Author Topic: Tank mates for Barquentine (Read 21038 times) 41 replies

Sue · « **Reply #20 on:** February 11, 2015, 03:22:36 PM »

No, cories don't need wood.

And sterbais are just about the only cory species that can cope with higher temps - bettas need a tad warmer than 25 deg C.

Diz1 · « **Reply #21 on:** February 11, 2015, 03:25:59 PM »

That's why I went for Sterbais. The LFS had them at 24 degrees, so my tank is at that temp now and I'll gradually increase the temperature to 26 degrees over the coming few days. What about diet, as per my earlier post. Will my suggestions be OK?
Thanks

Sue · « **Reply #22 on:** February 11, 2015, 03:41:43 PM »

Missed that bit

Cories like a food which sinks as they feed off the bottom. Cories are not vegetarians, rather omnivores and they do need a meat-based pellet. Live (or frozen live) foods that manage to avoid being eaten on the way down, bettas being such pigs

are fine. They might nibble at courgette/cucumber but veggies shouldn't be their main diet.
If the sterbais are young at the moment, make sure any food is small enough for them.

Diz1 · « **Reply #23 on:** February 11, 2015, 04:06:15 PM »

Thanks Sue,
I've also got Tetra Prima, which says it's for mid-water and bottom feeding fish. First ingredient is fish and fish derivatives and it describes the food as slow-sinking granules. Would this be Ok?
Also, how do you manage to feed cories in tanks with Bettas? I thought that the best way might be to feed Barquentine his pellets in the morning as usual, then feed the cories at night when the lights go out?

Sue · « **Reply #24 on:** February 11, 2015, 04:24:14 PM »

That is one way to do it. Another way is to soak the sinking pellets till they sink, then use something like a turkey baster to put them where the cories hang out.

And that food is fine, lots of animal protein (fish) for the cories.

Diz1 · « **Reply #25 on:** February 11, 2015, 04:27:26 PM »

Great. Thanks again Sue!

Diz1 · « **Reply #26 on:** March 06, 2015, 04:41:20 PM »

Just a quick update on how this is going.

I finally screwed up enough courage to try Barquentine in with the cories – it was not a happy experience!
he didn't go into all-out slaughter mode, but he did keep going to investigate and I saw him having a sly nip or two. About half an hour of this was more than my nerves could stand, so I took the cories out and they're now in my main tank.

That's left Barquentine in splendid isolation in the Aqua Nano 40 and there's he's going to stay! I'm not chancing any of that again!
On the bright side, I think my cories are much happier. I don't think the Aqua Nano was big enough, despite what Seriously Fish says. They seem to have settled very well in the main tank, so I'm pleased with that.

That leaves Barquentine's old tank (clearseal 60x12x12) free and, in my humble opinion, it's crying out for some shrimp!!

Haven't said any of this to my husband, but will just quietly go about my business and set it up. I do have another tank in the loft that can be a QT if necessary, but I'm also keeping quiet about that. My strategy is, as I think you suggested Sue, that if challenged, then the shrimp are in quarantine for – ooh about 6 weeks – after which they will (not) go in the main tank.

Very excited about this, but I really think it's the last sneaky addition I can get away with!

SteveS · « **Reply #27 on:** March 07, 2015, 12:27:00 PM »

Quote from: Diz1 on March 06, 2015, 04:41:20 PM

... but I really think it's the last sneaky addition I can get away with!

I don't understand, you have a loft don't you!?

Fiona · « **Reply #28 on:** March 07, 2015, 01:39:35 PM »

My betta tolerates endlers but doesn't like the nerite snails very much, he's always flaring at them, thats Frank the plank for you

Diz1 · « **Reply #29 on:** March 07, 2015, 03:26:51 PM »

SteveS, ooh I do have a loft! Are you suggesting that I could sneak some more fish tanks up there?
Fiona, Barquentine doesn't mind the nerite snail at all, it's just the worry of the cory getting chomped to bits over time that I couldn't cope with. Ah well, at least i tried!

Fiona · « **Reply #30 on:** March 09, 2015, 03:21:33 PM »

I've just bought Frank a 25 litre tank and with a bit of furniture juggling it's now in my bedroom waiting to be set up which means I now have a 55l tank to play with and I'm thinking shrimps too

Diz1 · « **Reply #31 on:** March 09, 2015, 03:54:17 PM »

Ooh, Fiona, we can all have a little shrimp thread on the forum to keep up to date with our shrimpy goings on! Did you read Sue's threads? very informative, as ever!

