# Update Pics Of The Vintage Ripariums/Tanks



## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

Sultan's Tank









Indus' Tank






Frost's Tank






Indus and Frost checking each other out


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

Hey! I remember these! They look great :-D.


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

Hi Matt. Thank you!


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## rickey (Jul 7, 2013)

MattsBettas said:


> Hey! I remember these! They look great :-D.


Your showing your age Matt.
Here some thing I got rope into by my wife some years ago.










I love the look Carcole, I'm a sucker for things with age and a story
R


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

Hi Rickey, thank you!
Yikes, that thing looks like a death chamber. How did that turn out? I love the floor though!:-D


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## peachii (Jan 6, 2013)

These are as beautiful as i remember AND you got an anubias stardust. So jealous, it's soooo pretty. One day, on my wish list.


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

Thanks so much. Do you mean the anubias sp white? I love it!!! I also have the anubias barteri var nana stardust. Mine is not showing too much white yet. The stardust is actually green with white veins.You can see it stuck in a very small piece of driftwood towards the front, near a larger stone.


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## peachii (Jan 6, 2013)

Yes the white one, it's beautiful. I didn't realize they were different actually. That white is so pretty.


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

Thank you. I wish they were cheaper. They are ridiculously expensive!:shock:


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## babystarz (Aug 3, 2012)

I _love_ your vintage tanks. I want one so badly! What are you using for substrate?


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

Hello and thank you. In the two side by side I am using fine white fw safe sand.I googled Estes white sand, and a company came up and I bought it from them. They sent something made by the same company and it is even better. The reason I say that is the estes sand would partially float for a few days. This instantly stays put on the bottom. I like it much better.
On the third one I am using Tahitian moon sand,which is actually a fine gravel.


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## meganlbetta (Nov 25, 2012)

I LOVE your tanks!!!! I could watch them all day!


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

Thank you!


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## PeetaTheBetta (Apr 6, 2013)

I love the design of the tanks! They are super pretty


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

Thank you so much! I have some new pics, a pair of new fish, and some new orange Rilli shrimp.


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

This is the tank that now has a pair of licorice gouramis and some Rilli shrimp

new..trying some downoi


one of the licorice gouramis..these guys are going to be super tough to get pics of..


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

Orange rilli shrimp


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

Sultan in his new tank


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)




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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

Too bad this wasn't clearer


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## Chesh (Feb 17, 2012)

Fantastic setups, gorgeous pics, amazing tanks, stock, and plants! I don't even know where to start!!! I'm so jealous right now ::ish green::

I was fascinated with the history behind aquariums before I even owned a tank, is that weird? Learned about them in Art History a million years ago. If I had the money and space to do so, I'd definitely start a collection of vintage/antique tanks. Some of those from the 30's are just amazing, and so are those from the Victorian era, like a pp pictured above. I can't imagine using a fire to heat my tank - that just wouldn't end well, but I can see me trying to do so. . . O.O . . . so probably a good thing I can't afford them! I'll stick to my lil' collection of retro fish food tins, and hand-me-down tanks >.< But thanks for letting me drool over yours! Do you know the history behind these vintage tanks? Very cool stuff. . .

I don't believe you have a white anubias!!! Gahhhhh - and licorice gourami! I'm just gonna stop now, there is way to much amazing and droolworthy stuff going on inside of those tanks - this comment will turn into THREE books before I'm done! Gorgeous, absolutely - thank you for sharing! Don't stop posting pictures - I NEED MORE!!! ^__^


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

LOL thanks so very much!!!


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## Chesh (Feb 17, 2012)

Pshhhh, not letting you get out of it that easily!!!

Tell me more about your experiences with keeping those lovely (and reclusive!) Licorice Gourami? _PLEASE?_ I'd be terrified to keep them, honestly - but perhaps with a few more years of experience under my belt. . . well, maybe. lol. Still want to hear about them, they're such pretty things!

I've read that the white Anubias need higher lighting, and are more difficult to maintain in a lower-light setup, what are your thoughts on their care? Who knows, mebbe one day. . . *dreams*

How's the Downoi growing for you? Such a gorgeous plant, I love those wavy leaves. . . 

Do you know when these pretty tanks of yours were made? How did they come to you? I'm sure I've missed threads in the past that have gone into this - feel free to point them out, I'll go read and save you the trouble of re-typing! >.<

Gorgeous, gorgeous, always leaves me grinning to see what you've got going on over there. . .


