building a "big" Potamotrygon/SA Catfishes tank

[Viktor Jarikov]

Man! The joys of maintaining large tanks never end... Sorry to hear this, mate!

This is one of the reasons I tend to rate concrete tanks below plastic or fiberglass or even rubber-liner ones... unless it is an inground pool kind where small leaks may not matter much...

In theory, I'd have sandwiched two layers of rubber liner between two layer of protective cloth and concreted over this quadruple sandwich to give it a shot at holding water forever. The window would have to be glued to the rubber liner of course too.

[ElTofi]

under (hard) work to solve it...

next week it should be alright...

I'll keep posted with detailled informations.

[ElTofi]

problem solved (again, till next time).

I'm getting my fish back home... a few videos :

Today : Panaque schaeferi and Acanthicus

[ElTofi]

Tuesday : Azul peacocks

[ElTofi]

Wednesday : after 24 hours resting, finding their old habits and places...

[ElTofi]

everybody's back... with a few "travel" wounds I have to care for...

but it will be all right...

[bekateen]

Glad it's sorted. Those Panaques are impressive.

Happy new year, Eric

[ElTofi]

You bet they are. I Kind of destroyed my fingerprints when I took them out of their hosting tank.

[ElTofi]

rare moment of exception today, when I "caught" a short "fight" between two Acanthicus adonis, one trying to get the other out of the shelter of the big inner filter...

and suddenly... I realized, the big dominant Panaque schaeferi was very close of my hand on the filter, I hadn't seen him so close before...

I moved very carefully the iPhone in his direction... alleluia, it didn't get afraid and took pose for a few minutes...

[ElTofi]

a bad weather Sunday morning video... with Acanthicus hystrix (and if you are very careful, Acanthicus adonis) under a shelter of wood.



Panaque schaeferi were too shy this morning...

[ElTofi]

one of these days, I'll shoot an underwater video of my "monsters" : Acanthicus adonis (3, 6 and 9 years old) and of the two "Survivors" Panaque schaeferi (10 years old)...

if I can dive a camera inside the tank without them to go back behind the internal filters.

[bekateen]

I do not cease to be amazed with these big tanks like yours and like those of @Viktor Jarikov. I've lost track imof history. Have you ever had any fish spawn in this tank, as long as it's been operating?

Cheers, Eric

[ElTofi]

nothing (serious) considering catfish...

but I have in continuity : Ancistrus sp Paraguay (and hybridization with "sp from shop"), Hypancistrus sp L201 (a few fry survived and spawned when adults)

and I had :

Osteoglossum bicirrhosum (two spawnings, with a 6 weeks mouth care from father, including hatching at 4th week, until the kelberis discovered there was something alive to hunt)

Myleus schomburgki : several spawnings, eaten every time by the parents

Astronotus occellatus Peru : more than 20 spawnings but never further than free swimming from larvae... then... predation
Cichla kelberi : eggs eaten by stingrays and Panaque schaeferi, twice.

[bekateen]

Maybe not much survives, but that's still an impressive list!

Cheers, Eric

[ElTofi]

looooong time...

but a short video of one of my all time favorites... Panaque schaeferi after 10 years in my inner pond and probably 2 more years of living...



Baryancistrus LDA33 is 7 inches

[ElTofi]

[bekateen]

What a nice view. How close do you think their behavior in your tank is to their behavior in nature?

Cheers, Eric

[ElTofi]

I guess, whatever the specie you are talking of, there is nothing left "natural" in their inner pond behavior... too much light, water too clean, not enough natural predator/prey, easy food, and much to close interactions... considering a natural habitat

[ElTofi]

hi everyone...

long time again since I had something worth to share...

I finally made "the final step to my original fishhobbying dream"... I acquired a baby Red Tail Catfish

Phractocephalus

... It's growing in the living room Xingu tank until it'll get big enough to join the predators of the basement into the "big" tank

here's a short vid of the beast around 5'' only one month after its arrival in its new home :

[Viktor Jarikov]

Wow. I had never imagined an RTC would be on your plate ever. As it grows you will find you will have to remove all of the "swallowable" tank mates from the 2500 gal, eventually probably all or almost all of them, even your pbass and arowana could be in danger. But I am sure you know it.

If my experience is of any guidance, yours will reach 3 feet if a male in 3-5 years and 4 feet if a female.

Here is our quartet:

[ElTofi]

Agreed...

I think my Stingrays are safe. My >2 feet Panaque too... but Peacocks could be in danger indeed.

I have an easy « B » plan in my immédiate area...

Awesome set up and tank mates btw

[ElTofi]

Never had such a lightning growing rate !!! awesome !

vid of the day (5 weeks and 3 days from its arrival)

[Viktor Jarikov]

Haha... good job.

Oh, the RTC is only warming up. Two feet or 60 cm in the first year starting from 3" or 8 cm is quite common.

[bekateen]

Two feet or 60 cm in the first year starting from 3" or 8 cm is quite common.

[ElTofi]

Haha... good job.

Oh, the RTC is only warming up. Two feet or 60 cm in the first year starting from 3" or 8 cm is quite common.

Yes, that’s what I’ve been told...

[ElTofi]

RTC joined the big bath from a week... and only gets out of its roots at night.


but the point of this video is the underwater close up of several fish of my groups... I think it's pretty awesome

[ElTofi]

hi you all,

some news of the irresponsible fish in my pond...

[ElTofi]

hi everyone...

I think I have 2 (on 5) females stingray pregnant, after the entrance of a male in March. I tried to shoot a few vids and some fellows came to say hello

[Viktor Jarikov]

Great video, Eltofi! The RTC grew a little huh?

What holds and guides the camera in your underwater filmings? The fish don't seem to be afraid of it.

[ElTofi]

A simple GoPro 3 on a dedicated stick. They are used to it indeed