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55 gallon stream aquarium

Started by Guest_mikcamjon_* , Apr 04 2014 10:21 PM

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25 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_mikcamjon_*

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Posted 04 April 2014 - 10:21 PM

I have been setting up a 55 gallon tank for the past 3 months to be a stream-like tank. For circulation I added two powerheads which are connected to 1" PVC tubing that travels under the substrate to the other side of the tank. The intake for a Cascade 1000 Canister Filter is also on the same side as the intake for the power heads. The sand is from the Rio Grande, large rocks from the front yard, small rocks are from Home Depot, and the wood is Malaysian Driftwood from DFS.

Haven't quite decided on the fish selection yet. Let me know if you have any suggestions. Thanks for looking.

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#2 Michael Wolfe

Board of Directors

North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 05 April 2014 - 07:47 AM

A stream like tank deserved some stream like fishes. Look into what fish live in the streams near you. You will enjoy learning about them and have a great time. I suggest you find a local minnow and a chub and a top minnow if toy have them in your area.

Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

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#3 Guest_jblaylock_*

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Posted 07 April 2014 - 09:44 AM

What size powerheads are those, and how much flow are you getting?

I have a spare 75gal that I'm going to setup again soon and I'm planning on doing the manifold system.

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#4 Guest_mikcamjon_*

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Posted 07 April 2014 - 06:28 PM

A stream like tank deserved some stream like fishes. Look into what fish live in the streams near you. You will enjoy learning about them and have a great time. I suggest you find a local minnow and a chub and a top minnow if toy have them in your area.

I have been looking for a while. Not a lot of options in central NM.

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#5 Guest_mikcamjon_*

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Posted 07 April 2014 - 06:36 PM

What size powerheads are those, and how much flow are you getting?

I have a spare 75gal that I'm going to setup again soon and I'm planning on doing the manifold system.

I have two of the "Cobalt Aquatics Power Head/Pump MJ900" which produce a bit of flow. Its hard to quantify the amount of water flow but the gambusia have trouble swimming in certain areas of the tank. I definitely to not need to add any more.

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#6 Michael Wolfe

Board of Directors

North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 07 April 2014 - 07:03 PM

I have been looking for a while. Not a lot of options in central NM.

Sorry man, I didn't see or realize your location. If you are interested in some Georgia fish, let me know... I feel bad now. so I need to help you out some. I have some captive bred Cyprinella leedsi that I am going to be moving out of an outdoor tank pretty soon... let me know if you are interested in a few... they won't look like this guy at first... but a few of them might if you feed them up just right!
Posted Image

Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

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#7 Guest_Casper_*

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Posted 09 April 2014 - 08:38 AM

That is a handsome fish!
Satinfin?
Beautiful.

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#8 Michael Wolfe

Board of Directors

North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 09 April 2014 - 10:06 AM

Bannerfin shiner - C. leedsi

These from the type locality in South Georgia

Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

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#9 Guest_jblaylock_*

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Posted 09 April 2014 - 01:24 PM

I have two of the "Cobalt Aquatics Power Head/Pump MJ900" which produce a bit of flow. Its hard to quantify the amount of water flow but the gambusia have trouble swimming in certain areas of the tank. I definitely to not need to add any more.

Thanks, your tank looks very good.

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#10 Guest_smbass_*

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Posted 11 April 2014 - 12:13 PM

Nice photo Michael, I was expecting the dorsal to be bigger and sort of odd shaped though on that species. Is that guy just not fully mature/very large male?

I like the suggestions so far but I think you need some kind of darter in there. Maybe a Etheostoma species you like and a a drift wood loving Percina sp. like Dusky, blackbanded, or frecklebelly.

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#11 Michael Wolfe

Board of Directors

North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 11 April 2014 - 02:40 PM

No that is pretty much a breeding male. In the full res photo you can see he has some tubercles even on his head. They are actually a rather small Cyprinella.

Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

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#12 Guest_smbass_*

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Posted 11 April 2014 - 10:13 PM

Your photo is way better but I had a few of these years ago and they got a huge dorsal with the little extension on the lower rear portion of the dorsal, found this photo link which does not quite show the little extension but does show the size of the dorsal I remember. Could just depend on the population. Either way your photo is way better... I enjoy Cyprinella species in general, they make great aquarium fish and are quite durable and very active. I have two large male C. whipplei right now as the center piece of my stream tank.

