Sue's Tanks March 2016

As requested, some photos of my tanks. Only a couple though as quite typically the battery light started flashing as soon as I turned the camera on, so I only managed a few. More to come once the batteries have charged.

These are the tanks in the kitchen, the 26 litre and the 50 litre.


The 26 litre needs more work. I bought an anubias, species not given, about a month ago. The rhizome and leaves appear to be rotting and there are hardly any leaves left. I was hoping for a nice bush by now. I think I'm going to have to replace it. I got it from my nearest MA but the type I wanted looked pretty awful in their tank with leaves rotting at the base. So I got a different type from the next tank but whatever was affecting the plants in the first tank seems to have got to the one I bought.
You can see the java fern on the plantpot cave and the hornwort, both weighted down and floating. Behind that is actually a piece of wood with java fern and the anubias.
The black lumps are alder cones.
And please excuse the heater. The betta burned his tail fin on the heater but I couldn't find a heater guard anywhere. I found an old one in the cupboard with worn out suckers and what you can see is what I've had to do to attach the heater guard to the tank.
The tank looks tall and thin simply because it is end on. The tank is that way round so the weight of it is over the worktop support.

The 50 litre contains my cherry shrimps and a few fish. You can make out a few shrimps at the front right and some fish next to the filter. In total in this tank are 2 habrosus cories and 2 pygmy cories; the rest of the shoals have died. 2 Boraras maculatus and 4 Boraras brigittae, also the remains of larger shoals. And 9 green neon tetras - so far I've only lost one of those. You can see a maculatus and a green neon next to the heater. And the snail on the back of the tank.
On the right of the tank I have 3 pieces of wood. The one at the back has java fern and a small anubias; on the right the wood is covered with java moss, and in the foreground the wood has bolbitis growing on it. The whole left side is a tangle of hornwort anchored down with yet another piece of wood. I hardly see the fish in this tank as they all hang out in the hornwort.

Love your tanks Sue, the Betta looks amazing and very happy 

I like the look of the hornwort plant, I'll definitely add that to my shopping list for the future. I love the height you can achieve with it and it keeps a narrow cylindrical shape 

Great post 

I've just noticed the betta's tail in the photo. The top edge of his tail fin shows quite clearly that it is not coloured. That's the new growth after he burned a chunk of it. It shows nicely how fins can regrow although they never look quite the same as they used to.

Fantastic tanks. I like the planting in both tanks.
Your betta looks amazing. I've not seen one that colour and the fins look so elegant.
I spent some time enlarging the second picture to spot the shrimp and fish, so cute.
 

Considering you keep saying how you are unsuccessful with live plants, I'm mightily impressed with the greenery in your tanks Sue.

They're lovely. Your Betta is extremely striking too!

Sue - your betta is absolutely stunning! 

Even my husband spotted him and said that's the one. He spends more time showing off his fins than any betta I've had before.

Wow - your husband has fins too and which compete and surpass the showing-off of a betta?   

As for the tanks and plants, which look great, perhaps java fern and anubias are your niche. To quote Matt's helpful advice from a posting of mine on another thread:

My experience with plants is that you have to experiment and find what works in your tank... My advice would simply be to go for it and don't be disheartened when it doesn't go to plan, just try something else and you will find your niche.

The batteries should be finished charging at 6.30 this evening so I'll try and photograph the big tank after that.

YAY!!!

And some of the fish in the 180 litre.

Fantastic tank Sue. I agree with Simon, good dimensions and can see why you got a custom tank. The footprint allows for much more swimming space than a standard tank.
I really like your stiphodons, they are very pretty.
Great tank 

I completely agree with you. It's not easy to reach the bottom of a tank sometimes.