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View Full Version : Amano Amazon biotope pics...



lcs
02-01-2003, 01:21 PM
I was perusing another thread and several people mentioned layouts that Mr. Amano had done that were of the Amazon. I would love to see these to get some ideas! 8) ;D If someone could point me in the right direction, that would be great!

Lisa

Ralph
02-01-2003, 05:33 PM
This is a site that has some Amano discus tanks and others in that style:

http://www.vectrapoint.com/main/photo/aquascape/aquascape.html

They are amazing to look at.

lcs
02-02-2003, 07:11 PM
Wow!! :o Nice tanks! I really liked the one with the angels and the giant val. and the rainbow tank. All good for inspiration!

Lisa

Ralph
02-02-2003, 08:49 PM
I've found several sites that had one or two pictures of Amano tanks, but I remember one site that had photos of a long tank with seven of so blue colored discus (with stress bars), the tank looked like it was all Java moss around a driftwood centerpiece. I couldn't find the website though, but the pictures really left an impression on me.
If you find any other sites, please post a link here. And of course, we'd all like to see photos of your tank when you are ready.

Debbie
02-04-2003, 03:06 AM
http://www.disky-design.dk/fish/images/amano4.jpg
These two may be a repeat I may have hit the paste button too many times, but that’s what these heavy duty pain killers do to a person:
http://www.aquariumhobbyist.com/discus/amano/
http://www.aquariumhobbyist.com/discus/amano/
Ralph I think this is the one you were talking about, I think it is riccia not java moss at the bottom of the tank:
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hills/2637/amanopix.html
Ics, One of these links should be a workshop Amano did for an aquarium club. I hope my cut and paste were working properly (my brain for that matter). If it is not there please let me know and I can track it down (at an earlier time and when my mind is clearer)

Ralph
02-04-2003, 07:00 AM
Thanks Debbie!
That last link was the one I was talking about. I don't know how practical it is but I sure like to look at it. Now I'll always know where to find it.

I went back to the home page on your first link (does anyone know what the fish are in that photo, pencils?):

http://www.disky-design.dk/fish/

He talks about his trip to Tropica and has a bunch of photos that I had never seen before on how the aquatic plants are grown commercially. Very interesting.

lcs
02-04-2003, 10:40 AM
Thanks Debbie!! Not to worry, all the links worked! You're brain's still functioning :crazy: !

In the "amanopix" from the geocities site, I really liked that large piece of driftwood with the java fern. (that is java fern, right?) I like the way a large centerpiece looks, but I also like the look of an aquascape that is spread out across the tank. Decisions, decisions :juggle:

Here's a pic I found on Aquariacentral's board. (I think) I like the layout of this one very much.

Lisa

Debbie
02-04-2003, 10:12 PM
They may be Nannostomus espei.
Lisa, I like that tank too. Like Ralph mentioned, many of Amano's tanks are not practical although beautiful. It takes great skill to keep a tank like that plus alot of time. I think the one you have there has many more practical plants that will live many years in your tank.

Wahter
02-06-2003, 01:56 PM
Just as another footnote - while Mr. Amano says he models his some of his tanks from what he sees in nature on his various travels, they are not representative of the environment which many wild discus are found. So pretty as they are, Amano's tanks would not be a true discus biotope.

Walter

lcs
02-06-2003, 02:05 PM
Walter,

I agree totally. Not only are Amano's tanks not representative of the Amazon, but they would require entirely too much work!!

