Biodiversity in planted tanks

[Limming]

In the process of researching salt water tanks I've come to really like the idea of lots of tiny organisms in a tank. I'm wondering how ever what kinds of biodiversity could be brought to fresh water tanks? My theory (totally theoretical) is that it would make for a more natural/healthier habitat for the fish we keep (assuming water parameters are close to their natural habitat) in the form of small live meals and other benefits. I want to hear what other more experience hobbyist think and any ideas for how to get that diversity.

Before anyone says this I know that most things saltwater are wild caught/collected but I still feel like a freshwater tank shouldn't be has sterile as they typically are.

[Gesp56]

There are small micro-organisms that can be raised in tanks. Daphnia, planaria, mosquito larvae(although the adults emerging from the water would be bothersome), copepods, limpets, seed shrimp, tubifex, nematodes(be sure if you ever get them that they're NOT of a parasitic variety, I have them in my tanks. My nematodes aren't parasitic and eat left over food in the substrate. If I clean the gravel they emerge and swim about the tank in a wavy 'S' pattern. Their great sources of food for my fish.), bryozoa, springtails, etc. Here's a good site for some of the "pests" that you may encounter in freshwater aquariums. http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...-your-aquarium

[talldutchie]

I've been running aquariums for some time now. In general I go for stocking densities lower than many other people.
Even then I've experienced that any small critters don't get the chance to establish a self sustaining population. Even small fish like my pygmy cories and my green neons will actively hunt anything small that moves.
Perhaps it's possible if you were to have a tank with strict vegetarians but the best I've been able to accomplish is snails and shrimp.

[Gesp56]

^^ I have to agree, unless the tank is THICKLY planted or maintained with small populations of fish you rarely see other micro-organisms. As I said I rarely see the nematodes in my tank but when they appear they're quickly eaten by my fish.

[Byron]

Agree with others. There are in fact many microscopic and larger organisms living in a freshwater tank that most aquarists don't even realize are there. The "sterile" FW aquarium is not as sterile as some might think, and if it was, the fish would not be all that healthy.

The more plants there are, the greater the micro-organisms. Many times I have had fish spawn and some of the fry survive and mature without my providing anything in the wsay of special foods or protection. They couldn't do this without all this natural food. You can encourage this with live plants, and dried leaves which produce infusoria.

Taking it further, a filter is not necessary if there are sufficient plants and the fish load is not beyond the capability of the system. I'm raising Farlowella vitatta fry in a 10g and not doing anything other than adding dry leaves weekly.

We tend to think that the more filters, the healthier the system, but this is just not the case. Provided things are balanced, nature will handle most of it.

Byron.

[~firefly~]

Interesting topic, and one I've not seen on here before.

I've got a few planaria and some limpets in my FW tanks. There's probably more goodies in there somewhere I just haven't noticed them.

I did have pond snails but I sorted those out with some reliable assassin snails as they were chomping all my plants.

[Spardas]

Simple enough, you set a refugium type area where these othere smaller inverts will have a chance of survival while still being part of the tank. Its a safe haven for these critters to really flourish and feed into the main tank like how marine set up would be. Especially if the main tank has too many predators to allow for proper growth and development.

[Limming]

Thanks guys I didn't know about most of the organisms mentioned. I think I'll set up a hang on back refugium of some sort and try to a population established.