Redesigning Kribensis Tank

[Seal36]

I have decided to redesign my kribensis tank.

So far I have a couple of coconut caves for breeding

I want to make it as natural as possible for them so I wanted to know
1. What substrate is in there natural environment
2. Would you have a wood or a big piece of rock in the tank
3. What nice looking easy plants are there that the kribensis will like but not tear apart.
4. Do they like to have open water or a well planted tank.

Thanks for the help from Tom

 

[misterpro]

No pro on Kribs whatsoever (though I have a tank with a pair) but here I go...
 
1.  Sand and/or fine (non-sharp) gravel (they live in a river delta).
2.  I myself would yup, I like the look of it and they'll appreciate the cover.  Perhaps some nice pieces of mopani or some nice roots/driftwood.
3.  Anubias, Java Fern, Crypts, Echinodorus, staurogyne ...  Pretty much anything without (brightgreen) squishy leaves.  Don't try riccia or downoi mine like it very much
4.  Perhaps both?  But I'd have most of the tank well planted personally.

 

[Seal36]

Thanks for the help.

1. I was almost sure that I was going to use sand as it looks more natural
2. So you would say wood rather than a big piece of wood
3. Would you put small bits of rock pushed into the sand or would you have small big of wood dotted around the tank or neither
4. So would you suggest having plants around the sides and at the back and then have open water at the front of the tank.

From Tom

 

[misterpro]

2.  To my liking that depends on what the big piece of wood is.  A big lump or a nice piece full of holes, nooks and crannies...
3.  Some small stone pieces (without sharp edges) or small/tiny bits of wood dotted around here and there would certainly make it look more natural.
4.  You can add open space wherever you want imho, but I usually prefer front/center ish.  Also I'm a fan of putting there breeding caves in a spot so you can look at them.  With plants covering the sides/top if you want but so you can see them when they're sitting in the entrance.  A bit less natural perhaps but I like watching them when they're sitting in the entrance guarding/herding there fry.

 

[Seal36]

Ok I like that I think the darkness of the wood goes well against the light coloured sand.

I do like to have small rocks pushed into the sand and smaller bits of wood dotted round the tank.

I also like having the open space in the middle so I can see them swimming around in the front.

I love putting the caves so that I can see inside them just so I know everything is going well

I was thinking of putting one in each back corner facing towards the front centre of the tank diagonally so I can see in. I would then surround the side with plants and dwarf hair grass. Do you think that would look good from Tom

 

[misterpro]

Sure, sounds about right.
 
Only one thing I forgot to mention is make sure (small) stones/rocks can't really crush them.  Because when they're breeding they like to dig next to/under stones, rocks, ...  I've had a female that dug out the sand so much under a large pebble at least twice her size (I put it at an angle facing up a bit) that it fell on her.  She managed to get free, and was fine but she had me worried for a moment...
 
I thought I'd mention that because when you've previously kept them on gravel (guessing from your sig) you probably haven't seem them in full bulldozer mode yet

 

[Seal36]

I have decided to go with a coconut cave instead as it will be safer and the gravel I have is very small so I have seen them move some of the gravel. This is what they have done to the coconut cave with gravel will it be the same with the sand or will they do it differently from Tom

 

[misterpro]

When they feel like it (absolutely NOT all the time) they can dig pits of a few centimeters in minutes (here). And most of the time right next tot a piece of stone/rock/wood that they seem to be checking out as a potential back-up spawning site. In sand they are not affraid to use their whole body. (My crazy Mrs Krib here dives head first into a small gap next to something and then uses her body to push sand out of the way)

As long as a piece big enough to hurt them is in a position so it doesn't topple over (should they decide to dig out a part of it) all is well.

My problemen was a big pebble at an angle that was fine for months, untill Mrs Krib dug it out partly, and it fell on her. She was (and still is) fine partly because it was only a bit over double her size, and partly because she just ended up trapped in the pit she dug (with the pebble as a lid). She freed herself in seconds but acted weird for a bit afterwards (flopping over sideways, and returned to normal <30min later).

Just something I consider when I place something in that tank now.. For example in your pic. If the rock on the left side was in sand. Would it fall over if you dig around in the sand next to it? If so I'd position it differently or anchor it with something under the sand.

I hope I didn't scare you into thinking they dig out everything in the tank, and it all comes crashing down. It just happened for me once..

 

[Seal36]

I will just have to make sure that everything is secure and is a way so that if they do dig around them then they should not fall over as I would hate for that to happen from Tom