Fishes of dark water (South America)

[Madou]

Hey guys

I've tried a few things lately, but i'm getting more and more set on switching my 180 to a dark water tank.
Inhabitants I am certain about are one (or two?) Matamata turtles, mixed in with discus as they both seem to be doing well in dark waters.

I've heard discus are messy and we all know they need pristine water, so I was wondering: Are there any bottom feeders to eat leftovers that would be big enough for a matamata to ignore?

Most people use corys, but those will definitely end up as snack as the mata grows...

I have a couple sorubim lima that I could use, but I'm afraid they'd eat all of the live fish my matamata will leave for "later" as I heard she is an incredible hunter, but not the fastest one...

Clown loaches perhaps? Not sure about them in acidic dark water, though. Plus they're not exactly biotope, though if that's all that works I'll take em.

Any idea?

Thanks

 

[tlindsey]

Hey guys

I've tried a few things lately, but i'm getting more and more set on switching my 180 to a dark water tank.
Inhabitants I am certain about are one (or two?) Matamata turtles, mixed in with discus as they both seem to be doing well in dark waters.

I've heard discus are messy and we all know they need pristine water, so I was wondering: Are there any bottom feeders to eat leftovers that would be big enough for a matamata to ignore?

Most people use corys, but those will definitely end up as snack as the mata grows...

I have a couple sorubim lima that I could use, but I'm afraid they'd eat all of the live fish my matamata will leave for "later" as I heard she is an incredible hunter, but not the fastest one...

Clown loaches perhaps? Not sure about them in acidic dark water, though. Plus they're not exactly biotope, though if that's all that works I'll take em.

Any idea?

Thanks

You may be able to keep large Hoplo Catfish with it for awhile.

 

[Chefken]

I keep a large Syndo Cat with my Mata....Also a Vampire Pleco and SDs and a large Lent Pike ....Turtles are not aggressive towards anything they cannot swallow whole. Your challange will be to make sure the turtle has a platform to sit just below water level....either half fill the tank or build it out of rock like I did....keep in mind Mata are terrible swimmers!!

 

[Madou]

You may be able to keep large Hoplo Catfish with it for awhile.

Funny, I hate them but my girl loves them...
Hadn't thought of them, but they do grow large... Still small enough a mouth not to eat live food.

I'll keep those in mind!

 

[Chefken]

Hey guys

I've tried a few things lately, but i'm getting more and more set on switching my 180 to a dark water tank.
Inhabitants I am certain about are one (or two?) Matamata turtles, mixed in with discus as they both seem to be doing well in dark waters.

I've heard discus are messy and we all know they need pristine water, so I was wondering: Are there any bottom feeders to eat leftovers that would be big enough for a matamata to ignore?

Most people use corys, but those will definitely end up as snack as the mata grows...

I have a couple sorubim lima that I could use, but I'm afraid they'd eat all of the live fish my matamata will leave for "later" as I heard she is an incredible hunter, but not the fastest one...

Clown loaches perhaps? Not sure about them in acidic dark water, though. Plus they're not exactly biotope, though if that's all that works I'll take em.

Any idea?

Thanks

I never use feeders....My Mata takes Silversides or earthworms from tongs....Sucks em down!!! They grow very fast when young. Eventually the 180 will be much too small for one Mata...It would take 5-6 years though!

 

[Madou]

I keep a large Syndo Cat with my Mata....Also a Vampire Pleco and SDs and a large Lent Pike ....Turtles are not aggressive towards anything they cannot swallow whole. Your challange will be to make sure the turtle has a platform to sit just below water level....either half fill the tank or build it out of rock like I did....keep in mind Mata are terrible swimmers!!

I really just need bottom feeders, I didn't imagine discus to be this messy, and I want no leftover burries in catapla leaves, which is going to need cleaning every now and then already. I'd like it to be a little peace of amazonian dark water river, so I don't want synodontis, even if I always wanted a pack of them.

Regarding water level, I've read conflicting data from this very website with cwindless keeping his without basking area, while some say it is vital. Either way, I do have a big piece of log that should be of neck depth for any size mata to reach air.

 

[Joshomaru]

How about a couple of geos?

 

[Chefken]

I really just need bottom feeders, I didn't imagine discus to be this messy, and I want no leftover burries in catapla leaves, which is going to need cleaning every now and then already. I'd like it to be a little peace of amazonian dark water river, so I don't want synodontis, even if I always wanted a pack of them.

Regarding water level, I've read conflicting data from this very website with cwindless keeping his without basking area, while some say it is vital. Either way, I do have a big piece of log that should be of neck depth for any size mata to reach air.

Not a basking spot....they need a "ladder" to reach the top of a 24" deep tank when they are young. I had one drown once which should be impossible for a fully aquatic turtle but they are not good swimmers ever....they need to be 3-5" from the water line most times..

 

[Madou]

How about a couple of geos?

Would they clean as much as Hoplos? those look like vacuum cleaners :O
Geos are definitely prettier though

 

[Madou]

Not a basking spot....they need a "ladder" to reach the top of a 24" deep tank when they are young. I had one drown once which should be impossible for a fully aquatic turtle but they are not good swimmers ever....they need to be 3-5" from the water line most times..

Would flat pieces of wood work? I have a long and flat piece that looks like a big slice of round cheese, if I had that on top of say a triangle piece of wood, it could actually look alright without too much of a slope.