Andrew's 1st tank - fluval spec V - never ending breeding

[andrewss]

Hey there, take a look at some recent pictures and a video of the tank... I have enjoyed looking through many of the journals here, this forum really has some amazing aquariums!

This is my first and only tank, I definitely want to start more but I won't until I am more stable...

Anyway, it is a fluval spec 5gallon tank, all stock except now that it is cold out I have added an ugly 25w water heater.

Plants:

javafern
javamoss
crystalwort
duckweed
green wendtti
anubias (unknown variety to me)
nana grass
dwarf grass of some sort
1 marimo ball

Fish & Inverts:

4x Red cherry shrimps
1x Dwarf orange crayfish
2x Assassin snails
15+ Tiger endlers of varying maturity
unknown number of pond snails being hunted by the assassins

Pix:

















^ the last couple are most recent with some new growth and the damn heater installed

Vid:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=IuAXLHL_x0I


Thanks for looking

[Jedi_Pizza]

Great setup and photos. The crayfish looks like a real character

I didn't realise the spec didnt have a built in heater. I have started hiding what little equipment I have in my tank behind a giant indian almond leaf.

All the best with your tank

[andrewss]

yeah, I made the scape without really thinking of the heater, and considering how little space I have (can't get it real close to the plants ideally) where I put it is pretty much the only place I can... I am thinking about looking into a smaller heater but I can't really find much on that. At least the stable temps are making the fish (especially the inverts) MUCH happier.

Thanks for the comments! The crayfish is funny, he really is great... a very interesting creature, im surprised more people don't keep these lil guys, they stay small and really don't mess up the plants - though you do NEED to have the tank covered because when they jet around occasionally I have even heard him smack the cover when he was doing that.

He is missing a claw since last nite (he molted) hopefully he is ok, I dont know how that happened, perhaps one of the new assassins attacked him while he was molting well either way I think he will be ok till next molt

[SpecGrrl]

Originally Posted by andrewss

yeah, I made the scape without really thinking of the heater, and considering how little space I have (can't get it real close to the plants ideally) where I put it is pretty much the only place I can... I am thinking about looking into a smaller heater but I can't really find much on that. At least the stable temps are making the fish (especially the inverts) MUCH happier.

Thanks for the comments! The crayfish is funny, he really is great... a very interesting creature, im surprised more people don't keep these lil guys, they stay small and really don't mess up the plants - though you do NEED to have the tank covered because when they jet around occasionally I have even heard him smack the cover when he was doing that.

He is missing a claw since last nite (he molted) hopefully he is ok, I dont know how that happened, perhaps one of the new assassins attacked him while he was molting well either way I think he will be ok till next molt

You can put a small heater in the pump well.

[andrewss]

some new pictures... I think you guys will appreciate the first one of one of my assassin snails - my planted assassin snail

[andrewss]

so obviously given how many posts I have made in this so far I am obsessing right now haha... well I finally dealt with that eye sore of a heater and put it in the chamber of the filter the outflow goes, it barely fit but it doesnt contact any of the plastic tubing or the pump below so I think it should work really well hidden away in there... so here are some proper current pictures of the tank with that thing hidden away with the only memory being the bright red led that comes on when it powers up:







and I figured I would include a decent picture (hard to capture these quick small guys) of one of my young male tiger endlers and a couple lil fry harassing a hidden RCS

[Jedi_Pizza]

Haha, that is one slow assassin

Good thinking on the heater, the tank looks better for it being hidden (and you can sleep at night now!)

I only want to keep shrimp, but since joining the forum I have a small list of other creatures I want to keep.. These dwarf crayfish are one, and dwarf pea puffers and another.

All the best with the tank

[andrewss]

Originally Posted by Jedi_Pizza

Haha, that is one slow assassin

Good thinking on the heater, the tank looks better for it being hidden (and you can sleep at night now!)

I only want to keep shrimp, but since joining the forum I have a small list of other creatures I want to keep.. These dwarf crayfish are one, and dwarf pea puffers and another.

All the best with the tank

I really like the dwarf cray fish but I guess the only thing people that keep them can say perhaps negative about them is that you need a lot of tank to keep more than one together because of territorial issues whereas shrimps you can obviously pack a ton of them together.

Originally Posted by GMYukonon24s

Nice looking tank

thx!

[GMYukonon24s]

Nice looking tank

[150EH]

I like your tank, simple and small makes it easy to care for and my favorite is my nano 2.5 gallon just for that reason. When you get a couple dollars in your pocket you might consider buying a 9 liter bag of Aquasoil and it will feed all your plants plus you'll have enough left over to do a couple more small tanks, I've only tried it for the first time in the last year and I'll never use any other substrate again, good luck.

[SpecGrrl]

*tries not to want a dwarf crazy*

[theshadybird]

Originally Posted by SpecGrrl

*tries not to want a dwarf crazy*

Me tooooo T_T

[andrewss]

Originally Posted by 150EH

I like your tank, simple and small makes it easy to care for and my favorite is my nano 2.5 gallon just for that reason. When you get a couple dollars in your pocket you might consider buying a 9 liter bag of Aquasoil and it will feed all your plants plus you'll have enough left over to do a couple more small tanks, I've only tried it for the first time in the last year and I'll never use any other substrate again, good luck.

I just bought a bag and plan to use it on my next tank (in the mail) - I will rescape this spec V some day and get a quality substrate in there... eventually

Originally Posted by SpecGrrl

You can put a small heater in the pump well.

Already did

Originally Posted by SpecGrrl

*tries not to want a dwarf crazy*

they are a lot of fun

Originally Posted by theshadybird

Me tooooo T_T

dooo it heh

[andrewss]

hunrgy hungry shrimp




found the shrimps hanging out at the local pub



liking this young male endlers color pattern on this side

[tomfromstlouis]

Yeah, he's all dressed up all right. The furry assassin is hilarious. Makes me wonder why you don't see fuzz on shells more often.

Nice looking tank. Not sure about the gravel size, but it all looks like a nice home.

Nice job on the photos too.