Big Day Fish Wise

Well today was a good day for progress on the paludarium and my fish. I bought one hundred and eight dollars worth of fish and fish stuff. I bought a Duetto minI submersible filter for the paludarium. I bought a used visitherm stealth for 10 dollars(For the paludarium). I bought a water pump for the paludarium. I bought 4 Halfblack guppies for the paludarium. They were beautiful in my eyes and I couldn't let them go. I got one male and three females. I also got a dwarf hairgrass. I also got three Cory's(Corydoras paleatus I believe) for the betta tank. I also got some cork bark for the paludarium. I got some small pebbles for the paludarium. I got some hose for the pump to but that's not as big of a deal lol. Well that's what I got today. I put the guppies in the 30G I'm not using for the paludarium because I will be draining it tomorrow to set it up. I put the cory's right into their tank because the betta isn't in there yet. They are schooling together and scavenging/ picking at the bottom. They are really nice and I already love them. They might be my favorite fish =). One of the female guppies is already pregnant so I guess its true they don't stay empty for long lol. The betta will be coming next week so I am thrilled!

Also I asked the guy that helped me out with everything(He has done one of these before) about my plan. He said that I didn't need two pumps and that everything else was perfect. I will be using the cork bark to imitate a tree. I am going to silicone it to the back wall. I am going to add a frog or a newt I can't decided. Actually I think toad is the proper term.

I am going to get the plexiglass, silicone, soil, slate, and tropical plants tomorrow at various places, mostly Lowes though.

Just wanted to share all that with you =)

I will keep yall updated with pictures tomorrow on the paludarium and corys!

 

sorry to sound stupid but what is a paludarium?

 

Sounds like your project is coming along great.

I am looking forward to the pictures.

 

I hope it turns out to be everything you want it to be. Nice choice on the guppies, half-blacks are definitely beautiful, and we hope yours will be less aggressive than ours.

 

sorry to sound stupid but what is a paludarium?

A paludarium is a combination of an aquarium and a terrarium, part land and part water. Both fish and land animals are kept in one.

 

Hi!

Cool. What non-fish do you plan to keep in the paludarium?

Oh - beware. Corys need to be in groups of at least 6 to be happy. Maybe a few more might be an idea for the Betta tank/have a nice feature of corys in the Paludarium?

 

Sounds awesome.

 

Yea I am thinking of a whites tree frog, firebellied toads, or a red eyed tree frog. I am about to head out and pick up the plexiglass now. I am taking the inside measurements shortly. I will take photos as I put it together.

I would put more Cory's but its only a ten gallon and I can overstock.

The halfblacks aren't aggresive really so far but they sure don't stop moving. They are the most active fish I have ever seen. As well as the corys. They just swim around together at the bottom eating/scavenging.

 

Hi!

Sounds fun. I love red-eye frogs. Look at poison dart frogs. I've loved those since I saw them at the zoo as a 7 year old child!

I see. I wouldn't put Hatchetfish in it - they'de jump and end up marrooned!im

 

What we ment by aggressive is that they are baby eatters.
We have some strains that NEVER bother babies, our platiniums for example.
The half blacks we have ALWAYS chase the fry, until the fry are too large to fit into the adult's mouth.

I would go with the white's or the firebellies. I LOVE White's tree frogs.
Red eyes are best for someone with a little more experience.

 

Poison dart frogs are, if I recall, fairly difficult to care for, and require very thoroughly secured tanks, as they can climb anything.
The good news is that they actually aren't poisonous if kept in captivity, so I don't think you'd have to worry about one poisoning the system. They are gorgeous frogs, though, and I'd love to keep a couple, particularly the blue and the purple ones.

Actually, the poison thing is a good thing to think about. If any of the amphibians you're thinking about are toxic, they could end up poisoning all of your fish.

The cories will probably be fine in a smaller group than 6. I can't guarantee this, but it's a pretty safe bet.

 

Hi!

I don't know much about amphibians! I thought that a school of corys would be quite nice down there. Hey - do you reckon ADF's would be good in there? Just when thinking of frogs - they come to mind.

 

I suppose you could put some ADFs in. I don't think I wil though, as it is not a large amount of water. Only 10-15 gallons max.

 

Hi!

That's the problem with paludariums. The hardy ever hold much water!
I guess that has enough fish in it then.

 

Yep. I am kinda pushin it with 4 guppies lol =). I am about to take some pictures.

 

Hi!

Yay! Get them up soon - I can't wait to see it.

 

Cory your project sounds better all the time. Glad to see your being careful not to overstock, the corys will be fine with just three. Granted the bigger the group the more active they are but three will be fine.
Glad your using cork Bark, sheet cork will come apart in the tank.
Carol

 

Well I took some pics of the corys but I couldnt get any of the guppies. The girls were to fast and the guy was actually doing his thing with one of the girls......

 

Hi!

Oh yeah, watch the guppys don't take over!

Those corys look relatively healthy. Although I personally wouldn't keep them on marbles (I prefer the natural look) I can see why you like it!

