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Hi Arno,
I know that.:) I’m going to use my three existing tanks (that are now fully planted) most likely as community tanks. In any case, not for Paro’s. I need to buy some more (small) tanks. In those, I plan to use some floating plants that are found in blackwater habitats.Thank you for the recommendation of the sponge filter. I will see if I can find it here, or something very similar.
Haha, Dorothee. I cannot tolerate the heat. If it is 23 C, I get ill. My friend in Kuwait just emailed me that it was 54 C in the afternoon a few days ago! I would be boiled alive!
Cheers,
JonetteA new question: On the package from my Catappa leaves, it says to just place them in the aquarium and wait a couple of days for them to sink. This is what I have been doing, but now I read somewhere that people soak them first in boiling water. What is best? Can the dried leaves possibly contain snail or other eggs that will become activated?
Cheers,
JonetteHi Jonette,
I always put the dried leaves directly into the tank. In former times I used (not with Paros) walnut leaves and soked them with boiled water. They smelled like my teapot and where going to decompose very quickly and fill the sponges so that I had to clean them very often.Thank you, Tigertim. I already have several Cryptocorynes, but they’re probably not the right kind. I’ll try to find out which ones are suitable.
Cheers,
JonetteAll who write here on Cryptocoryne should read carefully what has been written in this forum and in the general information in the PP.
Very short:
– Yes, there are typical blackwater Cryptocoryne species. But apart from the fact that they are not traded in the aquarium shops (because they are extremely difficult to cultivate, see below) you cannot cultivate them in a normal Parosphromenus-blackwater tank.
– The species that are cultivated and traded are no blackwater species. They sometimes stand a Paro-tank-milieu for a certain time, but they don’t thrive there.
– What is the problem? The problem is the structure of an aquarium: a still-water tank without a constant supply of nutrients from the soil to the roots of the plants. A streaming filter does not change that. In a natural water that is factually nearly without minerals and other nutrients, plants must receive their mineral energies by their roots. Most blackwater habitats are without submerged plants, especially those which receive their nutrients by the roots. But sometimes, you nevertheless find fields of thriving blackwater species, often Cryptocoryne (as fuscus, pallidinervia, bullosa and others). Why? Because at all these places there are streaming “nutrient fountains” in the ground, slowly but constantly delivering the necessary nutrients that are missing in the blackwater. Nobody has managed to imitate this in the aquarium yet; a mild heating from below cannot fulfill the needs (only in a normal aquarium with normal Cryptocoryne).
– Therefore: The only efficient way of cultivating blackwater Cryptocoryne up to now is emerse culture within a wrotten beech leave-ground. But here, the leaves of the plant remain above water surface.This does not mean that cultivating blackwater Cryptocoryne is impossible forever. But it is a matter of fact that despite many experiments of the best cultivateurs and specialists of that plants (Horst, de Wit, Bastmeijer etc.) the problem is unsolved up to now. One should know this; it’s not only finding the right species, but knowledge of the differences of structure between nature and the small thing called aquarium.
Thank you so much for your clear explanation, Peter. I appreciate you taking the time to write in so much detail.
It is enough of a challenge for me to set up and hopefully maintain a stable blackwater aquarium. 🙂 I will only use some floating plants.
There is so much to learn! I’m enjoying the process very much. 😀
Best wishes,
JonetteMy plans for aquarium expansion were delayed by the heatwave. Now I will be getting an aluminum shelving unit, but I need to determine the size of the new extra tanks first. I have received conflicting info. I know Peter wrote on this site,” The ideal tank size for 1 pair of licorice gouramis is 20 to 25 L”. Other people have privately recommended larger tanks. First, I was planning on 30 L tanks with maybe also one from 60 l. Now I’m thinking all should be 60 l. I want “happy fish”! So here are some questions. The answers will influence my decisions.
What size tank do you keep your paro’s in, how many couples to a tank of what size, do they ever share a community (blackwater)tank?
Will paro’s breed if they are kept in a paro’s only tank with several couples?
Would they be happy if kept in a 110 l community aquarium with Boraras Brigittae and Paracheirodon Simulans?Is there a chance of them breeding in a community aquarium with many hiding places, appropriate water, etc.?
A lot of questions, I know. Hopefully the answers will also help others new to keeping this fish.
Thanks in advance!
JonetteA school of the tiny Boraras will enjoy much swimming space; less than 40 or sixty liters should not be considered. This helps with water management which is essential for successful aquaristics. Nevertheless, these fish are used to streaming waters. You must imitate that by a) streaming filtration and b) water changing as often as possible (once a week at least 10 to 20 percent is very advisable).
