Thailand Fastwater Biotype

by **racoll** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 11:35 pm

Martin S wrote:Apparently, they are all Barilius.

The latest studies place them in Opsarius. I guess these kind of trivialities don't matter too much, but it's good to keep abreast of changes to nomenclature.

by **Suckermouth** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 11:48 pm

To clarify, after sorting/identification, the species we collected in Thailand that I mentioned were Barilius are indeed now Opsarius.

by **Martin S** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 12:09 am

Oh! Ok, I didn't realise. Thanks for pointing the changes out. I'll update any references.

by **MatsP** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 12:14 am

Looking nicely settled. Flow doesn't look that excessive, really...

--
Mats

by **Martin S** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 12:39 am

No, I'm surprised it doesn't look like its that big a flow, especially as the Koralia has an output of 8,500lph. I'm considering adding a second external once I've sold the 2', giving another 1000lph, will see once I have the filter to play with.

by **N0body Of The Goat** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 8:37 am

Great to see them settled in and I notice the Pearls seem quite chilled too.

My concern would be the low amount of water rippling, I always had at least one filter output or powerhead heavily breaking the water surface, for the last year or so their 5x2x2 has had the FX5 (with a 22mm plumbing corner piece replacing the standard double nossle output, concentrating the flow) and the APS2000EF outputs above the water line. Maybe I was a little OTT, but I was always worried about several species in there including the Barilius/Opsarius that are believed to require excellent oxygen levels.

Have you tried repositioning your filter output or raising the Koralia powerhead to just below the surface, perhaps? I suspect you will also see the Barilius/Opsarius move into the higher water, they were regularly up high in my tank when the lighting was not intense.

Good luck with the new Glyptothorax and maybe look into getting positive IDs of the cf. canarensis against those in stock at Pier, to then maybe have a bigger group.

While your tank is now a hive of activity, my 5-footer is looking bare in the upper water and very chilled out, I'm seriously considering a school of Brycinus longipinnis and possibly a group of Pareutropius debauwi/buffei to add after my holiday.

Edit: Just spotted 20 Puntius aurotaeniatus listed at Wildwoods, http://www.tropicalfishfinder.co.uk/sto ... &prod=2974, which are found in the Gulf of Thailand. They are very small specimens (1-2cm), but they might be ok when they reach adult size of 6cm http://www.fishbase.org/summary/Puntius ... iatus.html

by **Martin S** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 12:33 pm

Hi Steve

I know what you mean - the external causes a lot of ripling from the spraybay at one end, but it dissipates very quickly - i think it's because of the counter current from the koralia.
I plan to add the second external and have the output break up the surface more at the left hand end, but that will need to wait until the 2' is closed down (hopefully this weekend). I am keeping an eye on them and they are not gasping, very active and all feeding well, so am comfortable that they are OK for the moment. I will, of course, attempt to improve the surface movement as soon as I am able.

Re: the Puntius - TBH I'm not sure I want to add many more fish, I'd only add to the existing species, especially canarensis, but I don't want to reduce the food competition for the Glyptos any more than it is already. I have definitely seen less of them since adding the Opsarius, and still haven't seen all three at any one time.

Thanks again
Martin

by **Martin S** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 8:45 pm

Come home tonight to find the O.canarensis 'getting jiggy'

One of the males is chasing off the other but they are both dropping down to the substrate alongside each other, and it looks like she should be laying eggs whilst he should be fertilising them, but I haven't seen anything produced from either. It does show I've got something right though!
A very short video of one attempt:

Martin

by **nvcichlids** » Mon Mar 12, 2012 2:17 pm

bump for full tank shot pictures

by **grokefish** » Mon Mar 12, 2012 4:54 pm

I would leave out the algae eaters, the tank would be awesome with everything covered with a good layer of nice green algae.

by **Martin S** » Mon Mar 12, 2012 6:54 pm

grokefish wrote:I would leave out the algae eaters, the tank would be awesome with everything covered with a good layer of nice green algae.

I don't intend to add anything else fish-wise (with the exception of maybe more of the O.canarensis) - am not that keen on the Garras anyway and they would only add to the food competition for the Glyptothorax.

Nate - pics will follow soon!
Martin

by **N0body Of The Goat** » Sun Mar 25, 2012 1:33 pm

Hi Martin,
Rather than send you another PM, I thought I'd ask how the Opsarius and increased Glyptothorax groups are doing, 13 days on since your last update?

by **Martin S** » Sun Mar 25, 2012 6:12 pm

Sorry, been busy with other bits. Opsarius all doing great, but for reasons unknown have lost the three small Glyptothorax over the past few days, which am gutted about but the three larger ones are fine. Will definitely take some shots tonight and upload them.
Martin

by **Martin S** » Sun Mar 25, 2012 7:47 pm

Two photos, showing how the tank looks now. The powerhead is hidden on the left behind the wood, and am also running 2 externals.
Martin

by **N0body Of The Goat** » Sun Mar 25, 2012 8:42 pm

Looking great, cobbles on top of the sand with boulders appears to work well, unlike my sand dune effect! The Opsarius look like they are doing really well and schooling nicely too, leaving the Pearls alone by the looks of it.

Sorry to hear about the Glyptothorax losses, fingers crossed it is nothing catagious.

by **Martin S** » Sun Mar 25, 2012 9:00 pm

N0body Of The Goat wrote:Looking great, cobbles on top of the sand with boulders appears to work well, unlike my sand dune effect! The Opsarius look like they are doing really well and schooling nicely too, leaving the Pearls alone by the looks of it.

Sorry to hear about the Glyptothorax losses, fingers crossed it is nothing catagious.

Yes, the pearls stay clear of them but all seem quite happy living in the same confines.

Yes, me too - its odd as they have been doing really well and out feeding regularly, the three larger ones seem happy enough, so really not sure what's going on. Am keeping an eye on them closely.
Martin

by **Martin S** » Wed Apr 11, 2012 8:16 pm

After the loss of the three original G.siamensis, and the fact that I was up that way, I stopped by at Peir earlier today and picked up two more the larger specimens he has in, so have gone back up to 5. I was very tempted by the Zaco platypus, and some other Barilius but decided against them, even though they were both great looking fish (especially the Zaco).
So, things are just ticking along, I've move the Koralia higher up so that it creates much more surface movement but apart from that, it seems to be doing really well.

Martin

by **Birger** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 1:48 am

I was very tempted by the Zaco platypus

,
Those are beauties, one of the fish that tempted me when I was there recently.

Birger

by **N0body Of The Goat** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 7:06 am

Hope these larger two new Glyptothorax work out, Martin. :-BD

by **Martin S** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 9:22 am

N0body Of The Goat wrote:Hope these larger two new Glyptothorax work out, Martin.

Yes, me too. It's certainly a mystery how they did so well until I introduced the three larger ones, then just popped their clogs over a really short period, yet the three larger ones are fine. Maybe they were being bullied at night? Will never know but fingers crossed the group of five stay just that! How's the garage tank? Any new additions since I re-homed the Opsarius?