seventy-five gallon community aquarium

an evolution

wyeth ross s sarol

FIRST REVISION

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[ PREFACE ]

In this revision, corrections have been made to the grammatical mistakes and to the inaccuracies in the naming of

some plants and fish in the first publication. In addition, there are now additional pages showing pictures of most

of the inhabitants of the tank and of the equipment used.

I am not a biologist or an aquatics expert, but in my past couple of years of fish keeping, I have learned that each

tank you assemble – each aquatic micro ecosystem that you attempt to recreate – poses slightly different sets of

challenges – both during and after setting up. Yet whatever you learned from a previous tank project adds up over

time and would certainly help you through your next.

What you are about to read is a story of the seventy-five gallon aquarium which I have set up in my parent’s house

at the end of 2007; it has changed a lot over the years and I would like to share the experience of watching this

aquatic garden mature. This story is presented like a journal and not a full guide to setting up an aquarium; as such,

the insights offered and steps mentioned appear occasionally only as they are relevant to the photographs, and not

necessarily in their natural order of execution. If after reading, you become interested in starting an aquarium in

your home or office, I direct you to the numerous setup guides freely available or downloadable over the Internet.

With this paper, I attempt to share glimpses of the excitement and joys of beginning the hobby, the failures and

frustrations along the way – and the rewards and satisfaction at the end of each day.

Enjoy!

May2009

This document was prepared in Microsoft Word 2007 then saved as a PDF file through the Save As PDF menu. Maiandra GD is the font used for the text.

SEVENTY-FIVE GALLON – EVOLUTION

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[ ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ]

The brand names of the aquatic and lighting products, imaging applications and document software mentioned in

this paper are properties of their respective owners. The respective companies may be visited through the internet.

Nikon CoolPix digital still cameras S10 & P80 Sony CyberShot digital still camera H9

Sera Substrate Fertiliser Jebo R338 aquarium

ViaAqua 300 Canister Filter Precision PF850 Overhead Power Filter

Omni 250w Halogen Lamp Firefly 50w Dichroic Halogen Lamp

FastStone Photo Resizer for Windows v2.8 Adobe Photoshop

Microsoft Word 2007

I claim full rights to all the photographs used in this document.

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[ TECHNICAL NOTES ]

There are a few more things I would like to let you know before you go on to the pictures.

Most of the pictures shown here were taken with the Nikon CoolPix S10, some with the Nikon CoolPix P80, and a

few with the Sony CyberShot H9; they are largely unedited as evidenced by the generally poor colour and contrast,

and lens distortions (eg, curved posts and curved tanks); several shots are also not very sharp but they are left as is.

They were, however, resized in Word to fit the page layout with slight increase in brightness and contrast.

The pictures taken with the Nikon S10 originally measured 2816x2112 pixels; using the FastStone Photo Resizer for

Windows v2.8 (www.FastStone.org) they were resized to 429x329; those from the Nikon P80 were originally

3584x2016, resized to 429x254; those from the Sony H9 were 2048x1536, resized to 429x329. The Resizer was

set to maintain a constant long dimension when processing, thus pictures came out as either 429 pixels wide or 429

pixels tall; it was also set to add a border and watermark the pictures. One can accomplish these photo

manipulations using industry standard software such as Adobe Photoshop, but I opted for the ease and quick

operation using the FastStone Photo Resizer since these shots are not intended for high quality printing or display,

such as in an exhibit. The Resizer is free, fully functional and does not need registration if for personal use only.

For visitors who may not be familiar with aquariums, a standard 75-gallon tank measures 48 inches long (left to

right dimension), 18 inches deep (front to back dimension), and 21 inches high (tank floor to top edge); this tank,

however, is 48 x 18 x 20.5 inches (4 feet long, 1.5 feet deep, and 1.7 feet high). Tank names typically use the

nearest gallon volume capacity, but usually slightly exceed or fall short of the actual volume capacity; this tank

could contain 76.68 gallons.

Most measurements presented in this paper are in the English system; for visitors more familiar with the metric

system this tank would roughly be 121x45x52 centimetres, with a volume capacity of about 290 litres.

Now, on to the pictures.....