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

Hehe..sorry. Just been busy.
here are a couple more threads
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/planted-betta-tanks/something-old-something-new-2-5-a-200026/
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/planted-betta-tanks/metaframe-tank-arrived-185705/

These were made in the 50's and 60's. Not sure of the exact date of these particular ones, as they don't have dates. I got them from eBay. Had an issue with the five gallon when I first got it leaking. There were three ways to fix it. Luckily the easiest method worked and it has held.
The licorice gouramis are very sweet. One issue is trying to pair them properly. My first two got along well for quite awhile, but have now had a rift in their relationship as they avoid each other like the plague. The larger tank with them had four, but one came in not well and I lost him within a couple days after arrival. The other three are still doing well, though again they are not friends. One has made the change to breeding colors, and seems to be the most aggressive. It's not violent, they just give chase to each other, especially when there is food available. The gouramis are two different species. The biggest issue is feeding them. In my experience and everything I have read says they refuse all prepared food. Even frozen bloodworms and the like. If it's not moving, they won't eat it. Just as scarlet badis and some other fish I have kept like the Indostomus. Live cultures are the only way to feed.
My white anubias and I also have the other one{name escapes me} that gets white lines, are doing excellent and growing with 0 ferts other than fish waste. There are root tabs in the tanks for root feeders, but no ferts are added to the water column. They are both in a 2.5 gal tank under a daylight desk lamp. Crazy expensive!:shock:
The downoi is doing better now that I finally got it to stay put. It had little to no roots when I got the crown, so I had a bear of a time convincing it to not float to the surface..lol.
Thanks again!


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

I'm not sure if I'm more jealous of the tanks or the inhabitants. Either way, I'm green.


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## SurfinCrab (Aug 26, 2013)

Fantastic tanks. When I was a child we had a 10 gallon that had the chrome. Angel fish were fish of choice, big in the sixties and early seventies. I remember it sprung a leak. 
Your tanks are beautiful. A true plesure to look at. Keep posting pictures.


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## Chesh (Feb 17, 2012)

Thanks for the details and additional links! I hope your lil' goruami group settle back down for you - they seem like such fascinating creatures. . . Really glad to hear your plants are doing well - and the anubias in such a low-tech setup! This give me hope that maybe I'll be able to grow them one daym too! ^_^


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

Stopped by the only fw shop that I like in my area tonight and picked up three pots of corkscrew val and another downoi crown for this tank. Now it has a background plant. I had to move the shrimp out, as I was losing them one by one. They do better in the bigger of the three nanos.I also removed the riparium pot.
I will get new pics.


keepsmiling said:


>


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

Sultan is now in the tank on the right, and the tank on the left has all the shrimp, and three licorice gouramis. I added a cholla cave covered with cladophora{marimo}


keepsmiling said:


>


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## peachii (Jan 6, 2013)

Absolutely beautiful as always, still jealous over that anubias.


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

Thank you Peachii.
here is the one I put the vals & another downoi in


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## rsskylight04 (Nov 9, 2013)

*so charming*

Love the corkscrew val! Antique chrome frame tank takes me back.


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

I want to update this thread with new pics I will take today. I still have the two tanks that sit near each other. But yesterday I gave the one above away to a good home. I have a single betta in each tank, a couple nerite snails, and one unidentified rather large dark brown shrimp in the larger tank.


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## xStatic (Jun 11, 2013)

Awesome tanks! I use to have an aquarium like that and I kept a big ol' fat toad in it!

I never much liked the aquarium and had no idea that particular style was desirable. I have to say they do look much nicer when they are filled with water, plants, and pretty bettas.

I gave my tank (and toad) away for free on craigslist... wooops lol


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

Thank you for your reply. Yeah they go for quite a pretty penny now...crazy..


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

Here are some recent photos. I will get some new ones later today.





Rayfin




A few dark bad pics of Mantis





** I lost the first bettas posted due to aeronomas. Sterilize your nets, clean your hands, and be careful when working with multiple tanks not to cross contaminate!


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## Blue Fish (Jun 11, 2012)

I just read up on this particular pathogen, and was instantly curious because of the listing about fin rot...could a form of this be what the "graphite" disease is? 

I'm so sorry you lost your guys though!


