NE Beel Biotope

[Shovelnose]

While I would love to call it that, I don't think it is even close to correct except for the inhabitants. It is a regular 2*1*1 with a 800 lph HOB for filtration. Inhabitants are 12

Rama chandramara

and 10 Puntius gelius. I am planning to add some Puntius sharmai and 1 or 2 Lepidocephalichthys thermalis as these fish are similar in temperment to the ones in the tank. I use a mix of FBS and blood worms for feed. Decor used in the tank is fine sand, smooth pebbles and rocks arranged into cave like structures and some branchy drift wood.

A beel is basically a water body that collects overflowing water from rivers during floods or other similar situations. These 2 species are generally found in such habitats (in addition to others). I don't think beels will have plants but I added some Egeria densa as the fish would be more comfortable. The long journey from a field trip seems to have killed off some of the plants.




The alleged biotope.

Rama chandramara

. I know the pic sucks but they are extremely timid. Any movement outside the tank and they dash for cover.








Puntius gelius. These are no better either. I had to focus through a hole in a piece of drift wood to get a clear shot.

[Shovelnose]

Apparently not all of them have a yellow streak.

Rama chandramara

vs chironomid.

[Shane]

That is a tank after my own heart. Well done.
-Shane

[racoll]

Yes, I really like this tank too. Very nice.

[Shovelnose]

That is a tank after my own heart. Well done.
-Shane

Thanks Shane. Are the Barbus spp. you have collected in Africa very similar to Puntius spp. externally???

Yes, I really like this tank too. Very nice.

Thanks Rupert. Nice fish P.gelius but too damn shy. I have been told that P.phutunio is a lot more bold and swims out all the time.


While the

Rama chandramara

were embarrassingly shy for a bagrid catfish initially, they are now getting more used to me fiddling around with the camera in front of the tank. Lovely fish. Hovering Catfish is the perfect common name for these.

[racoll]

Have you tried adding a backing to the tank? That might make both the cyprinids and the catfish feel feel a bit more secure and outgoing.

[Shane]

Thanks Shane. Are the Barbus spp. you have collected in Africa very similar to Puntius spp. externally???

Not at all. Most African barbs have the longer, minnow-type body shape. There are also very few with interesting colors or patternings. Hence the lack of exports. Nearly all spp are either an overall brown to silver with a dark lateral stripe or brown to silver with spots along the lateral line. This makes them difficult to distinguish to sp level.
Below could be anyone of a dozen common spp found from Uganda down to South Africa.
-Shane

[Shovelnose]

Have you tried adding a backing to the tank? That might make both the cyprinids and the catfish feel feel a bit more secure and outgoing.

Not yet. The addition of plants has helped immensely. The fish are out a lot now. The plants are surviving only on ambient sunlight.I don't want to add lights as that might spook the fish and increase tank temperature too. Won't the background cut off whatever little light trickles in???

Not at all. Most African barbs have the longer, minnow-type body shape. There are also very few with interesting colors or patternings. Hence the lack of exports. Nearly all spp are either an overall brown to silver with a dark lateral stripe or brown to silver with spots along the lateral line. This makes them difficult to distinguish to sp level.-Shane

Ah I see. We do get a lot of barbs without any colours too (ticto,sophore,amphibius,sarana,dorsalis etc) but the ones with the colours (filamentosus,fasciatus,assimilis,arulius,tambraparaniei etc) make up for this.

[racoll]

Won't the background cut off whatever little light trickles in???

Yes, I suppose it could if the tank is not in the standard orientation of "back against wall".

[Shovelnose]

I will definitely have to cover up the back before summer is here (2 months). I better look for other plants that do well in low light.

[sidguppy]

There are also very few with interesting colors or patternings. Hence the lack of exports

you wouldn't say that if you ever saw adult colored-up Rayamas christyi.
there's a whole list of Opsaridium, Raiamas and Barilius species from Africa, not to mention true Barbus that are very good looking

also, Africa is home of THE brightest and colorful barb on the planet, I'm talking about this little guy:


not to mention beauties like Barbus holotaenia, Barbus hulstaerti, Barbus jae etc

I think it's more a severe case of tunnelvision: if it isn't a cichlid or a "monsterfish" it's not really interesting for export.
apart from Rift or Syno's, most non cichlids from Africa are in the last category; Polypterids, lungfish, baby specimen from huge catfish species, Goliath Tigerfish, Gymnarchus, Cornish Jack, Mormyrus longirostris etc etc

it is telling that it's har easier buying a Hepsetus odoe or Hydrocynus goliath than it is to buy Barbus holotaenia or Garra congoensis......
the export guys from Africa are stuck in a rut and they're stubborn enough not to change their ways.

back On Topic; mighty interesting little tank you got there; what temperature is that tank?

I think with a tiny Anabantoid in there (parosphromenus or so) the tank will be even better.....

[Shovelnose]

what temperature is that tank?

I think with a tiny Anabantoid in there (parosphromenus or so) the tank will be even better.....

The tank temperature is around 24C at the moment. I have made a coolant fan for this tank so temperature rise in the hotter months can be tackled.

I was hoping to maintain this as an Indian natives only tank. I can collect Anabas testudineus,Colisa lalia,Pseudosphromenus cupanus,Trichogaster trichopterus and Osphronemus gourami locally. Of these I think only P.cupanus and C.lalia are suitable for this tank but P.cupanus can be extremely nasty to other fish and C.lalia isn't really my kind of fish. I have been REALLY tempted to keep Parambassis lala since I saw it in the wild a couple of years ago. Gorgeous fish although this group of fish doesn't have the most amicable reputation. Anyone with experience on this particular species???




Pic : Beta

I am planning to collect some Puntius sharmai in a month or so. Just waiting for the water levels to recede a bit here. Horadandia atukorali is another option that is available.





Pic : Beta

Parambassis lala


Ps : Barbus holotaenia vaguely reminds me of Puntius chalakudiensis and Garra congoensis is stunning!!!!

[Shane]

you wouldn't say that if you ever saw adult colored-up Rayamas christyi.

You would not say that if you had spent five years in Africa collecting "ugly" barbs

There certainly are some good looking African spp and I'll be the first to admit that my school of B. fasciolatus are the highlight of my fishroom. However, all the good looking sp you mention have very restricted distributions; mainly to specific parts of west Africa. We could road trip from Cape Town to Cairo, collect every creek along the way, and end up with 30 spp of ugly barbs. This would not happen in other cyprinid regions like Asia or North America.

Also, having spent a lot of time with collectors and exporters, it really is not their fault. It is the importers that dictate what is collected and shipped and what is not. Importers place orders and exporters pass those lists to their collectors. Collectors are not paid for collecting a spp not on the list they are given. Rare is the importer that will just say "Ship me something interesting."
-Shane

[Shovelnose]

Just a small update. All going well with these fish.I am using only live food and they seem quite happy with it.
The Puntius sharmai should be in by next week.

I see the tank is getting algal growth (brown algae???) on the back. I was thinking I could let this grow a bit to act as a natural filter for sunlight so the plants get some sunlight too. Maybe add some Cardinia spp. to keep it under control??? Opinions???

[Shovelnose]

Decided to let the algae grow a bit and also collected around ten Parambassis lala. Fun fish to keep these and luckily not anything like their nasty congeners.

The camera strangely picked up the sound of an air pump and exaggerated it to great proportions. Really sounds like a shop floor.