Java Jungle

75 gallon native tank I've been working on for a year or so. Been tinkering with it for awhile and I'm finally happy with it.
Inspired by Todd's natural looking tanks and decided to give it a shot. Added random branches, rocks sprawled out and angled a few to mimic what I saw in super fast riffles. Somewhat of a slow current tank, a spray bar runs down the right side to the bottom. Just enough current so the darters use the rocks and the daces point one direction. It has a thin sand base, gravels from lake michigan and rocks from TN. Back left corner got a soil addition about 6 months ago for the single lotus. It's now gone insane, will cover entire tank surface if I let it, sends leaves with stalks pinky finger wide, and flowers.

Current inhabitants -
Red bellied dace
Blacknose dace
Central Mudminnow
Blackstriped topminnow
Tadpole madtom
Orangefin darter
Redline darter
Orangespotted sunfish

Plants -
Java fern (regular, narrow, needle and trident)
Tiger lotus

Edited by natureman187, 29 October 2008 - 05:37 PM.

Beautiful setup and photos. It is a java jungle indeed. Glad to see you that after a year or so you are happy with it - For me, I am never happy with the way my tank is set up and is subject to constant change. Your dace are looking good, and I bet you mudminnow is in hogheaven. I also like your wood and that stair-stepped look on the left side of the tank. Thanks for sharing.

I am in awe... That is one beautiful setip. what is the little sunny?? a years work, not too many fish but that picture should be in a magazine somewhere, you should submit it .

I have seen this tank in person many times and it is indeed a beauty. One cool thing about it is that the Southern Redbelly Daces are fired up about ~80% of the time I see it and the majority of the time the males have full nuptial colors.

Blake

nice photos....thanks for sharing

I am in awe... That is one beautiful setip. what is the little sunny?? a years work, not too many fish but that picture should be in a magazine somewhere, you should submit it .

Thanks!
I think it's an ospot, can't really tell till he grows up a bit. There's actually about 20+ daces in there. They like to hide when I bring the photo light in.

Here's my favorite past occupant. I had way too many daces when I first brought them home. He did a good job downsizing the shoal for me.

Thanks!
I think it's an ospot, can't really tell till he grows up a bit. There's actually about 20+ daces in there. They like to hide when I bring the photo light in.

Here's my favorite past occupant. I had way too many daces when I first brought them home. He did a good job downsizing the shoal for me.

OHHH! Thats a nice lookin fish, even if he does look like a good tank cleaner (of fish i mean) Did he get his own tank or just eviction notice?? Again you should be very proud, The tank looks great and the compliment of fish perfect.

OHHH! Thats a nice lookin fish, even if he does look like a good tank cleaner (of fish i mean) Did he get his own tank or just eviction notice?? Again you should be very proud, The tank looks great and the compliment of fish perfect.

He died during the soil addition for whatever reason. I went to get him from the cooler and he was dead.
Here's a couple more.

Edited by natureman187, 14 November 2008 - 12:36 AM.

Beeeeeeaaaaaauuutiful tank, man.

Todd

He died during the soil addition for whatever reason. I went to get him from the cooler and he was dead.
Here's a couple more.

What was that evil looking thing??? i love it, also, thanks ive been thinking about a few mud minnow and that pic made up my mind for sure, He may look kinda drab to some folks but i tend to look for more subtile beauty in a fish.

What was that evil looking thing??? i love it, also, thanks ive been thinking about a few mud minnow and that pic made up my mind for sure, He may look kinda drab to some folks but i tend to look for more subtile beauty in a fish.

It's a banded sculpin I brought back from tn last year. Very neat fish.
Mudminnows are worth it, they're not lookers but their activities amongst themselves and how they handle things is quite spectacular to watch.

Do you have another picture of the Orangespotted Sunfish?

Edited by NateTessler13, 17 November 2008 - 09:28 AM.

I do actually. I didn't want to drop the h card yet till it gets bigger but here's my thought. It's not a longear or green, vermiculation rules out bluegill and it's big enough to show full orangespotted body coloration and it doesn't.

Edited by natureman187, 17 November 2008 - 03:23 PM.

I wish I could be of more help, but I can tell you that this fish isn't an Orangespotted Sunfish. Where was it caught?

I wish I could be of more help, but I can tell you that this fish isn't an Orangespotted Sunfish. Where was it caught?

Was taken from southern IL, grantsburg swamp area. We got warmouth, greens, longear, bluegill and orangspots from the same place. I'm not familiar with them, but I think this is pumpkinseed territory as well.

Wheres the Irate Morman, Im sure he would say...HYBRID!!!! And i have no idea, but like the rest of the fish in this thread its a Beauty, and definitely a keeper.

I'd say it's a pumpkinseed, you can see a hint of red on the ear of it's gill covers.

I get L. megalotis from adjacent Bay creek (which seasonally mingles with the Grantsburg swamp). Naturally L. macrochirus are everywhere.

I get L. megalotis from adjacent Bay creek (which seasonally mingles with the Grantsburg swamp). Naturally L. macrochirus are everywhere.

It did look a little like a female Longear. But, I'm still not convinced...Brian would be great for this one. I think he's out sampling Sauger on the Ohio River tomorrow, so it may be a day or two before he logs on here.

I get L. megalotis from adjacent Bay creek (which seasonally mingles with the Grantsburg swamp). Naturally L. macrochirus are everywhere.

Uland I don't have my map with me but I think it was bay creek. I don't remember exactly but if bay creeks that mud hole just west of the swamp that's our guy. I think Blake and I were complaining about this place to you before. You know how we don't like mud

It did look a little like a female Longear. But, I'm still not convinced...Brian would be great for this one. I think he's out sampling Sauger on the Ohio River tomorrow, so it may be a day or two before he logs on here.

Here's a longear of similar stature - not our guy in my book. It' may be a cross and it could be a cross of this or that but it's too small to distinguish adult features. I'll definitely post a picture once it has some size.