Less Is More

[DarkEntity]

I much prefer tanks with dark substrates over the lighter ones. I still prefer the larger bit of wood, although i can understand that it was really dominating the tank to the point you looked at that more than the fish, so understand why you removed it.

Ive also got a Palmas i just dont see it that much as its about half the size of my Senegal and i think its scared lol

I never realized how nice the tank would look with that dark substrate and dark background. As many say, you just can't appreciate it unless you see it in person. I am just blown away at the beautiful fish I seem to have!

Another thing that is just blowing me away is the fact that if I look down one side of the tank, I can see the other side! Before, the wood blocked that view.

Which palmas species do you have?

Polypterus Palmas Palmas

 

[pinkdolphin_113]

your tank looks amazing!

when you say the plants came off the wood, did you try tying it on with cotton?

i don't like it when i can't see my fish. i minimilised hiding places at one point and then put my prefered decor back in and the fish became confident enough not to hide anymore. just a thought if you prefered the other peice of wood

 

[ox5477]

For my 125, I went the same route as you and went with black gravel and just two pieces of bogwood. I don't have any special species such as you have, but my sd's, giant danios, sevs, JD and pleco love it Of course the pleco is a grump though as it's nocturnal and spends all day under the one piece of bogwood... but it's just it's nature.


Looks good and beautiful geophaguses

Pic of mine... very bad camera skills... but shows the definate "lack" of decor:

 

[shroob]

I like the way it was before personally, though I can see what you mean about the bogwood as a large visual barrier. Any plans to add plants to the new set up? I just think plants make a tank look much healthier and natural.

 

[MadMan-JaMeS]

I like the way it was before personally, though I can see what you mean about the bogwood as a large visual barrier. Any plans to add plants to the new set up? I just think plants make a tank look much healthier and natural.

They do but i guess its pretty much down to preference as some people just don't really like plants.

When you have planted setups the emphasis is on the plants and not rly the fish.

When you have large fish like bichirs they are pretty nocturnal and will hide constantly if they can

 

[invader]

your tank looks amazing!

when you say the plants came off the wood, did you try tying it on with cotton?

i don't like it when i can't see my fish. i minimilised hiding places at one point and then put my prefered decor back in and the fish became confident enough not to hide anymore. just a thought if you prefered the other peice of wood

Thanks for the compliments.

The pieces that wouldn't stay were held down with rubber bands, actually... but eventually, they all looked a bit sickly. I'd rather have healthy plants or no plants at all.

For my 125, I went the same route as you and went with black gravel and just two pieces of bogwood. I don't have any special species such as you have, but my sd's, giant danios, sevs, JD and pleco love it Of course the pleco is a grump though as it's nocturnal and spends all day under the one piece of bogwood... but it's just it's nature.


Looks good and beautiful geophaguses

Pic of mine... very bad camera skills... but shows the definate "lack" of decor

Thanks! You're tank is a lot like mine (and looks great!), and I've seen it before and really helped me feel better about changing it around. At first, I was a bit nervous that I wouldn't like it, thinking it would be too dark, but it turned out better than I first imagined.

I like the way it was before personally, though I can see what you mean about the bogwood as a large visual barrier. Any plans to add plants to the new set up? I just think plants make a tank look much healthier and natural.

I don't know about plants... I'm not really going for the natural setup, a point which I have been emphasizing throughout this whole thread. This tank is about the fish, not plants or wood or anything else.

Although, just for a bit of fun, I was thinking about adding moss balls. I can just see the fish pushing them around!

I like the way it was before personally, though I can see what you mean about the bogwood as a large visual barrier. Any plans to add plants to the new set up? I just think plants make a tank look much healthier and natural.

They do but i guess its pretty much down to preference as some people just don't really like plants.

When you have planted setups the emphasis is on the plants and not rly the fish.

When you have large fish like bichirs they are pretty nocturnal and will hide constantly if they can

I agree. Planted tanks are just that... for plants. That is why most larger pred tanks like mine, cane's, marks, and CFC's are not planted... they're filled with large fish. Honestly, it just doesn't look normal with a bunch of plants with these fish.

Bichirs and other nocturnal fish are hard to see if they have a million places to hide. Right now, with all of the open space, all of my bichirs have been out and about and I'm so happy I actually get to see them, without trying to peer around or under the wood all of the time. I actually get to appreciate my fish.

Another thing I want to add: Why is that non-planted tanks aren't normal or pretty anymore? I mean, does a fish tank really need to have plants to be appreciated? What about the fish?

 

[shroob]

I wasn't on about a full planted tank, just a few vallis, amazon swords or java moss, abit of greenery adds alot to a tank. I think I'd be one of last people on the forum to get a full blown planted tank .

I feel if a fish wants to hide, then let it. Its only doing whats natural thats why I don't like completely bare tanks, its the same as putting a lion in a concrete room with nothing in it. I'm not saying that thats the case in this set up, as there's still a piece of cover if the fish want it, just completely bare tanks I personally don't like. When you're fish does pop its head out you feel rewarded and its nice to see it, better than forcing it to be out in the open all day.

Don't want to go off topic, but I have polypterus, ornate, probably the most sedatory of all commonly sold polypterus but I wouldn't want to make them feel stressed by removing hiding places and making them readily seen just for me. If they wan't to hide let them, its just what they do.

I still do like the set up, but I'm just saying a few plants would add life to it. But like someone said, each to their own, its Invader's tank, they can do what they want with it I was just saying what I thought would add to it.