Mudskipper paludarium- an alternative solution

HX67

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Jan 25, 2008
218
44
61
Up over
Hi all.

I didn't want to go the traditional "sloping sand"-route in creating a habitat for my mudskippers.
To start with, I had three Periophthalmodon septemradiatus males. This is not the most aggressive nor largest species of 'skippers, but it still wants to form and defend a small territory.
What I wanted was to create a habitat with multiple spots where the fish can hide from each other's sight.

I started with an old 140 gallon sump tank:


I disassembled the sump to replace the old, scratched front glass with a new one and painted the trims:



For hardscape I wanted to make a DIY root system with multiple little shallow pools and an inbuilt plumming to circulate water in the pools.

A sketch:


Platforms and volume of the scape:


Roots bent of pvc and added volume with foam:


A bit of shaping with a knife:


A stage after a few layers:


Hardscape pretty much finished:



Glued in and the first test was very succesfull. All the pools were filled up with just one pump feeding the plumming system in the scape:


The mudskippers are using the whole scape and seem happy with it:


FTS, early stages:


BOOOOO!






The tank is still maturing. Water is kept at 1.002-1.003. I'm trying to find plants that would co-operate with me, but haven' had too much luck yet.

There, thanks for looking!
 

leuc11

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Apr 23, 2011
20
0
0
Pennslyvannia
very nice I love the old foam method you should also try the clay background method just about any tropical vine or bromeliad will grow in it
 

HX67

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Jan 25, 2008
218
44
61
Up over
leuc11;5073347; said:
very nice I love the old foam method you should also try the clay background method just about any tropical vine or bromeliad will grow in it
Thank you. I'm actually thinking about a method to add a nice "foliage" to the upper portion of the tank.
The clay method is neat. I think there is a way to make the foliage upstairs to be freshwater even though the tank is brackish.

Itsadeepbluesea;5073364; said:
wow wonderful job, how long did that take to set up?
Thanks!
Set up?
The hardscape took about a couple of days to make. The first month after installing it I just kept changing water every couple of days.
The tank has been maturing for several months now...

phillydog1958;5073380; said:
Excellent and very artistic work.
Thank you!
 
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