even the long ones at the front (what the heck do you call those?)
He kind of hovers and oggles while I waggle ;D
Well the pale patch must have been a bacterial infection as with eSHa 2000 added it's now a third of the size it was...the patch not the fish.
Also had a peek in the shrimpery and the pygmy cory egg attached to the wall of the tank actually has something teeny wiggling around in it. It will be absolutely tiny if it does successfully hatch!
Marvellous - thanks @Paddyc :cheers:
random question: I have tetra active substrate. It's inert, small, brown - and very light. How will panda cories adapt to this? Sifting through it should be fine for them because it's so light (it's a wonder it sinks), but the particles aren't as small as fine gravel (didn't want fish choking on it!) and nowhere near as fine as sand. Google images of it - will panda cories be fine with this?If it isn't sharp to the touch, then it's less likely to wear the barbels down. Richard W posted recently about his views/findings that his cories never had problems with gravel - best have a look for that thread, just to be sure I haven't misquoted him. As for fish choking, generally, most people will reassure you that it's unlikely to happen butalthough I did have a couple of goldfish who were prone to swallowing the substrate and choking on it and I ended up opting for a barebottom tank ultimately.
Harlequins provided a gentle reminder that I'd completely forgotten to feed any chopped pea to the tank this week. A 1cm thread of poo coming from the vent of one of them was a subtle hint.
Oh that reminds me @fcmf, I fed my community a couple of chopped up peas the other day! They looked a bit puzzled at first, most probably due to the colour of it and because it was sinking much faster than the micropellets do... But everyone seemed to love the unexpected treat 8) 8)Great, @Paddyc :cheers:
Its quite funny because he kind of tilts on his side with his fins wide open and I swear the colours intensify for that period. Its a real "HEY LOOK AT ME I ALL MY GORGEOUSNESS" moment :)
Its quite funny because he kind of tilts on his side with his fins wide open and I swear the colours intensify for that period. Its a real "HEY LOOK AT ME I ALL MY GORGEOUSNESS" moment :)
The pygmy cory egg that looked ready to hatch appears to have done so and I think I saw a fry, there was something on a java fern leaf and I gave it a very gentle nudge with a skewer and it zipped off. There's only shrimp and pygmy cories in there so who knows ......
I don't hoover the floor in the shrimpery as I'm taking a leaf out of Richards book and I'm going to let the poop feed the plants, so there won't be an hoovering upsets.
my nitrite reading was still quite high (somewhere between 5 and 10ppm)
my Nitrite reading was still quite high (somewhere between 5 and 10ppm)
I'd call myself blessed if my nitrates were that low ::)
my Nitrite reading was still quite high (somewhere between 5 and 10ppm)
I'd call myself blessed if my nitrates were that low ::)
Ummmm.... ???
Hooray, photos. We're doing well on pictures today.
I have now realised that I am going mad as far as fish are concerned. I've previously admitted to talking to my fish, but I have just found myself saying "hello pandas" when looking at Apache's photos. Doh. :-[
I like the tanks and congratulations again on the eggs.
Any chance of a close up of the whiptail, whenever you have time? This is a bit like me asking Paddy for a picture of his bristlenose plec before I got one. Unfortunately I don't think I've got space for a whiptail, they are just something I like the look of, so just going to have to look at your fish instead of getting my own. Hope you don't mind. :)
DOH!!!! :))
I have now realised that I am going mad as far as fish are concerned. I've previously admitted to talking to my fish, but I have just found myself saying "hello pandas" when looking at Apache's photos. Doh. :-[
it is not newly hatched.
i have found a nursery tank but dad won't let me have another.
Do you have an air pump that you could attach a small airstone to?
This is why you really need a nursery tank.
getting final preparations ready for my french writing tomorrow. wish me luck!
Both shops have closed... One a long time ago, the other place in the last few months... So it's been a disappointing day :(Really bad luck, Paddy - I suppose the only "consolation" is you weren't tempted to part with £ that you don't have.
Both shops have closed... One a long time ago, the other place in the last few months... So it's been a disappointing day :(Really bad luck, Paddy - I suppose the only "consolation" is you weren't tempted to part with £ that you don't have.
Jeez how hard can it be to find a natural looking 1-3 mm gravel substrate that will be ok with my peppered cories!
Jeez how hard can it be to find a natural looking 1-3 mm gravel substrate that will be ok with my peppered cories!
Dunno but I think you're about to tell us all??? :raspberries
Son has just said he doesnt know how to upload to you tube :(
Son has just said he doesnt know how to upload to you tube :(
You need to have a login with YouTube (if you or your son has a Google/Gmail account the login details are the same). Once you login to youtube you can upload videos to your channel... It's fairly straightforward for the PC Literate :)
I think he just can't be arsed tbh ::) I'll nag him skinny until he does it!
I think he just can't be arsed tbh ::) I'll nag him skinny until he does it!
Make him sit on the naughty step. Isn't that what you're supposed to do with kids?
Disclaimer: We don't have kids so I don't have a clue what I'm talking about. ;D
Any chance that they are having a closing down sale?
The little fry coming out of the grass, that sounds utterly adorable.
Perhaps the answer is that the number of snails has hit the limit when you see the fish teaming up to push the snails out of the tank. Then what you do is buy a tank of dwarf puffers, or perhaps a single Amazon puffer, and you will never have enough snails ever again. ;DAll very well for those who live in hard water areas, though - Scotland's water is far too soft for puffers. :(
But now I see penguin tetras. So a South American tank with 15 to 20 of them, 10 cories and what? Something colourful to complement black and white. All that springs to mind is cardinal or neon tetras.....
The ten are now more like thirty plus!
That's why I am getting ONE Assassin Snail
Keep vacuuming the gravel to remove good for the snails and to Hoover up the really tiny ones. :isay:
Hmmm - why do I find that LFSs in the countryside round here have a tendency to be very lazy in terms of tank maintenance, labelling of fish, keeping (non-livestock) stock clean and dust-free? Unlikely to attract prospective fishkeepers into the hobby and hardly setting an example of how fish should be cared for.
>:(
You'd imagine the Aquarium vendor business is quite specialist so it's tough to turn a healthy profit... So you would make every effort to make a good impression?? At least that's the way I would absolutely treat it. At the very least for the health of the fish...One aspect of LFSs which I've noticed over many years of fishkeeping is that they actually don't seem to be in it for a profit - often, when I've gone in for advice about what item to buy or which medication to choose, far more often than not, I've been dissuaded out of buying a product or been given advice on how to do something more cheaply than I was planning. I do appreciate this very much, and it means I put great faith in them, but don't know any other type of shop besides LFSs which operates like this. I agree, though, that you'd think they ought to make a good impression and/or have the welfare of the fish as paramount - not least for its intrinsic satisfaction, pride of set-up, etc, if profit isn't a main motivator.
