280 Gallon Frontosa Tank

['Merica]

Here is a video from this morning. Rather than just harass people with questions, I have been using ChatGPT for guidance. Some of the suggestions have been the lighting, so I added a blue light on the backside and a dimmer white led light in front of it. Right after this video was taken I also reduced the flow on the FX6s.

Another suggestion was to add a bit taller structure in the rockwork in order to block some of the flow. I have the rocks to do this. What are your thoughts on that and do you have any other suggestions? Thanks.

What I am trying to do is bring out their colors and make them feel more comfortable. This is my first Tanganikan tank so I am learning. The realization of how deep they can be found and how that environment is different with lighting/shadows and flow is new to me.

 

[danotaylor]

I like it mate! I have a single 6’ bar on my 10’ tank to create shadows towards the ends for the same reason. They’re a low light fish in nature. Blue light definitely helps enhance their colors. Your tank & fish look very nice
I would be too concerned about the filter flows. Even though cyphos are typically found on depth devoid of current, a little flow will not harm them. I have 2 x 5000gph returns on my sump set up. I direct all of the flow at the surface and what rolls down the front panel to the bottom is a very gentle current that the fish do not seem to mind at all

 

[danotaylor]

Oh, FYI, questions are generally not seen as harassment. I don’t use ChatGPT myself, definitely has limitations in terms of accuracy of the info it gathers.
I’m all about research, but you can’t beat real experience either. Ask, and peeps don’t wanna answer, they won’t

 

['Merica]

Oh, FYI, questions are generally not seen as harassment. I don’t use ChatGPT myself, definitely has limitations in terms of accuracy of the info it gathers.
I’m all about research, but you can’t beat real experience either. Ask, and peeps don’t wanna answer, they won’t

I was kind of kidding about that. I’ve been reading care sheets and also watching lots of videos. I totally get ChatGPT has its limitations and is wrong about things just like I am. When I was first looking in to rock layouts, it suggested a bunch of designs. I actually had a different rock layout before and they mainly hid behind it. So I went with my own idea to help them come out more, but am now considering tweaking it I’ll attach some of the pics it generated prior to what I have shown before.

 

['Merica]

I like it mate! I have a single 6’ bar on my 10’ tank to create shadows towards the ends for the same reason. They’re a low light fish in nature. Blue light definitely helps enhance their colors. Your tank & fish look very nice
I would be too concerned about the filter flows. Even though cyphos are typically found on depth devoid of current, a little flow will not harm them. I have 2 x 5000gph returns on my sump set up. I direct all of the flow at the surface and what rolls down the front panel to the bottom is a very gentle current that the fish do not seem to mind at all

Thank you! This is what I had set up before. Should I go back to something more like this for the rockwork? Or something else entirely?

 

[danotaylor]

TBH mate, the hard scape layout is really more about your likes & dislikes. Caves are good but the fish hide.
For me it’s about territories related to the number of males, and ease of maintenance. Since the fish are the centerpiece, not the hardscape design, pristine water quality is definitely my main consideration when working on a hard scape.
Your ratio is perfect, 2M8F. I would personally have 2 areas of rock towards each end, with or without a cave in each (your choice) separated by some open territory with scattered individual rocks. Each male can be the boss of a rock pile and the females will mill about closer to the male of their choice, or hang over a rock in the middle area of your tank.
Large piles of smaller rock accumulate tons of solid waste and become a nitrate & bacteria factory. For me, though they may look good, will eventually have a detrimental impact on the water quality.
This is a lighting and hard scape design that I am gonna attempt to recreate. Definitely w less rock so it’s easier to clean, but the overall look and design looks great to me.

 

['Merica]

TBH mate, the hard scape layout is really more about your likes & dislikes. Caves are good but the fish hide.
For me it’s about territories related to the number of males, and ease of maintenance. Since the fish are the centerpiece, not the hardscape design, pristine water quality is definitely my main consideration when working on a hard scape.
Your ratio is perfect, 2M8F. I would personally have 2 areas of rock towards each end, with or without a cave in each (your choice) separated by some open territory with scattered individual rocks. Each male can be the boss of a rock pile and the females will mill about closer to the male of their choice, or hang over a rock in the middle area of your tank.
Large piles of smaller rock accumulate tons of solid waste and become a nitrate & bacteria factory. For me, though they may look good, will eventually have a detrimental impact on the water quality.
This is a lighting and hard scape design that I am gonna attempt to recreate. Definitely w less rock so it’s easier to clean, but the overall look and design looks great to me.
View attachment 1574879

Thank you. I bought a pallet of these rocks and brought them home. It saved me a lot of money doing it that way. I totally agree with your take on the nitrate factory with the waste accumulation. Less may be more in this case and I’ve seen plenty of tanks with less and very good looking fish. What you are saying about separate locations for each male definitely lines up with some of what I have been reading as well. I also need to consider that I want to be able to remove females to strip them, should they spawn in the future.

 

[danotaylor]

Good one mate. Get 2 big nets, like a 12” minimum rectangle. Fronts are actually some of the easiest fish to catch.
When I strip my tropheus I do it at night about an hour after lights out. Catch them using very dim light when sleeping. It’s the easiest on me, and the least stressful on the fish I have found after 43 years in the hobby