My Finnex 4 Gallon Nano (RETIRED)

[TLE041]

Hi everyone,

This is the second tank that I've just set up after dismantling my larger 40 gallon. All the plants came from that tank. It's 4 gallons and made by Finnex. I bought it for its sleek rimless design and reasonably bright light fixture. Also, the size is compact enough that I can place it on my desk to distract me from schoolwork. The price of $48 USD for the package was a steal IMHO. Here are the specs for it:

Equipment:

• Finnex 4 gallon glass aquarium (dimensions: 12.2"L x 7.5"W x 10.2"H)
• Finnex 26W compact fluorescent light (includes 2 blue LED moonlights)
• Aquaclear 20 filter
• Hydor Mini 15W heater
• DIY CO2 inserted directly into filter

Hardscaping:

• Malaysian driftwood
• Manzanita branches
• River stones

Plants:

• Ceratopteris thalictroides (water sprite)
• Eleocharis parvula (dwarf hairgrass)
• Lilaeopsis brasiliensis (Brazilian micro sword)
• Aponogeton madagascariensis (Madagascar lace)
• Anubias barteri 'petite'
• Fissidens fontanus (phoenix moss)
• Echinodorus spp.

Livestock:

• 5 Danio margaritatus (celestial pearl danio/galaxy rasbora)
• 8 Neocaridina heteropoda (red cherry shrimp)

Here are the pictures...

Front


Right side view


Left side closeup


Right side closeup


Closeup of the lace plant (coolest looking plant ever) with some fishes barely visible



I went with an Aquaclear filter instead of the stock Finnex one because it allows me to place the heater and CO2 output into to minimize visible equipment in the tank, plus it's quieter, has better flow rate, and accommodates a handy prefilter that prevents curious shrimps from being chopped up by the impeller.

Any comments or suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thank you for reading.

[tuonor]

Great looking tank TLE. I like how you laid it out and the lace plant looks awesome.

Curious about the CPDs -- how shy are they in a nano tank like this? Will they stay out and about if you're near the tank or do they hide? Seems like you managed to get a few decent shots with them swimming about.

I took a look at these at my LFS (which has them in a densely planted tank) but they would all bolt to the back whenever I came be. I went with Brigittaes instead b/c they seemed bolder but am still drawn to the CPDs.

[TLE041]

Thanks tuonor.

The CPDs have only been in the tank for a little more than a day. From what I've seen, they are much shyer than any fish I've kept. However, they don't just hide out in amongst the plants all day like so many articles claim. My CPDs are all over the tank, even near the open spaces below the water line. If I slowly approach the tank, they just ignore me, but if I reach my hands towards the tank, they will dart behind the plants. They'll come out again in no time, though.

I was looking for brigittaes as well, but they are even harder to track down than CPDs (most microrasboras are).

[TLE041]

I've just spent about 30 minutes trying to net out some RCS from the other tank to put into this one. I've managed to get 4 (2 males and 2 females). Let's just say that was a real test of patience. Those little buggers are fast, and the Edge's tiny opening didn't help at all.

[TLE041]

Just a little progress update. It's been one week since I've put in the CPDs. They're doing great so far. They've really come out of their shell and swimming all over the tank now. They've also brightened up quite a bit since I got them. Here are a few pictures:

Here are a few of the fishes

Their colors are actually much nicer in person (my poor photography skills and craptastic point & shoot camera don't do them justice). And boy are they fast. As soon as I press the shutter they've disappeared out of the frame.



This next one shows the white fuzz one the manzanita branches. It doesn't seem to be going away. I plan on adding a few amano shrimps since I've read that they devour this stuff (good/bad idea?)




Saying that these fishes are picky eaters is an understatement. I've thrown a bunch of different foods at them (flakes, pellets, freeze-dried, frozen, etc.) and this is the only thing they'll go for:




Here are two of the RCS. There are 11 of them in there the last time I counted

Tiny male going to town on an algae wafer:



Female starting to berry:




A lot of the equipment is being changed in the near future. I've ordered an Ehein 2211 canister to be used with lily pipes and a Hydor ETH 200W in line heater. I'm also scrapping the DIY yeast stuff for a compressed CO2 system. I'll post an update when they're delivered.

Any input is greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading.

[tuonor]

Now you have me wanting a few CPDs for my Edge...nice looking berried cherry.

[MrJG]

Mine will eat the small fish formula too. Try crushing it up a good bit before feeding. They have tiny mouths and the .5mm pellets are pretty big.
Mine really go for the size #3 Golden Pearl brine shrimp from kensfish.com

[MWBradshaw]

This makes me want to get a small nano aquarium!!

[TLE041]

Thanks for the responses guys.

I've just put in 3 amano shrimps into each of the 2 tanks. I wanted help with the milky fuzz and hair algae that's starting to appear on the manzanita branches.




The shrimps started working on the hair algae as soon as they're in the water. They gather a bunch of hairs and roll it into a ball first. Then they bring the ball to the substrate and go to town on it. I've noticed that sometimes they roll on their sides or even back while they're feeding. Should I be concerned?

[TLE041]

One of the amano shrimp is on lying his side. This happened within 15 minutes of being put into the tank. He's still moving his swimmerets and legs, so I know he's still alive. The other two are active and eating.




Here's him/her next to a RCS (who I'm hoping is not there waiting to vulture it)




A lot of threads on here mention that it's pretty common for these guys to not survive initially in a new tank. I'd be gutted if he/she doesn't make it. It'll be my first livestock loss.

I'll post an update of his/her progress.

[problemman]

he might be molting already. i know our blue crayfish lye on there sides when they molt

[TLE041]

Unfortunately, that little amano didn't make it.

The other two in the tank are doing fine. Same for the other 3 that I put into the Edge.

[TLE041]

I replaced the echinodorus today. It was developing some brown spots on the leaves. In its place is a cryptocoryne. I tend to have better luck with crypts.

[funkyfish]

Nice tank! Always nice to see CPDs in the tank I love these little fishes

That manzanita looks like the bark wasn't taken off it, I got a small manzanita branch and mine is not that color maybe thats why you getting that white fuzz.....

[TLE041]

Thanks funkyfish.

The red colored manzanita that I have still has its bark intact. The beige ones have been sandblasted to remove the bark.

My two amanos don't seem to have any interest in it the white fuzz at all. I guess there's another food source in the tank that they'd prefer more.