There is a p@h at a big shopping centre(merry hill) and a shop called two by two. both are a bit pricy. the other 3 in my area are cheap-ish but one nearest and on my round is the best. very knowledgeable. getting 2 julii corys tonight total 4!
I can always send you one if you get overwhelmed.Oh i need one. That might be useful. how many u got?
@Paddyc if I feel the population of MTS in the shrimpery is getting too large I chuck an assassin in there for a couple of weeks. I can always send you one if you get overwhelmed.
:cheers: glad you're ok DonnaDitto! :)
The tank will be fine for two weeks - I've often left mine that long.
The cats... either a cattery, or have you a neighbour who could pop in once a day and top up their crunchies?
Malaysia, eh? Sounds like a good hols.
The tank will be fine for two weeks - I've often left mine that long.
The cats... either a cattery, or have you a neighbour who could pop in once a day and top up their crunchies?
Malaysia, eh? Sounds like a good hols.
By cats i meant my CATFISH!
topping up the tank daily with cooler water might in any way help... :-\]@fcmf think that might encourage a bit of egg laying ;)
Do cory ever stop laying eggs?
you must be able to find somewhere for the tanks ;D
Males! Huh, do a bit of baby sitting and they think they own the world. ::) ;D:rotfl: yeah!
Glad to hear that the female is looking a bit better and he is leaving her alone if she acts a certain way.
The fry situations sounds quite complicated, best of luck with that. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you. :)
I draw the line at trying to breed with my best friend though :sick: and I'm sure that she would not be offended by that.
It happens to single females as they get older. :)
My carpentry, plumbing, general DIY and gardening skills are good enought to get me by under most circumstances
What are you doing, they asked, using Mummy's drill?
I hope that everything is ok with your tetra. Perhaps it's just a minor injury and will heal soon.Thanks, @Littlefish. It looked more like something was bursting through her side yesterday but more like a minor injury / damaged couple of scales today. I think it's all this synchronised swimming with the other female that's probably caused it. All seems well and happy in the tank, though - everyone is coloured up beautifully and I seem to have got the plant arrangements positioned and tilted spot-on correctly this week that's making for a healthy looking, lively yet peaceful tank.
All seems well and happy in the tank, though - everyone is coloured up beautifully and I seem to have got the plant arrangements positioned and tilted spot-on correctly this week that's making for a healthy looking, lively yet peaceful tank.
Snails poop like there is no tomorrow.I did think tropicals produce very little in comparison with goldfish whose entire wellbeing seemed to be concentrated around their pooing habits. However, the two massive female tetras have been reaching new echelons on the pooing side of things lately, not helped by the fact they're ingesting a lot of sand lately and so the resultant poo is strewn with grains of this. [Sorry - hope no-one is reading this while eating. :sick:]
I've got ramshorns and pond snails in a tank for feeding to the puffers and they can make an enormous amount of mess.
Lts hope he doesnt prove to be a Usainina :))
You'll have to wait for a bolt from the blue, Matt. ;):rotfl:
I generally crush the ones in the shrimpery if i spot them, the pygmy cories get all excited when they find one. The assassin is most welcome to them. I don't mind the snails I add myself but pest snails are plant eating menaces and I have as much sympathy for them as I do any snails I find in the garden.:yikes: - argh, that's enough... tell me no more! I inadvertently killed a snail outside the block of flats at the weekend, then spent the next half hour berating myself. Think that's probably enough proof for me that I'd not make a good keeper of dwarf puffer fish, aside from my water being too soft.
What are peoples thoughts on adding Malaysian Trumpet Snails to the outside world...??
What are peoples thoughts on adding Malaysian Trumpet Snails to the outside world...??
This (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-37165712), I'm afraid.
Oooooooooooooh, what an exciting day in Thinkfish Land, between Littlefish's updates and now this! Are they from the new LFS?
:fishy1:
Yey rams are my favourite ;D
Are these electric blues? They are more silver than I have seen previously but might just need some settling in time.
Have you managed to sex them at all? They look quite young.
I acclimatised the fish around cooking and eating dinnerHeart-stopping moment when I read that.:yikes: 'Fish', 'cooking' and 'dinner' should never feature in the one sentence, at least as far as I'm concerned. Calming down now. :rotfl:
Are referring to more tanks or more fish? Sometimes it's hard to tell @Littlefish :rotfl:Indeed! :rotfl:
@Paddyc I would recommend splitting the algea wafers into 2 as the rams will also go nuts for them (they're omnivorous and so need a bit in their diet). This will avoid any tank bottom arguments :cheers:
Maybe room for a few more fish.Music to everyone's ears. The developments in your tank are great. ;D
Take a jar with a screw top lid. Punch holes in the lid from the outside so the spikes this leaves point into the jar. The holes should be big enough for the snails to get through but small enough so the fish can't get in. Place the snails' favourite food inside the jar, place in the tank just before going to bed and next morning it will hopefully be full of snails that can find their way in but can't get out again thanks to those spikes.
your comment is the ingredient/content of a nightmare; I can't bear to read of this so will block my ears/eyes (nearest emoticon to this :raspberries).
A new baby pygmy cory? Congratulations. ;D :cheers:
A new baby pygmy cory? Congratulations. ;D :cheers:
Yup and thankee :cheers: It's the only survivor (might be more but until I see 2 together I'll stick to 1)
@Fiona has once again shown amazing generosity by sending me two assassin snails to help curb the population of my Malaysian Trumpet Snails.
Thanks for the vid @apache6467 I really enjoyed seeing the tank and fish.
The fella at the end looks awesome too. 8)
High five for mentioning the site as well. :fishy1:
:cheers:
Assassin's breed very slowly so you'll be unlikely to get over run with them.The Apostrophe Police C:-) are on the beat and issuing a word of caution, @Fiona . ;)
Assassin's breed very slowly so you'll be unlikely to get over run with them.The Apostrophe Police C:-) are on the beat and issuing a word of caution, @Fiona . ;)
Dropped my phone in the axolotl tank whilst trying to take pictures yesterday. :-[
It's dried out but only works for short periods of time, so not completely functional.
Possibly time to get a new phone, possibly a waterproof one.
This is the first time I've dropped a phone, so not too bothered, as long as I can download my photos (fingers crossed).
Dropped my phone in the axolotl tank whilst trying to take pictures yesterday. :-[Not sure that this will help and you may already have tried the suggestions but the following may be of use http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/mobile-phone/how-dry-out-iphone-fix-water-damaged-smartphone-watch-tracker-7-3515240/
It's dried out but only works for short periods of time, so not completely functional.