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#13 Michael Wolfe

Board of Directors

North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 12 April 2014 - 10:44 PM

The sparring ones in my tank (Hero's video is somewhere here on line) had a bit of that extension that makes the fin too big to fit on the back of the fish and causes it to fold over a bit.

http://vimeo.com/45027833

The fish in the video are from the same location (actually the type locality)... and some others collected at the same time in June 2011 bred this summer (2013) in one of my 100 gallon stock tanks. This second video shows the set up and I believe that all the small fish in it are also C. leedsi

https://www.youtube....h?v=3UPtoFAOQVY

I think it is just a little individual variation and such.

Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

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#14 Guest_smbass_*

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Posted 13 April 2014 - 10:19 AM

I think your probably correct on the individual variation. I also think age of the fish has a little to do with it. Only the really big old males of my local C. whipplei get the largest dorsal fins. I collected a half dozen or so, put them in one of my ponds last summer to let them grow and then chose the best two for display fish.

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#15 Guest_smbass_*

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Posted 13 April 2014 - 10:34 PM

Seems Michael and I have been discussing the Bannerfin Shiner rather than addressing your question... SO I figured I would do that. The reason we have been talking about them so much is we both think Cyprinella species make great aquarium fish so here are some more ideas for you of some other Cyprinella species that you may consider for your new set up...

Posted Image

Male Steelcolor Shiner

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Male Spotfin Shiner

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Male Alabama Shiner

Posted Image

Male Tricolor Shiner

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#16 Guest_jblaylock_*

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Posted 14 April 2014 - 10:32 AM

I'm also a big fan of the Cyprinella species. I'm not sure of your exact location in NM, but it appears the Red Shiner, Cyprinella lutrensis, is distributed throughout NM.

Posted Image

It appears the Longnose Dace is distributed throughout NM too. That's a good stream fish for that tank too.

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#17 Guest_AMcCaleb_*

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Posted 15 April 2014 - 03:31 PM

I have some spotfin shiners in with some southern redbelly dace, and some rainbow shiners. You wouldn't think it to look at the pictures, but their silver sides throw off some amazing shimmering under aquarium lighting and when they get colored up for spawning it gets even better. Spotfin, steelcolor, or bannerfin would be my vote for a stream fish. Also, darters are a blast to keep, they aren't shy or skittish. Once they get used to being fed by you, you'll see them at the front of the tank all the time. Keep us updated, this tank looks awesome!

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#18 Guest_mikcamjon_*

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Posted 15 April 2014 - 09:15 PM

Sorry man, I didn't see or realize your location. If you are interested in some Georgia fish, let me know... I feel bad now. so I need to help you out some. I have some captive bred Cyprinella leedsi that I am going to be moving out of an outdoor tank pretty soon... let me know if you are interested in a few... they won't look like this guy at first... but a few of them might if you feed them up just right!

Michael,

I really appreciate the offer but I am determined to find some fish in New Mexico. I have spent a bit of time at the Rio Grande looking but with no luck; other than 4 Gambusia affinis. It doesn't help that during the summer months it is common for the Rio Grande to dry up due to water diversion into irrigation canals; most native fish have been disappearing from the river.

I will have to expand my search to the Pecos, Canadian, or Gila rivers, unfortunately all of those are 2-5 hours away from central New Mexico. Here I expect to find some suitable fish for the aquarium.

Thanks,

Michael

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#19 Guest_mikcamjon_*

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Posted 15 April 2014 - 09:33 PM

This is where I went this past weekend to look for some fish. I found a small yellow bullhead and some Gambusia affinis, both were returned to the canal.

Irrigation canal running alongside the Rio Grande (between Belen and Socorro).

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#20 Guest_jblaylock_*

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Posted 16 April 2014 - 11:21 AM

This may help you in your search

http://fishmap.org/map.html

Another HUGE help would be a 8-10ft seine and another person. Shiners are painfully hard to catch alone.