New Setup New Start

[Ogertron3000]

Since collecting where you live (a hop skip and jump from Antarctica) sounds more complicated than I first thought of because of Australia's vastness),
and that your water and tank size sounds perfect to me, for many dwarf Amazonians , or (if available to you) species from the soft waters of Borneo.
Seeing those parameters, and tank size, I'd consider some of the more exotic wild type mouth brooding Betta species, using some of the endemic Rasboras as dithers.
https://hosting.photobucket.com/alb...sc243ccad.jpg?width=320&height=320&fit=bounds,

https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/i97/dstuer/Bettas/.highres/255.jpg?width=320&height=320&fit=bounds

Betta albimarginatta above, Betta edithae below

https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/i97/dstuer/Bettas/edithae/.highres/IMG_1607_zps64c7e603.jpg?width=320&height=320&fit=bounds

https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/i97/dstuer/Bettas/edithae/spawn/.highres/IMG_9354_zps255bd64f.jpg?width=320&height=320&fit=bounds

And with soft water species from biotopes like that, I have found leaf littler adds a interesting twist to a proper biotope.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/i97/dstuer/Bettas/edithae/.highres/071_zpsd984e068.jpg?width=320&height=320&fit=bounds

Its not just the distances involved its also the different laws in each state regarding catching wild fish and transporting them from state to state. They are all different and confusing but if you make a mistake the fines are huge. One example are Koi are illegal here in Victoria but in the next state north, New south wales they are for sale in every pet shop. I go there for work a lot so could quite easily buy some and sneak them down if i wanted to.
I do like those bettas in the pics, i have seen them or something similar years ago so might make some enquiries, most shops are well stocked with basic fish, apparently the cost of living increases we are going through in australia arent encouraging people to keep fish at the moment so no LFS is keeping anything too unusual or anything that wont move quickly.

Oh wow, ya that might be a little too soft for tangs.

Yeah, i think so too. It can be done but its a bit more work and extra costs than i would like at the moment.
I am going through a very indecisive phase, every day i decide on a new fish and then change my mind when i wake up the next morning!

 

[Joshuakahan]

Its not just the distances involved its also the different laws in each state regarding catching wild fish and transporting them from state to state. They are all different and confusing but if you make a mistake the fines are huge. One example are Koi are illegal here in Victoria but in the next state north, New south wales they are for sale in every pet shop. I go there for work a lot so could quite easily buy some and sneak them down if i wanted to.
I do like those bettas in the pics, i have seen them or something similar years ago so might make some enquiries, most shops are well stocked with basic fish, apparently the cost of living increases we are going through in australia arent encouraging people to keep fish at the moment so no LFS is keeping anything too unusual or anything that wont move quickly.



Yeah, i think so too. It can be done but its a bit more work and extra costs than i would like at the moment.
I am going through a very indecisive phase, every day i decide on a new fish and then change my mind when i wake up the next morning!

Didn’t you say you like multispinosa? A pair of those with a schooling fish would be cool

 

[Ogertron3000]

Didn’t you say you like multispinosa? A pair of those with a schooling fish would be cool

I originally wanted them when i set the tank up 4 years ago, im still leaning that way. A pair of multispinosa and a decent school of swordtails would be nice.
Rainbows arent super common at the moment but they are available so will see if theres any around in the shops,
My latest thought was very different, a coldwater setup with a big school of danios and some red head oranda goldfish. I havent had goldfish since the 90s so would be a blast from the past for sure. I might get bored with them but you can get a good price for large ones so could potentially make a profit.
Who knows, tomorrow i will probably think axolotls would be fun...........

 

[Joshuakahan]

I originally wanted them when i set the tank up 4 years ago, im still leaning that way. A pair of multispinosa and a decent school of swordtails would be nice.
Rainbows arent super common at the moment but they are available so will see if theres any around in the shops,
My latest thought was very different, a coldwater setup with a big school of danios and some red head oranda goldfish. I havent had goldfish since the 90s so would be a blast from the past for sure. I might get bored with them but you can get a good price for large ones so could potentially make a profit.
Who knows, tomorrow i will probably think axolotls would be fun...........