Possibly time to get a new phone, possibly a waterproof one.
This is the first time I've dropped a phone, so not too bothered, as long as I can download my photos (fingers crossed).
For your next phone the latest Samsung's and the Song Xperia are waterproof xI think Thinkfish has a "superfluous apostrophe" bug in its system. C:-)
For your next phone the latest Samsung's and the Song Xperia are waterproof xI think Thinkfish has a "superfluous apostrophe" bug in its system. C:-)
The phone autocorrect put it in there, I thought about removing it but decided to see if Colin or yourself would spot it and give me a caution :rotfl:
The phone autocorrect put it in there, I thought about removing it but decided to see if Colin or yourself would spot it and give me a caution :rotfl:
Not me, guv. I enjoy a bit of freestyle grammar! 8)
I had been debating what else I could put in the 180, at least this has solved that dilemma ;D The Boraras and shrimps fit in with the Asian theme but the south American cories don't.It can be good when the decision is taken out of your hands sometimes. As for the Asian and South American fish, I'm all "for" the promotion of good international relations, and my tetra and harlies are getting on very well - increasingly, I see them inter-shoaling (eg little harlies and little tetras playing together, while the two female tetras swim laps in synchronised fashion and the bachelor gang of harlies plot or create mischief elsewhere).
....and to hear that the male is displaying is pretty awesome, even though his tactics are less than subtle. :rotfl:
Whenever a gravid female approaches the cave of a male he will flutter and flare his fins at her, and attempt to get her to enter the cave. Sometimes he even employs physical force, nudging the female in the direction of the cave entrance.
I'm beginning to think that moving the fish from the 50 litre to the 180 litre wasn't a bad move. I have done a water change on the 180 this afternoon and the fish behaviour was quite interesting.This is quite fascinating - thanks for that insight. :cheers:
The hengel's rasboras clustered together in the corner as usual
The ricefish swam all over the tank, including dangerously near the siphon tube, as usual.
In the 50 litre, the cories and Boraras all hid in the hornwort tangle. Today they swam round the tank in their shoals (all Boraras as one shoal) and ignored what I was doing. Their behaviour was totally different in the big tank.
I keep reading that even 60 litres is small to fish, and I'm beginning to think they are right.
And the 100% sure male I got yesterday spent the entire water change displaying to a female, and pushing her into his cave with his body :o
@fcmf I'm not convinced that using that quote will get you very far with Mr fcmf if you think it will get you a 180L tank to replace your current tank, but it's worth a go. ;)@Littlefish: I do genuinely find it fascinating but - oops - you obviously saw the cogwheels in my head going 19-to-the-dozen and knew exactly what I was thinking as well.
I thought you said you couldn't keep many plants alive...
I know there are others on here that have heard sparkling gourami croak, but mine are in the living room and so I've never heard them, what with the other noises in the room. I don't believe it is a hugely loud sound nor is it especially distinctive from what Google can tell me. Sue's experiences are:QuoteI had them several years ago. I did hear them croaking - more a sort of football rattle sound. I could just about hear it from the other end of the room if it was quiet.
See more at: http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/forums/welcome-to-our-tropical-fish-forum-please-read/introduce-yourself!/msg21775/#msg21775
It was interesting, you could see the little larvae swimming (until eaten).Sounds very interesting indeed - although I couldn't have watched them being eaten.
At least one of the tetra looks a bit guilty, but the larvae wouldn't have survived anyway, so it's probably all for the best.
As for the plants, I think that the red/brown ones are probably a type of alternanthera. I'm not particularly good with plant names, I generally just buy ones that I think are pretty, then see how they get on in my tanks. I bought two large plants and split them between this tank and the dwarf puffer tank. They've grown well and sprouted lots of roots at the leaf nodes, so I've cut them and replanted the pieces. The new growth is reddish and the older leaves are green.
I also have nymphaea stellata in the tank. Grown from bulbs, they have long, thin stalks with a reddish/brown/green, arrow/heart shaped leaf that floats on the suface. These provide cover for the hatchets.
I will admit that the lush green growth you can see above the top tetra is actually part of the stick on backgroud, so can't take any credit for that. :)
As I enjoy gardening I appreciate worms, and at the begining I found myself apologising to the worms I was feeding to the axolotls, but I chose to have axolotls, so it has to be done.That's why I couldn't have dwarf puffers, aside from my water being too soft - I couldn't bring myself to feed them snails.
I also work in the science industry, so although could not work somewhere that tested on animals, I do understand the need for it with regards to pharmaceuticals & genetics (not so convinced with skin care products, shampoo or make up, etc.). I've also had to spend time at an abettoir to collect blood, which was quite traumatic the first few times, but again it was absolutely necessary to manufacture diagnostic test kits, so..........
Perhaps sometimes the circle of life is a bit wobbly, but it is encouraging to see that there are more and more people who care, work on animal welfare/breeding programs, etc.Absolutely - and if alternatives and more ethical approaches can be found to minimise unnecessary harm, so much the better ie benefits all.
Mummy fish, my orange platy that has spent some time in the quarantine tank, has been spot free since the tratment, and is much perkier than she has been, so I think she'll be heading back to the main tank today - hooray. :)Brilliant news. :)
Is this your gudgeons Sue?
I think I just heard croaking :yikes:
If I'm right it's a kind of rapid clicking/vibration for half a second or so kind of like a cricket...
Not exactly loud but reasonably loud for such a teeny tiny little thing
Truth be told,I dont actually knowif it is a 50L. the dimensions are 2ft by 1ft by 1ft. i just went on that most of my fish are bottom dwellersThat's the same dimensions as mine, so it will be - hope that's helpful. :)
Does anyone know what has happened to the Seriously Fish site?I've only ever once had an error message on that site, and I look at it at least several times per week. I've just tried it from Google Chrome and Internet Explorer and that's certainly a new message I've never seen before. This is indeed rather worrying about both the site and indeed its owner. Update: I see SF has a Facebook page https://en-gb.facebook.com/SeriouslyFish/ and it's possible to send a message to them which I'll do (although this is probably what the other guy has been doing too).
I just get a message to say that the domain has expired.
It's now 8:35 and since we have to wait in for a delivery I decided to turn my laptop on early and check for any Seriously Fish developments.
It's back, as though it's never been gone.
@Andy the minion it's not a widely known fact, but taking pictures of your tank and sharing them on a forum helps to encourage fry to feed. Amazing, isn't it. Bet you didn't know that.
