My “Not so Pretty” Licorice Gourami Tanks

[john walsh]

Jennifer, your tanks look pretty enough to me. I am so jealous that you have conditioned your fish into nuptial colours so quickly. Well done :cheer:

[Jennifer Kronenberg]

[quote=”jalmj” post=2488]Jennifer, your tanks look pretty enough to me. I am so jealous that you have conditioned your fish into nuptial colours so quickly. Well done :cheer:[/quote]

Thank you, they aren’t quite colored fully yet. But at least they’re a lot closer than they were! It’s nice to see them trying to get into color. The male will get really dark for a few seconds, and then lighten right back up like he doesn’t quite have it figured out yet.

[Thomas Beu]

Hi Jennifer,
In order to refill my tanks with fresh water I normally use a “dripping-system”. From a bucket placed above the tank, water runs down through a small hose as it is used for air-pumps. The flow-rate is regulated by a small valve. Thus, the water is dripping slowly into the tank, about 5 liters over a period of half an hour. As the Paros often come close to the dripping-spot, I suppose they like the special motion caused by the drops; maybe they love rain. Filling the tank by this way, you will avoid any disturbance of the arrangements. In order to fix the water-entrance at the bottom of the bucket, it is useful to weigh down this part of the hose (i.e. with an iron piece or stone) or to use a small plastic tube that just reaches down to the bottom with an elbow over the edge of the bucket, were it is connected with the hose.
Another thing: In my view the air-stream of your filters is a little bit too strong. Paros prefer a weak water current. I use bubble filters too, but air supply is much lower.
Plant growing: It is an old experience that plants sometimes grow and sometimes not. Three equal tanks in my shelf, standing side by side, with an equal setup, all under a common fluorescent tube, behave considerable different. Only in one of them, the floating watermoss Salvinia is growing very well, with tall leaves and long roots. The second tank is mainly grown by Ceratopteris and the third one don’t like any plants. Who knows why? So don’t be frustrated and try it again. Often Microsorium, fixed on a piece of wood, is growing well. Also Najas guadeloupensis is not bad.

[helene schoubye]

Hello beutho 🙂

I was just going online to put in a picture of precisely this method which you are mentioning, thats a funny coincidence. But so I will publish the photo to illustrate something along the lines of what you are suggesting.
I use this sometimes when I really dont want to disturb things – but I have no valve on it. Thats a good idea. The weighing down as well is a good idea..

Anyway, heres the photo … the hose could be shorter, but it doesnt really matter if it has to come down in a loop as long as the water container is above the tank.

[Stefaan]

I presume Beutho’s system looks rather like a solution administration set with variable fluid and lock-off control:

It’s what I always use to acclimate fish or shrimps before introducing them into a tank with different water values, or simply to add fresh water that has a lower pH.

From my behalf, I’m wondering if it’s really necessary to prepare a tank to a pH of less than 6 when planning to buy new paro’s. In the LFS, they might have been kept in water with a pH of 7,2. Will the paro’s support such big change?

[Jennifer Kronenberg]

Thank you for the responses! They have given me some ideas to adapt to my own setups. A drip system of some kind would definitely work better than what I’m currently using. Would certainly make water changes more pleasant!

I would say that the large male in the tank has selected one of the pottery as a cave, but the big female prefers under the sponge filter. He tried to chase her to it, but she retreats right back under the sponge filter despite coloring up really dark. I will add a few more caves in hopes that they agree on one.. :dry:

My air flow is probably still too fast. I have slowed it down since that last photo, it is probably 2 bubbles per second, but still a bit too fast. I had lowered it down to around one bubble or so per second, but then I got home from work and somehow it was no longer bubbling at all. I probably need to get a better valve, this one was very cheap and it seems to go from that amount right to off. I did move the sponge filter to a far end, so more of the water is undisturbed.

Helene! I love how dense those plants are! How you would ever find your fish in there I don’t know, but I would think they like it. Hopefully I get some plants that like the tanks, more trial and error I suppose. 🙂

[Thomas Beu]

Voila, my DIY-Snorkel.

Thomas

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