Now Paros: Even two Paros only, an adult pair, will represent more living mass than 20 or thirty Boraras. And in nature they live in (slowly) streaming waters, too. Nevertheless, their behaviour scheme is entirely different. Even in nature, in a streaming water body of huge space and big quantities, they are completely used to a tiny living space. When the male has found a fitting cave built of a leaf or a piece of old wood, it is happy and leaves this cave only for searching a female or near food or to put a rival to flight. Females are less restricted this way, but nevertheless they search for males with caves, too. And when bpth meet, their life is fully centered around that tiny habitat, their living room. When they spawn, this is entirely restricted to the tiny inner space of the cave; only the male is occasionally looking around for rivals or enimies. After spawning, the female leaves the cave but lingers near to it in order to take the former duties of the male and to defend the cave with male and the clutch and the larvae. When the latter get mobile, they try to leave the cave and the male cannot stop them, although he tries at first. Finally, he surrenders and leaves the cave or – more often- tries to attract another female for the next spawning or – mostly – the same female (if it has not been eaten by an enemy in the meantime).
This means: Paros have very little need of space. The only have need of very clean blackwater with stable values. As aquarium practice proves, they even do not really need the constant weak flow of the water. But they need water of best quality. This must be considered by choosing the size and the technical installation and care of a tank.
A Paro-pair is quite happy with a tiny space around that necessary center, the cave. This was the receipt of Allan Brown, one of the best specialists of these fish, observed in nature and imitated in the breeding tank. He used 5-liter tanks and had the best results for many years. He produced huge amounts of all available species, including the true deissneri or allani or rare variants as spec. Kota Tinggi. I use 10-liter-tanks (factually 12 liters) because this is a standard size for cheap industrially produced tanks; see my often published array of 24 tanks, containing altogether less water than is contained in many single living room aquaria of today. The tanks of Walter Foersch were not much bigger. The tanks of Günter Kopic, German master breeder who bred most species for the first time in the eighties and nineties, contain 40 liters.
When I recommend 20 or 25 liter tanks I recommend them because I know the laziness of humans, me included. If you will have best results and observe what is happening, no tank must be bigger. Bigger tanks are dangerous. You miss many important things, you have difficulties in feeding the tiny young adequately (if you will not overfeed, because of water quality) and you can hardly cope well with difficulties as illness or diseases or noxious developments that you have to correct for saving your valuable fish.
But the really important thing is water quality. To imitate the constant flow of best and clean blackwaters the aquarist has only one choice: that’s water change, frequent water change. You cannot reach this aim by filtration. Water change is essential.
Allan Brown, as his wife Barbare characterized him, was “a water changer”. And every successfull Paro-keeper and breeder must be a water-changer. The biggest problem with a much bigger tank for Paros is not that you miss many of their behaviour but that you deceive yourself by thinking: o, then I don’t need to change the water too often. Bigger tanks induce laziness. And that’s wrong. If you decide for Paros, you better decide for a small tank not more than 25 liters (or fifty at most, but for most intentions this is too big already; and I don’t like those people who want to create a “natural environment” without knowledge what this means for Paros. Paros are endangered species; Simply “keeping” them in a nice aquarium is not adequate for them. Then you can decide for other fish that are not endangered. You should enjoy their full life circle and that icludes breeding and breeding means: preserving, by producing an next generation).
But this means: Water changing and defeating one’s tendency to laziness is the most important thing for successful Paro aquaristics. Mind: Very small tanks could be decorated very differently and attractively, and they are much easier to handle as bigger ones. And you must handle them often if you have decided for these fish.
[quote=”Peter Finke” post=4933]A school of the tiny Boraras will enjoy much swimming space; less than 40 or sixty liters should not be considered. This helps with water management which is essential for successful aquaristics. Nevertheless, these fish are used to streaming waters. You must imitate that by a) streaming filtration and b) water changing as often as possible (once a week at least 10 to 20 percent is very advisable).
Now Paros: Even two Paros only, an adult pair, will represent more living mass than 20 or thirty Boraras. And in nature they live in (slowly) streaming waters, too. Nevertheless, their behaviour scheme is entirely different. Even in nature, in a streaming water body of huge space and big quantities, they are completely used to a tiny living space. When the male has found a fitting cave built of a leaf or a piece of old wood, it is happy and leaves this cave only for searching a female or near food or to put a rival to flight. Females are less restricted this way, but nevertheless they search for males with caves, too. And when bpth meet, their life is fully centered around that tiny habitat, their living room. When they spawn, this is entirely restricted to the tiny inner space of the cave; only the male is occasionally looking around for rivals or enimies. After spawning, the female leaves the cave but lingers near to it in order to take the former duties of the male and to defend the cave with male and the clutch and the larvae. When the latter get mobile, they try to leave the cave and the male cannot stop them, although he tries at first. Finally, he surrenders and leaves the cave or – more often- tries to attract another female for the next spawning or – mostly – the same female (if it has not been eaten by an enemy in the meantime).