In reality I'm a bit grumpy because I went to MA yesterday to find out when my large tanks are going to be delivered and was told it was going to be another few weeks, so admiring other people's tanks is what is keeping me going at the moment. Especially as I had deliveries from both Aqua Essentials and Aquarium Gardens with plants for the new tanks. :( ::) :-[
two pics of the babies, one taken tonight and the other four days ago, and then one of Mum? giving me the fish equivalent of 'the hairy eyeball'Wow, @Andy the minion - these are absolutely fantastic. You need to create a thread on the updates - the more detail on the daily progress, and the more pics, the better! :).
although I'm not a huge fan of young humans, the sight of baby fish, axolotls, or anything with a similar large eyes/tiny tail appearance is pretty much guaranteed to nearly bring a tear to my eye. :)Exactly the same albeit usually fish, rabbits or dogs. :)
After studying him for a couple of minutes I decided he must have passed away in the night but to be sure I got the magnifying glass to see him better. He decided that he wanted to know what was going on and his eye swivelled to look at me, he realised it was only me so swivelled his eye back again.My heart missed about 3 beats on reading this. Glad to read that he is still in the land of the living.
A bit like me when my husband decides it's time we got up and I want another 10 minutes sleep ;D:rotfl:
at least your husband wasn't contemplating scooping you out of bed with a net and flushing you
Gosh, there seems to be a lot of love in the dwarf puffer tank this evening. :oI heard it mentioned that there's a full moon tonight - perhaps that has something to do with it. ;)
<Imagines photocopier images of fishes tail fins and an underwater stationery cupboard > :rotfl:
@fcmf Oh but no, surely pull yourself together and ask if they would like you to dispose of it for them, but do it quick because it will take @Littlefish about 6 hours by car to get there :):rotfl: - think I'll have to invite her in for a cuppa when she arrives, the least I can do after beating her to it in getting my hands on that tank.
Littlefish don't forget to close the door behind you. Littlefish? You still there....
Theses things are either the luckiest invert alive or so tough that it will be them and the cockroaches that will be the only things left after Trump and Putin fall out and start pressing red buttons !Wow - 'robust' is more than an understatement to describe what they've gone through, and I think you're probably right in that they'll be here long after the rest of us! Hope the 3 wise Killifish arrive soon. :)
I'm now just waiting for three wise Killifish to arrive from the East.
So are you going to keep repeating that until Mt FCMF stops looking :yikes: and go from there? ;)That's the approach, yes, @Littlefish . :) I've already been casually commenting on others' new tanks and the size of them, in the hope of slowly adjusting him to the idea that getting new and larger fishtank is normal and that there'd be something completely out of the ordinary only to possess one fishtank. :)
sorry that this is old news, but a month ago, one of my whippies died (RIP). i now have 2 SAE's. Any guesse on the species?Sorry to read about this, @apache6467 . I've "cheated" and looked up Seriously Fish - are your new SAEs one of these two?
@fcmf What like "Littlefish has enough tanks to cover Wales"?Yes, comments such as it being the norm to have tanks in all rooms, or "Andy's main tank at 500 litres contains x/y/z, whereas his little tank at 200 litres..." with the hint that a 50-litre tank isn't really a tank at all...
My 50l is ok thanks!@fcmf What like "Littlefish has enough tanks to cover Wales"?" with the hint that a 50-litre tank isn't really a tank at all...
;D
My 50l is ok thanks!I love my 50-litre tank too but certainly wouldn't say no to at least another one or two or more...
seen the new pics?
https://goo.gl/photos/Q8PgaHQ9YGb2Mkwg7
There is a chap on another forum who never advises fishless cycling. His preferred method is to set the tank up with lots of fast growing and floating plants then get fish a few at a time. I'm beginning to think he could be right.I have a feeling @Richard W would also agree with this more 'natural' method of cycling.
But where a newcomer does say they have live plants, I now know that plants can make a big difference.I have a hunch that there may well be a difference between an established tank with plants and one just being set up with plants. For example, when I started converting from silk to live plants in the summer, something wasn't quite right and many plants didn't fare that well despite all allegedly being "easy to care for". After a few months, though, the situation changed and even those alleged to require "medium care" are doing fine despite me doing nothing differently ie just keeping them in the pots that they came in and not using any chemicals, root tabs, etc. I suspect that, if your situation had occurred in my tank in the summer (or at the point where I was 100% fully live plants), the outcome wouldn't have been as positive as if it were to occur now with plants having been established and surviving/thriving in the tank for several months.
The tetras are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder following their weekly water change. Hopefully the situation will calm down soon and they'll stop shaking, start swimming around and colour up.
They look fine ! and nice tank. Your PTSD thresholds must be quite low :DYes, actually PTSD probably isn't an accurate "diagnosis", as it only lasts the duration of the evening; even in fish years, that's not particularly long. They're always absolutely fine by the following morning and are usually chasing one another round the tank in a mating game. ;D
so the fish were probably just wondering what the funny woman was doingis probably a very apt term to describe me. :-[
The LED light systems (eg Fluval Sky) which would replace the current fluorescent tubes seem to be not far off ~£100. I'm currently balancing a table lamp on top of a vertical shoebox and shining that through a condensation tray to keep the plants alive, while I and Mr FCMF figure out what to do next.
Great news re the new harlequins settling in and being accepted so quickly by own and other species, @Paddyc. You'll have to update your signature now. :)
Shoal of 18 sounds great. Glad to hear that they are settling in and all getting on well.
Pics, @Paddyc , pics please.
The thing that caught my eye this evening was something tiny swimming in the tank which on closer looking was a 3mm fry with bright blue eyes - a rice fish.
Make that 4 rice fish fry.....
Is that your regular order at the Chinese takeaway Sue?Make that 4 rice fish fry.....
while waiting for the tank lights to be fixed
while waiting for the tank lights to be fixed
What did the problem turn out to be?
.... found that I am only a couple of miles away from a fish store that was voted the runner up in PFK UK best retailer 2016....:wave:
...... When they reach a reasonable size they'll be going to my MA to give me a bit of shop credit.....:wave:
We went to the garden centre this morning, and I didn't go into Maidenhead Aquatics :yikes:
I told my friend who looked at me like I was crazy, she said please don't tell me you talk to your fish! Yep! :)
I love my shrimp :)
My husband isn't allowed near the tank after he put the filter back in wrong after I'd cleaned it, I think he did it on purpose out of jealousy he reckons I give them more time than him ;D
The usual cause of rising pH is something in the tank made from calcium and/or magnesium carbonate slowly dissolving. This would affect GH and KH as well as pH.
Or, as it is a while since you tested, has the water company done something and you've gradually been adding water of a higer pH with every water change?
I would test the pH of your tap water - let some stand overnight too and test that as well. This will show if your tap water has changed which will eliminate/confirm the tap water as the source.