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

Hi, I am not familiar with the term Graphite disease. I do know fin rot is common. Fin rot can be caused by anything from Mycobacterium, colomnaris, to just flat out poor tank conditions. There are so many diseases caused by fungal, bacterial, and parasites, and the like. I was just told the other day that a lot of fish coming into the U.S. carry the parasite Hexamita. This is a slow killer, as it gets in the gut and robs them of the nutrients from their food. Their fins will thin out and could 'rot' from this as well. Sometimes a fish has a particular pathogen, and the outward signs are a secondary bacterial infection. I think the biggest problem is everyone assumes the fish is healthy because it looks good. Another problem is many people have more than one betta, and they cross contaminate from one tank to the other as I mentioned. No one just treats them when they come in, like we do goldfish or catfish for example. Just because a fish looks good on the outside, don't always assume it is healthy on the inside. Parasites lie dormant and wait for that right moment. It might be someone misses a water change or two. Gets a little spike of ammonia or nitrates go up. This weakens the fish's immune system and boom...sick fish...


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## Blue Fish (Jun 11, 2012)

keepsmiling said:


> Hi, I am not familiar with the term Graphite disease. I do know fin rot is common. Fin rot can be caused by anything from Mycobacterium, colomnaris, to just flat out poor tank conditions. There are so many diseases caused by fungal, bacterial, and parasites, and the like. I was just told the other day that a lot of fish coming into the U.S. carry the parasite Hexamita. This is a slow killer, as it gets in the gut and robs them of the nutrients from their food. Their fins will thin out and could 'rot' from this as well. Sometimes a fish has a particular pathogen, and the outward signs are a secondary bacterial infection. I think the biggest problem is everyone assumes the fish is healthy because it looks good. Another problem is many people have more than one betta, and they cross contaminate from one tank to the other as I mentioned. No one just treats them when they come in, like we do goldfish or catfish for example. Just because a fish looks good on the outside, don't always assume it is healthy on the inside. Parasites lie dormant and wait for that right moment. It might be someone misses a water change or two. Gets a little spike of ammonia or nitrates go up. This weakens the fish's immune system and boom...sick fish...


Oh, Hex and I are very familiar foes, lol! I had two guys who came down with HITH, and in the process of reading up about the treatment the Hex information came up (on a cichlid forum actually, apparently this is common in that type of fish). Basically, what was detailed was that HITH is not actually a disease, it's a side effect of the parasitic nutrient robbing you mentioned that causes actual wearing of the structures in the head that causes the holes. Fortunately, my guys were able to get better through a course of praziquantel, removal of *all* carbon from the filters (because the carbon was absorbing even MORE of the nutrients, so even less available to the fish), and massive doses of vitamin c. It was a fight, but one that I seem to have won...at least for now.  Geoffrey is going on 3 years now, and it's been a year since his Hex. His tank mate, Chaucer, made it to two and a half or so before his death of presumably old age (he had no disease signs, he just sort of faded away), but he was a petstore rescue cup purchase who had such high ammonia his scales were sloughing off when he came home...so I figure having made it to two was a pretty good run for the little guy. 

The "graphite disease" is something that pops up every now and again on here in the disease section, and I believe the term is colloquial to this forum. It's a weird sort of horrible fin rot that strikes very, very quickly, and kills almost 100% of the time, even with some hefty treatments. For whatever reason, it hits blue bettas, and they're fine one day, then the next they're showing this weird silvery gray in a section of fins. Within a few days, from what I've seen on here, even with a variety of treatments, the fish is dead, the rot having spread mercilessly quickly up the fins and presumably into the body. 
There are debates on here that it's some sort of myco derivative, or some sort of really nasty fin-rot, almost like necrotizing fasciitis in people. To my mind the fasciitis makes more sense...but, again, that's just an opinion/gut feeling. The strange part is that it even hits people who are known for keeping *pristine* tanks...and fish who have lived in those tanks for months, even a year or more. There doesn't seem to be any correlation between keeping a beautifully clean and well-cared for tank and being spared from the disease. I'm sure a dirty or uncycled tank would definitely contribute to the likelihood of disease (this or any other), but it doesn't seem to be the cause the way normal fin-rot seems to be tied to dirty tanks. 

I've got a large sorority, and I can also attest to the changes in water condition bringing down a presumably healthy fish very, very quickly. The stress of living in the group combined with, as you mentioned, any sort of water quality blip...and someone is starting to clamp or hide until the issue is corrected. On one hand it's rough, because you're always just waiting for something to hit...but on the other side of the coin, it's immediately obvious that there's something not right even without seriously frequent water testing. They're good little barometers of water quality. I know what you're saying though about cross-contamination. Since all my guys come from petstores...I just always assume they're carrying just about everything under the sun and wash/QT accordingly. 



Oh, and this is completely random, but I love the goldfish in your avatar!  I love goldies...one of these days I'm going to get around to setting up a 100+g goldie tank (I figure if you're going to go big, go on ahead and go really big so that you can have room for a few, lol!)...but I haven't quite made it that far yet.


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