SEVENTY-FIVE GALLON – EVOLUTION

5 of 25

25december2007

- rinsed tank set under the staircase, with well-rinsed gravel and

sand in place

- background sand (4-6mm diameter) in two uneven, curved

formation originally intended for planting; 2.5-3 inches deep,

with a 1-inch layer of Sera substrate fertiliser underneath

- foreground sand is a mixture of about 75% gravel (4-6mm

diameter) in varying shades of brown, about 20% crushed

coral, and about of 5% fine sand; 1-2 inches deep, not

intended for planting so no layer of fertiliser underneath

- the wooden column columns which partly block view into

the aquarium cannot simply be cut-off because they support

the second floor landing; they have been here since the

house was built more than 30 years ago. they were just

painted together with the walls

- two views of the right end of the tank with the sand and gravel in place

- from this side you could clearly see the wooden slats on which the tank

rests; there is a thin polyurethane padding (commonly known as

Styrofoam) under the tank to help even out any irregularity of the

wooden slat base, or of the tank weight once all the decor, plants and

water are loaded inside

- some hobbyists place a heating pad in place of the polyurethane or on

top of it; a heating pad was not needed for this particular set-up since

the intended inhabitants (fish and plants) are not very demanding

- these shots show an assembly of various stones for a

focal point on the left side of the tank

- be very careful when choosing rocks to put in the

tank; those for building construction, those with

obvious metallic content, those with sharp edges, or

those from sources contaminated with industrial,

agricultural or household waste must not be used

- rocks with coral, chalk, or calcium must not be used

in most setups; cichlid tanks may use limestone

26,27december2007

- you can now see the tank with the rock decor, some plants and water just above the three-fourth mark

- first set the decor (stones, rocks, bogwood) firmly on the sand then gently fill tank with clean water treated with a

dechlorinating agent or a combination of dechlorinator and conditioner, being careful not to let sand swirl about;

let the water soak through the sand while filling up to one-fourth or one-third the height of the tank

- you may now start planting; taller plants are generally placed towards the back and sides, shorter ones towards

the front and centre (depending on plant availability and the design, of course) – avoid straight lines or patterns

- on the top left of the tank is a simple overhead liquid filter with its powerhead and intake submerged

6 of 25

29december2007

- the first inhabitants are released into the tank after a

day or two to allow the water to clear and temperature

to settle to nominal values, with a few more cheap

plants added; the fish are several Danio species from a

small 10-gallon Jebo R338 tank several months old

- most of the water from this small tank was added to

the big tank; whatever beneficial bacteria present in the

small tank would populate the big tank, effectively

shortening the cycling process; the sponge mats from

the Jebo tank were also added on top of those in the

overhead filter of the big tank to encourage continual

growth of the filter bacteria and eventual colonisation

of the new filter sponges (this shortcut technique to

cycling is called seeding)

- some hobbyists strongly advocate fishless cycling but

necessitates one to have more patience – and testing

kits which are way too expensive for most beginners

- the left shot shows the tank in the early evening, the purplish glow just before sunset is streaming through the

south-western window to the right of the picture; the shot on the right was taken sometime later after sunset

- three views of the tank around noon; overhead lighting on the top left is a 250-watt rectangular Omni halogen

lamp, the small silver box towards the right end is the 16-watt fluorescent light hood from the Jebo tank

- the tall thin plants to the left of the tank are tape grass, Vallisneria species; next to it is a broad-leafed peace lily,

Spathiphyllum species; the short ones in the middle of the tank (also seen on the right side of the rightmost shot)

are Amazon sword plants, Echinodorus species; not easily visible in these shots are the short carpet grass Brazilian

micro sword plant, Lilaeopsis species scattered towards the front along the boundary between the lighter

foreground sand and the dark background sand - if all goes well, there will be a thin carpet layer in a few months

SEVENTY-FIVE GALLON – EVOLUTION

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- three progressive views of the rock formation: in the first shot, several Danio species in the top third of the water

column, and an albino rainbow shark on the bottom right; in the second shot, a normally coloured black rainbow

shark on the extreme right edge; in the third shot, two rosy barbs rooting around a rock

- the low-growing Brazilian micro sword plant, Lilaeopsis species is clearly seen here nestled around the rocks; it

grows slowly but can beautifully carpet the floor of an aquarium in a few months given bright lighting and a rich

substrate – some report algae in areas of dense growth but can be remedied by trimming and replanting

30december2007

- the first is a left corner

shot of the tank with

the rock formation and

the peace lily,

Spathiphyllum species;

the second is a right

corner shot of the tank

showing the rock cave

and some fanwort,

Cabomba species, as

well as some

Cryptocoryne species

starting to grow over

the rock cave

19january2008

- the first shot is a face-on shot of the

right end of the tank; the 250-watt

Omni halogen lamp is clearly seen

on the top left, the silver Jebo light

hood is on top of the tank, the

submerged powerhead and intake of

the overhead filter is on the middle

right, and the growing clump of

Cabomba and Cryptocoryne are on

the lower right over the rock cave,

some Brazilian micro swords

(Lilaeopsis sp) are growing towards

the front of the rock cave

- the second shot is of the front left of

the tank showing the rock formation

and the remaining central stem of

the pruned peace lily (Spathiphyllum sp), tape grass (Vallisneria sp) are growing on the left towards the back,

