Author Topic: Beginner - New to fish keeping, would like some help and advice :) (Read 83008 times) 205 replies

Sue · « **Reply #120 on:** July 04, 2019, 10:11:07 PM »

Don't bleach all the gravel. It is home to a whole host of beneficial micro-organisms. The first thing to try is washing it in dechlorinated water. That should remove any loose debris.

Matt · « **Reply #121 on:** July 04, 2019, 10:17:29 PM »

Good advice @Sue , I had meant to say in my last lost don't do it all at once. I'd do it in parts even if just using water to be on the safe side.

Alostangel · « **Reply #122 on:** July 04, 2019, 11:37:18 PM »

So will it be like my filter media? Do half then do another half 6 weeks later? Or should I do like a cup full each week kind of thing?

Matt · « **Reply #123 on:** July 05, 2019, 06:43:51 AM »

Id probably do a third a week over three weeks.

Alostangel · « **Reply #124 on:** July 09, 2019, 07:10:29 AM »

So I did about a third last night and oh my lord the difference! The actual gravel was dirty so I used and old toothbrush to try and get some of the dirt off and it has made such a difference. It actually looks white now!

Littlefish · « **Reply #125 on:** July 10, 2019, 07:28:19 AM »

I'm sure it makes a massive difference, keep up the good work.

Matt · « **Reply #126 on:** July 10, 2019, 08:58:58 PM »

Sounds good! Send photos...

Alostangel · « **Reply #127 on:** July 10, 2019, 11:05:43 PM »

Quote from: Matt on July 10, 2019, 08:58:58 PM

Sounds good! Send photos...

Will do! I only did about a quarter so will most likely do a quarter a week for 4 weeks instead of a third a week over 3 weeks

Alostangel · « **Reply #128 on:** July 11, 2019, 10:24:33 AM »

Oh and also it seems that my baby fish isn’t an Otto. Seems to be turning into a harlequin! God knows how he came about!

Sue · « **Reply #129 on:** July 11, 2019, 11:33:44 AM »

Baby egg layers do look similar till they grow a bit. Harlequins often spawn in aquariums, the egg obviously ended up somewhere the fish couldn't find it to eat it.

A few years ago I had pygmy cories which spawned quite regularly. Adult pygmy cories have stripes which run from head to tail. Newly hatched pygmy cories have stripes that run side to side. Then one day you look in the tank and see they have head to tail stripes. Baby fish can change in appearance literally overnight.

Alostangel · « **Reply #130 on:** July 11, 2019, 12:15:58 PM »

Quote from: Sue on July 11, 2019, 11:33:44 AM

Baby egg layers do look similar till they grow a bit. Harlequins often spawn in aquariums, the egg obviously ended up somewhere the fish couldn't find it to eat it.

A few years ago I had pygmy cories which spawned quite regularly. Adult pygmy cories have stripes which run from head to tail. Newly hatched pygmy cories have stripes that run side to side. Then one day you look in the tank and see they have head to tail stripes. Baby fish can change in appearance literally overnight.

Gosh. I read that Harlequins are hard to breed in aquariums, it’s one of the reasons I got them aha. But oh wells, it just means that my numbers of them will go up I guess!

Sue · « **Reply #131 on:** July 11, 2019, 12:24:56 PM »

According to the most respected fish profile website, harlequins in good condition spawn often. The female lays small batches of eggs which the male then fertilises, then this is repeated until the female had laid all her eggs. They often attach the eggs to the underside of a leaf. Depending on temperature, the eggs hatch in 24 to 48 hours, but the newly hatched fry are not free swimming for about another week.

Alostangel · « **Reply #132 on:** July 11, 2019, 12:32:46 PM »

Quote from: Sue on July 11, 2019, 12:24:56 PM

According to the most respected fish profile website, harlequins in good condition spawn often. The female lays small batches of eggs which the male then fertilises, then this is repeated until the female had laid all her eggs. They often attach the eggs to the underside of a leaf. Depending on temperature, the eggs hatch in 24 to 48 hours, but the newly hatched fry are not free swimming for about another week.

Well it’s good to know that they’re in good conditions. Must mean something’s right in the tank aha. The baby is now swimming quite happily around the front of the tank pretty much all the time but he does have a corner where he just stays if he gets spooked or at night.

Littlefish · « **Reply #133 on:** July 11, 2019, 12:48:52 PM »

Congratulations

If you manage to get any pics of your little one please post it.

It's great to hear that your harlequins are in such good conditions. Well done.

Alostangel · « **Reply #134 on:** July 11, 2019, 03:35:16 PM »

I tried to get one earlier but unfortunately he moves too quick and my phone camera isn’t great. I’ll see if I can get a better one later

fcmf · « **Reply #135 on:** July 11, 2019, 03:46:57 PM »

Quote from: Alostangel on July 11, 2019, 10:24:33 AM

Oh and also it seems that my baby fish isn’t an Otto. Seems to be turning into a harlequin! God knows how he came about!

Congrats! I've had my harlequins for 4+ years and no babies at all.

Alostangel · « **Reply #136 on:** July 11, 2019, 11:20:24 PM »

I must have gotten lucky! I wasn’t trying to breed them aha so they must have decided it on their own...

Littlefish · « **Reply #137 on:** July 12, 2019, 08:20:22 AM »

I feel your frustration when trying to get pics of little ones with your phone. I was the same with the little panda cory. Small fish are speedy little things, but so cute.

Alostangel · « **Reply #138 on:** July 12, 2019, 10:52:27 AM »

So I tried again and got a better picture of the fish fry and I’m also putting in a picture of the clean vs dirty gravel aha

Sue · « **Reply #139 on:** July 12, 2019, 11:22:12 AM »

Cute little fish

And definitely a harlequin. It always amazes me just how fast a baby fish can change colour/pattern from something that could be any species to something that looks like a miniature adult.

That's one downside of white substrate - it is very hard to keep it looking clean. I've always had 'natural' gravel and then sand - natural being beige brown specked gravel and sand coloured sand. Those don't show any algae etc.

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Beginner - New To Fish Keeping, Would Like Some Help And Advice :)

Beginner - New To Fish Keeping, Would Like Some Help And Advice :)

Author Topic: Beginner - New to fish keeping, would like some help and advice :) (Read 83008 times) 205 replies

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