 

I am taking measurements finally after emptying the 30gallon. I have about half of the water in the 20G running with heater and filter to put in once I get everything done.

Thanks Carol and everyone else for all the positive comments! Now if I could only get to Lowes and off of the computer lol.

Attached a pic of 20G running and will attach one of the cork bark just for fun.

The marbles were mainly for the betta. I prefer sand(All other tanks have it) but I had to have the bettas fins in mind and some people said that bettas can sometimes eat sand and can cause them to die and I don't want that happening just to be safe =). The corys seem to like it though.

 

Just a hint.
I generally try to get my heater as close to the bottom as I can.

Heat rises.

 

Hi!

Sounds great! I prefer to give them something the can play in though.
Wise choice though. Don't want a dead Betta!

Now, get of the computer and off to Lowes!

 

Resizing all these pics is making me tired lol. Well I'm about to eat. Then measure. Then lowes to pick up the rest of the stuff. Hopefully I will get most of it done today and be able to fill with water tomorrow. =)

Cork bark:

 

Hi!

OK - see you soon! Keep us posted - I'll be watching my 'new replies' tommorow.

 

I try to put my heater crosswise under or close to the filter. Heat rises and the filter will pull the heat up and push warm water out to keep the tank a more uniform temp.
It's also easier to hide if close to the bottom
Carol

 

Hi!

In my Juwel Rio180 I keep my heater in the handy slot they have made for it in the filter. If my calculations are correct it keeps the water flow warm and the bacteria warm - helping growth ;D (I think!).

 

Thanks. I just threw the heater in there cause I was in a rush. I fixed it already its on the same side as the filter under it =).

I finished all the siliconing and it is curing right now. I also got some plants. I will get exact names later(I forgot). I will be adding everything tomorrow afternoon. I still need to pick up some slate and then I will have all of my materials ready. Then I just need to prepare for the whites tree frog which I have already grown to love. I am attaching pictures of right now and a "pre" after(paint of what it will look like). I am also attaching pictures of plants. (Resizing at the moment will have them up asap.)

I will post tomorrow when I finish.
=)

 

Looking forward to seeing it.

 

I was not sparing with the silicone. Wanted to be safe rather than sorry =). I tried to make it look as neat as possible though. This a before and "after" pic.

On the after pic there will be slate going all the way across the plexiglass to hide it. Forgot to add it, sorry

This is the first plant. I bought it at lowes. It is a Schefflera.

Once my mom gets back and I figure out the others names I will post them =) Also she has an ivy that she doesn't want so I am hanging it on the pumps hose that will be threaded through the cork bark tree and come out the side of it and it will be covered in cork bark. I think it will look neat and the frog will like it.

 

Hi!

Looks good. That paint is much better than any of my 'attempts'... It looks to be a nice tank-to-be!

 

I am really excited to see this come together. I may do one of these in the future! keep the pictures coming!

 

All I need is to finish setting up waterfall and branch/hose Then it will be complete.

 

wow, Cory, that looks so fantastic, you are a person of great vision.

 

How is the water filtered?

I assume it has something to do with the waterfall....but I am unsure of the details...do explain. plz.

Seeing this setup really makes me want to do one. lol.

 

A pump pumps water from the front pool through a hose to a reservoir on the left. A submersible filter is in that reservoir. The heater is also in it. The filter pumps out the water giving a waterfall appearance as it trickles down the rocks. The filter and water pump are going at the same flow rate so that it is constantly filling and losing water but in reality it stays the same water level.

 

Where is the transfer pump located? Is that the black thing in the righthand corner? Also, Did you completely fill the back (land) portion with soil? or just the top few inches to plant in? I think you stated that the divider that seperates the water from the soil was going to be covered by slate? How are you going to secure the slate to the plexi? or were you just going to stack it?

Sorry about all the questions. :-\

 

Yea the pump is on the right it is the cyllindrical black thing. I completely filled it with potting soil plain and simple(Nothing in it except dirt if you do it! Aka no white fertilizer balls or watever they are.). I decided that I wasn't going to do the slate. I thought it might look like plexiglass I that I would have to cover it but making the border on top of the plexiglass and just having the dirt show through made it look very nice. I was going to use silicone just like everything else lol. Need lots of silicone I used 1 1/2 tubes =).

Feel free to ask as many questions as you want. Its nice to have someone interested in what your doing =)

 

Very cool! Dude, your room looks like a LFS. lol I hope my office looks like that someday. I'm working on it.

 

isn't it great having the tanks around the computer.

 

Hi!

Wow. Wow, and How. That is an amazing looking paludarium. I'de love to see your other tanks up close - if they are anything like this one they really will be something to be shared and (goggle-eyed-edly) stared at!

I have a quarantine next to my PC. I'm quaruntining a trio of Dwarf gouramis in it - 1 male classic and 2 female cobalt blue.;D But - best of all. Male is bubble-nesting! He's made great progress today. Reminds me - I really need to get the camera out soon...