Amazon sword plants (Echinodorus sp) on the left with some red lotus leaves (Nymphaea sp) visible near the

rocks – two varieties of fish food are in silhouette on the foreground

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- the first shot shows the rock formation with the some tape grass

(Vallisneria sp) growing to the back and Amazon sword plants

(Echinodorus sp) on either sides; the second shot is of the same left area

but from a higher angle of view clearly showing the red lotus leaves

(Nymphaea sp) to the left of the rock formation

- the more slender grass-like plants at the back of the tall rock is mondo

grass (Ophiopogon sp) which is not really an aquatic plant; given luck, it

may last for a while in a submerged state but will eventually yellow and

rot – do not regularly put non-aquatic (terrestrial) plants inside your

aquarium; they would pollute the water or may poison your fish

- the third shot is of the Brazilian micro sword (Lilaeopsis sp) tucked around

the base of the rock cave, this plant would slowly grow runners and

spread on the floor of the aquarium like a carpet but needs relatively

strong lighting and a very rich substrate; otherwise it would just be

covered with algal growth then rot away – in this shot it would look very

attractive if there could be some moss growth on the rock cave; a few

months later, they would eventually succumb to the frequent nipping of

the fish searching for food and the generally low lighting (at least I know I

could grow these better in the future)

- generally, plants with medium to dark green leaves can tolerate lower

levels of lighting and are usually placed towards the back and corners of

the aquarium where lighting levels generally fall off; plants with lighter

green leaves generally require brighter or stronger lighting in an aquarium

because they are oftentimes found in shallow streams fully exposed to

sunlight – many are also naturally found growing in very fertile mud beds

so they need a rich substrate if you intend to grow them in your tanks

- there are several commercially available fertilising systems on the market,

as well as numerous sites on the Internet that provide sufficient

information on plants and plant care ranging from beginner to specialist

- some rosy barbs (Barbus conchonius) are

rooting around the rocks in the first shot;

they are omnivores and occasionally graze on

algae on leaves and decor

- the second shot shows more rosy barbs, they

are hardy fish that could tolerate cooler

temperatures; they love going together in

loose schools and chasing each other; if kept

in a very small group of less than six, they

tend to nip the fins of slower fish or the

colourful fins of guppies, the hair-like fins of

angelfish and gouramis, and the flowing fins

of the Siamese fighting fish

12april2008

- two shots showing the floating leaves of the

lotus plant (Nymphaea sp) aka tiger lotus; the

leaves are reddish to purplish underwater

with or without speckles – if left alone, many

leaves would soon cover the water surface

and would block the light from reaching

through to other plants underneath

- regularly pinching off fast growing leaves

would keep this plant more compact and

stay underwater

SEVENTY-FIVE GALLON – EVOLUTION

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01june2008

- four successive shots of the tank about six in the morning, taken within a minute or two; only the Jebo light hood

is on to try to simulate the weaker morning light – the halogen lamp will be turned on about an hour later

- some authors recommend staggering the lighting times by installing several sets of bulbs or tubes or a combination

of both on different timers, each set coming on and turning off at different intervals to simulate the weaker

morning light, intensifying towards the middle of the day, then weakening again in the afternoon – you may try

searching for this or other lighting concepts on the Internet

- other authors simply suggest having the lights on for about 5 hours in the morning, then off for an hour or two,

then on again for another 5 hours; this is largely to try and disrupt algal growth – this is the method used with this

tank with the lights coming on about 7am to 12nn, off until about 4pm, then on from then until about 8pm or

occasionally until 9pm if visitors are present or if my family wishes to view the fish for a longer time

- try to give your plants about 10-12 hours of light everyday at regular times, as in nature

23august2008

- sometime before these shots were taken, the rock formation was taken out because of my worry that the pressure

on the glass tank bottom underneath maybe a bit too much and would cause a disastrous crack anytime soon; in

their place a long curved piece of bogwood was placed on top of two lighter rocks so it would form what

looks like a bridge with the wider end resting on a rock towards the left of the aquarium – in these shots the

wider end is where the peace lily (Spathiphyllum sp) is seen transplanted and growing

- the peace lily is one of those terrestrial plants that could survive for some time inside the aquarium; the only

problem is that the leaves may soon be covered with algal growth and would block light from reaching the

chlorophyll in the leaves – this would effectively stop photosynthesis and would lead to plant death