Fiona · « **Reply #32 on:** March 10, 2015, 01:59:02 PM »

Heheheheh yeah a shrimpy thread would be fun and yes indeedy I did read Sue's thread

Diz1 · « **Reply #33 on:** March 10, 2015, 03:40:16 PM »

Well, my local shrimp/fish breeder guy came today and delivered 20 shrimp (all he could catch) for the princely sum of £8!
They're red cherry shrimp of varying sizes. I've put them into Barquentine's old tank, which is already cycled, and they're zipping about and making themselves quite at home. I've got some big females, but none that look like they're carrying eggs. Hopefully that will come soon.
I've got a wee piece of mineral block in there with them because my water is very soft, so that should help them to moult.
I'm going to see how these go and maybe add some crystal red shrimp at a later date.

In my main tank all the fish are doing very well. I bought an extra internal filter to put in there, but it was too powerful (Allpond Solutions 800lF); it looked like a hurricane was going on in the tank – the poor fish and plants were being blasted all over the place! I quickly took it out and replaced it with a smaller 200l/hour filter. Not as much extra filtration, but hopefully it will help a bit and provide some spare mature media when needed.

Sue · « **Reply #34 on:** March 10, 2015, 03:47:53 PM »

Two things to look for in female shrimp.
A saddle shaped paler colour on their back is the ovaries filling with eggs - it's called saddling.
They carry their eggs under the abdomen - called being berried as the eggs look like a bunch of berries.

When a female is about to moult and release eggs from the ovary, she releases a pheromone to alert the males. They swim frantically around the tank looking for her. If you see this, don't panic!

And don't forget that shrimps moult. You'll find empty skins looking for all the world like a hollow shrimp. Don't panic till you've checked if there is any thing inside

Diz1 · « **Reply #35 on:** March 10, 2015, 04:02:51 PM »

Thanks Sue,
I've already found one empty white shell. It must have come in with the original water they were in ( I just emptied it all into the tank because I know the breeder has virtually the same water as me). There definately wasn't a shrimp inside, is I've just left it in the tank, which I think is what I'm meant to do?
All the females seem to have this saddle you describe, so hopefully I'll see some action soon!

Sue · « **Reply #36 on:** March 10, 2015, 04:05:40 PM »

I leave the empty skins in the tank and if there's any left it gets hoovered up at the next water change. Shrimps often eat the shed skin, I think it is supposed to be good for them.

If your females have saddles, the next thing to watch for is the males trying to find one!

Diz1 · « **Reply #37 on:** March 10, 2015, 04:12:56 PM »

Thanks Sue,
This is all quite exciting. Not sure I'll get much work done in the next day or two though -- I'll be too busy watching my shrimp!

fishcake76 · « **Reply #38 on:** March 10, 2015, 08:58:22 PM »

They are incredibly addictive to watch. i can sit for ages and watch mine.

I've found two empty skins now and my little pale yellow shrimp has grown and is colouring up nicely. I'm not 100% certain but I think one of my females has eggs. I'll keep an eye on her.

Diz you did amazingly well getting your shrimps for £8. Add another £60 and you've got what I paid for 11!!!!!!!!

Anyway, lessons being learned all the time!!! I don't think I could have done it a lot cheaper bearing in mind that I bought on line to be honest.

I think a separate shrimp thread would be good!!! I'm happy for everyone to use my shrimp tank setup one tho!!m

FC76

Diz1 · « **Reply #39 on:** March 10, 2015, 10:46:17 PM »

Thanks Fishcake,
I know, I did get a great deal on the shrimp. There's no actual fish club in Aberdeen, which is quite near to where I live, but there's a great Facebook group where people give advice and buy and sell stock and equipment. It's good because everyone has the same kind of water as well, so it reduces the worry about fish having to adapt to water that's very different to what they're used to.
When I get my crystal red shrimp though, I will have to buy online because there's no- one round here breeding them, so I'll probably be spending as much as you did!
I'm surprised at how interesting these shrimp are. When I first thought about keeping fish, I read a lot of posts online from people who, mistakenly, bought such tiny tanks that they weren't suitable for anything but shrimp. I used to feel a bit sorry for them when the expert advice was that shrimp were all that could be kept in such small aquariums. Now, although I couldn't do without my big community tank, I can see the sense in the experts' advice. If you really can't have anything but a nano tank, then shrimp are a surprisingly entertaining option.

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Tank Mates For Barquentine

Tank Mates For Barquentine

Author Topic: Tank mates for Barquentine (Read 21038 times) 41 replies

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