# South American Riparium



## mrrobxc (Jan 21, 2014)

Hello all,

Just wanted to share my Cincta Riparium.

- Bonded Pair of C. Cincta 
- Pair of Bahia Red Tail Oscars
- 1 Hoplarchus Psittacus

Tank is 225 72x24" acquarium. Water filled to just 6 inches below the top and Pothos, Spathyphyllum, and Spider plants growing with their roots sumberged.

Just fed the Cincta's some crayfish. I also have a small school of about 20 small guppies that self sustaining themselves in the tank. When one of the oscars gets close, the guppies rush into the tangle of Pothos Vines to escape. Kinda cool.

Enjoy


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## BC in SK (Aug 11, 2012)

Very surprising your pikes have not cleaned up on all the guppies.....unless they are fairly new and not completely settled in yet?


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## BC in SK (Aug 11, 2012)

Very nice looking tank.
Still surprised with the guppies!  
The guppies must be very prolific. Very curious how long the guppy colony and the pikes have been in the tank?


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## sumthinfishy (Jan 26, 2013)

great looking tank!


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## mrrobxc (Jan 21, 2014)

The guppies have been in there for several weeks. The pikes I have had for several months. Kind of cool to see them survive. I have a few newborns in there


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## greenterror85 (Feb 19, 2015)

Wow...nice setup. Like your plants. Do they keep your nitrates down?? My well water has some nitrates in it so I am always have a nitrate battle. I have never tried adding live plants. Where would I begin and what is a good plant??


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## mrrobxc (Jan 21, 2014)

They will help nitrates. NPK or nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are the main elements that plants need Along with light and a carbon source.

Emersed plants get their carbon straight from the co2 in the air. the nitrogen (N) comes from the nitrogenous waste from fish, the phosphorous will come from waste and food, and the potassium is usually added. However, easy plants like swords aren't as demanding of all of these macro nutrients and many of them do not require high light. For the emersed plants, use plants that are found along water in the wild and can survive and thrive even with their roots in the water. Easy ones are Pothos plants, Spathyphyllum (peace lillies), Diffenbachia, and spider plants. All can be had inexpensively from your local home Depot or garden store.


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## Loume (Dec 27, 2014)

really interesting, the inhabitants of your riparium, I like it!

Is pothos the same thing as philodendron? Will the roots eventually rot in water?

If it's what I think, I know it can grow like crazy vines in low light conditions. I wonder if it would work in an mbuna tank, just the roots in water, and the vines growing up and around the wall behind and over the tank? That'd be great, and I'm tempted to try it. The thing I would be concerned about most is if the mbuna would be nibbling/eating the roots? I know the philodendron is supposed to be toxic if consumed, or at least by mammals? I wonder also if it could be grown in the alkaline, hard water of my mbuna tank?


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## mrrobxc (Jan 21, 2014)

Pothos are similar but different species from philedendron. They are usually labeled so you won't mistake the two despite them looking very similar.

The plant will actually shoot new roots out and they will not rot. Just buy a plant and remove the pot. Shake out and rinse the dirt from the roots. Cut the roots with a sharp knife or scissors and put them into the tank with only the roots submerged. They will grow out from there. If you can suspend the lighting, even better.

They will be fine in hard water. I doubt your fisb will eat the roots. Easy way to try is just put a little in and experiment.


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## Loume (Dec 27, 2014)

thanks mrrobxc. I think i will try it. I've already have a set of track lighting over the aquarium, not to light the aquarium itself, but highlighting whats on top of the canopy of the aquarium, so maybe that might work. I guess the pothos can do well in lower light like the philodendron.


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## mrrobxc (Jan 21, 2014)

They should be fine. Try peace lillies as well. Ripariumsupply.com sells baskets that you can suction to the back of the tank glass as planters for your plants.


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## Loume (Dec 27, 2014)

Very nice! I like the riparium on their home page too. Thanks again!


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Such an incredible setup! Please keep us updated on the guppy experiment.


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## mrrobxc (Jan 21, 2014)

The guppies are still alive and well with a bunch of new born swimming around. The cichlids ignore them altogether. Very weird.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

That's good to hear.


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