- in the third shot you could see the silhouette of a featherfin squeaker (Synodontis eupterus) under the bogwood

‘bridge’ with its dorsal fin hanging relaxed; these fish originally came from African rivers and it is natural for most

members of the genus to be found resting and swimming upside-down without any apparent handicap – they

are usually nocturnal fish so give sinking pellets several minutes before turning the lights on in the morning and

after turning off to give them time to find food; this particular fish actively swims even when lights are on

- at the time of this writing, this featherfin squeaker measures about 6 inches (standard length); it has smooth gray

skin (with darker spots) that turns even darker to almost black at different times of the day and whether the lights

are on or off – there is a Buenos Aires tetra (Hemigrammus caudovittatus) in the centre front of the third shot

10 of 25

19october2008

- these four shots show slightly turbid water in the aquarium because it was cleaned less than an hour ago and the

finer particles disturbed during cleaning has not yet settled on the tank floor or filter sponge: the unplanted gravel

(lighter foreground) was vacuumed. there is a product known as a gravel washer or gravel vacuum that gently

stirs up the gravel while letting mulm – rotting plant material, fish waste and uneaten food – pass through to a

tube out to a bucket outside the tank. pass the gravel washer in small areas over the unplanted gravel until about

25% of the aquarium water has been removed (or up to 50% in cases of suspected poisoning, and after every

couple of months to further dilute pollutants and ‘reinvigorate’ the water in the aquarium)

- an equal amount of clean water is then prepared by adding a dechlorinating agent or a combination of

dechlorinator plus water conditioner (several of these combination products have stress-coat or a variation of this

in their names) and let to stand for several minutes before putting into the tank; ideally, match the temperature of

the new water to that of the water in the tank then pour the new water gently into the tank to avoid stirring up

the sand on the bottom which would cause an undesirable clouding of the water

- here you could also see the three 50w dichroic halogen lamps that replaced the single 250w halogen lamp; these

three smaller lamps have been attached to an improvised wooden track and placed about 4 inches above the glass

covers (by closely monitoring, this is the closest distance from which the lamps can hang without danger of

overheating and cracking the cover glass since halogen lighting can get very hot – fluorescent lamps are about 4

times brighter than incandescent lamps per watt, but halogen lamps are about 4 times brighter than fluorescent

lamps) and gives the shimmering effect every time the water ripples much like the natural sun

- the first shot is a view from the right end of the tank showing a rosy barb (Barbus conchonius) looking for food

among the stems and roots; you could see the left front corner of the tank in the far left; the second shot shows

three rosy barbs above the plant group that covers the rock cave; fortunately, the halogen lamp is directly above

the water surface, giving this shimmering effect to the water every time the surface is disturbed, very much like

what the sun does in streams and rivers – on the upper right corner of the shot is a stick-on thermometer to

monitor the water temperature and the submerged powerhead and intake of the overhead filter

- not visible in these shots are tiny green dots on the inside of the glass walls of the aquarium; these dots are algae

growing due to the stronger lighting produced by the three halogen lamps; either reduce the lighting times or

have the patience to lightly scrape off these algal growths on a regular basis

- various algal growths in aquariums are natural since algae is a lower plant form, but may indicate general lighting

and nutritional problems; please take time to read on algae types and remedies on the internet (when there is

noticeable algal growth, I always prefer a conservative approach of doing more frequent water changes, reduced

lighting and light feeding instead of immediately reaching for algaecides)

SEVENTY-FIVE GALLON – EVOLUTION

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02december2008

- the first shot is a face-on view of the left end of the tank (directly underneath the stairs) that shows the south-

western window of the living room through the tank, with rosy barbs going about their business; the tape grass

(Vallisneria sp) on the left are recovering greatly due to improved lighting, and starting to send multiple runners

over this area of the tank – they may need cutting and replanting soon

- the second shot is an oblique view of the right end of the tank from the left showing the thickening mass of plants

that now almost completely hides the rock cave; interestingly, the rock cave was made home by the albino

rainbow shark (Epalzeorhynchos frenatus) and would drive away anyone else coming too close; two Buenos Aires

tetras can be seen in front of the plants on the lower centre of the shot

- the first shot shows the rock cave almost completely hidden by the plants, the featherfin squeaker (Synodontis

eupterus) is seen hovering above the cave with its whiskers pointing forward (many members of the genus

become active at dusk) and a rosy barb (Barbus conchonius) rooting near the mouth of the cave – the albino

rainbow hark (Epalzeorhynchos frenatus) can be seen on the lower right corner of the shot

