New to Polypterus - Substrate Advice!

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Looking closer at the endli, it seems just a bit darker. It has a darker brownish/tan whereas before it was more of a pinkish/brown. The little bit of black may have had the impact I was looking for.
 
Same peace river sand. The old koliba just rocked
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You are right about this koliba, color looks more nicer.
 
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bump on the update:)

Well my Ornate was really really active for the fist couple days, but I almost never see him now, he's a terrified of me. Which is a shame because when I do see him he's awesome looking, and is definitely eating a ton when I'm not in the room, because he's gotten really thick and much longer, probably about 4". He spends all day sandwiched between the glass and a sponge filter that's in the corner of the tank, this is the best pic I could get of himIMG_1812.JPG
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The Delhezi is in the same 35 gallon tank as the Ornate because they came from the same place, still under quarantine for a little longer. He's much less shy but not very active at all. He loves to burrow into the substrate. Is about 3.5" and still has his external gills. His pattern is awesome but I think it's sorta wasted on the black substrate.IMG_1763.JPG
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The Lapradei is my boy haha. He's fully healthy now, really chill but active, just slowly cruises around the tank a lot and greets me at the glass every time I come into the room, even when he's not hungry. I'm a HUGE fan of this fish, best impulsive decision I've ever made. He's in his own 10 gallon and probably about 3.5", in a few days he'll be joining the Ornate and Delhezi in the larger tank. He gets two pics, to show how far he's come. It's pretty obvious, but the first one is the before picIMG_1453.JPG IMG_1810.JPG
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My Sen is getting really big really quick. She's probably about 5.5" and almost as thick as a highlighter, has grown about 3" and trippled in girth in just a month and a half. She also greets me at the glass a lot and is really active with a ton of personality. I always thought Sens were kinda plain looking but I think she's beautiful, her finlets are perfect and the pattern on her head is really nice. She was my first poly so I'm definitely pretty attached to her, excited for when the other guys catch up in size and I can put them all togetherIMG_1649.JPG
 
thanks man, I must say I'm pretty happy with myself haha, especially since his personality is so amazing.

have you ever had a poly like my ornate? I'm wondering if he'll grow out of the super shy behavior. Maybe after a while he'll realize I mean no harm. For starters I'm going to get rid of the sponge filter and the small HOB that's in there now and replace it with a bigger HOB, hoping that it will sorta force him to face the fear and he'll realize it's not necessary to hide constantly
 
So the smallest is 3.5" and the biggest is 5.5" you can put them together now if size is what you're waiting on lol. My ornate is shy too, or mainly nocturnal cause she comes out at night.
 
At first my ornate was shy, always hide behind the rock decor, but the more polys that he saw swim around, the less he got shy.
 
So the smallest is 3.5" and the biggest is 5.5" you can put them together now if size is what you're waiting on lol. My ornate is shy too, or mainly nocturnal cause she comes out at night.

Well all but the Sen are still in quarantine but will be ready soon. As for the size differences, the del and the lap are still pretty slim and could definitely fit in the Sen's mouth, so I may give them a little longer separated from her. I'm also thinking that if they're a little closer to each other in overall mass then any squabbles that may happen won't have dangerous results, they'll be able to stick up for themselves.

But these are my first polys so I'm definitely still learning. Do I not have to worry about my sen like I would for those endli's you see eating similarly sized polys? Definitely open to advice. I've just been playing it safe because I'd be pretty heartbroken if any of them got taken out.

At first my ornate was shy, always hide behind the rock decor, but the more polys that he saw swim around, the less he got shy.

Yeah I'm hoping that's the way it works out. We'll see if adding the lap makes a difference. Will probably be picking up another one or two relatively soon
 
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