Northwest_Scapes_

Hey everyone! Not much to report so far. The Tannins are setting in and the plants are growing pretty well! Except the Crypt.Tropica, that one needs a bit more time but I have seen a new leaf so I think it'll be fine. The Dwarf Lily has exploded in growth and some of the leaves are starting to reach the surface! Hopefully soon I can add the first fish. Most likely the Pencilfish since I want to make sure the tank is ready and mature for the Hummingbird Tetras.

Thank you! On the website it says they're "Pteridium sp." Which from a Google search mentions it most likely being Eagle Fern, although I don't think there's an exact ID. I can message you the shop where I got them!

Thank you! I hope for the same thing. Other than the T. Ornatus, the other fish I have in mind are really cheap (especially the N. Marilynae since they're one of the rarer species of Pencilfish. Although that's probably due to them (I have to see if theres any updated info on this but this is what I read) being mostly by catches with other Nannostomus species, so there's not really any specific demand for them, they just get tangled up with the other pencils and then are brought back. Well, my filter also just broke... No idea why, it just stopped working. I have a sponge filter on hand thankfully with the Ziss Airstone so I should be ok. If I put it in the corner it should be perfectly hidden.

I do! A majority of my botanicals come from him, along with the local company (I think you might know who, they did a live together recently on Instagram). His Green Neon Tank experiment was what I was also referencing up above, I think the last I checked his Green Neons went on 8 months to a year without him feeding them and they were still fat and breeding because of all the microfauna in the biofilm before he fed them again. I have a trio of Blue Line Licorice Gouramis in the same scenario. I moved them out of my 60U but kept them and just put them in a 10 gallon with the old leaves and wood. It's been about 7 months, going on 8 once October gets here, and they've been fat and happy just on the things from the leaves and wood. I'm in the process of setting up another tank for them, but it's amazing what these fish can do. I've wanted Hummingbird Tetras for a few years now. I thought about doing a biotope with them for a contest but that never happened. Also with their rarity I could never find any. Now an LFS has had them for 3 weeks now, no idea on why they haven't sold out yet, but hopefully they'll be there in another month once I make my way down to Portland again since I don't want to pay shipping so I can snag them up. I love the iridescent blue they get in the sunlight. I was also thinking of Morse Code Tetras since an LFS here in Seattle has a nice Blackwater Display with 20 ish Morse Codes. However this tank is near a window and gets some really nice sunlight towards the afternoon and I think that'll make the Hummingbirds SHINE. Very excited to get a group going in here.

Hello! It's been a while since I've been on the forums so long time no see. The last thread I have was on My UNS 60U Blackwater Tank, so if you've seen that one, then welcome to my new Blackwater! This is my 20 Gallon Long Blackwater Inspired Tank. I call it an Ecosystem since a lot of the food is actually grown from the Wood and Botanicals. Lots of Branches, only a few species of Plants, and lots of Botanicals. The Biofilm attracts and traps tiny microfauna that feed the tiny fish found within wild Blackwater Ecosystems. Of course I still feed the fish, but its been proven in the past that as long as there's enough Biofilm, small fish can go on for months without being fed by relying on the Biofilm and Botanicals. This also provides a valuable source for fry, giving them a better chance at surviving and thriving in the main display. This Tank has been setup for almost a Month, however the Botanicals just went in about a week ago and I'll probably let it for another 2 to 4 weeks before adding fish so it gives the Botanicals time to grow some biofilm and for the Tannins to set in. I'm very excited with my stocking choices. Living in Washington we have some of the softest water so im really into soft water fish. Stocking so far in mind is: -A Group of Hummingbird Tetras (Trochilocharax ornatus) -A Group of Pencilfish / My Main ones I have in mind are Nannostomus Marilynae, although N. Marginatus and N. Trifasciata are still on the table. -I'm really debating on if I'd like something on the bottom since I'm not sure if something like a Pair of smaller Apisto would get along with the T. Ornatus due to their size. Pygmy Cories / Dwarf Khuli Loaches are on the mind however. I'm really excited for the build and journey. I hope everyone that checks this thread out likes the tank! Tank: 20 Gallon Long | Filter: Dymax Slimflo 200 | Heater: Oase 100W | Light: JCP Full Spec | Hardscape: 24" Manzanita Branch I found at an LFS | Plants: Crypt. Lucens / Crypt. Tropical / Dwarf Aquarium Lily / All from Aquarium Co-op | Botanicals: Catappa Leaves / Jackfruit Leaves / Alder Cones / Fern Fronds / Mahogany Pods / all from a Local Company.