If the tap water proves to be a lot lower than the tank, be careful changing too much water at one go.
The cycling tank will be fine at high pH as the filter bacteria prefer it high.
@Paddyc Liquid fertilisers should be OK. It will be a carbonate issue so doing the ornaments should hopefully catch it.
Give Olaf a strong look in the eye to see if he's in any way guilty (if indeed he's still in the aquarium). ;D
*phew*
Glad you're sorted!
Mine don't even bother hiding when moulting. One left her old shell/exoskeleton/thingy on the side of the spider wood pretty much in the middle of the tank, in full view of everyone. It was fascinating because you could see the "door" on the back that she must have emerged from.
As I don't know your setup I'll add another possible cause which is low levels of carbon dioxide in the aquarium. This is usually caused by low circulation or aeration in the tank so when the NH3 converts to NH4 and releases an additional OH (hydroxide) atom it stays in the water column. If this is a possibility in your tank adding an air stone will sort it. The aquarium will produce more CO2 and the pH will gradually fall.
Anyone know what other gobys/stiphodons there are which can be kept at normal tropical temperatures without additional flow?
I wondered about Stiphodon atropurpureus/semoni
Stiphodon spp. inhabiting the fastest-flowing and/or living above waterfalls generally lack extended dorsal-fin rays/spines plus the first dorsal-fin is rounded in shape and approximately the same height as the second dorsal-fin.and
In contrast those possessing a ‘taller’ first dorsal-fin with one or more extended rays (characters usually if not always more apparent in males) tend to live in slower-moving streams and not climb waterfalls as part of their life cycle (Watson, 2008).
OMG @Matt Soylent green!!!!! Do you know what that's made of?
It's lovely to have the betta back in a tank next to the arm chair. We've fallen back into the old routine of him settling at the closest end of the tank when I sit down to watch tv.
Also nice to see the otos enjoying the air stone in the quarantine tank.
...seems to have some form of green tufty algae growing on his shell
...seems to have some form of green tufty algae growing on his shell
So does one of my nerites. Quite ironic for an algae eating snail ;D
I hope you get good results :)A level then Marine Biology....
What are your plans next? A levels, training course?
I hope you get good results :)A level then Marine Biology....
What are your plans next? A levels, training course?
One thing fishkeeping is good for!
You'll be able to start your own shop if they carry on like this ;D
Something I haven't warned you about nerites. If they fall on their backs, they can't always turn over and the fish can pick at their bodies. It is up to us to turn them over. I use a long stick so I don't have to submerge my arm to the shoulder.Thanks for this warning, @Sue - the first instance of this has just occurred. I took a peer in to the tank to say goodnight to the gang before lights off, when I found him beside the driftwood he'd been crawling up 5 minutes beforehand - on the substrate on his back and struggling to get himself the right way round. Thankfully, I managed to rescue him - 5 minutes later and I would never have noticed as it would have been darkness in the tank.
@fcmf how is your snail this morning?Found eventually, thanks - alive and sleeping on a piece of bamboo stick. :)
57
The (possibly) final total is 107 babies moved to another tank.
Nerite snails are extremely good at hiding.Yes - he re-appeared very briefly within the hour of me writing that he'd been missing for 79 hours but vanished again shortly thereafter.
I was cleaning the dwarf puffer tank, and to cut a long story short, I've set up a quarantine tank for the 3 baby dwarf puffers I rescued from the dirty water bucket. :o They are tiny, so I don't know if they will survive, but we'll see what happens.They sound adorable; what sort of size are they? Fingers crossed that they survive and that we get to see some pics.
We live and learn. :-\Hear, hear - and this applies so much to fishkeeping as I know only too well myself.
...I'm going to get rid of two tanks. :o
...I'm going to get rid of two tanks. :o
Something I never thought to hear you say :yikes:
But I do agree, our tastes and expectations change as we get more into the hobby, and early purchases can seem less attractive than they were at the beginning ;D
Fish called Wanda by any chance?"Begin Again". Nothing remotely to do with fish but my "fish tank radar" is constantly switched on and everything else about a film (eg characters, plot) is secondary. ;D
But I still need to cut the end off the glass trip to make it fit and I'm reluctant to buy a tool I'll probably never use again. Once the plumbers have finished, I'll ring my son.
And there is the other reason for water changes - plants need minerals, and the tank needs carbonate to keep the pH stable. These get used up and need to be replenished. Water changes are the simplest way of ding this.This is something I've never quite understood. If the carbonate/KH in tapwater is 2, yet the KH in a tank is 3 due to having Tufa/limestone rock in it, then surely each weekly water change slightly dilutes/reduces the KH? Is it that, if the weekly water change didn't take place, the tank water would naturally reduce from 3 to 2 and potentially even down to 1 as the carbonate would get used up?
Have you tried the fish on live/frozen food? Most fish will eat that when they won't eat anything else. i don't mean to feed bloodworm etc exclusively, just to see if he will eat some then you'll know he can eat.I would very much advocate buying the garlic-infused frozen food. My LFS advocated it (the brine shrimp in my case given the fish I have), plus some Microbe-Lift Herbtana, when my x-ray tetra was in poorly recently. I only bought the garlic-infused brine shrimp - but what a "hit" it has been among everyone from the outset and causes widespread excitement in a way no other food does. Even the two small harlies, who can be very fussy about what food to take if it's not the right size/shape/texture, and who generally ignore the standard frozen food in the tropical fish quartet or spit it out, zoom off at top speed to capture this and munch away happily on it.
I have heard of red rili shrimps. Are they what the shop means?I think so as they sold their last RCS and probably autocorrect corrected rilli but if they are almost like cherries (they are the same price) im going to get 10 so I can start with a healthy population
Thanks, folks - just wish I didn't completely freak out every time I see a plec/oto sucking on the body of a dead fish, otherwise a dwarf BN plec would have been ideal as they're otherwise very cute. Yes, it's looking as though my little 54-litre tank definitely needs an extension built onto it then...
Argh - feeling intensely broody for new fishArgh - I thought I had it bad yesterday but this is on another level today, not helped by the fact that I indulged/tortured myself further by managing a visit to the LFS. One option of a small shoaling fish puts me at risk of 100%/120% stocking (depending on whether I count my filtration system of 2 filters as oversized internal or just internal), another option means I'm going to have to address my fear of freaking out over BN plecs sucking on dead fish, another option of tempting cories again puts me at risk of overstocking if I go for 6 (although SF's recommendation is a bit loose re minimum numbers)...
@Sue is there any possibility of putting the tank in the lower left of your diagram. I'm thinking there would be less sunlight here, and your Betta would always be able to "see you coming" and so be less likely to get startled...That is exactly what I thought when I examined the layout of the kitchen and I think it would make a big difference, giving your betta "control" over who/what he sees and that there won't be any surprises. Hoping that might be feasible...