- the second shot shows the featherfin squeaker (Synodontis eupterus) swimming around the aquarium near the

water surface; in the day this fish normally hides in rock caves in its African river origins and comes out to look for

food at night – but in this shot it seems to enjoy patrolling the aquarium anticlockwise not minding the bright

halogen lighting directly above it, although it sometimes get startled by the quick approach of anyone

- because there is a layer of Sera substrate fertiliser under most of the planted areas of sand, the plants in this shot

are slowly but surely adjusting to this special closed environment, on closer inspection there are numerous young

new leaves growing among this group of plants; with continued care, they will reach to about half of the height

of the aquarium or even longer and would need pruning or transplanting

- fortunately, the aquatic plants available in the local shops (Baguio City) are of the hardy types; a rich gravel/sand

base, regular partial water change, sufficient lighting, occasional liquid fertiliser and pruning are all that is need to

maintain this attractive water garden

12 of 25

21march2009

- two views of the tank minutes before six in the evening, with the three improvised halogen overhead lighting

- a couple of months ago, the overhead filter was replaced by a ViaAqua 300 external canister filter; the water

seems clearer and algal growth seemed to have lessened much – partial water changes are still done at least once a

week; some fanwort (Cabomba sp) are planted in the back centre, an Amazon sword plant (Echinodorus sp) has

grown really well on the right end, and the Cryptocorynes have produced more new leaves – crystalwort (Riccia

fluitans) are growing quickly on the surface and need thinning almost every week

- two right oblique views of the tank about ten minutes before seven, almost an hour after the two shots in the

previous box above; the red lotus (Nymphaea sp) leaves are not visible because they are in their ‘resting’ phase –

upon ‘waking up’ they will again send numerous leaves towards the surface

- you can see the outlines of 4 angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare) on the lower left of the first shot; they are living

with 1 yellow gourami and 3 blue gouramis (Trichogaster trichopterus), 9 red-eye tetras (Moenkhausia

sanctaefilomenae), 9 Buenos Aires tetras (Hemigrammus caudovittatus), 9 rosy barbs (Barbus conchonius), 2

black rainbow sharks and 1 albino rainbow shark (Epalzeorhynchos frenatus), 5 bronze corys (Corydoras

aeneus), 4 peppered corys (Corydoras paleatus), 1 featherfin squeaker (Synodontis eupterus), and 1

sucker mouth which I suspect to be a gibby pleco (Glyptoperichthys gibbiceps).

17may2009

- nothing much has changed after the last four shots above, but every fortnight partial water change, scrubbing of

the insides of the front and side glass panes, and vacuuming of the light coloured sand are done; occasional

pruning and replanting of cuttings, supplementary fertilisation, and dosing of vitamins for the fish are also done

- many beginners think that they have to dismantle the whole tank setup every time they have to clean their

aquariums; some people are even said to wash the gravel or sand with soap including the insides of their tanks.

this is a big mistake – by dismantling your tank you disrupt plant and bacterial growth vital to maintaining the

delicate ecosystem in the aquarium, and by using soap you are simply killing your fish

- please search the Internet and read on the nitrogen cycle, partial water change, dechlorinating agents, stress and

disease of aquarium fish, and maintaining a freshwater aquarium

- you will see a few newer pictures in the tanks and equipment section that follow after the fish and plants

SEVENTY-FIVE GALLON – EVOLUTION

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[ TANK INHABITANTS ]

Besides the aquatic and lighting products mentioned in this document, there is a stick-on thermometer that I place

near the inflow tube from the filter; there is also a heater (old style, perhaps) that has its separate heating rod

which I placed near the inflow tube on the right back corner of the tank, and its temperature sensor which I stuck

near the outflow from the tank on the left back corner. Both have the Resun brand (ROC) on their packaging.

My tank has the following plants and fish; as common names often vary in different countries, the scientific names

are included to make it easier for you to search for specific and consistent information in case you are interested:

Plants

Amazon sword plants Echinodorus species; perhaps E amazonicus or E bleheri, and E horizontalis

‘Crinkle’ Cryptocoryne usteriana; syn C aponogetifolia

Crystalwort Riccia fluitans

Fanwort Cabomba species; perhaps C caroliniana

Tape grass Vallisneria species; perhaps V gigantica

Tiger lotus Nymphaea species

Fish

Angelfish Pterophyllum scalare

Buenos Aires tetra Hemigrammus caudovittatus; in older books Hyphessobrycon anisitsi

