Going down the poly worm hole…

[wednesday13]

Did you decide to leave the Ornate in the big tank?

I've never been a poly guy, only ever had a single large Ornate that I kept for many years and sadly left behind in Ontario. Mine was also very active and cruised about at all levels in his tank. Terrific fish.

So...what is the deal with this garnet substrate? Seems like every poly tank I see on here uses it, and I don't see it used in very many other tanks. It may be nicer than plain white pool filter sand, but I'm not in love with it. What's the appeal? Strictly cosmetic?

Lol, you can tell an aquarist is far gone when he refers to a bunch of 9-inch fish in a 200+ gallon tank as "the wee guys"...

Lol yes… ive been “far gone” for many yrs now… raised plenty 28-36”+ fish in my “hay day”… anything under 18” is “small”… largest cat i ever grew was a 52” euro wels ??… Climbed too high tho so the state banned the species, raided me and “iced” my boy. ??‍… just kinda dusting myself off from that experience after 4 yrs now. Havent bought a new fish since 2017.
Never really kepy polys either in all my yrs, y im having some fun with them now. Will never outgrow my tanks and theres alot of sp. to collect. Spent many yrs with just 1 big fish in a tank so multiples are fun now also lol…
As for the Garnet, it shows their colors best. They wash out on white/tan and they get too dark on brown or black. One of my Endli even being is this blue tank for a cple weeks has already darkened up. I agree with u that typically black is best to show off a fishes colors. Not the case for these guys tho ??‍. And again im just kinda having some fun these days so i wanna do it right. Always been bare bottom/no substrate over here.
Cut alot of my stocks and sold half the tanks i had since i got raided. Trying to have a few “nicer” tanks these days with what i have left and do things i never did before i guess to keep it fun/interesting.
Having some bad luck with the ornate. My 500 was too much for him stock wise and hes had bloat ever since. Since been QT’d and been hit with a gauntlet of meds to no avail. Prazi, metro, epsom salt and now enthromycin. Have kanaplex on the way for him ?. Y i setup the 230 just for the polys now. Hoping he kicks the bloat and can join the poly party.

 

[jjohnwm]

... It seemed to make the polys lighter base color too dark or didn't show a certain color shade. Experiment with pictures of polys light sand versus black sand vs garnet sand, and garnet sand was considered the winner. https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/...-sand-experiment-results.683674/#post-7696602

...As for the Garnet, it shows their colors best. They wash out on white/tan and they get too dark on brown or black. I agree with u that typically black is best to show off a fishes colors. Not the case for these guys tho ??‍.

Well, I'm not the sort of person who only finds fish worthwhile if they are extremely colourful; certainly not shopping around for just the right Flowerhorn to match the upholstery on my couch or drapes... I like lots of very plain-looking fish, especially those with unique forms (like polys) and/or behaviours (like polys). And I admit, after looking through that interesting thread linked by Rocksor (thank you!) that some of those fish look marginally more contrasty on the red...sometimes...

But, guys, let's face it: polys are not the most colourful fish at the best of times. The "poly piles" that some people love so much look an awful lot like the stuff in the bucket after I get done cleaning up the yard after the dogs have their morning constitutional...both in colour and in shape!

In fact, if we are going to talk about the "colours" of polys, I'd probably go out on a limb and say that they looked their best on that purple gravel! Does that mean I would consider purple gravel for a tank? Lol, not likely...

wednesday13 , sorry to hear about the ornate. Hopefully it will come around. I recall reading the rest of that sad story about your Wels catfish in some other thread and I know it's tough to come back from something like that. Good luck with the "wee guys".

 

[wednesday13]

Well, I'm not the sort of person who only finds fish worthwhile if they are extremely colourful; certainly not shopping around for just the right Flowerhorn to match the upholstery on my couch or drapes... I like lots of very plain-looking fish, especially those with unique forms (like polys) and/or behaviours (like polys). And I admit, after looking through that interesting thread linked by Rocksor (thank you!) that some of those fish look marginally more contrasty on the red...sometimes...

But, guys, let's face it: polys are not the most colourful fish at the best of times. The "poly piles" that some people love so much look an awful lot like the stuff in the bucket after I get done cleaning up the yard after the dogs have their morning constitutional...both in colour and in shape!

In fact, if we are going to talk about the "colours" of polys, I'd probably go out on a limb and say that they looked their best on that purple gravel! Does that mean I would consider purple gravel for a tank? Lol, not likely...

wednesday13 , sorry to hear about the ornate. Hopefully it will come around. I recall reading the rest of that sad story about your Wels catfish in some other thread and I know it's tough to come back from something like that. Good luck with the "wee guys".

Appreciate the kind words ??… everything happens for a reason ??‍… spend more time these days making original hand carved fishing lures and chasing Pike with them. Its my goal to tango with one as large as a fish ive “grown at home” ?… prob die trying as 52” is hard to match… im close at 46” as my PB. Wasn’t a terrible time in “life” for me to cut back the fish room and focus on other things. Quite enjoy getting back to my “fish roots” a bit by spending more time out in nature than in a basement lol… y i keep fish in the first place.
As for the garnet… i agree its half “cosmetic” and polys are pretty turd like when it comes to looks lol… i do like the look of the variegated red substrate tho.

 

[wednesday13]

Last one for a while ??… PBB… kinda hoping he checks the original Endli a bit. Came in much larger than i thought. Can anyone with Poly piles offer any advice for what to “look out for” with multiples? How much is too much aggression and whats the “size difference” that can be handled without someone being eaten? Bit worried for 2 Endlis in the 6-7” range against the neub at 12-14”… ill get some in tank pics for
reference when im outta work. Have my wife on acclimation duty until i get home ??…

 

[tlindsey]

Last one for a while ??… PBB… kinda hoping he checks the original Endli a bit. Came in much larger than i thought. Can anyone with Poly piles offer any advice for what to “look out for” with multiples? How much is too much aggression and whats the “size difference” that can be handled without someone being eaten? Bit worried for 2 Endlis in the 6-7” range against the neub at 12-14”… ill get some in tank pics for
reference when im outta work. Have my wife on acclimation duty until i get home ??…
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That a great looking PBB.
Hao

 

[wednesday13]

That a great looking PBB.
Hao

Thank you ??, hoping they all play fairly nice. Might need more to spread the agression ?… still combating bloat for my ornate ?‍… poor guys been through the ringer of meds. Im onto kanaplex for him now. Went through epsom salt multiple times, metro, prazi, and enthromycin.

 

[Krismo962]

Nice! Can't wait to see in-tank shots

 

[wednesday13]

Have the light off for the neub to settle in… to my surprise its eating pellets already ??. Wild lap seems to prefer pellet also. He turned down shrimp even ??‍… ill take it lol…

 

[wednesday13]

Late night shrimp frenzy ??… Def. Growing fond of these guys very quickly… have another Lap on the way ?… Hao can u confirm the PBB is actually a PBB? I’d like another, but im not positive on the source. Im worried its just a lap…

 

[Hao]

Late night shrimp frenzy ??… Def. Growing fond of these guys very quickly… have another Lap on the way ?… Hao can u confirm the PBB is actually a PBB? I’d like another, but im not positive on the source. Im worried its just a lap…
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Yeah it's a PBB. I'm assuming the PBB came from Predatory Fins?