Mixed Dwarfs....

["Jan Busser" <jbusser@worldonline.nl>]

Hello,

It's been a long time but I had lots of work to do and it payed!!!!
My nursery is ready!!!
Only one minor thing has to be done: Light!!! (but that's no problem).
Okay, when everything goes the way I think it goes I'm installing my first
fish in the cellar next saturday or sunday.

I want to try something completely different than I'm used to do.
The tanks in the nursery are kind of big for dwarfs (Apistogramma,
Dicrossus, Taenicara, Apistogrammoides, Biotoecus, Nannacara,
Mik(!)rogeophagus and small aequidens!) (70-60-30cm.)
I Planned to split the tank in two identical parts but that gives me some
trouble.
1)
I have to heat the tanks because I don't have gas in the cellar, so if I
seperate
the tanks I have to use twice as much heaters!!!
2)
It's very hard to oversee a tank with a front from 35 cm and a depth from
60. Sometimes its hard to discover eggs in a normal sized small
breeding-tank.
So I had the next idea, I'd like to hear your oppinions:
In each tank I want to keep two or three (depends on the species) different
species which have a simular habitat. Only there territory has to be
completely different:
For example:
Taenicara candidi lays it's eggs in holes and they need extremely acid water
(point of discussion at the moment).
Dicrossus filamentosus (former Crenicara) needs the same water (also point
of disussion) but has a completely different territory: It lays it's eggs on
plant-leafs.
So they would mix quit well (at the moment my Taenicara is spawning while
Apistogramma species Mamore is watching in the same tank: No problem, only
the apisto's are a little too strong and manage to eat the eggs)
With two different species in one tank I see more than one advantage:
1)
The animals have to fight for their territory so their natural behaviour is
maintained.
2)
The preasence of another "strong" fish keeps the parents alert, better than
only Poecilidae or some other fish "roommates" (I notice that time after
time when I compare my fish in de mixed-livingroomtank and fish in breeding
tanks)
3)
Because of the hughe serface of the breeding tanks it should not be a
problem.
4)
Of course: money-saving
5)
When I split the tanks in two parts the waterquality on both sides is the
same so considering species and waterquality: I'll have the same problem.
6)
When I deside to keep a bigger species, like altispinosa or iniridae I don't
have rto remove a glass "wall" and redecorate the tank completely.
7)
Sometimes I notice fry in my livingroomtank when the fry is allready
swimming (having no idea of fish having eggs) just because of the hidden
lifestyle. In a 35-70 tank it could be a much bigger problem becaus the fish
will probably choose it's domain at the bach of the tank. Because I will use
two different fishes (regarding territory) I only have to make some rocks
instead of making the same amount of rocks in a long small tank.
So, these are (part of my) plans.
Next to dwarf I want to breed some other fish to, which ones....??? I don't
know yet, I have to see before I buy. My first priority is to give my dwarfs
(which are in temporary tanks now) the space, room and care they deserve.
Enyone some Ideas (conserning other fish than dwarfs) or comments,
please....

Greetings Jan...

     @...@
    (--------)
(~           ~)
^^^-------^^^
Visit me at http://home-2.worldonline.nl/~jbusser/index.htm