# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Sumatra stream biotope proyect



## imported_Xema (Apr 1, 2003)

I am contructing a SE tank, his size is 60(large) x 50(depth) x 50(height)cm.

I want to imitate a cross-sectional section to a little stream. Somethings like this









What kind of crips can I used?
I had thought about:

to back, balanse and albida
to middle, wendti, wallissi

Vallisneria, could be too great to my tank?

What´s your opinion?


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## imported_Xema (Apr 1, 2003)

I am contructing a SE tank, his size is 60(large) x 50(depth) x 50(height)cm.

I want to imitate a cross-sectional section to a little stream. Somethings like this









What kind of crips can I used?
I had thought about:

to back, balanse and albida
to middle, wendti, wallissi

Vallisneria, could be too great to my tank?

What´s your opinion?


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## Phil Edwards (Jan 22, 2004)

I'd use Ciliata, minima, and moehlmannii. The others you mentioned are native to Sri Lanka. BTW, that's a great idea you've got there! 

Some Java Moss would look great on some wood in there. What type of fish are you planning on using?

Proverbs 3:7-8


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## tsunami06 (Feb 6, 2003)

Such a small tank would be begging for some
unusual Betta or Parosphromenus sp.









Carlos


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## david lim (Mar 30, 2004)

that seems like a very beautiful tank. is there a clearer picture by any chance? and whom is its proud owner?


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## imported_Xema (Apr 1, 2003)

I planning on using some Rasboras heteromorpha and Espei, maybe some Sphaerychtis osphromenoides.

Post a 3D representation of my idea


















The "green balls" are representing to "riccia cakes".

The previous pics belongs to a winner of constest-ADA.

I will put some 3D pics about to setting, filtration, lightting sisteme, plumbing, etc.


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## Cyprinus (Mar 6, 2003)

Hi Xema! It's great to find here you too!

Regarding Vallisneria, I will not use V. gigantea. In my aquarium, they grow up to more than 1'5 m. So they'll not allow the light to reach the Cryptocorines.

Vallisneria americana will be a great choose. It grows up to 40 cm. So it's ideal for your tank.

Regarding the layout you show in your 3d pictures... It's great, but I have an idea which maybe will work...

It's to put the plants and the "riccia cakes" not parallel to the side glasses, but forming an A. Maybe it will increase the depth sensation when you look to the tank.

Best regards.


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## tsunami06 (Feb 6, 2003)

I admit... I am not a big fan of 
Vallisneria. Does Cyperus helferi occur
in Sumatra? I know that it occurs on the
western coast of Malaysia which is *very* close
to the northeastern coast of Sumatra.

Carlos

by the way, I love your fish choice! Rasbora
heteromorpha with chocolate gouramis would
be perfect!


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## JaredtheAquamaniac (Feb 3, 2003)

What about some C. Spiralis? Isn't it found all over that region including the many shallow fields?

Stay Safe....Specs in profile


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## hwchoy (Feb 6, 2004)

Your tank is almost a cube, I don't suppose you plan to create a current flow to simulate a stream? If so you need a longer tank, otherwise go for a "swamp" biotope simulation, i.e. little current flow. The _T. heteromorpha_ is a good choice, but not the _T. espei_ as it is from Southeast Thailand. Probably should consider also some of the barbs such as the _Puntius tetrazona_ and _P. pentazona_, although these are somewhat boisterous. Better would be some of the other Rasboras such as the _R. agilis_, but I have no idea what kinds you are able to obtain (I see you are located in Spain). If you want to simulate a swamp, you can add some _Parosphromenus sp._ or Sumatran bettas (again, what is available at your place?) but surely not the _Betta splendens_ (again a Thai fish). A large shoal (50 or so) of _Boraras maculata_ might be very nice as these are very small and hardly add any bioload. Oh and some loaches would be good too.

As for plants, you might consult The Crypt Pages but certainly not the riccia. Depending on your "biotope philosophy" you may want to opt for a smaller number of plant species since in nature aquatic plants grow in patches of one or several species, too many different species mixed together will look like a garden instead. Alternatively, consider replacing tall crypts with tall hairgrass.

[email protected] from Singapore

[This message was edited by hwchoy on Fri June 13 2003 at 12:47 AM.]

[This message was edited by hwchoy on Fri June 13 2003 at 12:49 AM.]


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## imported_Xema (Apr 1, 2003)

Thank for you reply hwchoy

But is not a strict biotope, I want to mix biotope and aquascaping phylosophy. But I want to give very impotance to cripts. I must name to this tank "cipts garden biotope". the Spaheriychtis osphromenoides are very important in this tank. 

I try to keep in this tank:

- Sphaeriychtis osphromenoides
- Rasboras heteromorpha 
- Rasboras espei (I think that this specie is a biotype of heteromorpha)
- Botia sidthimunki ( It´s really dificult to find in Spain), What´s specie of botia you recommend to me? I like small species. I´m thinking to botia histrionica, but it´s from,... Pakistan? I like also botia striata.

