I took a crack at another wacky aquarium build in this week’s video! It was a lot of fun to build, and I actually really like how it turned out! As I said in the video, I do think the hideaways are a little “stark” right now, but I know that as they get covered in algae/moss and the tank matures, they’ll look so much better. What do you think and what else do you think I should house in here? Have a great weekend SerpaSquad!
I have a cool additional wacky tank idea for you...a neon reef style sea monkey or brine shrimp tank! I've been playing with the idea but I'm no good at making decorations like you are and I recently saw the crystal cave tetra tank and thought dang that'd be neat
I think that this could be a really great recurring series. Go to an aquarium supply store, buy the oddest looking decoration you can find, and make it into a unique and beautiful piece of art. The same way you've picked up strange containers to scape in.
Please do a before and after of all your aquariums to see how they have been growing. You always say “it’s gonna look better when it matures” but I always remain intrigued.
I love this. The design reminds me heavily of a Ghibli movie, Princess Mononoke. The forest creatures being the cichlid caves. Especially when all the plants grow. Well done!
The tank looks amazing!! (Not a fish but) I would love to see some colorful mini shrimp in there!! I’m sure they would fit well with the scape and use the hideouts a lot!
this turned out so well. i feel like those caves would work really well integrated into a foam background in a terrarium, i could imagine some dart frogs or small lizards climbing over and through them
This reminds me of shipwreck photos of amphorae and other clay vessels nestled into the ocean floor, claimed by the local inhabitants. I really love this!
I'm always a fan of keyhole cichlids, and they'd go Wild for those caves, and give a contrast to the bright colors of the rams and danios. Also I'm surprised and in awe at how good this looks with those wonky caves! Beautifully done
When the algae covers the caves that will be INCREDIBLE. I'm not a fan of those caves but when they are covered in algae and moss they will be transformed into comething ancient looking. Knocked it out of the park. Well done guys
I am normally not a fan of those artificial decorations in aquariums but you made this look like an amazing biotope. It's such a cool idea and the fish will be very happy with all the caves 😊 Some crabs, crayfish or small catfish would probably look awesome in there when they go into the caves.
I had my doubts BUT you slammed it out of the park. It looks fabulous. I wouldn't have thought to use the vines and I think that is what ties it all together. Great idea and another great tank.
This is inspiring! I've always wanted to use those odd little caves but could never visualize a way to make it work with a natural looking design, you've both done an amazing job of making it work and I'm definitely going to do something similar for my next betta tank, I have the perfect tall tank to pull it off just waiting to be used. I can absolutely see those little caves covered in moss as the texture will be perfect for the moss to grow on to. Once again, phenomenal job putting this one together lads, team work really does make the dream work!
I feel like khuli loaches and plecos are a good choice to add in this set up as they will love using the caves and look awesome as they go between them
I think the unnatural look for scapes can definitely work as long as the unnatural elements are minimalist. This lets them be far more cohesive when combining the pieces, and also places greater emphasis on the plants and fish. The elements you used here or on tanks like the crystal cave setup you did in the past are great examples; they aren't the over-designed and tacky aquarium decor that you can find in any fish store. This helps them still feel clean and designed even if they aren't something you'd find in the animals' natural habitat. Really liked this one!!
I really love this idea of video, to use a commonly seen aquarium decoration and enhancing it basically! Makes creating intricate aquariums like this seem a bit more accessible to people
Something I learned in floral design class was that using one flower of a particular color would draw your eyes to it. In this case, it's the red plant in the foreground. Since it's the only red plant, it stands out quite a lot and you subconsciously keep looking at it whether you want to or not. I think for this scape since it's not really supposed to be the focal point it'd be best visually to remove it or add more red plants to help it blend in. Otherwise, great scape! I really like how the roots made the "rock hole things" look like they actually belong there. You guys did an excellent job!
This is probably one of my favorite builds you've done. The color-changing lights look great and even without all of the plants grown in yet, this still looks amazing . Although, I would love to see an update video a few months from now with everything grown in. Thanks!
One of my favorite designs from you! The little caves remind me of those false sea walls built to restore tidepool and reef environments. It’ll be even better once it’s grown in and maybe add a few more fish to the mix!
This looks fantastic and will look even better when the algae fills in. Personally I think this setup looks ideal for some sort of eels that can twist in and out of all the caves or perhaps a bunch of kuhli loaches they will add some awesome colour to the set up
we just tore down a tank with those caves in it. it was about two years old, and the moss and algae had taken over the caves, it does indeed look quite cool!
I have a peacock budge on and he loves the caves…. Seeping all the caves for this set up would also be perfect for various species of loaches… amazing build can wait to see an update of this in the future
Cool idea! I like the colour changing light addition, it makes the caves pop, but IMO its missing SHRIMP crawling in and out of the caves! Either blue or red ones so they stand out against the caves.
If not rams, a pair of kribensis would look INCREDIBLE in a setup like this, hugely inspiring! Maybe some kind of loach for additional fish? Kuhli loaches weaving in and out of all the caves could be so cool!
You and Nate have such an amazing eye for scaping tanks! Took an unconventionally dimensioned tank and scaped it perfectly. Guaranteed to grow in very nicely as well.
My wife and I have been watching for a few years (She got into building terrariums as a stress-relief hobby during the pandemic) Your voice sounds different in this video. It's kind of cool when you can hear those small differences in youtubers as they and their channels age. It makes all the difference between youtube and TV. Some presenters are still just real people, and that's nice.