This means: Paros have very little need of space. The only have need of very clean blackwater with stable values. As aquarium practice proves, they even do not really need the constant weak flow of the water. But they need water of best quality. This must be considered by choosing the size and the technical installation and care of a tank.
A Paro-pair is quite happy with a tiny space around that necessary center, the cave. This was the receipt of Allan Brown, one of the best specialists of these fish, observed in nature and imitated in the breeding tank. He used 5-liter tanks and had the best results for many years. He produced huge amounts of all available species, including the true deissneri or allani or rare variants as spec. Kota Tinggi. I use 10-liter-tanks (factually 12 liters) because this is a standard size for cheap industrially produced tanks; see my often published array of 24 tanks, containing altogether less water than is contained in many single living room aquaria of today. The tanks of Walter Foersch were not much bigger. The tanks of Günter Kopic, German master breeder who bred most species for the first time in the eighties and nineties, contain 40 liters.
When I recommend 20 or 25 liter tanks I recommend them because I know the laziness of humans, me included. If you will have best results and observe what is happening, no tank must be bigger. Bigger tanks are dangerous. You miss many important things, you have difficulties in feeding the tiny young adequately (if you will not overfeed, because of water quality) and you can hardly cope well with difficulties as illness or diseases or noxious developments that you have to correct for saving your valuable fish.
But the really important thing is water quality. To imitate the constant flow of best and clean blackwaters the aquarist has only one choice: that’s water change, frequent water change. You cannot reach this aim by filtration. Water change is essential.
Allan Brown, as his wife Barbare characterized him, was “a water changer”. And every successfull Paro-keeper and breeder must be a water-changer. The biggest problem with a much bigger tank for Paros is not that you miss many of their behaviour but that you deceive yourself by thinking: o, then I don’t need to change the water too often. Bigger tanks induce laziness. And that’s wrong. If you decide for Paros, you better decide for a small tank not more than 25 liters (or fifty at most, but for most intentions this is too big already; and I don’t like those people who want to create a “natural environment” without knowledge what this means for Paros. Paros are endangered species; Simply “keeping” them in a nice aquarium is not adequate for them. Then you can decide for other fish that are not endangered. You should enjoy their full life circle and that icludes breeding and breeding means: preserving, by producing an next generation).
But this means: Water changing and defeating one’s tendency to laziness is the most important thing for successful Paro aquaristics. Mind: Very small tanks could be decorated very differently and attractively, and they are much easier to handle as bigger ones. And you must handle them often if you have decided for these fish.[/quote]
I am planning to feed artemia and white mosquito larvae to my future paros. Maybe they will also dine on the moina, if those are around. I have seen no mention here of feeding them wingless fruitflies or “micro aaltjes” (literally, from Dutch: Micro eels), a kind of nematode.
Please let me know if these are also suitable food.
Paros are, contrary to other labyrinths, no fish with a special relation to the water surface. Therefore wingless fruitflies are no suitable food.
Hi Jonette, and what do you think about trying with black mosquito larvaes?
Hello Dorothee,
Only frozen black mosquito larvae is permitted to be sold here (because they can carry human diseases). I have no desire to attempt culturing or collecting them myself from my garden, especially since my dragonfly experience!I have read all the posts about feeding (following your link and a link in your thread. I see that the microaaltjes are called micro worms and have been used to feed paros. Are they only suitable for feeding to fry, or do adults also eat them? The same question applies to vinegar eels.
Cheers,
JonetteBlack mosquito larvaes are best food if from the own garden or balcony in water without fish!
At the beginning of my live with Paros I was also very anxious about catching living food. I collect it just in my own garden or from the balcony. My dragonfly larvaes I got with bought plants.
This spring I tried to get black mosquito larvaes in a still water in the forest, as Bernd recommended, and there the first two insects I caught were dragonfly larvaes … so I stopped that project 😉 but in my “homebread” mosquito larvaes water I found never a dragonfly larvae, they are too far away from any bigger water were dragonflies live.Microworms are fine, but containing high amount of grease, so it is not ideal as an everyday food for adult fish…
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