- Maybe some aplochelius blocki.
- And a lot of Spanish algae-eater shrimp.

About the plants....

I only put cripts species... more or less from sumatra and borneo, maybe some Thai species, if not find sumatran species.


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## hwchoy (Feb 6, 2004)

Hi, I'm not familiar with _Spaheriychtis osphromenoides_, what's that? If you want to go for crypts, Sumatran crypts would be a good place to see a list, basically

_C. ciliata_
_C. cordata_
_C. fusca_
_C. jacobsenii_
_C. longicauda_
_C. minima_
_C. moehlmannii_
_C. pontederiifolia_
_C. scurrilis_
_C. villosa_
_C. zukalii_
Some of these are not even in cultivation as they're so very rare or difficult.

Since there aren't any tall crypts such as the _C. crispatula var balansae_ native to Sumatra, I would recommend Blyxa species for your background, such as the _Blyxa aubertii_ as it is also a native to Southeast Asia.

What do you mean by "Rasbora espei is a biotype of heteromorpha"? The _T. heteromorpha_ is a native of the Sunda region (Southern Malay peninsula, Sumatra and islands) while the _T. espei_ comes from the Gulf of Thailand seaboard, around the provinces of Chantaburi and Trat. I used to have three species of Trigonostigma (the heteromorpha, the espei and the hengeli) in one tank and they don't look very "harmonious", suggest you stick to just one species. By the way the _T. hengeli_ is actually a native of Sumatra (type locality: Jambi province of Sumatra) so perhaps you can go for that instead, but personally I find the _T. heteromorpha_ a much more attractive fish on account of its red colouring. Those that you obtain from fish shops are farm raised and are a lot less attractive than those we catch from the wild (yes, even here in Singapore).

As for loaches, I know that the clown loach _Botia macracanthus_ is native to Sumatra (apparently it is a food fish growing up to 2 feet in size) although most shops sell them at sizes of 2 inches. They probably take a long time to grow up in a small tank and they are cute and interesting to look at. They also help to control the snail population. Another interesting loach is the horse-face loach _Acantopsis choirorhynchus_, I used to have a 6-inch specimen, really really cute guy. For something more common you could go for the Kuhli loach (_Pangio kuhlii_).

For surface dwellers, you could look at the _Aplocheilus panchax_ (the _A. blockii_ is native to India, not Sumatra) or one of the half-beaks, common ones are the pygmy (_Dermogenys pusilla_) and the forest halfbeaks (_Hemirhamphodon pogonognathus_).

I have pics of some of these Rasbora and Boraras, have a look at them. Well, good luck and post some pics when you get it going.

[email protected] from Singapore


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## budak (Mar 13, 2004)

choy!!! of all people, you can't be NOT familiar with Spaherichytis osphromenoides???









If i may intrude, I just re-setup my 3 ft tank with ADA Aquasoil and assorted crypts which when mature will house Spaherichytis osphromenoides, liquorice gouramis and selected Boraras/Rasboras? Not exactly a SEA biotope as nanas and congo bolbitis are prominent, but i just want the overcast swampy look that these plants convey. 
click here


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## 2la (Feb 3, 2003)

It might help if it were spelled right: _Sphaerichthys osphromenoides_.

 
(Click for pics)

[This message was edited by 2la on Tue June 17 2003 at 06:52 PM.]


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## hwchoy (Feb 6, 2004)

> quote:
> 
> Originally posted by 2la:
> It might help if it were spelled right: Sphaerichthys ophromenoides.


OH, you mean _Sphaerichthys oSphromenoides_









[email protected] from Singapore


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## 2la (Feb 3, 2003)

Whatever are you talking about?









 
(Click for pics)


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## imported_Xema (Apr 1, 2003)

I have got some month to decide the popullation of this tank.

In a few week I paste some pics about filtration sisteme, lighting sisteme, and plumbing setup.

Budak...

Chocolate gourami and liquorice gourami are compatible totally

Grettings


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## imported_Xema (Apr 1, 2003)

Sorry I fotgot one thing.
hwchoy...

Biotype is a diferent form of a species that it lives in a diferent enviroment


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## hwchoy (Feb 6, 2004)

Hi Xema, I see what you mean. The several Trigonostigma species used to be lumped as subspecies of the (then) _Rasbora heteromorpha_ but since then they have been classified as valid species and even assigned a new genus. Out of the four species I have only seen the three common ones (_T. heteromorpha, espei, _and_ hengeli_). For some reason _T. somphongsi_ have never been available in Singapore.

You can also consider some nice non-aggressive betta e.g. _B. coccina_ is a nice, easy-to-keep betta from Sumatra.

Look forward to seeing your plumbing design.

[email protected] from Singapore


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