NANFA-- Freshwater inverts

Moontanman_at_aol.com
Thu, 16 Dec 1999 18:19:39 EST

I have finally started my freshwater invertebrate aquarium. Although most of
the inverts will be crustaceans I plan to have as broad a population as
possible. The tank is the same 15 gallon tank I was using as a swamp tank. I
removed all the fish (I got the final one last night). I added 15 dwarf
crayfish today, second generation from my breeding program. I plan to include
as many different types of crustaceans and other freshwater invertebrates as
possible. I have established a large population of copepods and ostracods and
will be slowly adding more crustaceans as I am able to obtain them. If anyone
can help with obtaining specimens or just has suggestions feel free to let me
know. The tank is lighted by 175 watt metal halide light and a flat river
rock wall provides for a small land space. The rocks are covered by moss and
liverworts with a small red maple and a cedar tree in each corner. There is a
heavy growth of dwarf umbrella palm, horsetails and ferns along the top of
the rock wall. Java moss and Java fern cover the underwater part of the wall.
A layer of river sand covers the bottom. Two cypress trees and a mangrove
tree are rooted in the muddy sand. No filter is used but a airstone is used
for aeration. The water stays amazingly clear. The plan is to slowly
introduce various inverts as I am able to find or bye them. I definitely want
some freshwater feather duster worms and sponges. I plan to depend heavily on
freshwater crustaceans but I may add some water insects too. A picture of
this set up is available at it's start at <A
HREF="http://www.nanfa.org/hissom/cypress.htm">Michael Hissom's cypress tanks<
/A> , picture number four. If anyone is interested in the tanks current
appearance let me know and I can send you a picture.

Michael
Hissom

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