Dimensions: 100 x 50 x 50 cm
Fish:
Tropheus sp. "black" Bemba - 14
Ancistrus sp. "Albino" - 1
Filtration: external sump (40 lt) under the tank, filtration media:
1-st chamber - filtration cotton + porous rocks,
2-nd chamber - Filtren TM 20,
3-rd and 4-th chamber - Filtren TM 30.
Lighting: 3x30W daylight, 1x18W modrá
Background: 3D polyurethane foam
Sand: white, from the beach of Cyprus
Rocks: tufa

Water:
pH (measured by the digital pH meter)
- tap water: 6.84
- monday morning, a day after the 30% water change: 7.57
- sunday, right before the 30% water change: 7.52

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In the aquarium, there is a DIY polyurethane background. I tried to use various rocks as a decoration. Firstly, they were white colored (limestones or jackstones). Latter I harmonized the rocks look with the background so the tufa rocks were used. The background and rocks were being covered by algae step-by-step, this made it look more natural.

I have been breeding Tropheus sp. black "Bemba" in this tank from 2002. The 15 fish were quite small in the tank and they were not visible in the tank in that size (2 - 2.5 cm). Few weeks after they were released into the aquarium, one of the Tropheus jumped out of the tank through the gap between the cover glass and front wall. This event convinced me that the tank must be perfectly covered. That was the only Tropheus that died and the other ones grew on.

At the end of 2003 the fish were 5 - 6 cm long. One of the males was more vivid in color and he started to display his dominancy. No serious fights occured when fish are young. Living together from the beginning they had created strong relations. They coexisted without any problems. No aggressive behaviour resulting to the repressing of some fish was observed. I then noticed the first attempts to spawn but the female only held for 2 days.

This aquarium stayed in this set up until I switched it to 419 litre tank in 2004 and Tropheus had finally the bigger place for themselves.

2002-2004

Copyright © 2003 - 2012 Robert Toman