Rio 180 - zEBrA!

Pretty much explains itself really. If you have questions about tank set-ups, tank furniture, (caves etc) chuck them in here!

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eeeeemo
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Rio 180 - zEBrA!

Post by eeeeemo »

hello guys.

did my tank up a while ago.
would like some opinions to positioning of caves and how to improve the setup as i noticed my caves are not occupied most of the time, prefering to squeeze into small gaps between the rocks n floor, and some spots they do not even like to go...

problems:

1) there is a cave behind the small rock on the extreme left. not inhibited but visited sometimes.

2) another cave is on the extreme right near the glass beside the right rock.
(not inhibited, they dun even like going there...)

specs:
rio 180 (100x40x50)
atman cf800 canister (rainbar) + 2.5kg of biohome
25W white lighting
2000l/h powerhead (located on the top back right hand corner of the tank..flow pointing towards the the top left back.)
sand substrate
tankmates: corydoras sterbaix6 + yamato shrimpsx4 + cherry shrimps
eeeeemo
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Post by eeeeemo »

here are more pics to let everyone get a better idea.
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Line
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Post by Line »

Hello

My personal opinion - it's looking great - beautiful stones.
But it's to "naked" for Zebras.

I would buy two nices pieces of bogwood (or three :wink: ) - place them on the top of the stones and/or a little between them. But leave room underneath the bogwood. Then it would be perfect!

Then place the caves with the entrance pointing to the front glass. Under the bogwood. I like to know what is going on. Sometimes it's good to see, if a fighting is going on (or a spawn).

Very important: Entrance of the cave should be nice shadowed.

Optical: I would place an Anubias or Javafarn in the front left side, where the sand is blowing away. Then you prevent the bare spot.
(I know these bare spots very well :D )

And a nice fast growing plant. Just bundle them and place a little stone to heavy it.
Fast growing plants are good for the water quality - and provides the tank with shadow.

How big are your zebras?

As youngsters they do like to squeeze a lot :roll:

Best regards
Line
Edlund
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Post by Edlund »

Nice setup. I really like it but i think the cave is to big.Looks that way.How big is the zebs ?
eeeeemo
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Post by eeeeemo »

thanks for the advice.. il try to add a few wood soon.
and regarding nitrates.. does weekly water changes clear it up?
and if not il put hornworts in a floating breeder to remove it.

regarding the use of other plants.. im trying to stick to their original habitat where there are nothing but rocks and little wood.

il remove the powerhead.. i really think its too strong. 2000l/h on a 160litres just doesnt feel right. il replace it with a 1200l/h canister filter. is that better?

my main problem is that they do not occupy the caves and prefer the rocks instead.... maybe its my cave size... =( but i cant find any sellers of L46 caves.. and its very hard for me to diy with only hammer and saw..
eeeeemo
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Post by eeeeemo »

they are qte big.. im qte sure theyre ready to breed..

smallest 2.5inch.. a female, the bravest of the batch!
biggest 3.5inch.. which is the alpha male.
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Line
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Post by Line »

Hi
im trying to stick to their original habitat where there are nothing but rocks and little wood
Yes, but no Aquarium can ever copy the Xingu. The plants dont belong - but they make better waterquality. And the wood is simply very good to provide shadow.

We can do our best to copy their habitat, but sometimes its better to do something different. We havn't got the depths of their Habitat (please correct me, if i'm wrong - but the zebras do live quite deep as far as I know - 10 m or so?). We can make the tanks a little darker using plants.

Of course you could put in 50 kilos of stone to make lots of hides, or you could use some bogwood.

The Xingu water is darkcolored from lignins and "natural stuff" (don't know, what you call it...), so perhaps wood as a second thought is a good thing though.

IMHO.

By the way - I also think, your caves are looking to big. Have you thought about making some caves out of slate?

Best regards
Line
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John
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Post by John »

I really like the type of rock you are using but i think the pieces are to big.
Would be much better if you'd use smaller pieces to create formations where they can hide between the rocks.
What i see happening in your tank now is that the fish gather in the darkest corner where they can find hiding, at this age they should not hide together anymore but find their own private comfortable hidingplace in the tank.
I also think you have to create more dimmed places around the caves because they are to much in the open, drifwood would be perfect for that purpose.
Then regarding the lighting on the tank, imo it should be much less,i don't use any direct lighting on my zebtank.
Greetings,
John
[img]http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x276/hypancistrus-zebra/half.gif[/img]
eeeeemo
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Post by eeeeemo »

made the changes =)

added a large driftwood.. alter the lighting by allowing only some light through a slit. did not get smaller rocks though.. i went through alot of get the rocks.. not ready to go through alot again to get more for now =(
i made sure there was plenty of shade above and infront of the caves.
still untouched =( i think its too big that's why. one squeezes itself in between the slate cave and the wall.... but refuses to go in.

now they are more spread out.. but still i see two that squeeze...
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davo
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Post by davo »

some times pictures speak 1000 words
This is my tank

Image

hope it helps
davo
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Miezekatze
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Post by Miezekatze »

hi emo,

i think your setup looks great but this is nothing for zebra plecos, more for discus ;) it's really too naked..

heres my setup, works great and my plecos spawn:

Image
Kind Regards
Christian

http://www.APSnet.de
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TwoTankAmin
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Post by TwoTankAmin »

I have found that current counts. Here is a poor pic of my breeding tank.

Image

Note the powerhead placed about midway up the left side that blows down the front side of the tank. This means it creates flow across the mouths of the caves. Almost all of my spawns have taken place in the two caves at the opposite end from the powerhead. I just had my first spawn in a cave about dead center. (The tank was slightly rearranged since that pic in terms of cave placements.

Also there is a ton of rock work behind and under the wood that is hidden fron view in the pic above.
What makes the common person uncommon is common sense.
Zebrapl3co
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Post by Zebrapl3co »

I find that zebra tends to prefer dark coloured caves over brighter ones. I've been experimenting with alot of caves and found that they are more confortable with dark slat over teracoda ones.
eeemo, I can't seem to see the bottom of your cave. It's it empty? If so, then it's no wonder that they won't take it up. Try to keep the dimention of your cave to 1.5" wide, 1" tall and 4.5" long. That's the inner dimention. Also, put yourself in the zebra's point of view. What you want is a cave that you can extend your fins and lock yourself in. If they can't get a lock, it's no good as it's not safe.
There is too few caves in there as well. What you want is to make 3 times as much caves of various size and put them all in there. Position of the caves also count as well. They don't like caves at the very edge of the tank but prefers caves around the middle.
Look to your alpha male for guidance as he will always take the best cave and best position in the tank.
The untouch caves, you'll have to take them out and redo the again and again until they take it. Otherwise just throw them out as they are completely useless.
eeeeemo
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Post by eeeeemo »

got it! thanks for all the advices..
i should have set up the tank and post it up for comments before adding the fishes in..

never mind. il set up another tank more suited for them.. they dun seem to like this tank much even though theyre feeding well..
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