ficus in fish tank?

[bonscythe]

You mean feed with ferts.?
I assumed the people keeping fish would be using filters, wouldn't this remove the possibility of eutrophication and replace any loss of dissolved oxygen?
I don't keep fish but I know the people who do are usually quite strict with their filtering..
Good point raised though Rhiannon!
I'm the proud slave to two Pogona barbatas (Eastern Bearded Dragons) and I think they might enjoy having a shohin fig or two in with them for extra climbing material, might try it one day, only thing is possibility of parasites getting into the vivarium.
Cheers

[Rhiannon]

Yep, I mean ferts. I keep fish here, some cold water some tropical. I always make sure the filter's up to scratch but wasn't sure if that'd be enough. The only thing was, there were no filters in the aforementioned setup at the bonsai nursery. It didn't occur to me until later how it might affect the fish. Though they mightn't care since they were relatively cheap goldfish.
I've never experimented so I don't have any idea on the subject!


I'd kill for some bearded dragons, they're awesome! Unfortunately, no one in my house shares my love of reptiles so I have to wait til I move out for that. One day...

[Gerard]

Hi Luke,
If you wish to be innovative you could try bonsai techniques on a suitable aquatic species, I am not confident about your fig but don't give up on the idea.

Regards Gerard

[Bretts]

Interesting stuff Luke. I gather you are suggesting to have the tree underwater in a terrarium type environment. I am not sure what the Purple shape is in your mud map but I reckon you might even be able to get it to work if you had the bubbles going up into the environment hence continually replacing the air.
I'd say give it a go as long as it does not poison the fish. I might even try it with my Oscar but I reckon in no time I would find the tree sitting at the bottom of the tank

Oh I would love to get one of those root over driftwood aquatic plants but I am sure Oswald the Oscar would rip it up

[Mitchell]

wont work luke, you will sign a death warrant for the fig if you ubmerged it in water, to get the effect you want get a fighting fish cube, put that in the tank but keep the top above water level then sit the fig in the fighting fish cube no water in the cube = live tree, no cube and fug submerged = dead fig

Can you clarify submerged? At all or with the leaves under water? From the little experience I have, I have noted plants still growing well, with a permanant water level mid way up the trunk.

[Mitchell]

I wouldn't try and trim whilst it is in the tank, trim it, wait for the sap to dry then put it back. If you get too many droplets in the water it may do some harm.

Don't fertilise at all! That's the point, the plant gets nutrients from the tank.
People have been using figs since the earily 60's in tanks designed to self maintain.
Take a little piece of foam and strap it just above the nebari. All roots should be fully submerged....

Hang on a tick, i'll take a pic of one of my setups...

[Luke]

I don't know Craig, I have always thought that one of those turtle tanks, with the glass ledge would be cool. Have archer fish inthe bottom, and a tree growing above. Then put the odd cricket on the branch to give them something to shoot at!

hey jarrod, great ideas there man! ,many more flowing from..!! cheers!. : ) Iv never kept turtles myself, but lil bro has and we have a couple of (movable) turtle ledges laying around.... the ones with 2 suction capped rails and a foam platform that rises and falls with the water level. if that could be reinforced with a couple more suction caps and zip-ties... i could have some figs growing in my tank without worrying about tainted water or water logging of the tree... the catch 22 on that is, i dont want to lower the water level of the intended tank... if i had a saratoga or archer fish i would!, but grunters need the vertical space...
plus, personally!, its allot harder to keep a regular fish tank running half full!, let alone looking good!
(i may be able to squeeze a little shohin fig in though, ) >luke

How would you go about feeding the tree?
I saw at my local nursery this awesome bonsai water feature. There were several trees growing out of an artificial stalactite, and the water running down it into a large pot which was filled with water and had fish in it. I've kept it in mind to try myself one day. But I don't see how you'd be able to feed the trees without it getting in the water and potentially harming the fish?

Hey Rhiannon, i was just gunna count on the natural earth in the water.... the fish poo has to be good fert !!! and if i moved the bubbles to feed oxygen to the roots also.. ..
i will be sitting on this idea for some time! thanks for all the input...
Luke

[Luke]

Hi Luke,
If you wish to be innovative you could try bonsai techniques on a suitable aquatic species, I am not confident about your fig but don't give up on the idea.

Regards Gerard

Regards indeed! thanks mate! all my aqua plants have been butchered by my fish... now i cant help but wonder what ram i could have achieved if i protected them!.. thanks

[Luke]

Interesting stuff Luke. I gather you are suggesting to have the tree underwater in a terrarium type environment. I am not sure what the Purple shape is in your mud map but I reckon you might even be able to get it to work if you had the bubbles going up into the environment hence continually replacing the air.
I'd say give it a go as long as it does not poison the fish. I might even try it with my Oscar but I reckon in no time I would find the tree sitting at the bottom of the tank

Oh I would love to get one of those root over driftwood aquatic plants but I am sure Oswald the Oscar would rip it up

hey brett , yes the plan was to have the tree underwater, potted in sphag and wired secure to the drift wood branch in the tank! , protection by the center piece of a cut out 2L bottle wired down... the purple thing in my mud map is 'stick' growth light .... its all here but launch was stopped as new plans are pending. .
possible new plan is to attach the root system to pieces of poly foam wired together!. like a small stable island. lower the tank water so this fig has just eonugh room to spread growth laterally!, under the glass with the grow light beaming!!)!! my only concern then would be.... my fish eating the roots.... someone said, fish and bonsai are hobbies best kept separate! its looking that way!!!! ...unless... i ....

(Bretts, Mitchell!, and a few others).... thanks for ideas and advice!!!, more would be great
luke

[Greenhorn]

hey luke you should keep an eye out for any suitable rocks to do a root over rock style with a tall rock, so the top is still out of the water maybe