54 Gal Planted Tank

[Duncan]

Hi there everyone,
Took a few pics of my 54 gal planted aquarium (mixed tetras community). Let me know what you think. I've got a few relatively unusual fish in there including Black emperor tetras (Nematobrycon amphiloxus) and a black Hoplosternum thoracatum "var. niger" catfish that my kids call "Mr. Black Catfish", even though it is a female.
Duncan
http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/19854_gallon-med.jpg
http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/19854_closeup-med.jpg
http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/198n__amphiloxis-med.jpg
http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/198big_black_catfish-med.jpg

[Shane Tesser]

Very nice :D I have a couple of Emperors to, but i have to admit that i have never seen black ones....very cool looking though..ill have to see if i can pick some of those up. Your plants look great and very healthy...what types are you keeping?

[Tim and Julie B]

I am totally, insanely jealous! Don't get me wrong I love my tank but I can't have live plants. It sucks. I have Red tailed gold sharks and they are under water lawnmowers. The large Bala also helps out. So I have to find semi real looking fake plants. I love the catfish! Man that's a cool one. How can you have a tank with only one catfish. I counldn't do it.LOL. At least get a small Cory or some Banjo cats or how about an upside down or a .................................................. .................................................

[Duncan]

Thanks for the complements guys. Shane, most of the plants are Cryptocoryne sp. (wendtii, balansae etc), Anubias nana, some Crinum natans, so mostly Asian species. I have 4, 40 watt tubes over top to get decent growth.
As for the catfish Julie (or Tim), there are actually 8-10 assorted corys and 5 Brochis splendens (emerald green cats, a lot like corys) in there, as well as 5 Otocinclus and 2 Siamensis algae eaters. They tend to be less visible with all the plants. The big black hoplo had a mate about 5 years ago (she's about 6 or 7 years old) but I had a heater stick and it cooked the male (she survived temps of 97 F!).

Til Later,
Duncan

[Tim and Julie B]

Tim actually! Julie is not into fish as much. Good to hear you have some cats in there. I really like "Mr. Black Catfish!" Very nice. Not to comman. The only place around here to get rare fish closed and another one had a fire. After they rebuilt they didn't carry as many specialty fish or large fish. I can't even find another Bala large enough to put in my tank. Great tank. I hope my new one is going to look half that cool.:D