New Year, New Tank

[IgnatzMcJockel]

Hey MFK !

I am planing a new Tank !

The plan is a large Paludarium for my Polysand other fish.
The floor of the Tank will be complete water with a wood / stone stack in the middle reaching the surface forming a small island.
The Backwall and the island will be planted.
Why a Paludarium? I like the "whole-biotope-feeling" and it gives my polys space to jump and breathe.

The Dimensions will be

Width: 160cm / ~ 5,25ft
Height: 100cm ( 60cm water, 40cm air ) / ~ 3,3ft ( ~ 1,9ft water, ~ 1,3ft air )
Depth: 100cm / ~ 3,3ft
Water Volume: ~ 960 liter / ~ 253 gallon

I start this thread for questions, documentation and suggestions.

My current stock, that will move to the new Tank is:

- 2 Polypterus Delhezi
- 1 Polypterus Teugelsi
- 1 Polypterus Weeksii
- 1 L114
- 1 Pterohyllum Scalare
- 1 Aequidens Pulcher

What i am planing to add (in the long term, it will take a little bit to gather these fish):

- 1 Polypterus Senegalus
- 1 Polypterus Polli
- 1 Polypterus Palmas Palmas
- 1 Polypterus Palmas Buettikoferi
- 1 Polypterus Retropinnis

And ( and i don't know if thats a good idea ) i would really like to add a Pelodiscus sinensis (Chinese Softshell Turtle). I have seen a few videos of them kept with chichlids or Mollys.
But i couldn't find much about keeping them with larger fishes like polys. And could the L114 be a Problem because of the soft shell? I would try to get a male, because the stay smaller.

Thanks in advance for your tipps, suggestions and experiences!

 

[tlindsey]

Hey MFK !

I am planing a new Tank !

The plan is a large Paludarium for my Polysand other fish.
The floor of the Tank will be complete water with a wood / stone stack in the middle reaching the surface forming a small island.
The Backwall and the island will be planted.
Why a Paludarium? I like the "whole-biotope-feeling" and it gives my polys space to jump and breathe.

The Dimensions will be

Width: 160cm / ~ 5,25ft
Height: 100cm ( 60cm water, 40cm air ) / ~ 3,3ft ( ~ 1,9ft water, ~ 1,3ft air )
Depth: 100cm / ~ 3,3ft
Water Volume: ~ 960 liter / ~ 253 gallon

I start this thread for questions, documentation and suggestions.

My current stock, that will move to the new Tank is:

- 2 Polypterus Delhezi
- 1 Polypterus Teugelsi
- 1 Polypterus Weeksii
- 1 L114
- 1 Pterohyllum Scalare
- 1 Aequidens Pulcher

What i am planing to add (in the long term, it will take a little bit to gather these fish):

- 1 Polypterus Senegalus
- 1 Polypterus Polli
- 1 Polypterus Palmas Palmas
- 1 Polypterus Palmas Buettikoferi
- 1 Polypterus Retropinnis

And ( and i don't know if thats a good idea ) i would really like to add a Pelodiscus sinensis (Chinese Softshell Turtle). I have seen a few videos of them kept with chichlids or Mollys.
But i couldn't find much about keeping them with larger fishes like polys. And could the L114 be a Problem because of the soft shell? I would try to get a male, because the stay smaller.

Thanks in advance for your tipps, suggestions and experiences!

The Chinese Softshell turtle is aggressive like the ones we have in the US. I wouldn't add the softshell.

 

[IgnatzMcJockel]

The Chinese Softshell turtle is aggressive like the ones we have in the US. I wouldn't add the softshell.

Ok, so no softshell...
But i really like the thought of a turtle in the tank ?
Could you suggest another, more gentle turtle?

 

[tlindsey]

Ok, so no softshell...
But i really like the thought of a turtle in the tank ?
Could you suggest another, more gentle turtle?

Probably the Fly River turtle if I had to pick one.

 

[Randles]

I've kept my Cooter with fish and had no issue but they do all have different personalities. I'm lucky she's really mellow but being 16 years old probably has a lot to do with it, her current bestie is a synodontis eupterus. I agree with the advise of not adding a soft shell. A friend of mine has one and its super aggressive and wouldn't think twice about going for you or any other fish but he is awesome and very funny with it. I also agree on the Fly River if you can get one is the one to have, Id personally love one but just dont have the kind of space it would need at the moment, they grow very big!

 

[IgnatzMcJockel]

A Fly River Turtle would be great... but they are very hard to get here and also grow to large for the tank i'm planing.
So i think no turtle for now, maybe in the future.

Could you suggest other cool animals for a Paludarium, the can be kept with polys?

 

[CrazyPhishMan]

I like mud and musk turtles for aquatics tanks

 

[IgnatzMcJockel]

I like mud and musk turtles for aquatics tanks

I thought about musk turtles, too.
But isn't ~2ft water to deep for them?
Another idea wolud be Emydura subglobosa or Pelusios gabonensis.

I would also consider non-turtle animals^^.
I always had cichlids with my bichirs and wan't to try something new.

 

[The Masked Shadow]

Not too many options for above-ground animals. Frogs are the obvious choice, but I would not do that with Poly's. It also needs to be warm water, so that doesn't give much breathing room either. How big will the island be?

 

[CrazyPhishMan]

my red cheek mud turtle "ruby" lives in a standard 180
my 3 razorback musks are in a 75

I use stable wood to create resting areas near the top, I used to give them a basking area, but it was NEVER used in 2 years so i stopped