I've always fancied one of those kits... which one did you get?From Amazon, the "Signstek 5 in 1 Stainless Steel Aquarium Tank Tweezers Scissors Spatula Tool Set" - for a further 50p cheaper than it's currently being advertised at, so quite a good bargain. ;D
Sue, I have a suggestion...send your other half around here - he'll soon realise that are much worse things that could horrify him than just tank water going down the sink. :yikes: :sick: :rotfl:Fantastic idea - perhaps you could "casually on purpose" quote some examples of the horrific things people on the fish forum do such as my frequent mouthfuls of fish water during water changes and lots of other things; he then might realise that, by comparison, some b******* down the sink isn't that bad.
PS.Sue, I have a suggestion...send your other half around here - he'll soon realise that are much worse things that could horrify him than just tank water going down the sink. :yikes: :sick: :rotfl:Fantastic idea - perhaps you could "casually on purpose" quote some examples of the horrific things people on the fish forum do such as my frequent mouthfuls of fish water during water changes and lots of other things; he then might realise that, by comparison, some b******* down the sink isn't that bad.
Nerite snail is perched precariously on the end of an anubias leaf, with nowhere to go. He has an audience of 11 fish right beside him, watching as though they know what's likely to happen.
In my old 50 litre, the 2 nerites in there went through a spell of climbing through the cut outs in the back of the lid and crawling over the kitchen floor (vinyl not carpet). I stopped them by pushing some filter wool into the holes.I recall you mentioning that before so filter wool duly installed there as a precaution. ;D
so does that mean you have 10litres more water in the tank??... I can almost hear the till at the LFS... :rotfl:You read my mind! I've already been on the Community Creator, working out what of my previously possible additional fish might now be a possibility - still not sufficient space even for a shoal of a micro species. Having said that, the way the fish haven't yet got used to the new filter flow and the fact that the micro pellets scatter across the bottom of the tank uneaten, I did wonder whether another attempt at keeping pygmy cories (in my now much more mature tank and keeping them in larger numbers) and who might be able to eat such leftovers even although they do produce waste themselves might actually be less problematic than the uneaten food decomposing on the tank substrate...
What about cherry shrimp?I would love to have shrimp but (i) I wouldn't trust the remaining female tetra and the territorial male harlequin with them (I saw the latter eyeing up the snail the other day) and (ii) I couldn't handle shrimp in the same tank as fish given my heebie-jeebieness over dead fish and exponentially even more so over potentially finding a dead one some day with shrimp availing of the feeding opportunity. An invertebrate-only tank some day is probably about as far as I'll get to that but I can't see that / a second tank for that happening any time soon.
I use a wine siphon tube to clean between decor - this is like a siphon tube except that wide cylinder in the end is replaced with a narrow rigid tube which is much easier for getting between things.Useful tips on syphoning/siphoning - thanks, Sue. Re the wine siphon tube, is a "siphon tube tap" the rigid part that goes at the end and ought it to fit in the end of any siphon? If so, I might just order that part.
Hmm, I'm right handed and the nose is always on the left as well.
I think we might need a photo of that @fcmf :yikes:
When you change the water, do you pour the new water on or near the anubias?Yep, always - onto the top of the spare filter which is directly beside the anubias.
Hard not to fall under the spell of Corydoras once you have them... :)
And I've never had eggs with a single nerite. They need two to tango....The impression I get, from googling and reading of others' experiences, is that a single nerite female does still produce eggs, so perhaps Sue's been lucky in that respect? I also read about horned nerites being the worst - shame for you, TopCookie, as they're the ones that have the advantage of being small/lightweight enough to eat algae off plant leaves. Personally, much as I very much enjoy having a snail in my tank for the different behaviour and aesthetics, I wouldn't buy one purely for algae-eating as I find there doesn't seem to be any particular strategy in this regard - a patch of algae may be left untouched while he goes over and over a seemingly algae-free area and leaving footprint patterns behind.
Had a couple of hors of sun here this morning but now living in the dark like everyone else!
Just had a call from MA saying they have new stock in... they have a fire red agassizi pair which I'm going to try to nip in and see later. Busy weekend though so might not get to make it down there... :vcross:
Which Echinodorus is if fcmf...?It's an Echinodorus "fancy twist".
Are the photos too big? There is a size limit per photo, and a total size limit per post. If the photos are over 3000 KB, just resize them. If the photos are smaller than that but they total over 6000 KB, just split them into several posts.
I'm down to 14 tanks, including the empty ones.You're hilarious. :rotfl:
Looking forward to hearing LF's and Sue's imminent "new fish" news.
:fishy1:
She actually sounds like a real character... :)She most certainly is!
Thanks, both. I don't think this is ultimately going to end positively but an update is here:
I've killed duckweed in the past :o
it has left me wondering how I manage to get up and dress myself each morning, without the help of a responsible adult. ???Hmmm - I know that feeling only too well and, if I had the number of tanks you had, I'd almost certainly have done something like this long before now! ;D
It's a fine old plan!
My only concern would be going to an independent fish shop, miles away, and finding something incredible there, with no sensible way of getting it home!
Hmmm, come to think of it, that hospital was in Cambridge. Is not reading manuals a Cambridge problem ;D
One of my Rabbit snails did this fcmf... Stopped moving completely, but no smell... After a fairly lengthy period, I took him out and popped him in a holding bucket - did the same thing and popped an algae wafer in there for him on the off chance he might spring back to life etc, but no such luck... A further week passed and still nothing... At this point, I had a closer look and his operculum fell off, but still no smell... That sealed the deal and he was then disposed of.That does indeed sound exactly what's happening here. Actually, early this morning (96 hours after I thought he had probably died), I lifted him to about 1-2" from my nose - this time, there was a smell, similar but nowhere near as powerful as the smell of mussels which Mr FCMF eats occasionally and which cause the entire household to stink. Whether this is a normal smell from a living snail or not, I'm not sure. However, I'm going to get Mr FCMF to do this "sniff test" this evening. I did also touch what little bit of flesh / partial operculum there is but no reaction at all.
On another note, I've been to visit my newbies :fishy1: who go on sale tomorrow - quite excited now. ;D
...to remove any natural deposits which may have built up. These deposits are not harmful to healthThey do give some advice on the back of the card such as running the tap for 30 mins if the water turns orange black or brown (and to use that water for garden plants)
On another note, I've been to visit my newbies :fishy1: who go on sale tomorrow - quite excited now. ;D
Newbies?? Is there something you've not been telling us? Or have i just missed it....