I plan on keeping only a few species of plants that are native to S. America - except maybe the vals because I can create the look I want ;D. I'm mostly trying to look at as many tank layouts as I possibly can so I steal other people's ideas! ;) :D

Right now I am leaning toward something very similar to the pic I posted above. I just love it. Of course all I have to do is find the perfect driftwood ::) :P

Lisa

ronrca
02-06-2003, 04:39 PM
May be true Walter! However, let me throw a curve ball! ;D

As you say that the tanks do not resemble the amazon environment, neither do the discus that we have in our tanks. :o Im talking about bright yellow, orange, flaming reds, etc! So, my point?? Does it really matter! ;) In an aquarium sitting in your livingroom, it is highly unlikely that you will have a muddly, tannin colored with lots of roots tank! Just a thought! ;D Now you can kill me! :bomb: :smash:

Ralph
02-06-2003, 04:49 PM
Ron, you just described my 29 gal.

ronrca
02-06-2003, 05:04 PM
LOL! Sorry! You mean you tanks looks like this?
http://www.amazonian-fish.co.uk/images/stream2.jpg
or
http://www.amazonian-fish.co.uk/images/fish_trap_on_edge_of_Amazon.jpg

:o I would like to see!
But, maybe Im wrong! Look at this site of wild caught discus!
http://www.amazon-exotic-import.de/Gallerie/Diskuswildf%E4nge/INDEX.htm

lcs
02-06-2003, 05:34 PM
:o :o :o :o

I :heart2: wilds :D!! They are amazing!!

Ron - you make a good point about being too picky about the decoration. Just please tell me you won't go over to the land of neon gravel and plastic plants! :-X :scared: ;)

I'm just hoping that if I choose plants that require the same conditions as the discus, they will stay alive and maybe even do well - especially at the high temps.! I've had good luck with planted tanks over the last few years, but combining them with discus will be a whole new thing for me!

Lisa

Ralph
02-06-2003, 05:56 PM
Yea Ron, it's a lot like the first pic, except my water is a little darker. It has white sand, driftwood, brown water, rummies, hatchets, and heckels. It's an aquired taste, I think. But now my original planted tank looks strange to me, and probably won't be in it's present state for long.

But I'm not selling the idea and would never try to talk someone out of having a planted tank. There is something almost primordial about a nicely planted tank with a group of discus gliding among the plants and wood. And if that situation doesn't exist in nature, then it probably should.

ChloroPhil
02-06-2003, 06:02 PM
Lake Tefe man..... There HAS to be someplace there where discus and plants live together. I can't see how it could be otherwise.

ronrca
02-06-2003, 08:04 PM
Thanks guys for correcting me! At least I can rest now, knowing that the amazon biotope is possible to do! I was under the impression that it is like really ugly! Whew! Ralph? Do you have pics of your tank?

Neon colors and plastic tanks? Over my dead tank...I mean body! :P

Ralph
02-06-2003, 09:33 PM
Phil, I'm still holding on to the hope that somewhere in the huge Amazon River Basin, there is a small clearwater lake (with discus) whose entire gravel bed is covered in various types of swords. milfoil, Java ferns, and sags (alright, the ferns might be a stretch). All the biotope interviews so far (including the upcoming on the Rio Nanay) say the same thing though - no aquatic plants. It is probably a combination of big changes in water level during the year, the acidity of the water (some areas equivalent to lemonade), the turbidity of the water (no light), and the ideal environment for nonaquatic plants (no need to evolve as an underwater plant). Realistically, the closest we will probably get to that is some emergent reeds or nonaquatic plants during inundation (I've heard that they keep their leaves).

Ron, I didn't say it wasn't ugly, I just said that I liked it. But don't go by me, I like algae! The fish are still adjusting so photos will be sometime next week. I forgot to mention, for ultimate realism, it has a bubbling plastic scuba diver.

ChloroPhil
02-06-2003, 09:53 PM
Ralph,

After reading the biotope information in Christal Kasselmann's book "Aquarium Plants" (which you MUST get BTW), it seems that Echinodorus have found their niche in the areas most affected by seasonal flooding. I think it would be highly likely to find Discus and Angels among the flooded trees and swords during high water periods when the fish are migrating and spawning.

If I can wrangle enough money up I'm planning a 240-300g seasonal pool biotope for some Oscars. I don't see why you couldn't just substitute them with Discus. The trick would be the actual planting. The riverbank pictures I've seen show bands of Echinodorus feet thick in most places. It'll be hard finding a tank with enough size to have a number of large swords along the back wall. If you were able to make it Open Top the leaves should grow emersed, freeing up a lot of room.