Hi everyone! After a bit of a hiatus I'm back! Here in Washington, Summer Tubbing season is finally upon us! And I'm extremely excited for this year! I've only been tubbing for 2 years. 2020 was mainly Medaka, and 2021 was Medaka, Least Killifish, and Albino Cories. This year I'm looking to be even more diverse. Unfortunately I don't have any setup right now, but most of the materials are on the way so I should be able to set them up at the beginning of next month! So far I'm working with 1x 35 g / 2x 20 g / 1x 12 g . I plan to possibly get a 110 later in the season, and then another 2x 20s as well. My current plan is again mainly Medaka since I have some good sources for the more "high end" varieties this year (I tried to import from Japan last year but the seller wasn't very good so rip my money and fish) but these sellers are super reliable and well reviewed so I think im in good hands. Other options I'm looking at are Blue Fin Killis since an LFS got a bunch in, and Variatus Platies since Cory, Bob, Robert, and I think Joel and Jimmy mentioned they do really well outside so I'm trying some other varieties of those. Also a colony of Pygmy Sunfish in the 12. Shrimp are also another option I want, mainly Cherry Shrimp. I have a bunch of plants, baskets, etc on the way so this should be a fun season!

Yes, I'm using a lid from a 125 temporarily while I make something more cleaner looking, no causality so far although I did find where 1 of the Emerald Eyes went on the carpet.. RIP Here are some pictures! Excited to say they've been doing good. Eating Flakes so far, I'm going to try Live BBS soon. They were sort of schooling with the Emerald Eyes the first night but they've found each other and mostly stick to the top now

Hey ya'll! Finally have a new update on the tank: New Fish! I just picked up the last 5 Pygmy Hatchetfish from an LFS and they're on their way to the 60U! In the end I really want a group of 10 or 12 since they do best in group of more than 8, so hopefully these guys do well for the time being. I also added a lot of Salvinia Natans so hopefully that stuff makes a big mat across the surface. I also added a few stems of Mosaic Ludwigia to the back left corner so I won't really know how it does for a while since they're poor shippers but mine seem to be okay but until I see growth I won't say they're good just yet. But that will look super nice if it reaches the surface. I'll send pics of the Tank and Pygmy Hatchetfish later once they're settled in, but here's some pics I managed to grab over the past few days

Hey Everyone! Long time no see! First post of 2022 is kind of meh since there hasn't been much going on with the tank. The Tank went through a bit of an Algae phase that was fixed with a 12 day blackout at the beginning of the year. Othe than that, everything has been stable and growing! I also started using the Sony A6100 I got as a Christmas/ Early Birthday Gift and it's been amazing. Going to get some lenses and a Gimbal for it soon so everything taken so far has just been by the base camera. Crypts and Anubias have been doing extremely well, the Lily took a bit of a hit during the blackout but the Root tabs are helping it out. The last additions to the tank are probably some floaters, another stem plant for the back left corner (I'm leaning heavily towards Mosaic Ludwigia right now), and a group of Pygmy Hatchetfish to round out the top part. Should be fun! Every Fish so far (except 2 Emerald Eyes) have made it and are doing super well. Especially the Otos and Parasphromenus, I don't put in any algae wafers too often so the biofilm seems to be their main meal. And the Gouramis have been trained somewhat onto frozen which is awesome. Everyone seems quite fat so far. I've loved this tank so much I'm actually setting up another 20G (not another 60U unfortunately, just a standard 20 High) next to it that will also be a Blackwater, but more dedicated to tricky fish again like the Parasphromenus. I think those fish will really enjoy that setup. Stay Tuned on a thread for that tank, as well as the Tanganyika Tank I've had running for a bit, just battling some Blue-Green Cyano right now but once that's over I'll start it. I hope everyone's been doing well and here are some photos!

