Central Taiwan Biotope Creation Log and Journal

cockroach

Goliath Tigerfish
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Jul 28, 2005
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I added some riparian growth I collected while getting feeding rocks last week to see how it would affect the behavior of the fish.
Almost immediately changed their swimming behavior and stopped hugging the bottom and seemed to swim more freely.
One plant was a grass growing floating over one of the pools.
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The other was a type of hydrocotyle maybe Hydrocotyle ranunculoides
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cockroach

Goliath Tigerfish
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Jul 28, 2005
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The Rhinos are settled in nicely now and with more than 12 in the tank, there is a lot of very interesting behavior to observe.
Here is one of the largest males on his disputed turf with a Stiphie male that is turning quite black.
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duanes

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I have been fascinated by the Rhino and Stiphs ever since you posted the photos of them.
The closest fish we have to them here in Panama are from the genera Sicydium and Awaous.
Haven't found the Sicydium yet, but got hold of an Awaouus yesterday.
It is a sand sifter, and its local name is Chupapiedra, translated from the Spanish, Sand Sucker.
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cockroach

Goliath Tigerfish
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duanes duanes I had one about 14 years ago. After it died I went all monster fish with big tanks.
But....now that I have rediscovered rheophilic fish, I am loving them. The rhinos and Stiphies especially. I can't wait to get the breeding rack up and see them in tanks and decor designed for them.
I am dead keen on getting my hands on some sicydium and believe I have found a supplier down south. When my second rheophile rack is up I am looking to add them.
That Awaous is banging!!! I would love some of them there fishes. Awaous flavus from Brazil I think is another cracker
 

cockroach

Goliath Tigerfish
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It rained for a few days here. Not heavy rains just long soaking rain for about 4 days. I was curious to see how the water parameters changed after rain so went to measure it yesterday afternoon.

Parameters taken 3 days after rain ended
Time: 17:55
TDS: 325
Temp: 24°C
pH: 8.04
NO2: 0.5ppm
NO3: 10ppm
Cl2: 0
KH: 14
GH: 10
NOTES: It was a clear day with no breeze. The stream had, at least, tripled in flow with crystal clear water.

My thoughts on parameters:
TDS: I am assuming the high TDS (compared to tap water which in my house is 140-160ppm) is due to percolation as rainwater seeped through the surrounding mountains and into the stream.
pH: this is identical to my tap water which I am happy about.
NO2 and NO3: There are quite a few farms lining the banks of the stream using its water for irrigation. I think with there being no rain for a long time (that's about 5-6 weeks in Taiwan) fertilizers for crops and other additives used by the farmers entered the stream through runoff and that was flushed out of shallow soil areas. There is also a lot less algal mats and I wonder if the swifter current, less algae and less sunshine combined with lower temps did not slow the rate at which the "plants" and vegetation absorbs these to a degree.
pH, KH and GH: Again I think the percolation through the hills picked up a lot of dissolved ,minerals raising them all.

The TDS reading. No pics of the rest as my Jack Russell got himself stuck in a thicket of reeds and grass and it took some coaxing to get him to push his way out.
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The new lights on the tank. One of the 13K fixtures will go onto the panda loach breeding rack. I like the 13000K and 6500K lights together. It gives a nice color and effect as well as helping with algae growth.
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I also moved the filter outlet to get more rippling on the surface and getting the flowing water shimmer on the rocks.

Some tank shots
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The glass was cleaned the day after this pic as it was getting a nice algae coat.

The best thing i discovered was the 5 smaller Taiwan Horse Mouths have in fact turned out to be 5 pale chubs, Zacco platypus. This is why they took so long to color up compared to the other fish. It is remarkable how similar the fry were but in hindsight, the chubs were a lot more reflective or shiny as fingerlings.
 

dan518

Potamotrygon
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I would imagine the first few heavy rains are going to wash all sorts of crap that has built up over dry periods. The tank is looking stunning, how big are the chubbs likely to get.
 

cockroach

Goliath Tigerfish
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Jul 28, 2005
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I see the chubs getting about 50% longer and 100% thicker. This is a guess made from seeing them in an LFS. I don't know though if they were wild caught ones or grown to size in an aquarium. So we will see. But in all the pools along the stream they are about double the weight of mine now.

I would imagine the first few heavy rains are going to wash all sorts of crap that has built up over dry periods. The tank is looking stunning, how big are the chubbs likely to get.
And there is enough crap to be washed into rivers in these here parts.
 

cockroach

Goliath Tigerfish
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Some updated shots. The Sicyopterus are proving nigh on impossible to catch to move to the river manifold rack. May have to tear donw the tank in the near future to catch them and then rescape and tweak.

Acrossocheilus parallens, Stiphodon ornatus and Rhinogobius candidius
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A comparison of a juvenile and mature rhinogobius
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Full tank shot. I had to add a surface skimmer as there was constantly a film on the water.
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Sicyopterus grazing. It is very interesting watching their mouths in action
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The smaller of the two Horse Mouths. They are unbelievable predators.
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Sicyopeterus mouth grazing. Extended and retracted
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Female
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