01_04425x ffirs.qxp 10/9/06 11:10 AM Page i FRESHWATER AQUARIUM MODELS Recipes for Creating Beautiful Aquariums That Thrive JOHN TULLOCK 01_04425x ffirs.qxp 10/9/06 11:10 AM Page ii Copyright © 2007 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. All rights reserved. Photography © Aaron Norman Howell Book House Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through pay- ment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600, or on the web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Legal Department, Wiley Publishing, Inc., 10475 Crosspoint Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46256, (317) 572-3447, fax (317) 572-4355, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions. Wiley, the Wiley Publishing logo, Howell Book House, and related trademarks are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. The publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising here from. The fact that an organization or Website is referred to in this work as a citation and/or a potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the publisher endorses the information the organization or Website may provide or recom- mendations it may make. Further, readers should be aware that Internet Websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read. For general information on our other products and services or to obtain technical support please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at (800) 762-2974, outside the U.S. at (317) 572-3993 or fax (317) 572-4002. Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books. For more information about Wiley products, please visit our web site at www.wiley.com. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data: Tullock, John H., 1951– Freshwater aquarium models: recipes for creating beautiful aquariums that thrive / John Tullock; [photography: Aaron Norman] p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-13: 978-0-470-04425-4 (pbk.: alk. paper) ISBN-10: 0-470-04425-X (alk. paper) 1. Aquariums. 2. Aquarium fishes. 3. Aquarium plants. I. Title. SF457.3.T86 2007 639.34—dc22 2006025098 CIP Printed in the United States of America 10987654321 Book design by Elizabeth Brooks Cover design by José Almaguer Book production by Wiley Publishing, Inc. Composition Services 02_04425x ftoc.qxp 10/9/06 11:10 AM Page iii TABLE OF CONTENTS PART I: PART II: Aquarium Basics Aquarium Mechanics INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 3 THE ALLURE OF AQUARIUMS 3 MAKING YOUR HABITAT LOOK REAL 41 Taking the Tank into Consideration . 41 CHAPTER 1 Lighting . 43 CARING FOR AN AQUARIUM 7 Backgrounds . 47 Water . 7 Including Terrestrial Components . 49 Physical and Chemical Cycles. 10 Aquascaping . 50 Lighting. 13 Borrowing from Japanese Gardeners. 54 The Needs of Aquarium Plants. 14 Foods and Feeding. 17 CHAPTER 4 NUTS AND BOLTS 57 Routine Maintenance. 21 Maintenance Service . 25 Built-in Installations . 57 Free-Standing Installations . 62 CHAPTER 2 BRINGING OUT THE BEST IN FISH AND AQUARIUMS 27 CHAPTER 5 TROUBLESHOOTING 67 Guidelines for Design . 27 Finding the Right Fit with Fish . 29 Disease Prevention. 67 Finding a Good Dealer . 33 Plant Problems . 71 Choosing Healthy Plants . 34 Algae Problems . 72 Acclimating New Arrivals . 36 02_04425x ftoc.qxp 10/9/06 11:10 AM Page iv PART III: Model Design 14: Sulawesi (Celebes Islands) . 94 Freshwater Aquarium Model Design 15: Sumatra . 95 Model Designs Australia . 