Hey Everyone! Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! Meant to say Merry Christmas here yesterday but was too busy catching up with family. Anyways, not much going on as of now, but that'll change soon! A list of updates: -Unfortunately to the best of my counting ability, it seems like I may have lost 1 or 2 of the Emerald Eyes. I'm not sure why, things like this just happen. Good news is the rest of the gang (10 is the number I've settled on and counted since I started with 12) seem fat and happy. Other than that, everyone else to the best of my knowledge seems to be doing well. -CAN I TALK ABOUT HOW UNDERRATED THESE GUYS ARE? Honestly, I was thinking of switching them out with something more outgoing / colorful such as Cardinal, Ruby, or Reed Tetras, but just by keeping my distance (they are a bit skittish, one reason I thought about switching them out) such as the view from my bed or my desk. they roam everywhere in the tank. Not to mention, their eyes, wow. This is another fish I think shines (literally) in a Blackwater Tank. While they are 100% suitable and do well in Aquascaped / clear water tank, something about the Tannins and way the light hits the underside of their eyes in a Blackwater Tank absolutely blows anything else out of the water. I try my best to capture it on Photo and Video but you really have to see it in person. I always love when I look over, just seeing flashes of Bright Blue/Green. As someone mentioned to me, they're like the Flashlight Fish of the Freshwater World to some extent. (Which I was about to setup a Flashlight Fish only 125G but that's a story for another day). Also, in certain angles they actually get an orange stripe down the sides of their body, there's just so much to them that you don't see at the fish store or even in an aquascaped tank. -Plant wise, the Anubias have been growing some crazy roots and new leaves, gotta get some shots of them. Overall, I think I need some Ferts since they are showing slight signs of Nutrient deficiency, but for the most part they're doing pretty well. The Crypts also started showing tiny signs of deficiency, and the Dwarf Aquarium Lily ended up losing all its tall stalks' 😞 The good thing is, I got some Aquarium Co-op Root tabs and it already looks to be perk up. This will benefit both the Crypts and Lily, can't wait to see an explosion in growth! -Fish wise, I believe I still have all 4 Haroldi. The reason I say that is because they've gotten smart about hiding and really take advantage of the Leaves and Seed Pods. They also "disappear" into the shaded areas of the roots, so that makes it even harder for me, but more comfortable for them lol. I've only seen 3 at the most, but I haven't found any bodies yet and it's super hard to tell all but 1 of them apart from each other (The only one I can confidently tell apart is the biggest which has some striping and is also not as dark as the other 3) so I'm still confident all 4 are there. Maybe one day soon I'll see all 4 just chillin. I believe I might also have some pairing of the Licorice Gourami's soon! The Male and one of the Females have been really sticking close to each other, as well as the Male now claiming the Coconut hut in the back left corner his, away from the roots where the females like to hang out. Actually just a few days ago, I saw the Female checking it out as well. No Flirting or "Sexy Eye" yet, but maybe that'll be a surprise the new year brings in! Overall, the Tank is in super good shape, I will say though, from the FTSs it only seems like the Emerald Eyes are the only inhabitants in the tank. That'll change very soon (MAYBE THIS WEEK!!) *cough* new top dwellers to finish off the stocking for now *cough* 🤫 And of course with all this time, LOTS of Pictures! I hope everyone enjoyed the update, and hopefully I'll be back soon with new fish 😁

Parotocinclus Haroldi they don't have an official common name but they're sometimes listed as "snowball oto" or "galaxy oto"

Hey everyone! Sorry for the lack of updates, not much going on right now since im just letting everything grow out from this point. I still have all 4 Hardoldi and the Trio of Parosphromenus. The Emerald Eyes have fattened up a lot, and I should be able to get an updated FTS later today. In the mean time, I got some better shots of the Male Blue Line Licorice! His colors aren't the most intense right now, but i still think he's pretty nice 🙂

