No, this is not a post about cichlids. However, keep reading if you keep plants with your cichlids.
While at the Bluegrass Bash in Lexington, KY last month, I wanted to check out local aquatic shops. One of those was Dustin’s Fishtanks, located in the town of Nicholasville, KY just outside Lexington. If you’re on Facebook, I am sure you have seen them pop up in your feed, especially if you ever search the web for live plants. They’re fantastic!
Though not open to the public, I stopped in and introduced myself. They were gracious enough to allow me in. Thank you, Whitney!
Their operation is really cool. There are numerous, raised ponds under the canopy of a very large, glass greenhouse. There were way too many species of plants to count, but they allowed me to walk around and take a couple of photos. Unsolicited, Dustin took a break (see photo at top) and gave me an “unofficial tour,” pointing out various ponds while explaining how they’re able to provide just the right amount of sunlight to some plants and limiting direct sun to others.
They were busy because it was one of their maintenance days, so I didn’t want to take up much of their time. Numerous staff were hard at work draining and cleaning ponds.
The Anubias pond shown above appears to have a grid inside it. It doesn’t. That’s a reflection of the greenhouse roof 25′ above. These were some of the thickest, greenest Anubias I have ever seen.
If you keep live plants or want to start keeping live plants, check out their website and give them a chance. They’ll help you select the right plant species for your tank and provide all of the necessary information for success. Visit their site and enter the promotional code IWANTMORE at checkout for a 10% discount.
Oh, and ask how Myrtle the turtle is doing!