Ralph
02-06-2003, 10:38 PM
I really want to get that book, but the price! At some point, it will show up at a discount.

I had a paludium (is that the right spelling?) before I had discus. They still look strange to me (somehow they actually emphasize the tank itself) but I think it would make an interesting discus biotope. I was thinking maybe a wall of emergent reeds or swords along the back of the tank (like the vals in Ron's tank with the tree stump). And then put a tree stump (maybe also emerging!) in the front area. You would really see why young discus have those vertical stress bars.

Your oscar tank sounds amazing (my son keeps oscars), keep us updated, though it may be on the way to becoming another discus tank.

ChloroPhil
02-07-2003, 12:14 AM
It's going to be a while before I get that tank Ralph. Though, once I'm done with it I'll be very versatile. Most of the tanks I've got to get now are going towards housing plants for my business. *sigh* I'm just not going to have the $$$ to spend on a large tank like that for some time. I can still plan though! :)

Wahter
02-07-2003, 11:24 AM
The "Big Al's" store in Mississauga, Ontario (just outside Toronto) has a huge (looks like at least 400 gallons) open top tank with a sword plant that is about 4 feet tall. And they had some discus in the tank too. :)

BTW, we have the radican swords (e. cordifolius) (sp?) growing native in this area (North Carolina) - I've gone out to one of their natural habitats and collected some of them. They grow along the banks of the lake, with hairgrass and parrot's feather plants.

Maybe next time, I'll take some pictures and post them.

Ralph
02-07-2003, 11:41 AM
Here is the photo you posted before Walter:

http://forum.simplydiscus.com//attachments/christelkasselmann.jpg

Is that Christal in the photo?
I remembered it because it was so amazing.

Wahter
02-07-2003, 12:34 PM
Yes that is C. Kasselmann. There are a few pics of her on 'net (mostly in German). The sword plant at Big Al's is not that large though. ;)

Also getting back to my comments about the Amano planted tanks - he often (but not always) has java fern (microsorum - from Asia) and bolbitis - from Africa in his discus tanks:

http://forum.simplydiscus.com//index.php?board=7;action=display;threadid=3072

He even uses aponogeton (Madagascar lace) in the tank above. Definitely not plants true to discus' true biotope. Don't get me wrong though, I think Amano's tanks are excellent, but since the topic is "Amano Amazon biotope pics"...

lcs
02-07-2003, 02:22 PM
I'm really liking all these ideas! :D I'm thinking there must be a happy medium between a dark water tank with no growing plants and a bunch of asian plants with a bubbling clam :-X ::). (which I have hidden in a box somewhere!).

I think a tank with slightly darkened water (use peat?), driftwood to imitate tree stumps and verticle roots - maybe with java fern attached, and plants - large vals to continue the verticle theme and swords to provide a little brighter color. Maybe some smooth rocks of various sizes also. What do you think?

Ya gotta love an "aquatic" plant that grows to six feet out of the water! ;D Amazing.

Lisa

Ralph
02-07-2003, 03:24 PM
Are you interested in selling the clam, Lisa? I'm in the market for one.

That's one of the things I like about having show tanks, all the options. And no matter which way you go, there is probably not another tank anywhere just like yours. With all the different kinds of fish, plants, driftwood, along with the various arrangements, there is an infinity of possibilities. And the discus make every tank look good. And if you don't like the way one turned out or you get tired of it, you can redo it if you want.

Walter, there was an interesting thread on the Aquabotanic forum about what makes a biotope, I think it was in the biotope section (Phil could direct you better). It turns out that there is a lot more to the issue than I ever imagined. You may have read it already.
I went ahead and found it:

http://www.aquabotanic.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=2523

Wow, Phil, you redid the forum, it looks great.

ronrca
02-07-2003, 04:35 PM
You mean......Phil aka biotypical is the mod/operator of aquabotic!....... :o I didnt know that! That is cool! Im very impressed! VERY impressed! I have always envied that messageboard but am intimided by the knowledgable people. WOW! and now he's here, right here reading this post! :-[