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Interestingly, I visited a fellow hobbyist today who is keeping dwarf puffers in large planted tanks with a multitude of peaceful fish including rams, cardinal tetras, fancy guppies. No problems, no aggression. Seems that if DPs have enough territory to explore and are not "in each other's faces", they are pretty mild mannered! I think there were about 15 DPs in a 75? gallon well planted tank, (guessing on the tank size).

Hmm... you know what, I think an aquascaping section would be a great addition, especially since I've mentioned using small tanks as an aquatic garden. Truthfully, though, I believe it would take more than a few paragraphs to cover it. I suppose I could just mention plants, and general ideas, but maybe I could set up another article and get all the green thumbs to contribute?

Well, I'll write something up and see what I come up with and throw it to the aquascapers to critique. I'll try to keep it short enough to add to this article, but knowing the huge amount of knowledge those people have... it will probably wind up being a new novel!

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~

Very nicely done! Neolamp multifasciatus (often refered to as multies) are a colony type shellie and require a little less space than brevis. I've been told the male multie keeps a harem of females and tolerates other males until they mature. A multie tank should be furnished with more (well cleaned) escargot shells than fish and a thin layer of fine sand substrate.

Dwarf (pea) puffers do not have dwarf attitudes - they are aggressive. My research on these indicated that its best to allow a minimum of 2 gallons per dwarf puffer, and preferably have only one male per tank. This ruled them out for my 2 gallon Eclipse Explorer tanks.

These nano tanks, well planted, can make a terrific grow out tank for a small number of smaller species fry. I grew out 5 tiny little apistogramma fry in one tank until their size and demeanor indicated the need to move on to a larger tank.

After moving the apistos out, I opted to house 2 ADFs and 5 Amano shrimp for a change of pace. I find its an entertaining tank, not in the least boring. Both shrimp and frogs can climb, so I take care to keep the tank lidded. I've found that the shrimp will crawl up into the overhead filter, past the biowheel and onto the filter media, no doubt to scavenge bits of food from the filter floss. Makes for exciting filter maintenance!

In my other 2 gallon Explorer tank, I have a small colony of peacock gobies (2m, 4f). They have numerous PVC tubes within which to hide, as well as a coconut shell topped with anubias and java fern. They seem content and healthy, spawning regularly. Although the makes display to the females, as one or the other is usually in a tube guarding spawn, the males never seem to spar. I considered splitting the colony, but decided to leave well enough alone, at least for now. I will of course reasess the situation ragularly.

(Which leads me to suggesting you add a section on aquascaping nanotanks.) Plastic or silk plants are a good starting point, but anubias nana and java fern are wonderful additions. Both of these will grow happily simply anchored to a small piece of driftwood or other hardscape, without fertilizers or supplemental light. I have plants growing (albeit very slowly) with nothing other than light from a north exposure window, several feet from the tank(s). I found gravel vacumming, even with a tiny gravel vac to be agravating in a tiny tank, so I now prefer bare bottom or just a thin layer of fine sand. Detrius settles ontop of the sand and is easily siphoned out.

Pale lavendar it is, then. Liked that one better. I had no idea the lavendar on black was hard to read for anyone. Of course, that's what I get for assuming everyone has as nice a monitor as I have.

And now I'm going to go check that site out... they sound lovely and I'm terribly intrigued now!

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~

That's OK Kitten, the white on black change is sufficient for now. However, the latter pale lavender background is nice and easy on the eyes if you want to adopt it as a permanent fixture!

By the way, anyone who wants to check out some of those tiny Rainbowfish relatives I added to your article, there is a website run by an Australian aquarist which is astonishingly well crafted, and features some truly stunning fish species. Here's a link:

This site is stunning. The fishes even more so. Even if you're not a Rainbowfish specialist, it is WELL worth a look.


Last edited by Calilasseia at 03-Mar-2005 18:49

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Or is this one easier to read?

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~

Sorry about that, Calilasseia... I've changed it to white on black, can't figure out how to change it to black on white. Testing out new color scheme...

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~

The only problem I have now is that Kitten's choice of text and background colours are hard to read on my monitor. So if anyone wants me to pop up a repeat of the article, in plain black & white, I have a copy of Kitten's article & can post it up in my colours. And possibly tap a few shoulders & get it pinned perchance?

EDIT: Ah, I can read it now. Thanks Kitten

Last edited by Calilasseia at 03-Mar-2005 18:45

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Great articles! May help with the multiple 10g's I have that I'm trying to figure out what to do with You've also inspired me to continue with my own fishkeeping articles (for beginners, of course) that I lost interest in a while ago.

Okay, thanks to Calilasseia, the article has been proofed and some great suggestions were added. Anyone else caring to write up additions are very welcome to do so!

If anyone cares to take a stab at suggesting how MANY fish of each type would be suitable for tank sizes, please do. I can take a stab at numbers, but they'd only be guesses and I'd rather have someone with a bit more experience make suggestions.

Thanks!

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~