Roy's 10 gallon - Dicrossus maculatus species tank

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Hi All,

It's been a while since I started a new journal so here we go. Standard 10 gallon Aqueon with Versa-Top, Aquaclear 20 HOB filter (with 2 used sponge media for quick cycling) and 75 watt Visi-therm heater. Light is a standard 2 incandescent socket strip light with two 7 watt horizontal plug corncob cool white lamps <Ebay G24 E27 5-13W AC85-265V 5050SMD Horizontal Plug LED Corn Light> providing PAR@30+ (to be revised when water clears0 at substrate level. Substrate is 3/4 used (4.5 years) Safe-t-sorb #7941 and 1/4 new STS. Tank parameters: pH@6.0; dKH@2.0; dGH@3.0; 0ppm NH4+; 0ppm NO2-; 0ppm NO3; 0ppm PO4

What to do, what to do? Watch this space!

2/23/2018 Day 1 Set-up (Immediately after adding water)

2/24/2018 Day 2 Starting to Clear

 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Hi All,

I'm setting this tank up as a 'species tank' not necessarily a planted tank which to my mind means I am trying to make the tank conditions appropriate for the featured fish species and the plants are 'second fiddle'. That said I did add some plants today and stirred up the substrate somewhat doing so. This is what I added from what I had on hand:

From left to right rear:
Nymphoides hygrophylla (aka sp. 'Taiwan') - rear left
Ludwigia simpsonii - emersed grown from my plant bank
Eriocaulon Vietnam (aka Taiwan) -center - emersed grown from my plant bank
Hygrophilia sp 'Tiger' - emersed grown from my plant bank
Ceratopteris cornuta (aka Broadleaf Watersprite) - from one of my other tanks (right rear)

In front of the Ying/Seriku Stone that was darkened with muriatic acid
Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Bronze'
Helanthium tenellum (Foregound) - from AFA tissue culture purchased 11/17 (yes they can last a long time in those little containers with sufficient light)

2/25/18 Before planting; light intensity improved with decreased cloudiness before planting PAR@30-40 at substrate level

2/25/18 After planting

 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Hi All,

Late last night I finished the drip acclimation and moved the new residents into my 10 gallon. One of the six did not look well, poor color, not swimming well, pinched stomach.....did not make it overnight (purchasing wild fish this is not uncommon). However this morning this is how the tank, new residents, and plants looked.

I was surprised how good the fins looked on these fish, wild fish are usually pretty chewed up

Oh, and a short video

 

[L190]

Looking nice Roy. It is surprising how long those tc plants can live in those cups. I have a friend who keeps plants in the cups under sufficient light to develop better roots before she uncups them.

 

[sir_keith]

Super cool. When I saw that tank I immediately thought Crenicara (nee Dicrossus), and this setup will be stunning once they grow and color up. Really makes me want to set up one or two of those 10 gallon tanks that I bumped into in my garage just yesterday.

 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Hi All,

So this morning I woke up, went to the garage, opened the downstairs refigerator, and cleaned breakfast for the Dicrossus maculatus. Then I went into my office, turned on the tank light and computer and had a cup of coffee. Came back, took a few still photos and then shot the video at the bottom......I guessed right on what they might like!

Lights on guys and gals!

They must be hungry they are foraging among the plants

Hmm, the Ludwigia simpsonii (emersed grown) on the left is already reaching for the light; the Hygrophilia sp 'Tiger' (on the right) not so much yet

And now the big question....will they eat?

 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Hi All,

A few new photos from today. Please recall this is low tech; no CO2 and relatively low light with PAR@40 at the last reading.

The tank is still a little cloudy likely from the dust of the STS that the corys have been rooting in.

The emersed stems of Ludwigia simpsonii are putting out their second set of submerged leaves

While the emersed grown stems of Hygrophilia sp 'Tiger' are just barely starting their first set of submerged leaves

 

[Betty]

I'm interested to see how this goes. being low-tech, I might have to copy if it works out.
Nice looking fish.

 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Hi @Betty

Thank you for the kind words; I've been wanting this species for a while now.

 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Hi All,

Yesterday was water change day so no pics but I did add a new plant to the tank and take some more pics today.

Here we are, day 6 and the water is cleared fairly well now.