I have just done a water change on both tanks with the help of my husband to carry the buckets. The only complaint was that the old water buckets were too full, and he'd rather carry more buckets with less water in each. He also had chance to water all his garden plants with tank water ;D
Thanks for that, guys. My shrimp aren't miracel workers, but they're hungry little guys. I've seen them zoom in and snatch food from the Corys before now...
On that note, there's something I've wondered occasionally - is tank water better for the garden, or are the quantities of nitrate (along with fish waste and uneaten food) in tank water not nearly substantial enough to offer any significant improvement over ordinary tap water?
I've been using tank water in my garden. I've got a long hose that I attach to the port on the FX external filters that makes emptying the larger tanks so much easier, and perfect for watering containers and raised beds. As for being better than tap water, I don't know, but the cucumbers I've been growing have done really well on nothing but tank water, and I use the cucumbers (with a few algae wafers stuck in them) to feed the river tank inhabitants, and the plecs in the other tanks. :)
Very occasionally, the fish all huddle up together. I thought perhaps one of the nerites was hang-gliding off a floating plant above. However, and linked with another current thread on the issue, I suspect they can smell / detect the sea bass that's being cooked for Mr FCMF's dinner. While cooking is underway in the kitchen, I'm attempting to settle the nerves (or whatever it is) of my gang in the fishtank in the living-room.
::)
Sorry to hear about your harlies @Matt
Not sure what to do with the 2 remaining harlequins now. They don't seem comfortable in such small numbers but I suspect they don't have long either... im torn between restocking them as i really like their different body shape and colouring etc. or keeping the number of species in the tank down and increasing numbers of existing fish...Very sorry to read the news about your harlequins, @Matt. :'(
I can't decide if I prefer ember tetras or chilli rasboras.Both are really lovely. A couple of thoughts based on my own recent experience and thoughts:
I'm not sure I get the kiddie in a sweet shop feeling when I go to a shop. I think I get more a sort of Maria in the Sound of Music, running in with arms outstretched, but instead of "the hills are alive...", I'm more "mine, all mine, I want them all", while twirling around. Good job it's just a feeling, and not an actual physical display. ;D:rotfl: This made me chuckle so much that I inhaled my morning coffee! Perhaps we could create "Thinkfish - the musical" and write some songs to illustrate fishkeepers' experiences of the hobby...
@Matt The main 'language' problems are with cichlids from different continents, but I can also see that there would be slight differences between cichlids from different parts of the same continent.
It is a definite problem mixing fish from Africa and America (assuming they liked the same type of water)
and I know that fish from the Rift Lakes should be kept only with cichlids from the same lake. But I have no idea how much of a problem it would be keeping fish from different rives in, say, south America. The usual reason for not keeping more than one species of S American cichlids is territorial - tanks tend to too small for 2 species. I will admit to having kept Bolivian rams and cockatoo cichlids in a 125 litre tank years ago, but your tank is double that :)
Always good to hear about a successful trip to an LFS. :cheers:Indeed - I thought I ought to pay another visit some time soon to check up on the welfare of my under-quarantine fish's "siblings", purely for research purposes of course, in case it might affect the duration of quarantine time required. Any excuse to have another look at what else is there, for future reference... ;D
I ought to pay another visit some time soonRecipe for fish broodiness and MTS symptoms striking yet again...
Did you find out how the others in the store are doing?There have been some fatalities, a few at a time dotted over the course of the past few weeks, but generally nothing unusual and no definite signs of illness that have required them to be taken off sale. The few that remain looked active and healthy. (Having said that, it was only later on when I re-examined each of my own fish in detail that I noticed the missing portions of tails in two of them, something I hadn't considered checking on those in store.)
I hope you have good news on Seb for us soon too Donna. I am quite hopeful given your recent posts.
Me too. He seems to be a bit stronger today.Also keeping fingers crossed for you and Seb.
Wow - this all sounds very exciting indeed; looking forward to seeing "before and after" type pics. I'll be embarrassed to post any pics of my own tank from now on, though, for fear that Matt recoils in horror (especially as I'm now about 60% silk, 40% real plants - thank goodness the fish quite like the extra coverage provided by the silk ones).
By the way how are your rasboras doing?The original harlequins in the main/established tank seem to (touchwood) be doing fine - so much so that I'm slightly getting cold feet about moving the new green ones across for fear of upsetting the equilibrium (but know I have to as the QT is too small for them).
So, lots of tank cleaning to do today, and lots of planning for future set ups. It's also time to give @Matt a shout and start giving him some idea of said plans. :)
In that case - look up dioramathanks Matt they look amazing'' I been following your blog and it looks as if Donna is doing a really good job.
aquascapes!
Sorry to hear that the day has been so awful, with a neon passing and having to euthanise the other one.Thankfully, the day is not quite so bad as that - the one I thought had passed away of its own accord, as it was lying motionless and semi-on-its-side and semi-upside-down, turned out not to be dead when I tried to lift it out with a net, so it's actually the same fish that was euthanised. Currently, there are still 5 of the neon greens, but for how much longer, I'm not sure.
You might be needing to drink some of that vodka yourself.Indeed - I might just do that! I also plan not to look into the fishtank again this evening, for fear of what else I might discover.
For me a torn fin is not an excuse for quaranteen... interested to get views on this.It's more the fact that the entire eye is cloudy now and protruding considerably, while the torn fin (caused presumably by the almost incessant male sparring with the blind-eyed tetra) was "the final straw". Years ago, my goldfish developed a white covering over his eye which started protruding towards the end, among other problems - my biggest regret still is not having used the Waterlife Myxazin which had been underneath the tank as I think it had developed into a secondary bacterial infection but didn't know enough back then. I was assuming the same might be happening in the case of the x-ray tetra. The tetras are behaving as though constitutionally well, though, so if best not to bother quarantining, happy with that - it may well be that, following treating the fish in quarantine, the cloudy eye would just recur immediately on the first spat with the blind-eyed tetra in which case it would be relatively pointless (as was the case back in ?May and the cloudy eye has been present ever since).
I have no idea why I thought they were south American ???I think it's very easy to see fish of similar size/stature as naturally compatible in a tank and consequently the fact that they're from different regions blurs into a less important characteristic - that's my theory on it, anyway. :)
I've mentioned the cloudy-eyed x-ray tetra before and specifically in posts #1500-1504 of this thread. Here is a quick video clip of the eye which has evolved from a basic cloudiness to a thick white covering: https:#//youtu.be/74g7hiMg2uo [remove # to watch clip]. He's still behaving and eating normally, tail is growing back in quickly albeit that particular bit is no longer red, and he's likely to re-injure it as he and one of the other two males (who seems to be blind/injured in one eye) seem to be constantly sparring. On that basis, are views still that there's no need to treat other than through water changes to keep water in optimum condition?
