Beiträge von FranciscoB

I cannot help, but wish I could find more. I have had a single beauty (I know single is not so good) for several years. Good luck!

Hi,

Agree on needing struts. Aluminum or wood would work. Even struts made of plexiglass, and glued ON EDGE would work. By gluing them on edge, minimal to no bowing would occur.

Without struts, even 5mm plexiglass will bow some overtime.

Looks like a very beautiful setup. Good luck!

Francisco

Hi Bakinator,

Very nice fish, and very nice that you have a group of them (I see five in the picture).

Although flakes and pellets are good, I would make sure to include some 'live-type' foods (even if not actually live, so possibly including frozen, freeze dried, etc.) These fish primarily feed on invertebrates (both fully and temporarily aquatic), and probably would benefit from chasing and catching foods, as well as the dietary elements in those.

Thanks for sharing,

Francisco

Hi Jens,

You have read already very diverse experiences with these fish, and some of those can be read in the responses you are geting to your post.

I have had Semaprochilodus several times, the last one a single fish since 2017. Only once I had 2 specimens in the same tank and it did not work well because they bickered and chased each other constantly, and one dominated the other completely, such that the other was always stressed, although not physically injured. It could have been better in a larger tank... an several individuals (not just two) may have been better but I couldn't do that in my tank.

In nature, they are loosely schooling fish, existing in large groups, and then, they undergo seasonal migrations upstream (large numbers of adults) related to their reproductive seasonality. As such, in nature they are likely to experience much wider temperature ranges, as well as possibly water characteristics. Their social acceptance of others may also vary seasonally.

RE- 5 fish or so in a tank 200cm long (~6.5 feet). I believe the tank is too small for 5 large flagtails. That is a ~220gal tank, a very decent size, but 5 adults are very hefty fish. If they happen to be quarrelsome.... a problem. Just gentle chasing may be too much; more aggressive.... a disaster. Gender composition (difficult or impossible to determine) may result in differences in compatibility.

My single fish is in a 6 foot tank (with a few other fish). I could not imagine 5 of them in that tank.

RE- Having them in planted tanks. No problem. I have always have had them in planted tanks, albeit including non-native (to SAmerica) plants, but also some native (see photos). The trick is weighting the plants well at first, and having a relatively deep substratum so the plants have a chance to root well and resist the constant grazing by the flagtails. Otherwise, floating plants or those attached to roots or wood are always an option.

RE- having them with Anostomus anostomus. It may or not work. I also currently have a single Anostomus (for several years). At one point it was in a tank with my single flagtail. The Anostomus persisted in nipping at the Prochilodus, driving it crazy. Although I love Anostomus, they can be real jerks in some settings.

Prochi eats everything, including from my hand, and grazes constantly keeping tank clean. Nori and garbanzos are among its favorites but I give a rotation of different flakes, small pellets, frozen foods and more.

Good luck!

Same fish at two stages of its life...

I don't use sticky foil as I find them cumbersome to work with, plus I like to do things as inexpensively as I can. I use mate black thick paper (in the USA is referred to as 'construction paper'), such as used for kids to do crafts at schools or home. Sold by the sheet, for very little at hobby or paper goods shops. Cut to size (as close as possible so as to fit snuggly between the top and bottom edge of the plastic trim in aquariums), then affixed in place using black electric tape. Have six aquariums done this way and some of them have been in place for ~5 years without any issues. Cheers!

Indeed they are 'bubble' snails (Physidae, most likely Physella acuta). They are sinistral (left coiled). Harmless to your tank but somewhat of a nuisance.

Some fish would eat them, and some snails ('Assassin snails') would too, as well as some shrimp. However, I wouldn't add them for just that purpose. You can trap the the snails repeatedly, and over time, if combined with reducing over-feeding, population may decline.

One can also crush them and about any fish (not just snail eaters) will then eat them. However, don't do it with your fingers as they usually carry nasty parasites that can enter through minute injuries on hands (use something flat against the glass). Good luck!

How about one of the larger Hemiodus species ?

If introduced at a good size, they won't be eaten, won't damage plants, won't be aggressive, always swimming....

