# Tex-Mex 75g pics



## Rupununi (Jan 29, 2011)

All,

I thought I'd share a few photos of my new 75gal setup. This was intended to be a native Texas community tank featuring the venerable Texas cichlid, Herichthys cyanoguttatus. However, I was duped into buying a pair of Herichthys carpintis despite an adamant shop owner claiming they were H.cyanoguttatus.

Anyway, the rest of the fish are Texas natives:

6-Astyanax mexicanus (Mexican tetra, only characin native to US, collected from northernmost known locality near my home)
9-Etheostoma spectabile (orangethroat darter, common in central Texas streams)
2-Fundulus notatus (blackstriped topminnow)
1-Pimephales vigilax (bullhead minnow, very common)

The rock and wood are local.

















Group of Mexican tetras:









Mexican tetra:









Blackstriped topminnow









Orangethroat darter:

































Bullhead minnow:









Herichthys carpintis:


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## elirn (Apr 14, 2009)

Saaaaaaaaaaaweet!! :thumb:


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Wow - that's REALLY cool - I can't wait to see that carpintis grown up!


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## duds (Apr 16, 2010)

I really like your use of river rock instead of sand/gravel. And those orangethoats darters... neat looking fish. Thanks for posting the pics!


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## jeaninel (Nov 1, 2009)

Cool tank. Great job on the aquascaping. :thumb:


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## remi (Apr 16, 2007)

Wow, that is a really nice set up!


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## oldcatfish (May 27, 2009)

That's the nicest looking "non-colorful fish" aquarium that I've seen in a long time. And the Carpinte look very nice...when they grow up, that will give you the color.


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## Rupununi (Jan 29, 2011)

Thanks for the positive feedback guys.

I enjoy keeping local, native fishes. The carpintis are close enough to the cyanoguttatus that I don't feel too badly about it. 

I do look forward to seeing them color up during their maturation. I love their gold eyes. I bet their eyes will look sweet when they're 6" long and revved up for spawning. I should probably get a couple more while they are small to increase the odds of a male-female pair.


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## DRB (Mar 29, 2010)

AMAZING!!! excellent job man, keep updating please


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## FishFlake (Mar 7, 2010)

Very nice! :thumb:

Really like the local approach. I've considered doing that way up here in Maine. I've seen it done once up here and it was quite striking.

Love those darters.


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## Fish Talking Joe (Apr 12, 2009)

Great tank set up! Always wanted to see the Mexican tetra in tanks.


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## mlancaster (Jul 24, 2009)

Hi *Rupununi*,

You have a truly amazing tank. Bummer about the H. cyanoguttatus; glad to see you have a good attitude about it; H. carpintis are an amazing fish (one of my favorites). If you are planning to get more to obtain a pair why not look for cyanoguttatus and see if you could trade in the carpintis. But in reality (at least in California), it is not common to see cyanoguttatus in LFS.

I had not seen, but now love the Etheostoma spectabile. Did you collect or purchase them? Are they readily available in the aquarium hobby? Do you expect them to be able to co-exist with full grown carpintis/cyanoguttatus?

Well done, thank you for sharing.

Thanks,
Matt


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## McFly_ (Jun 21, 2010)

...beautiful biotope :thumb:


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Dare I ask how this tank looks now?


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## oldcatfish (May 27, 2009)

I know that you were going for a natural biotope...but, the Carpinte are more colorful and impressive anyway (in my opinion). I think you should keep them.


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## tim_s (Nov 27, 2011)

Very nice - very nice indeed!


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## SEAN420 (Nov 24, 2011)

id like to see a update, see if the Texas ate the minnow :-D or some others


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