Pro Shrimp has a lot of snails for sale again. Guess what I'm about to do......
Order placed for 2 x Clithon sowerbyana and 1 x Vittina waigiensis :)
I hope they like their new tank too Donna :cheers:
If you plan on doing an update every week, why don't you set up thread for them - perhaps on the gallery board. That way we can read your updates together instead on them getting lost in the 'Daily News.
Your style is a bit different, but I don't dislike it. And it'll be nice to be able to easily find your updates if I miss one.
Or a male and a harem of 3 females with a harem type apisto ;)
Why did I keep old plastic plants that were falling apart,As someone who doesn't like throwing things out as I always think there may be, and indeed often is, a future use for them, I think plastic plants have a tendency to distintegrate and look awful when they've not actually been in the tank. When they're in the tank water, they're fine, but, after a period of being in box, they tend to dry out to such an extent that they look unsightly. Having said that, the ones which haven't disintegrated entirely in that time tend to resurrect themselves when put back in again.
There is something very adorable about watching tiny fish (eg neon green rasboras / MDK) chomping on a large brineshrimp or savouring a piece of bloodworm.
:fishy1:
The MA website still says Stokesley is re-opening end November, but I haven't been to investigate yet. Garden centres are so busy at this time of year, and in the small temporary building it would probably take me half an hour to reach the MA through the crowds ;DAccording to its Facebook page (https://en-gb.facebook.com/MAStokesley/), and an update yesterday, there is no livestock in just yet.
In that case it's a good thing we haven't braved the Christmas crush ;D I don't use Facebook, I just go by MA's website. Presumably they do have dry goods?Yes, according to a comment on that page. :D
I just showed this to Mrs Matt, a mathematician, who has informed me that the glass is in fact full its just half water and half air......although, strictly speaking, with it not being a straight up-and-down glass but getting wider towards the top, it's possibly more air than water. ;)
I just showed this to Mrs Matt, a mathematician, who has informed me that the glass is in fact full its just half water and half air...
I just showed this to Mrs Matt, a mathematician, who has informed me that the glass is in fact full its just half water and half air...
Matt's post was a reply to the "3 glasses" image in Littlefish's post on the previous page ;)
On a similar topic, I saw this and couldn't resist sharing it.
Great picture. They don't look 'damned' to me. 'Raring to go' is how I see them.
JPC
Hi Folks,
Took this piccie yesterday of a spawning pair of our eight-month old GBRs. This is our sixth pair of GBRs to spawn in the last week!
JPC
Awesome pic, and congratulations! I am hoping to get a few GBRs this weekend... I miss having them so much... can decide whether to get Bolivian Rams instead as they are a bit hardier though... what is your water hardness and nitrate levels?
I did something silly today. Then I measured out the food for the main tank - sinking pellets, flake and crushed algae wafers - into a small pot. And then emptied the pot into the betta's tank :yikes:These things always happen when in a rush too.
I have the sort of brain that remembers all sorts of tiny bits of info but forgets big things like turning the oven on to cook dinnerDitto!
Occasionally, they do occupy the foodpot together, which is generally a messy affair, with each covered in snailfood. Last week, both were lying upside down with their innards completely out - after numerous attempts to get them upright only for them to topple upside down, this only became achievable by emptying them onto the sand. I've no idea what caused/causes his, unless they had 'sucked' each others' insides to the extent that these couldn't be retracted. :oThe snails were treated to a new foodpot yesterday, made from bamboo. They both spent the duration of yesterday evening in it, enjoying a banquet and manoeuvring all over one another, cleaning one another's shells with fervour and twisting and turning repeatedly in the process, to ensure that nothing was left unconsumed (or should that be unconsummated?!). I thought this was innocent behaviour, including them getting stuck to one another by accident, but an online video suggests that this is nerite snail mating behaviour - can any nerite owners confirm for me if this is correct? I had understood that it was just a case of the male snail gliding over the female's deposited eggs, not the type of behaviour I've described! :-[
Hi Matt,
Wow! What a stunning fish. Never seen one before. Would you care to let us know where you got them from? MA? Looks like another fish to research and consider.
JPC
Hi Matt,
Wow! What a stunning fish. Never seen one before. Would you care to let us know where you got them from? MA? Looks like another fish to research and consider.
JPC
Yep just got them from my local MA in Preston. Seen them in a few MAs including the Wigan store too... thoh I can see you are in Berkshire... so that's not much use sorry!
It was my birthday recently and my kind mother has given me a 60L tank to get back into the hobby after 15 year break :fishy1:
:wave: I hope your cardinals are doing well! I’ve always been a fan of Tetras primarily due to their colours. It was my birthday recently and my kind mother has given me a 60L tank to get back into the hobby after 15 year break :fishy1:Thanks. Excellent that you're revitalising your hobby - looking forward to reading of your developments.
I know this isn't especially fishy news but I just fixed my dishwasher and have cancelled the repair man. Amazing what a bit of YouTube can do... and the fish siphon hose came in very hand too (now thoroughly cleaned of course). Very happy to have saved minimum £85!Well done, Matt. Sometimes I find I can get a bit impatient watching YouTube videos, and would rather read a list of instructions, but your example today definitely shows how it can be worth it!
Great, they are heavy root feeders so that should be a useful addition. Do also don't gravel vac too close to the roots for a bit so it can get established :cheers:I have a feeling this "keeping live plants" is going to be short-lived. These are meant to be kept in partial shade which I'm doing but already they look like they're heading towards liquified state...
The dose rate is 1 teaspoon per gallon (or 1 x 5 ml spoonful per 3.75 litres) of tank water. Leave the fish in for up to 30 minutes twice a day, but remove the fish immediately if it shows any signs of stress.Thanks @Sue
I have a new betta :) He's tiny, white with pink fins, and very energetic, making photos tricky. He also killed a shrimp today. I think I need to remove them to the relative safety of the main tank.
You don't feed anything like dried bloodworms straight from the pack do you? I know bettas have trouble with these as they soak up water inside the fish and swell up causing problems for the fish.
Daphnia (live or defrosted frozen) is another good 'treatment' for constipation.
Was it daphnia not bloodworm that's good for constipation?Bloodworm is/was advocated for relieving constipation in goldfish, which is possibly where you and I have that in mind. I don't think I'd heard of daphnia in my goldfish-keeping days. Checking out a 'bona fide' website, I see that both it and daphnia are now suggested for goldfish.
I've got a scraper for the glass, and I thought a stiff brush would deal with the wood, but no.
Spotty wood it is then. ;D
From recollection, there's also an issue with bloodworm being quite fattening and less nutritious than daphnia...