Being a complete optimist, I'm giving altums another try.

Now, wild caught altums are a fairly big challenge, but I figure heck, I'm a grandmother, that means I can do anything

So today I came home with ten gorgeous little altums, thanks to one of our sponsors, Finland Aquarium in Melbourne.

I have a heavily planted tank, with lots of driftwood and a pH of 5.6. Eheim filter and DuBarry UV. They are sharing the tank with a hundred neons, who have been in quarantine for the last month. So far, so good. They are all eating well and behaving normally. I think having the neons in the tank has helped them to settle in.

Angels, and expecially altums, are pretty smart fish. They seem to know that if the smaller fish are out and happily eating, then all must be right with the world, and it's safe for them to come out and play. They're exploring the tank, pecking at the plants and fighting amongst themselves, just the way I would expect normal healthy little fish to behave.

They'll stay in this 250 lt tank for the next few months, till they get some size, and then they'll be transferred to the ten foot tank, with some wild discus for company.

I've learned a lot, since keeping the last colony of altums. Lesson number one being don't add any new fish to an established colony, even after careful quarantine. My two year old colony was wiped out when I introduced a new fish that was evidently carrying some kind of virus. Lost 22 large altums in a week and that's enough to make anybody cry.

After 12 months of being altum free, I've decided to take the plunge again, this time taking a few more precautions.

Fingers crossed.

I'll put up some photos tonight.