96 Model Design 16: Australian Rainbowfish CHAPTER 6 Community Tank. 96 SOUTHEAST ASIA 75 CHAPTER 8 Ponds, Ditches, and Rice Paddies . 75 AFRICA 99 Model Design 1: Shallow Pool in Southern India . 76 Hard-to-Find Africans. 99 Model Design 2: Large Pond in Thailand . 77 Model Design 17: All-Purpose African Barb Tank. 99 Model Design 3: Community Featuring Gouramis . 78 Model Design 18: Congo Tetra. 101 Streams and Rivers . 80 Model Design 19: African Lungfish. 102 Model Design 4: Sri Lankan Stream . 80 Model Design 20: Distichodus. 107 Model Design 5: Asian Big River . 82 Model Design 21: Elephantnose. 108 Model Design 6: White Cloud Mountain . 83 The Zaire and Other West African Rivers . 110 Model Design 7: Community Tank Featuring Model Design 22: Jewel Cichlid Barbs . 84 Paludarium . 110 Model Design 8: Glass Catfish . 86 Model Design 23: Soft Water African Tank. 111 Estuarine Habitats . 87 Model Design 24: The African Butterflyfish. 113 Model Design 9: Estuary I . 87 Model Design 25: A Crib for Kribs. 115 Model Design 10: Estuary II . 88 African Killifish . 116 Model Design 26: Aphyosemion. 116 CHAPTER 7 Model Design 27: Epiplatys. 118 AUSTRALASIA 91 Model Design 28: Nothobranchius. 119 Oceanic Islands . 91 Rift Lake Cichlids . 120 Model Design 11: Borneo, Sumatra. 91 Model Design 29: Mbuna Community Model Design 12: Irian Jaya, Ajamaru Lakes . 92 Tank . 120 Model Design 13: Irian Jaya, Fly River . 93 Model Design 30: Mbuna Single-Species Tank I . 122 iv Freshwater Aquarium Models 02_04425x ftoc.qxp 10/9/06 11:10 AM Page v Model Design 31: Mbuna Single-Species Model Design 49: Terror on the Amazon . 149 Tank II . 123 Model Design 50: Ultimate Amazon Tank. 150 Model Design 32: Tanganyika Community South American Killifish . 153 Tank . 124 Model Design 51: Argentine Pearlfish . 154 Model Design 33: Julidochromis transcriptus. 125 South American Cichlids. 154 Model Design 34: Birchard’s Model Design 52: Apistogramma species. 155 Neolamprologus. 126 Model Design 53: Butterfly Cichlid. 156 Model Design 35: Shell Dwellers. 127 Model Design 54: Angelfish . 157 Model Design 36: Lemon Cichlid . 128 Model Design 55: Discus. 158 Madagascar. 129 Model Design 37: A Madagascar Tank . 129 CHAPTER 10 CENTRAL AMERICA 161 CHAPTER 9 Livebearers. 161 SOUTH AMERICA 131 Model Design 56: Guppies . 161 Amazonia . 131 Model Design 57: The Wonderful World Model Design 38: Basic Amazon Community of Platies . 163 Tank. 131 Model Design 58: Swordtails . 165 Model Design 39: Leaf Fish. 133 Mollies. 166 Model Design 40: Room-Temperature Model Design 59: Mollies I . 167 Amazon Tank. 134 Model Design 60: Mollies II . 167 Model Design 41: A Tale of Two Tetras . 135 Central American Cichlids . 168 Model Design 42: Tribute to Herbert Axelrod . 137 Model Design 61: Convict Cichlid. 169 Model Design 43: Neon Dreams . 138 Model Design 62: Mexican Firemouth. 170 Model Design 44: Emperor Tetra . 139 Model Design 63: Salvin’s Cichlid . 172 Model Design 45: Expert’s Amazon Tank . 141 Model Design 64: Jack Dempsey. 173 Model Design 46: Flying (?) Fish Tank . 143 Model Design 65: Blue Acara. 174 Model Design 47: The Amazing Mexican Cave Fish . 176 Splashing Tetra . 145 Model Design 66: Mexican Cave Tetra . 176 Model Design 48: Amazon Tank for Big-Fish Enthusiasts. 148 Table of Contents v 02_04425x ftoc.qxp 10/9/06 11:10 AM Page vi CHAPTER 11 CHAPTER 12 NORTH AMERICA 179 PURELY ARTISTIC DESIGNS 207 Focusing on the Southeast United States . 179 Purely Plants . 207 Why Native Fish? . 180 Model Design 80: Dutch-Style Conservation Issues . 181.