Bronze cory Corydoras aeneus

Peppered cory Corydoras paleatus

Featherfin squeaker Synodontis eupterus

Blue gourami Trichogaster trichopterus; aka Cosby gourami

Yellow gourami Trichogaster trichopterus; aka golden or yellow gourami

Janitor fish Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps; in older books Glyptoperichthys gibbiceps; many members of

the Hypostomus and Plecostomus available in local fish shops are also usually called janitor

fish by many hobbyists and dealers

Rainbow shark Epalzeorhynchos frenatum; in older books Labeo frenatum, aka ruby shark, it has both the

regular black-bodied and the albino variety

Red-eye tetra Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae; the bigger look-alike species is M oligolepis

Rosy barb Barbus conchonius; in older books Puntius conchonius

On the following pages, you will find photographs of most of these tank inhabitants.

14 of 25

These freshwater angel fish (Pterophyllum scalare) come in various colours

and skin patterns; some are golden yellow such as these on the left with

darker colouration on the foreheads becoming lighter and more silvery

towards the belly. The skin is relatively smooth without distinct banding on

the sides. This particular fish is relatively aggressive towards the black angel

below; I suspect they are males fighting for a mate or territory.

Being members of the cichlid family like the Discus (Symphysodon

aequifasciatus), the Oscars (Astronotus ocellatus) and the various Tilapia

species, these fish are very sociable, usually rushing onto the front glass

when someone they recognise to be their ‘feeder’ approaches the tank.

This black angel had grown to be

the mate of the banded silver angel

in the first photo above; the silver

angel has atypical wrinkled skin,

much like a crumpled tinfoil, but

causes no apparent harm to the fish.

It’s funny how even lower forms of

animals like fish show a variety of

facial expressions; of course, they

don’t move ears, noses or

eyebrows but if you watch closely

you would see actions or gestures

similar to what many people do in

certain situations.

When these angels fight, they

quiver their fins and tails; I’ve seen

the black and the yellow angel

several times turn their bodies to

the horizontal just before they

attack each other. They never hurt

each other seriously, though; the

loser would simply turn and swim

away.

Would you think this black angel

was yawning?

SEVENTY-FIVE GALLON – EVOLUTION

15 of 25

This shot shows several rosy barbs

(Barbus conchonius) in the company

of red-eye tetras (Moenkhausia

sanctaefilomenae); most species of

barbs are gregarious and would chase

each other for hours. In nature they

are usually found in large schools; if

they are kept in a very small group

of less than six members, however,

many barb species have a tendency

to nip other slower-moving fish or

fish with beautiful flowing fins like

the guppy (Poecilia reticulata) or the

male Siamese fighting fish (Betta

splendens). Try to keep nine or in a

group; but the more, the better.

Since barbs are active swimmers, it is

a bit difficult to get close enough

long enough to take a nice close-up

shot; I therefore rely on flash and

instinct to try to follow them. The

first shot fortunately captured one

of them with mouth wide open;

sadly the fish closest to the camera is

blurred because it came closer than

the set camera focus.

This barb is of an unusual colour

compared to all the red-orange of

the rest in the tank; when it was

younger it sported a light silvery

colouration, now that it is older the

back has a silvery green while the

flanks and belly has taken a light

orange tinge. Because of the

gradually swelling belly, I suspect this

is a female laden with eggs.

Another lucky shot of one of the barbs facing the

camera; it turned and faced the camera just as I set focus

and came closer to the front glass pane of the tank.

There is another barb rooting in the background to the

left; notice the highly coloured greenish stripe down its

back from the head.

The rosy barbs are not as notorious as their cousins, the

tiger barbs (Barbus tetrazona), for fin-nipping but

smaller or slower-moving fish might still find these fish

to be too active. It would then be best to keep fish with

similar size or temperament as these fish.

16 of 25

Five shots showing several red-eye tetras (Moenkahusia sanctaefilomenae) usually swimming in the top third of the

water, although they occasionally venture to the bottom; as with many of the tetras (characin species), these guys

are easily spooked so it’s always better for them if you keep a medium to largish shoal and ideally not with very

active swimmers or these will always be under constant stress. It’s interesting to note that the red-coloured areas

above their eyes are very conspicuous even in dim lighting, as in the shot on the lower right. These fish would feel

safer and calmer when there are surface plants for them to serve as shade against the bright aquarium lighting.

Buenos Aires tetras (Hemigrammus

caudovittatus) swimming with the

red-eye tetras, with their distinctive

reddish fins and the black marking

on the base of the tail; similar in

general behaviour to the red-eyes,

they also need to be in a medium to

big group to feel safe and calm.

