Tank ideas

[kyknos]

Hi, first of all, sorry for writing in English, my German is very poor. I come from the Czech republic, my main aquarium interest is the labyrinth fishes, but I have been out of the hobby for several years. Now I am back and I want you, the experts, to comment on my tank ideas.

I have three tanks available, 120x30x40 cm (30cm is the height) - 144 litres brutto each.

The first tank would be planted with Anubias, Bolbitis, and would contain a group of Microctenopoma ansorgei or may be both M. ansorgei and M. fasciolatum. Some small schooling ditherfish might be nice - any ideas for suitable west african dither fish?

The second tank would be south asian peat swamp. I think about a group of chocolate gouramies, some small rasboras as dither fish, and may be dwarf croaking gouramies? It is probably too large for paros.

The third tank would house fishes of north India who like a lower temp in the winter - honey gouramies, Badis, Dario...

What do you think about it?

I would also like to keep Channa bleheri. Would it be better in one of the tanks mentioned above (alone, of course, I know J. Vierke succesfully kept them in a similar tank), or in a shorter but more spacious tank 100x40x50cm (200L)?

[Brucki]

Hi kyknos (is that your name ?)

Channa bleheri would be perfect for the tank thats cold in wintertime.
But The other fish could be food for the channa. I always suggest species only tanks when it comes to channa.

Cheers Brucki

PS: Welcome to the IGL-forum. Dont hesitate to ask questions.

[kyknos]

No, it is just my usual web nickname. My real name is Jakub.

What tank would you choose for Channa bleheri? 120x30x40cm or 100x40x50cm? (Both are flat, the height is the smallest dimension.)

Anyway, I would keep them alone, of course. How many Channas should I have in the beginning in such an aquarium so that a pair can choose themselves?

And is it possible (and advisable) to put Channa in a small garden pond in summer? Would they like it?

[Brucki]

Hi Jakub,

both tanks are suitabel for bleheri. They dont need deep water at all.
For getting a pair I recommend to start with six or more juveniles. I also do so with channa, and often I had success.

Like a lot of fish species, channa do really well in the pond, but it has to be secure, so the channa can not jump out.

The first breeding of C. aurantimaculata was after the pair has been in a pond for the summer, and beeing introdueced in a quarantine tank, they spawned.

LG Brucki

[feli]

Hi Jakub and welcome here!
Feel free to post in English, we are not perfect, but our English is understandable.we are always pleased to get postings from abroad!

Thank you also to Brucki for your replies.
- He is an expert in channa.

Bleheri are interesting and beautiful channa for sure. I hope you decide for them.

[Brucki]

thanks for the warm words, Feli,

Jakub, C. bleheri are nice little channa, but they need a bit of a special temperature treatment. But otherwise, they are really great fish

[kyknos]

I think I can provide them with lower temperatures in the winter, it is not a big problem here. What are the water requirements for Ch. bleheri? My water is pH 7.5, 8 dGH, 3 dKH. How do you plant tanks for Channas (do they destroy plants)? Is there information available about their natural biotope?

Thank you for all the information, this is really a great place. I should probably find my old German textbook again, to uncover all the valuable information that must be hidden here

[Brucki]

Hi Jakub,

channa are not iunterested in plants, just for hiding behind them. But normally they dont destroy them. I use Anubia,Javafern (Microsorum),Cryptocoryne,Vallisneria,....

Your water should be fine for bleheri, most channa species dont care about the water chemistry at all.