For some reason I just had an idea of trying to make a darwinstic type habitat/tank where it is like a circle of life. I want to have small fish have enough room to breed and hide but larger fish that will help control that population. Where the small fish eat plants and larger fish eat the smaller fish. I know that this is possible but with what size tank and what kind of fish. My idea also included a tank where i didn't need a filter and all I needed to supply was light, but I think I read somewhere that to do that, you need a 500,000 gal tank. But please leave you idea's and suggestions how I could make a striving habitat by only supplying a filter and light.
Darwin Type Tank/Habitat
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I think that if you have an unheated tank, densely planted and larger than 20 gallons, a dozen or so White Cloud Mountain Minnows Tanichthys albonubes will establish a self-sustaining population. You'll have to add some food and some light, and guide your ecosystem a bit.
A fish-eating predator though requires a very large population of prey and a very very large tank. Your top predators are the fish. Most of the food web you'd have to check out with a 20x loupe or a small microscope. kveeti (a member here) has a newfangled one-- not that expensive either-- that's directly connected to the computer, so you can view on your console!
A good balanced planted aquarium is a fairly complicated ecosystem. Look at www.micrographia.com and follow up the links!
A fish-eating predator though requires a very large population of prey and a very very large tank. Your top predators are the fish. Most of the food web you'd have to check out with a 20x loupe or a small microscope. kveeti (a member here) has a newfangled one-- not that expensive either-- that's directly connected to the computer, so you can view on your console!
A good balanced planted aquarium is a fairly complicated ecosystem. Look at www.micrographia.com and follow up the links!
Fulfilling your basic requirement of a predator controlled breeding population of fish would likely be most economical and feasable with some small catfish.
The catfish are effecient predators at the bottom of the tank, but your prey colony will be relatively safe near the top. Most cichlids, I believe, will be too effecient at hunting your prey population.
I think that a few raphael cats with guppies or minnows would be a nice set. The raphaels are small enough and slow enough swimmers that the tank needed would not be that large (perhaps 55g), but large enough that a good sized raphael can devour adult guppies or minnows.
Another good 55g setup might be three angels with minnows.
-Shay
The catfish are effecient predators at the bottom of the tank, but your prey colony will be relatively safe near the top. Most cichlids, I believe, will be too effecient at hunting your prey population.
I think that a few raphael cats with guppies or minnows would be a nice set. The raphaels are small enough and slow enough swimmers that the tank needed would not be that large (perhaps 55g), but large enough that a good sized raphael can devour adult guppies or minnows.
Another good 55g setup might be three angels with minnows.
-Shay
I was looking for that raphael fish aned couldn't find it, are there any other names for it that it goes by?
Platydoras Costatus
http://www.scotcat.com/factsheets/platydoras_costatus.htm
Many of these fish are shy, but I have one that is over 8" and will come to the top of the tank to feed. I have kept two in a tank and *never* seen them fight.
If you decide to purchase one, select the largest in the tank, as that fish will be a more aggressive eater who will not hide all day.
I would suggest feeding algae wafers in addition to the minnows.
-Shay
http://www.scotcat.com/factsheets/platydoras_costatus.htm
Many of these fish are shy, but I have one that is over 8" and will come to the top of the tank to feed. I have kept two in a tank and *never* seen them fight.
If you decide to purchase one, select the largest in the tank, as that fish will be a more aggressive eater who will not hide all day.
I would suggest feeding algae wafers in addition to the minnows.
-Shay
A while ago I thought about developing over time a self sustaining tank of live bearers. I would slowly add platies, guppies, and maybe swords, until a steady stream of babies would be born. I decided they wouldn't get enough nutrition from the babies and there wouldn't always be a steady supply, so I forgot about it, but if any one else thinks it would work let me knbow.