Absolutely beautiful like anything else you do. It’s definitely a form of art. Been watching your channel for years now and one of the reasons I still watch is because you are making feel good videos, no toxicity, drama or clickbait videos like so many other youtubers…..I make an effort to not watch videos like that because of my mental health, there is so much negative out there that is only designed to make drama and divide people.
The tip about the substrate bags just blew my mind. Wish I knew that, and the window film trick, before I put the hobby down! It would have saved me so much trouble...
I think this kind of design is perfect for a novice fishkeeper! Someone new to the hobby could see simple cichlid caves at the pet shop and be inspired to make a beautiful scape like this out of it
I love how it came out. I'd enjoy seeing a 3-month or 6-month update of it! I don't think "natural-looking" is always best. It's up to personal aesthetics. While you think the hideaways are ugly and unnatural, I really like how they look and how the natural elements contrast. It reminds me of how nature overtakes city ruins in movies and video games. You've used bricks before, but the white and grey stone reminds me of concrete, a much more urban/unnatural style.
I really love this scape! Most I've found on youtube are natural scapes, which is more than fine but I love the artistic quirkiness that I can find on rare occassion. I've finally dived into my own aquarium journey and I'm eager to begin building my own adventures!
I can confirm that those hides look amazing with java moss on them. They were one of my first decorations in my tank and eventually i grew to hate them. But after attaching some moss, they look great.
Serpa and MD videos released on a Saturday morning! Looks like it is good be a good day. Kuhli Loaches slithering in and out of the cave would be pretty cool!
I love the meticulous detail you go to in order to make something that looks natural, and which would have been created randomly in the wild over a long time. The cichlid hideaways have been repurposed in a way that makes them look like old river stones with holes worn into them by time or fossil shells or barnacles. And the fish really do complete this scape, the have that pop of color it needed. I'm behind and catching up, but always love your work!
Love it! My favorite part is always to see the fish in it. Your vision for a tank set up is always fun to watch come together. Even if it’s not “natural” elements it’s still intriguing and with the growth of the moss will look more natural. Maybe these are more contemporary fish that want a bougie home. Lol. All their friends will be talking about it. Thanks for sharing and as always God bless you!
I'm in awe of your talent. I tried so hard to make a 5g planted tank for my betta and it's surprisingly difficult. I could never keep my anubias alive (they always started turning transparent and then rotting away from their leaves), my java ferns turned dark, and I was consistently battling algae. I had the most luck with 1 hardy amazon sword, tiger lotus, and crypts. Without the crypts, my tank would've been so sad. Even my frogbit, which flourished originally, started turning yellow and rotting. It was absolutely depressing. In the end, after tons of research, modifications, money spent, and sadness, I reverted back to silk plants until my betta passed. Watching you make these builds looks so easy- it's blowing my mind. Not sure where I went wrong but I think I'll have ti live vicariously through you for a while :(
I know you prefer natural type designs but this one is incredible! Even with the caves exposed it looks amazing. It reminds me of an ancient civilization slowly being taken over by nature.
I've been wanting to do something new for my shrimp, so thank you for the inspiration! May honestly try these and do moss over them as potential new hides for their new setups so thank you!
For additional fish I would recommend 2-3 khuli loaches. While mostly nocturnal, I often see mine squiggling around the tank during the day and especially feeding time and they are unique and cute little fish.
Great Build! The partnership with Nate adds Value beyond just an extra pair of hands. I would like to give a suggestion. The last minutes of each video, could be a small update on the other projects. I believe that's something we all would appreciate a lot. The old fans, and the new ones (who would feel encouraged to search for the original video of a specific build they liked), and maybe even you will like showing us regular updates of the joys and struggles of each project. Beacuse thats what i like the most about this channel, that it's beyond the technical, you really connect with people in a humane way. Keep it up, Greetings from Cabo Verde, West Africa!
I actually love this set-up! The caves may be whacky, but how you use them makes them look pretty natural. To me, they look like oversized old shells with holes or some sort of other pods. Excited to see how it will look with moss!
I do'n't usually comment, but i had to. I love asthetic looks and this one looks like nature reclaimed some ancient work of art. Because the hideaways are so odd, all i can think about are weird sculptures in museums that have no actual purpose, but then you had nature take it back and it suddenly had a real purpose and they are beautiful.
Hi Tanner, I think a large group of kuhli loaches would add lots of life and interest to the caves. These goofy fellas love places to lounge and perch, and I think you'll see them exploring the space. Another option would be half a dozen scarlet or black tiger badises. They would be fun to watch defending and conquering cave territory.
Your use of snails is funny. I remember " back in the day ", nobody wanted Snails in their tank. I remember my Dad saying they multiplied to fast & clogged up the filters, or something like that. This was back in the early 60s. You always make the most interesting decor for your tanks. Love watching from start to finish. :~)
Usually I don't like these plastic caves. However, with the roots it looks amazing! More fish - maybe some type of loaches? Have to be the small ones, of course.
This is awesome!. Do you think maybe the next could be an all nepenthes pitcher plant vivarium or pauladarium?. I think the bushiness of the plants and the vines of the tendrils would look super natural, maybe even make a rain system to make it look even more natural!🔥🔥
