Big Bulky Leaves and Small Fish?

[Iron Man]

I'm just going through planted themes in my head and was just wondering would big bulky leaves that fillup the background and hang overhead look ok with small schooling fish like neon tetras? They won't be the only fish in there.....will it look ok? It might seem silly but I don't want to invest in everything and release the neon tetras into the tank....and they look REALLY out of place!

What do ya think?

David

 

[Lateral Line]

Sounds fine to me.

 

[George Farmer]

....and me. It's really a matter of personal taste - after all, some people like fluorescent gravel, fake skulls and plastic plants.

What plants were you thinking of? I used to have a couple of great Echinodorus bleheri in the background of my 34G. Very imposing but effective.

 

[Iron Man]

To answer your question gf225...I was thinking of either normal to giant sizes of these, for example;

kleiner bar sword

crypt wendtii bronze

anubias emerald heart

marble queen sword

and here's a pic of a monster amazon sword;

 

[Lateral Line]

>>> fluorescent gravel, fake skulls and plastic plants.

Hmmmm, files in "ideas" vault!

 

[Iron Man]

You know what nevermind....I'm not going to go with neon tetras after all. I think I'm going to go with angelfish, swordtails, harlequin rasboras, and cories. I don't see a problem with these fish and large leaved plants.

 

[kenneth_kpe]

hey there i dont think it would be a problem, in fact IMO it would look great imagine a school of neons or cardinals gathering together under big leaves. their color would stand out a bit more due to the shade provided by the leaves

hmmm couldnt find a big leaved tank in a jiff but something like this
http/showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2004...y=0&vol=1&id=86

 

[Lateral Line]

You take that out of that pot you'll probably find you've 5-10 plants there. That is a nice purchase.

 

[Iron Man]

haha Kenneth! You read my mind! I was going to switch from neons to harlequins! Man...aren't they gorgeous in that tank?

Yea I think if I purchase something like that (around $20) I'd have half my background covered right there. I was looking for something to be thick and "overflowing" around my big bulky piece of driftwood (which is on the left of a 55 gallon long), and then "tame down" a little (for lack of a better word) amongst some medium sized rocks and wood.

I just bought 3 red swordtails (1m/2f) and 3 red pineapple swordtails (1m/2f) to go with the 10 zebra danios I have right now. I already have a lot of plastic plants in there and some cabomba that I've already HAD to propagate. It looks awesome already!

I can't wait to buy some big leaved live plants to go in there!

You know the funny thing? 1 week ago I didn't like big bulky leaves! lol

 

[George Farmer]

>>> fluorescent gravel, fake skulls and plastic plants.

Hmmmm, files in "ideas" vault!

 

[Iron Man]

>>> fluorescent gravel, fake skulls and plastic plants.

Hmmmm, files in "ideas" vault!

You just described my brother-in-law's 10 gallon tank....with 4 inch thick gravel purple/green gravel and 3 full (probably stunted) grown goldfish! Was 4 but one died last week. Wonder why.....