Shots of some Buenos Aires tetras

peacefully schooling with the red-

eye tetras. In this tank, there are nine

each of the two groups. In an even

bigger tank, it would be visually

more pleasing to watch a bigger

group of about 15 each or more.

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Above: peppered cory (Corydoras

paleatus) on the sand, a Bronze cory

(C aeneus) on the upper right, and

the red tail of the rainbow shark

(Epalzeorhynchos frenatum) on the

upper left. On the far right, several

peppered cory, a bronze cory, and

an albino rainbow shark.

Above: close up shots of the mouth

and barbels of the featherfin

squeaker (Synodontis eupterus); only

a few members o the genus have

three pairs of barbels as seen in this

specimen. Fine ‘teeth’ for rasping

appear orange. As with other

members of the genus Synodontis,

this one likes taking refuge under the

piece of bogwood, sometimes upside

down as is typical with this genus.

Many members also swim about

upside down most of their lives.

This one doesn’t seem to swim upside down as much as expected of

the genus so I wonder if this is an isolated behaviour, or if this is of

another species of the same genus. At the time of this writing, this

fish is about 6 inches long (Standard Length).

This featherfin squeaker is very peaceful to all the other tankmates

and is unmindful of this albino rainbow shark (Epalzeorhynchos

frenatum) swimming very close and almost brushing against its

head. Notice the barbels pointing forward; barbels have numerous

nerve cells dedicated to taste. Fish with barbels use them to taste

the immediate surroundings and locate food; in the dark, barbels

also help fish navigate and avoid bumping into objects.

In others like the angelfish and the gouramis, the pectoral fins are

modified into thread like extensions which are also used for sensing

and tasting. Damaging these structures would greatly impact health.

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As with many aquarium catfish, this

armoured catfish (Pterygoplichthys

gibbiceps) likes to hide under caves

or wood; it particularly likes

scraping algae off wood, stones, and

even the insides of the glass tank

walls; give vegetable based tablets

or chips when the lights are off –

blanched lettuce, spinach or

cucumber are also acceptable.

These shots show relaxed dorsal fin;

the sucker mouth is clearly seen on

profile which it uses to rasp on algae

that grow on surfaces both in its

natural environment and in the

aquarium. The shot on the right

shows it using its pectoral fins to

slightly prop itself up from the sand

bottom when resting; the dorsal fin

is also seen raised in this shot.

Two shots showing the beautifully patterned dorsal fin of this gibby catfish; proof to its very peaceful nature are

the various fish swimming at its sides: the regular coloured black-bodied rainbow shark (Epalzeorhynchos frenatum)

and a rosy barb (Barbus conchonius) in the first shot, and at least two bronze corys (Corydoras aeneus) additional

company on the second shot. I have seen the both the bronze and the peppered corys frolic around and on its

head and fins and it didn’t budge a bit; gibbies do not chase or harm small fish even with their big size, but they

need an aquarium at least three feet in length for a single species.

SEVENTY-FIVE GALLON – EVOLUTION

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Above: the regular black-bodied rainbow shark (Epalzeorhynchos

frenatum) with several peppered corys (Corydoras paleatus) and at least

two bronze corys (C aeneus) peacefully resting in the background. In

nature, corys are found in species schools of hundreds or sometimes even

thousands; in the aquarium provide at least five per species.

Left: another of the two regular rainbow sharks swimming in midwater

among the fanwort (Cabomba species) and Amazon sword plants

(Echinodorus species); a Buenos Aires tetra is seen facing the camera on

the upper right corner of the shot.

As these sharks mature, they tend to be more territorial or even

aggressive towards each other (conspecifics), but remain relatively

peaceful towards other species as long as they do not invade their lairs.

The albino form of the rainbow shark; this is a natural variant and a true albino as evidenced by the pinkish eyes.

Even with camera flash, the eyes of the regular black-bodied rainbow shark will never show the pink colouration

found in true albinos of every species, including humans. On the right, the albino shark peeking from its cave.

Aside from the colouration, there is no other apparent difference between a regular and an albino rainbow shark.

These three shots of the albino rainbow shark clearly shows the classic pink eyes and light skin, as well as the usual

two pairs of barbels on its mouth and the normally red-colored fins as found in the genus.

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Different shots of the two popular

colour varieties of the three-spot

gourami (Trichogaster trichopterus):

the blue ‘Cosby’ or marbled variety,

and the opaline or gold variety.

They are generally peaceful and

quiet, and may be put together with

other smaller fish; don’t put fin

nippers like the tiger barb (Barbus

tetrazona) because they will chew on

their thread-like pectoral fins. Like

many tetras, they prefer some shade.

