The Puffer Habitat

[tear-scar]

Hey guys-- I decided to try a biotope tank, and decided to go with Asia. I tried to be as skeptic as possible, as close to "found together in the wild!" as possible. I really wanted to re-create the still, black-water type environment of the puffers that was suggested by what info I could find.

Plants:
Java Ferns
Java Moss
Aponogetan Crispus
Duckweed

Fauna:
Dwarf Puffer (3)

Front of the tank:

Back:

Side (can you see the puffer?):

Hope you guys liked this! I actually like the look. There is no filtration, but I do water changes 3 times a week, because the wood and leaves release a lot of tanins. The leaves make the water soft and acidic.

 

[keane]

it looks fantastic!

steve

 

[SirMinion]

Wow, that's really nice,
Dwarf Puffer heaven!

 

[Puffer_freak]

Yeah, thats beautiful! As SirM said, dwarf puffer heaven!

 

[cometcattle]

Great job, TS!

 

[tear-scar]

Thanks a lot guys-- we all know that healthy, happy fish are the most attractive. People have suggested that biotopes possess their own special beauty, and that sometimes put in more natural settings the fish will act most comfortably and naturally. Well, actually, this is my first time keeping dwarf puffers so I have no experience with behavior in any other tank . . . they seem alert, curious, annoyed with flash-photography. Woops! Sorry guys, forgot to turn it off.

The cool thing is that it is really hard to see them sometimes. They blend in very well with the tan-colored water, especially when they swim in front of a dead leaf.

 

[SirMinion]

The cool thing is that it is really hard to see them sometimes. They blend in very well with the tan-colored water, especially when they swim in front of a dead leaf.

Yep, that's the whole point!
I'll say it again, excellent job, well done.

 

[Mr Miagi]

That is sweet! Im stuck between what should go in my next tank and you just confuseed me even more with that awsome biotope!

 

[LoachLover]

Wow, that's awesome

 

[lilfishie]

Thats great ts

 

[tear-scar]

Yep, that's the whole point!

Yep! I'd be happy if I could choose to not be seen whenever I wanted too.

I guess the philosophy is, "If we let the fish live in a place it enjoys living, it will b more beautiful when it shows itself." Kind of like the habitat-type set ups zoos aim for these days.

Mr_miagi-- my suggestion would be to take things all-the-way. If you're going to do a planted tank, do everything for the plants, and make it densely planted. If you're going to do a display for rocks or wood, go all the way with that and take out all the plants unless you want to have enough moss/ferns to make an impact. If you want to go biotope, go all-the-way.

This type of set up is actually pretty easy to do, because lighting and ferts is relatively unimportant. These are all robust, low-need plants.

 

[Synirr]

That's beautiful!!!
You wouldn't mind if I were to steal it, would you?

 

[lucky62]

Vey nice