I added a plant yesterday that I uprooted when cleaning the glass on my 75 gallon; I tried to grow Eleocharis in PAR@30 with no CO2 in the past...let's try a little higher PAR

The emersed grown Ludwigia simpsonii continues to grow, and quickly I might add

And of course, the family portrait

 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Hi All,

The tank was exceptionally clear today so I took another PAR reading, it looks like the light intensity at the substrate is PAR@50 which should allow good growth without a lot of algae

The emersed grown Ludwigia simpsonii and the Dicrossus both seem to like the conditions in the tank; the fish are filling out on live blackworms, frozen daphnia, and freeze-dried tubifex worms

 

[clownie]

This is a really cool little set up! Can't wait to see what it looks like when the plants grow in.... from what I am seeing it won't be long. It looks like all female Dicrossus maculatus . Am I right?

 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Hi @clownie

Thank you, actually they are juvies only 1" long currently. I suspect it will be several months before I can start determining the sex.

 

[clownie]

The males are stunning! Can't wait to so see what happens. This is the cool part of this hobby!

 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Hi All,

Remembering that this is a species tank where the fish are the primary concern I did decide on a very, very 'lean' dosing regimen for the plants in this 10 gallon tank.

KNO3 = 1/64 tsp 2X week (2.2 ppm X2)
K2SO4 = 1/64 tsp 2X week (1.28 ppm X2)
KH2PO4 = 1/128 tsp 2X week (0.82 ppm X2)
CSM+B = 1/128 tsp 2X week (0.07 ppm Fe 2X)
Ferrous Gluconate = 0.16 ppm 2X week
CaSO4 = 1/8 tsp 2X week (2.98 ppm 2X)
MgSO4 - 1/16 tsp 2X week (1.04 ppm 2X)

Here are some pictures from today. I added two new plants, Nymphaea species.

 

[sir_keith]

This is a perfect example of how it's possible to have a really cool setup in a small tank.

 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Hi All,

No gratuitous fish pictures today, today it's about plants. If you recall this 10 gallon tank is a low tech, medium/low light (PAR@50), and no CO2 'species' tank - but today we will discuss the plants that have been in there exactly 2 weeks. Several species I planted were submerged grown such as the Cryptocoryne wendtii, Nymphoides hygrophylla (aka 'Taiwan'), and broadleaf watersprite (Ceratopteris cornuta). But I also planted some emersed grown plants from my plant bank such as Ludwigia simpsonii (#1), Hygrophilia sp 'Tiger' (#2) and Eriocaulon 'Vietnam' (#3). I also planted some tissue culture Helanthium tenellum (Pygmy Chain Swords). So how are those emersed grown plants plants doing today? Have the emersed grown leaves all died off? Here are the current results which are impressive considering the extremely lean nutrient dosing:
KNO3 = 1/64 tsp 2X week (2.2 ppm X2)
K2SO4 = 1/64 tsp 2X week (1.28 ppm X2)
KH2PO4 = 1/128 tsp 2X week (0.82 ppm X2)
CSM+B = 1/128 tsp 2X week (0.07 ppm Fe 2X)
Ferrous Gluconate = 0.16 ppm 2X week
CaSO4 = 1/8 tsp 2X week (2.98 ppm 2X)
MgSO4 - 1/16 tsp 2X week (1.04 ppm 2X)

When planted on 2/25/18

Here is the tank today (3/11/18) after two weeks

Here is the Ludwigia simpsonii (starting its 4th set of submerged leaves)

And the Hygrophila sp 'Tiger' (slow starter, starting 2nd set of submerged leaves)

And Eriocaulon 'Vietnam' (new submerged leaves coming out of center)

And how about the tissue culture Helanthium tenellum? The emersed leaves are dying off but there are a few new leaves and a 'runner'

Interestingly the only plant that is showing signs of losing emersed grown leaves is the tissue culture Helanthium tenellum.

 

[VickiK]

I am LOVING this thread.

 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Hi All,

It's been a while since I did an update. All five (5) Dicrossis maculatus are doing well and seem to be large enough to sex. It appears that I have one (1) lucky male and four (4) females. The male is now about two times the size of the females and is starting to 'color' up. They eat flake food, frozen bloodworms, freeze-dried tubifex worms, and live blackworms. Here is a picture I took today.

Dicrossus maculatus (wild caught - male in rear)

 

[clownie]

He looks awesome!