Author Topic: Beginner - New to fish keeping, would like some help and advice :) (Read 83028 times) 205 replies

Alostangel · « **Reply #140 on:** July 12, 2019, 03:33:31 PM »

Yeah, I was surprised at how quick he’s grown! And I think at some point I’ll change the gravel to sand or something smaller at some point just because I don’t think the white is great and also, I think it’s a bit big for the ottos to be 100% happy with it

Sue · « **Reply #141 on:** July 12, 2019, 07:02:24 PM »

There is another downside to a white substrate - fish don't like it. There are no freshwater fish that have evolved over a white substrate, most have evolved over dark.

If you want to change to sand, the cheapest is play sand. Both Argos and B&Q sell it. It is highly refined, smooth and no nasty things in it. It has to be smooth or rough sand would abrade children's skin, and any contamination would poison children who regularly eat it either by accident or deliberately. However, it does need a lot of washing to get rid of the dust. Wash as much as you need before staring the swap.
The easiest way is to put the fish and decor in a bucket with as much tank water as will fit. Cover the bucket as fish jump. You can leave the heater and filter in the tank, just turn them off. Then empty the gravel and the rest of the water which will get pretty mucky when you disturb the gravel. Put the sand in the tank, add some dechlorinated water at the right temperature, then replace the decor and fish, adding the old water at the same time, and top up with new water. Keep the lights off the rest of the day as the fish will be stressed by all this.

Sand needs cleaning differently from gravel. The debris sits on top and rather than push the siphon tube into it, you hover the end about a cm above the sand and make little swirling motions to lift the debris off the sand to where it can be sucked up. You will suck up sand, especially at first. If you use a bucket, just rinse the debris out of the bucket and put the sand back in the tank.
When refilling the tank be careful the water doesn't cause a crater in the sand. Some people put a saucer/plate on the sand and pour the water onto that; I use a 'colander' and pour the water through that as lots of tiny streams of water do less damage than one big stream. My 'colander' is a 150 ml Total yoghurt pot with the entire bottom filled with holes made with a knitting needle

Littlefish · « **Reply #142 on:** July 12, 2019, 09:27:39 PM »

Your little harlequin is so cute.

The clean gravel looks much better, keep up the good work.

I tend to use sand in my tanks, especially as I have a mix of corys, plecs, gobies, and loaches in most of the tanks, and sand works well for them.

Matt · « **Reply #143 on:** July 13, 2019, 01:42:55 AM »

If you don't fancy all the sand washing... B&Q sell a kiln dried sand which barely needs rinsing at all

Alostangel · « **Reply #144 on:** July 13, 2019, 09:48:10 AM »

Quote from: Sue on July 12, 2019, 07:02:24 PM

There is another downside to a white substrate - fish don't like it. There are no freshwater fish that have evolved over a white substrate, most have evolved over dark.

If you want to change to sand, the cheapest is play sand. Both Argos and B&Q sell it. It is highly refined, smooth and no nasty things in it. It has to be smooth or rough sand would abrade children's skin, and any contamination would poison children who regularly eat it either by accident or deliberately. However, it does need a lot of washing to get rid of the dust. Wash as much as you need before staring the swap.
The easiest way is to put the fish and decor in a bucket with as much tank water as will fit. Cover the bucket as fish jump. You can leave the heater and filter in the tank, just turn them off. Then empty the gravel and the rest of the water which will get pretty mucky when you disturb the gravel. Put the sand in the tank, add some dechlorinated water at the right temperature, then replace the decor and fish, adding the old water at the same time, and top up with new water. Keep the lights off the rest of the day as the fish will be stressed by all this.

Sand needs cleaning differently from gravel. The debris sits on top and rather than push the siphon tube into it, you hover the end about a cm above the sand and make little swirling motions to lift the debris off the sand to where it can be sucked up. You will suck up sand, especially at first. If you use a bucket, just rinse the debris out of the bucket and put the sand back in the tank.
When refilling the tank be careful the water doesn't cause a crater in the sand. Some people put a saucer/plate on the sand and pour the water onto that; I use a 'colander' and pour the water through that as lots of tiny streams of water do less damage than one big stream. My 'colander' is a 150 ml Total yoghurt pot with the entire bottom filled with holes made with a knitting needle

I’ll definitely bear this in mind if I do go for sand! It won’t be for a while most likely, I’d like to get everything sorted with the filter first I think and wait until the fry has grown up a bit more before I change anything drastic like that

Alostangel · « **Reply #145 on:** July 17, 2019, 08:45:17 PM »

So I went to the fish shop in my area after school today and I went in to get some water and all that but I ended up impulse buying about 5 new plants 😂 whoops. My tank now looks quite dense in one corner where the harlequins like to go when they get spooked which is probably a good thing for them. I’ll try and attach a photo after this post so you can see. I’ve now got 7 plants in the gravel and the floating water sprite which has separated into 4 parts.