I’m where you are as far as being indecisive every time I start a new tank lol
What works for me is once something peaks my interest ( something I know I can care for) I add to cart and check out immediately. Otherwise I’ll flip flop for years. I say just pull the trigger on the multispinosa, don’t think, just do it.

 

[Cal Amari]

Don't you guys get foot long crayfish down there? That would be a fun project IMO

 

[Ogertron3000]

I’m where you are as far as being indecisive every time I start a new tank lol
What works for me is once something peaks my interest ( something I know I can care for) I add to cart and check out immediately. Otherwise I’ll flip flop for years. I say just pull the trigger on the multispinosa, don’t think, just do it.

I think you are right, im 99% sold on the multispinosa, since they were what i wanted 4 years ago i should fulfil my original dream for the tank.
Probably i will start with the livebearers just to get some action happening and track down the cichlids over the next few weeks.

Don't you guys get foot long crayfish down there? That would be a fun project IMO

We do, we call them yabbies here, pretty tasty too.
I did consider some of the blue ones but as the tank is in the living room it has to have a bit of "prettiness" to keep the wife happy.
Thats why i think the rainbow cichlids and swordtails will be good, they look nice, cichlids are intersting for me and all the fish should breed which will be good for my 8 year old kid to see.

 

[Ogertron3000]

Today one of my kids friends came around, when her parents dropped her off they freaked out over the “huge” fish tank in the living room. The mum was genuinely shocked and said she had never seen such a big tank and couldn’t imagine what sort of fish would need such a “giant” tank, I was very amused as it’s only a 3 foot 40G and frustratingly small for me as I imagine it would be for most of you guys reading this.
I was going to show them some of the tanks on here but didn’t think they needed an introduction to monster fishkeeping at the moment.
Hopefully when I have time and money and get a 6x2x2 and fill it with angels they will still visit and their minds will be blown.

 

[Ogertron3000]

Bit of an update, I added some of the plants back in and tinkered around with the rocks a it.
I have decided on a South American style community tank for sevteral reasons. Our water parameters suit the fish, it’s in the living room so will look nice , 40G size is bit restrictive for cichlids and it will keep me interested asicankeep adding fish over time.
With my last Acara set up I got bored once they grew up and I don’t want that to happen again.
I have added some guppies to kick things off, the plan is some nice corydoras of some kind, some angels as the centrepiece and maybe a tetra species.
There’s no rush to stock it, I will let the guppies breed as I look for quality fish, the cories will be the next addition as they won’t eat any guppy fry.
I’m happy to have a plan and some fish again.

 

[Ogertron3000]

Did my first water change since I got the fish yesterday.
Noticed some baby guppies in the floating plants. I guess a male somehow found his way into the”assorted female” tank, probably having a great time in there.
After exactly 1 week in my tank there is no other explanation, I was expecting this to happen in 5 weeks or so.

 

[Friller2009]

Not a bad idea, here in australia the only loaches readily available are clowns or pakistani loaches, i like both of them so something to think about.



Thanks, i was actually inspired a bit after seeing you latest scape. I had acaras previoulsy so want something different. Really i am probably going for the mutlispinosa or convicts at this stage. I will do a LFS run on hte weekend just to see whats around and get some ideas.
When i first set up the tank the LFS recommended oscar or red terror as "its just one fish"



I do like this idea and enjoy reading your posts about your collecting trips. Biotopes are becoming more interesting to me lately, as for an aussie setup I am in melbourne which is a cold southern state so we dont get any of the rainbows or gudgeons and such things here. Friller2009 might have some suggestions. We do get murray cod, tandanus catfish ,golden perch which will all get far too big for a 40G and some very nice galaxias but most of them are endangered and/or protected. Funnily enough when i see people fishing in our local creek they mainly get eels and goldfish or carp.
I will put some of the java fern back in though, especially behind the wood to obscure the equiptment.



These are very nice, i dont know much about africans at all so should do some research. It would almost be like starting again with my fish knowledge. My main concern is the hardness/PH of our tapwater is nowhere near where it needs to be for them. I will look into ways to raise it that arent time consuming or expensive.
Basically our water is perfect for most south american fish straight from the tap. It actually wins awards for best tapwater in the world according to our government!

Come to the Angfa convention in cairns in September. Catch some nice stuff up there.