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55 Gallon Blackwater

Discussion in 'Freshwater Aquariums & Fish Photos' started by LemonDiscus, Mar 6, 2009.

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  1. LemonDiscus

    LemonDiscus Thread Starter Active Member

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    Re: 55 Gallon Planted Altum Tank

    After I add the driftwood (tonight or tomorrow) I will post a new picture.... I have been hunting for stores selling Altums.... nobody can even order them right now.... I found at Azalea Aquariums what look like Altums... He bought Altums from the distributor and they later called and said they are Scalare Angels....

    I have been looking at Angels online and they look like Altums other than the heads..... I am so confused... I respect Keith's knowledge to a degree and dont think he would sell a fish as something its not.... but here are 2 pics comparing the Altums to the Scalare...

    Altum:
    [​IMG]

    Scalare:
    [​IMG]

    They have the Altum pattern but the Scalare shape... (note the mouth)
     
    LemonDiscus, Mar 13, 2009
    #21
  2. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    Re: 55 Gallon Planted Altum Tank

    The Altum's are really pretty. Are the ones at the store colored like the Altum picture you posted ?
     
    Anthony, Mar 13, 2009
    #22
  3. LemonDiscus

    LemonDiscus Thread Starter Active Member

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    Re: 55 Gallon Planted Altum Tank

    Yes.... but the mouths are different.... they are not notched up like the Altums.... That is what confuses me... He is selling the $30 a piece.... I am seriously considering it because it is that pattern I like...
     
    LemonDiscus, Mar 13, 2009
    #23
  4. Leslie

    Leslie New Member

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    Re: 55 Gallon Planted Altum Tank

    i cant tell a difference.
     
    Leslie, Mar 13, 2009
    #24
  5. LemonDiscus

    LemonDiscus Thread Starter Active Member

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    Re: 55 Gallon Planted Altum Tank

    Look at the stripes.... also at the mouths

    The Altums have cinnamon colored bars that are thick and the Scalares have thin black stripes... The stripes on Scalares are more like stress bars that they can change the color of them depending on their moods.... Altums that is the scale colors and they really cannot change them but so much... That is their pattern all the time.

    If you have ever observed Discus you would understand the "Stress Bars"... if not it is hard to explain... The stripes tell the mood of the fish once you learn them...

    Also the mouth hooks up on Altums and points forward on Scalares...
     
    LemonDiscus, Mar 13, 2009
    #25
  6. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Active Member

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    Re: 55 Gallon Planted Altum Tank

    To me the top ones look like they have a dramatic stripe through and through the eye. Very Very Nice fish! Also they appear to have more striping to the body overall.
    At least that's what jumped out at me as far as differences.
     
    MOD_Dawn, Mar 14, 2009
    #26
  7. Guidoman888

    Guidoman888 New Member

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    Re: 55 Gallon Planted Altum Tank

    I've only seen Altums once and I still really love them :)
     
    Guidoman888, Mar 14, 2009
    #27
  8. LemonDiscus

    LemonDiscus Thread Starter Active Member

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    Re: 55 Gallon Planted Altum Tank

    Yes you are correct! They also have a really nice reddish hue to them.

    Here is s quick explanation of "stress bars". I can take a photo of 1 of my Angels, for simplicity sake I will say the male.... If I were to take photos in different times of the day over a few days... other than the same shape of the fish will be kept it really wont look like the same fish by the black bars.

    There are times he has the black striping and there times that he is plain silver.... Like Discus these Angels can darken themselves to hide from predators.

    Altum Angels, though I have not observed them over a long period keep their coloration and will NOT go silver..... Their black is not pigments that move through the fish, rather they are the TRUE colors of the scales....

    Again it is hard to explain :confused:
     
    LemonDiscus, Mar 14, 2009
    #28
  9. Guidoman888

    Guidoman888 New Member

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    Re: 55 Gallon Planted Altum Tank

    I noticed my silver having more black during night when the lights are out.
     
    Guidoman888, Mar 14, 2009
    #29
  10. LemonDiscus

    LemonDiscus Thread Starter Active Member

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    Re: 55 Gallon Planted Altum Tank

    Thats what I mean... mine also change at lights on and out, feeding, breeding, territory defense.... if they are sick...
     
    LemonDiscus, Mar 14, 2009
    #30
  11. Guidoman888

    Guidoman888 New Member

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    Re: 55 Gallon Planted Altum Tank

    At feeding time he changes too, the rest I dont know yet :)
     
    Guidoman888, Mar 14, 2009
    #31
  12. LemonDiscus

    LemonDiscus Thread Starter Active Member

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    Re: 55 Gallon Planted Altum Tank

    The Altums from what I have seen dont loose their black stripes like that....
     
    LemonDiscus, Mar 14, 2009
    #32
  13. LemonDiscus

    LemonDiscus Thread Starter Active Member

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    Re: 55 Gallon Planted Altum Tank

    Ok... today I have been looking like crazy outside of Richmond for these Altums... I contacted Animal Jungle in VA Beach and he is going to research for me if he can get them! I am so anxious to find out as they have GREAT prices on their fish!
     
    LemonDiscus, Mar 14, 2009
    #33
  14. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    Re: 55 Gallon Planted Altum Tank

    How far is that from you, about an hour ?
     
    Anthony, Mar 14, 2009
    #34
  15. LemonDiscus

    LemonDiscus Thread Starter Active Member

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    Re: 55 Gallon Planted Altum Tank

    about 2 hours :confused:
     
    LemonDiscus, Mar 14, 2009
    #35
  16. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    Re: 55 Gallon Planted Altum Tank

    Eh. :confused:
     
    Anthony, Mar 14, 2009
    #36
  17. LemonDiscus

    LemonDiscus Thread Starter Active Member

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    Re: 55 Gallon Planted Altum Tank

    Yup... its actually a bit over an hour and a half to be exact... but if traffic is bad can take me every bit of the 2 hours
     
    LemonDiscus, Mar 14, 2009
    #37
  18. LemonDiscus

    LemonDiscus Thread Starter Active Member

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    Re: 55 Gallon Planted Altum Tank

    I also tried adding the driftwood and the 2 larger pieces would not stay down even with 5 big rocks.... I might try 1 of them again but I dont know how well it will work... :confused:

    I have to look for some more rocks I guess..... That 1 big piece will actually be the only one needed it goes from one end of the tank to the other and is as tall as the tank too!

    That 1 piece stirred up my sand again murking up my water again... I am not to happy about that as it just went clear today before I added it!
     
    LemonDiscus, Mar 14, 2009
    #38
  19. LemonDiscus

    LemonDiscus Thread Starter Active Member

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    Re: 55 Gallon Planted Altum Tank

    Well the driftwood is in and I will take a pic in a few days when the tank clears up again... :confused:

    I have like 7 rocks and a brick holding it down...
     
    LemonDiscus, Mar 14, 2009
    #39
  20. Guidoman888

    Guidoman888 New Member

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    Re: 55 Gallon Planted Altum Tank

    Wow .. Hard piece of driftwood =/
     
    Guidoman888, Mar 14, 2009
    #40
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