Surprisingly I was able to get some decent shots of Species #2 so here we go! A group I've always wanted to keep but never had the proper setup to do so until now: Parasphromenus Gunawani. The "Blue Line Licorice Gourami" The Parasphromenus group has always intrigued me due to the males looking extremely stunning when they flair, but also because they're highly endangered in the wild (long story short, construction and human progression has destroyed large numbers of their peat swamps, so now Parasphromenus species are only found in small Ponds and even in roadside water ways from what I read) I chose Gunawani out of the 3 in store (the others being the Strawberry and Sintangensis) because the males get some nice red on the tail. The whole genus I believe is sexually dimorphic, males being extremely colorful while females are rather bland / colorless. I picked up a group of 3 and lucked out as in I got 1 Male and 2 Females. While they were super shy in the store, they've been surprisingly outgoing in the tank, mainly hanging around the Bantigue Root. They aren't trained onto frozen yet so I'll see how live BBS works for them, but interestingly enough I have seen them pick at biofilm and whatever algae is growing on the root so thats pretty intriguing. I was able to grab some good shots of the females. I accidently angered the Male since he took residence in the coconut hut, and I think he might've been preparing to try and spawn so I might've messed up my chances this go around 😞 but there's a pic of him in the bag and some blurry ones where his color does show. Hopefully when he's forgiven me I can get some good shots of him since his blue is STUNNING! (First three pics are of one of the females, then the last 3 is the male of course)

Thank you! 1 trick with the Mangroves I was thinking about doing is keeping the seed above the water, and having the roots spread in the water so the leaves are above the water. I was wondering if you think a Trio of something like an earth eater species for the Sand bed would be good with the archers? Or would they cause too much of a bioload?

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving. I was in Portland this Friday-Saturday and got the chance to get some fish I've had on my bucketlist for a long time. While I haven't gotten any good shots of the other species yet, I'll introduce you to the fish I've been teasing this whole time: Parotocinclus Haroldi!! A relatively new and extremely rare species of Parotocinclus, these guys have only been exported a few times due to their geographical range of inhibiting a river in a Brazil National Park, so export is hard to do. It seems like this year there was a big export, and maybe they're starting to ease up, who knows. They don't have an official common name yet, but you'll sometimes see them listed as Snowball or Snowflake Oto, Starlight Oto, and these guys were listed as Galaxy Oto. So far, they've really enjoyed the Blackwater Tank. I got 4 of them, and maybe sometime down the road soon if they have more, I'll pickup another 3. They've eaten blanched Zucchini so far, and eat algae and other bits of biofilm growing on the seed Pods, so they're definitely like a common oto. My Main goal is to breed these guys, I've already noticed a size difference where 1 is bigger than all the rest, so I'll keep an eye on the others while they grow. Here are some shots I was able to grab, I'm so excited I was finally able to get them!

Heyo! So im finally setting up a 125g Clouded Archer Tank! It's something I've always wanted to do and after a switch of plans, I settled on this. The current plan is lots of live plants, lots of Red Mangroves, and the Canister I've got is rated for 150G so definitely a bit overfiltered. The stocking plan I have in mind consists of a group of Clouded Archers of course, but others are Roseline Sharks (Dennison Barbs), Rummynose Tetras, Amazon Puffers (I can keep up with the trimming), and that's about it for now. While I'm still thinking about it, I think I will fill the whole tank up instead of 3/4ths way, so I get the full 125 gallons. Any other suggestions on what to add? I'm definitely open to all suggestions, they just have to be peaceful and plant friendly.

For sure! I love their schooling act too, they're sort of like a mini rummynose, just minus the color and add a reflective eye to them Thank you as well! I didn't know that, I always assumed that, that would be apart of Self Promo, I'll try it soon when I get the new fish

Hey everyone! Happy Tuesday! Almost Thanksgiving! Just wanted to give 2 updates: 1. The Store in Portland where I'm getting the Otos from this weekend is also having a 10% off sale, so im going to get some other things too that I have other plans for which is exciting 2. Unfortunately videos don't send on the forum but I was able to grab some stills from the videos i got of the Emerald Eye Rasboras feasting on some Live Baby Brine!