Below some of mine, which may be any of H. argenteus, H. orthonops, or H. unimaculatus. They are ~7+ inches long. Cheers!

Very nice. Thanks for sharing!

Hello Axel,

Congratulations and thanks for sharing. The babies are growing beautifully and fast.

Cheers, Francisco

Thank you Bernd and Mathias!

Very nice. I love the top floor model of the Baltic Sea. Dramatic and illustrative of features otherwise not evident.

And I also love all the paludariums of all types. I wish one day I could make a mini-version of something like that.

Cheers, Francisco

Thanks! I sure hope so.

I ordered some plants over a year ago (AquaticPlants.com), and they included a lotus bulb as a freebie. For several months it did nothing, perhaps because it was kept being rolled about by fish and current in the tank. Eventually it became somewhat anchored and developed some underwater leaves. Later it began to produce many larger and floating leaves, but at the same time the bulb itself was deteriorating possibly in part because the bushynose plecos like to chew on it.
With the bulb almost gone now, this plant has decided to bloom, rather spectacularly. I believe this may be its last gasp, but it decided to go into demise with a big 'splash'. Hopefully it will actually survive? Photos with the bulb and flower were taken 3 days apart. Clearly it has grown too large for its standard 125g tank, and it wants to continue to grow outside the tank. I cannot leave the tank open because of (very) jumpy Hemiodus fish.
Photos - 1) aspect of tank with underwater leaves (barely visible, left corner, reddish leaves among other plants towards the bottom), 2) emerging bulb (water level down during water change), 3) flower in full splendor, 4) flower today with lid closed. Cheers!

Very cool. Thanks for sharing!

Supercool! Congratulations.

Wouldn't have expected the Nannostomus to get to them, but it is also not too surprising. Anything little and wiggling....Yum!

Many thanks!

Interesting the different dates for fathers date in various countries. In the US and in Colombia (and probably any more) it is June 19th. I do not know which other countries celebrate it today, but almost certainly quite a few. Why the different dates?

No problem , Tom. They (Uaru) are indeed incredibly greedy, as you mentioned. But very rewarding as well. I look forward to having Satanoperca sometime, but probably won't be any time soon.

Hi Tom (apologies for responding in English),

I do not keep Satanoperca so I can't offer suggestions.

Regarding Uaru, which I kept for several years, my opinion is that they need more plant matter than once a week. At least U. amphiacanthoides (I never kept panda Uaru, which are much newer in the hobby).

Uaru will eat anything (!!) but will thrive on a diet richer in veggies (with some of the other elements as well). Sweet potato, peas and garbanzos are good options, but so are Nori sheets and a variety of aquatic floating plants.

Some people feel terrestrial plant matter should not be given to fish - I don't share that opinion but there are many aquatic options. Good luck!

Do share them! Good old books may be superseded by newer ones, but usually only in part. There are lots of gems hidden within those older lines, usually uncontaminated with the newer mess of hybrids, manipulated forms, and grotesque aberrations that many like today. Fortunately, many purists remain, as well as older books. And then, there is the invaluable new knowledge arrived at in recent decades!

Beautiful fish! Thanks for sharing.

I have twice had single individuals of A. hypselonotus for several years, but this was years ago. I currently have a single Anostomus anostomus, in the same family and not too unlike Abramites in terms of needs and behavior.

I find difficult to imagine that 'marbled headstanders' (the common name in the US) will let themselves go hungry, as they are extremely eager eaters, always grazing on films on plants and aquarium decor. Also, they can be somewhat aggressive at feeding time.

If algae and plants that you don't mind them eating are not in your tank, a suggestion is to administer Nori (unsalted, unseasoned dried seaweed), hanging from clips. They will love you for it!! They will eat anything but they do love their veggies of all kinds (photos below showing an Anostomus)

I suspect you have not had your Abramites for very long, and wish you good luck. I have never had 5 individuals in a single tank, but 2 together did not work at all. It is possible you may in tome see aggression against the smallest or weaker one, and may have to split them for safety. I hope this is not the case, as they are very nice fish and are indeed a group type of fish, but in nature they live in much larger quarters.