out these with some standard flourescent bulbs? 

Could use them (CF'S) on another planted tank I am planning along with the old compressed CO2.

Erik


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## Phil Edwards (Jan 22, 2004)

You should be able to without a problem. Keep in mind that these little streams likely get a lot of light, so it wouldn't be uncalled for to use the PCs if you want to.

/masthead-refined-mini.jpg


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## glowballtraveller (Jan 23, 2004)

Just got the cypress knees from "Black Jungle" in MA, and they are REALLY cool! Tall twisted cones of heavy wood with multiple peaks. I'll post photos when I get it set up.


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## glowballtraveller (Jan 23, 2004)

Problem with the cypress knees: I'm not sure if they were completely "cured". some of the smaller pieces have a jelly-slime growing on them...Not sure how to proceed or salvage them!

Tank has been setup for only two weeks without fish.


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## Phil Edwards (Jan 22, 2004)

Any pictures?

/masthead-refined-mini.jpg


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## glowballtraveller (Jan 23, 2004)

No. I do't have a lot of patience w/ my digital camera.

It's a opaque, jelly-like slime, certainly looks like a kind of mold to me, only in random dime-sized patches.

Just going to keep it in there and do 50% water changes everyfew days for a few weeks and see if it clears up.


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