Happy Saturday everyone! Hope your weekend is going well so far. I let the fish settle in last night, although it didn't take them long to feel comfortable. The fish I chose were: Emerald Eye Rasboras! These little guys were already schooling around within 10 minutes of being in the tank and are quickly becoming a favorite of mine with how tight they school. I don't have any good pictures of them in the tank, but here are some from when they were in the bag + maybe a video of them in the tank if it will send.

Thank you! From what I was told, the Bantigue roots are "Surprisingly extremely resistant to rot" and I think that's held up so far from the 6ish months I've had it. Of course I'll have to see within the 1 year mark. I've had it in 2 other scapes with fish and it didn't affect anything. From google, it says that the Bantigue Mangroves are found on the coasts of tropical lagoons. Definitely look into them, they've got super awesome structure and I would imagine they would be awesome schoolers

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you're all doing well, the fish come today! My Dad is picking them in Portland since he's down there for a business trip. Unfortunately I switched plans. At first I wanted Red Line Tetras or Hummingbird Tetras, but those species cost about $7-$8 per fish so they were quite spendy especially since I'm going after a group of 10. Maybe in the next Blackwater build 😞 In better news, Im going back to a highly underrated nano fish that has tight schooling behavior which was one of the things I was looking for, extremely cheap, and they absolutely glow in Tannin Water when they're happy and healthy. My Dad is picking up 12 since they're only $2 and they'll be the first additions to the tank. In the end, hoping for maybe around 15-17 since they only get 1" (1.4 max) and their bioload is low. I should be posting later today!

Thank you! I like it so far. It was kind of noisy at first but I found out it was because there was air trapped so I just re-primed it and it's back to being completely silent! I'll have to add some bio media + Floss once the cartridges go out but other than that it's been pretty good so far!

-Happy Wednesday (night I guess now? 😅) everyone! There's not a ton of updates on the tank except for the following: -WOW. The Wood has grown so much Biofilm these past few days. It did the same thing in the last scape, and glad to see it's doing the same in the new scape since this will act as a really good food for the Parotocinclus. -The Dwarf Aquarium Lily has grown a bit taller. I can't tell exactly but it looks a bit taller to me, still sprouting new leaves though! This thing is a machine, and only in Pool Filter Sand! No Root Tabs so far, probably soon though since some of the top leaves have some melt on them. -The 1st fish will be here this week! I'm still undecided on which species, but for sure a species of Tetra or Pencilfish. Only starting out with 6 for now, but will up the size to 10-12 depending on the species in the near future. Stay Tuned!

Thank you! I haven't seen much on them in Blackwater either, I know paula_underwater on Instagram has a decently big group in a Borneo Biotope with Stained Water and they look really happy. They're towards more of the bottom of my list right now but that could change in the future

It's been a long time since I did an introduction and my last one was pretty poor so it's time for a redo! Hi! My name if Northwest Fish Keeping, or NWFK for short. Just as the title says, I'm a 15 year old Hobbyist that loves the hobby and I'm also a Washington local! A little bit about me: -I keep both Fresh and Saltwater -I have experience breeding a couple species, including: Angels, Limias, Shell Dwellers, Guppies, Platies, Mollies, Medaka Ricefish, Least Killifish, Endlers, just a lot of livebearers in general lol, Neo. and Caridina Shrimp, and I've gotten a couple cories to spawn on accident but was never successful in raising the fry. -Super High Tech, Fancy looking aquascapes are cool to see, but personally I love Biotopes a lot more. Just something about recreating a natural habitat and seeing how it ages over time is amazing. -I've been to the Co-Op quite a few times, I might be going back soon hopefully 🙂 And thats about it for now! I just posted a new build thread on my UNS 60U Blackwater Tank on the forum here so check it out if you're interested!