These peaceful gouramis usually

swim in the top third of the water

with the tetras, but frequenting the

surface since they are air breathers

(anabantids or labyrinth fishes) like

many of the Corydoras species; the

spots on their fins look iridescent

under the halogen light, and the

thread-like pectoral fins are very

clearly seen in the two shots at right.

SEVENTY-FIVE GALLON – EVOLUTION

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Perhaps you are wondering what happened to the old overhead filter that was on the big tank. I used it for the

improvised turtle tub in a shed outside the house. I can’t seem to identify this turtle species. Would anyone know?

And what about the old 10-gallon

Jebo R338 tank? It now houses 8

yellow guppies in my mom’s room.

It has a small terra cotta pot half-

filled with excess gravel from the big

tank, with several Amazon sword

plants and a stem of fanwort stuck

in it; dosing of liquid fertiliser once a

month, and an occasional Sera

florenette A tablet inserted into the

gravel. The light is not attached

since there is ample amount of light

entering the room for most part of

the day even if this tank is about

two metres from the window.

The fish are fed lightly once in the

mornings. Thirty percent of the

water is replaced every fortnight.

I taped nine of the ten front openings of the filter compartment (the silver box to the right), leaving the rightmost

to balance the inflow to the filter sponges from the tank. I cut the plastic division about 5mm lower so water can

freely flow from the filter compartment into the overflow compartment to the right, now filled with filter sponge.

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Shots showing basic equipment used with the 75-gallon tank.

Box of external canister filter used with the 75-gallon tank; filter in use below tank Filter for the turtle tub

outflow pipe with black strainer; the

black thermosensor stuck on the

upper left with wire going out of the

tank and into the thermostat

thermometer, vertical heating rod

just to the right of the thermometer

and the inflow tube at right angle to

the heating rod near the surface

back view of tank: thermostat set to

about 230C; cover of canister filter,

wires and tubes can be seen on the

bottom and right of the picture

Above: a dichroic halogen lamp, 3

50w bulbs are used for this big tank

Right: face on view of the inflow

tube, heating rod and thermometer

SEVENTY-FIVE GALLON – EVOLUTION

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[ RESOURCES ]

If you are really interested in fish keeping, there are numerous sites by hobbyists and experts alike on the World

Wide Web that you could search for and visit. Try to use search words such as: freshwater aquarium, beginner

aquarium, beginner fish, easy aquarium, aquarium sizes, aquarium plants, aquarium filters, and aquarium substrate.

I visited many of these when I was a beginner hobbyist; I still regularly visit some of them, notably: www.sera.de (a

German site, so you have to click the UK flag icon on the top right of the main page to go to the English version)

www.tetrapond.com, www.timstropicals.com, and www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk. Also try to look for

aquahobby.com, aquarticles.com, badmanstropicalfish.com, dennerle.de, liveaquaria.com, mongabay.com,

petco.com, plantedtank.net, scotcat.com, thekrib.com, and worldcichlids.com. Also try to search for: amano

aquarium or amano nature aquarium for a twist in aquascaping and fish keeping.

Queries regarding photography may be addressed similarly. Try search words such as: beginner photography,

improve photography skill, close-up photography, portraiture, landscape photography, and tips in photography.

Also try your camera manufacturer’s website; many manufacturers of digital cameras, printers, and display screens

provide their customers not only with user manuals but also a library of tips, tricks, and tutorials for their respective

products. Some even provide photo sharing websites (online galleries) and forums where people could ask and

answer questions. Since I own Nikon cameras, I oftentimes visit various Nikon sites to find updates and relevant

information on photography and photo editing; I also visited websites of Adobe Photoshop, HP, Sony, and Intel.

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[ CONTACT ]

Comments or questions about this paper are absolutely welcome; you may write me at nakhre@lycos.com – please

do not forget to mention 75galevolution in the subject line so I would know that you have at least seen or read

this paper. As a hobbyist I may not always be able to respond with an expert’s accuracy, but I could still probably

help you out by pointing to another possible direction.

You are welcome to visit my websites http://wyethross.webs.com (contains many close-up shots of plants and

animals) and http://nilafarishta.webs.com (contains pictures of people). Since I have a day job at a language

institute http://helplenglishlanguageprogram.webs.com, my sites are updated once or twice a month in my free

time (usually on the weekends); besides viewing and commenting on the photographs, you may also read and

comment on the short articles on fish keeping and photography which I occasionally post.

SEVENTY-FIVE GALLON – EVOLUTION

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©2009wyethross baguio city 2600 philippines

http://wyethross.webs.com

http://nilafarishta.webs.com

nakhre@lycos.com