Alostangel · « **Reply #146 on:** July 17, 2019, 08:52:06 PM »

Here’s the updated picture of the tank now! Bonus points if you can spot the baby in there somewhere aha

Littlefish · « **Reply #147 on:** July 22, 2019, 08:28:52 AM »

Your tanks looks great.

Alostangel · « **Reply #148 on:** July 23, 2019, 08:53:49 AM »

Last night I looked in my tank and it looks like someone’s been eating one of the new plants! Rather frustrating, is there anything I can do to stop it?

Littlefish · « **Reply #149 on:** July 24, 2019, 08:14:18 AM »

Some fish will nibble on plants. I tend to treat it as just one of those things as everything in the tank is there for the benefit of the fish.
It's probably why aquascapers mainly use shrimp and tiny fish.
Some plants have tougher leaves, and won't be so prone to nibbling, but that would require some replanting.
Is it a lot of nibbling? Do you know which fish are doing it?

Alostangel · « **Reply #150 on:** July 24, 2019, 10:50:24 AM »

I don’t know who’s doing it, I haven’t seen it but there are little holes in the leaves appearing. I’ll try and get a picture of it, it’s only one plant I’ve noticed so far too

Alostangel · « **Reply #151 on:** July 24, 2019, 11:30:37 AM »

Also, a little update on the baby Harlequin for you guys! He’s grown a bit and has really started to look more like a Harlequin

Sue · « **Reply #152 on:** July 24, 2019, 11:36:03 AM »

They grow up so fast

I'm leaving your holey plants to the plant experts......

fcmf · « **Reply #153 on:** July 24, 2019, 11:53:08 AM »

Quote from: Alostangel on July 24, 2019, 11:30:37 AM

Also, a little update on the baby Harlequin for you guys! He’s grown a bit and has really started to look more like a Harlequin

Adorable!

Littlefish · « **Reply #154 on:** July 24, 2019, 01:52:36 PM »

Your little harlequin is very cute.

Matt · « **Reply #155 on:** July 25, 2019, 09:11:49 PM »

A photo of the plant would help if possible... are you sure that is it being eaten? Are the holes along the edge of the leaf or in the middle? Do you know what type of plant it is? What livestock do you have? Any shrimp or snails?

Alostangel · « **Reply #156 on:** July 26, 2019, 04:34:54 AM »

I should be able to get a photo today. I can’t remember the name of the plant but it’s red so there can’t be many to choose from. The holes are mostly on the edge I think. I have no snails or shrimp, but 4 ottos and now 7 Harlequin Rasboras. Hope that kinda helps

Alostangel · « **Reply #157 on:** July 29, 2019, 02:44:51 PM »

Well the snails I found yesterday in my tank might explain the problem! Very annoying as I think there’s already quite a few in there plus I had washed the new plants I put in there before I put them in as I needed to get rid of the stuff in the pots with them. Grrrr. But I also spotted another 2 baby harlequins! Which would put my numbers up to 9 of them!

fcmf · « **Reply #158 on:** July 29, 2019, 07:46:08 PM »

When I kept live plants, I resorted to giving them an aquarium salt dip for ~20mins, then thoroughly rinsing them over and over again, before putting them in the tank - this must have worked because I only seemed to acquire snails when I didn't do this.

Congrats once again - very envious of you and your baby harlequins. Mine are 4.25 (almost) years old and they've never produced any babies in all that time.

Sue · « **Reply #159 on:** July 29, 2019, 09:08:11 PM »

Snails don't usually eat live healthy plants. They do eat dead and dying plants and they also eat the biofilm on the surface of the leaves.It is possible that the plant is not very healthy and the snails are making the most of that. Red plants are more difficult to grow than green plants.

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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 83028 times) 205 replies

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