Discuss anything aquarium related here, including inhabitants, decor and issues.
Google is your friend.
Feel free to ask questions but know that there are a lot of resources out there that could answer your question a lot faster and accurately than /an/.
Make sure to include these things in your post before asking because we can't help you if we don't have the full picture:
-tank size
-parameters
-any and all inhabitants + how long you've had them
Links:
>How to cycle your tank:
http://pastebin.com/x4WnB0Ah (embed)
>General aquarium care sheets - http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/
>Livestock and plants for sale - http://www.liveaquaria.com/
>FUCKING GOOGLE
>http://www.google.com
Old thread:
>>1998165
>>2002152
>20 litre tank
>filter 200lph suitable for 20-40 litre aquarium NO MEDIA
Media is super important for a filter. It's what makes the filter work. Yes, filter media looks like compacted floss. It's supposed to be that way. That said, you'll probably want a 40+ litre filter just to be sure you have enough filtration once the filtration media gets a little clogged up.
How did you start the cycle? Did you use a bottle of "cycle starter" from a pet store or just let the tank sit there? You need to add something to make the cycle start. A piece of raw shrimp will do it. Yes, it will rot there. Let it be!
I take it you're using the colored chunky sharp gravel substrate, right?
so I got a little 3 gallon tank and it came with some under gravel filter. Is it supposed to lack any carbon and what not? Its just a hunk of plastic with holes in it.
I put some ammonia into the tank along with bacteria to process it but it has been a few days now and nothing is happening. How long does it take?
Finally getting some stock in the tank since upgrading. Some corals from my old tank i had a mate keep as well as the baby sailfin tang which is cute as shit and now named lola
>People say breeding Assassin snails is hard
>Mine are always fucking
>I started with 3 and now have over 20 in 9 months
Just wish I could sell the fuckers, they're worth $5 each but I don't have anywhere to sell them.
>>2001942
How 2 get moss this lush?
>>2002325
My nerites are tattooing everything in my tank...
>>2002325
ebay?
aquabid?
craigslist?
>>2002326
It's in with a turtle, so water quality is not always great, and it's under a UVB bulb, I never ment for it to over grow so much, I threw some overgrowth from another aquarium in there hoping that the turtle would eat it, as you can see he didn't eat it
Where's a good place to get a 5lb CO2 tank?
Check out my bichirs. The delhezi grew a bit and I got a senegalus as his friend.
>>2002361
Cool. Are they together in one tank?
>>2002363
For some reason, that looks more like an endlicherri to me. Note the flatter head and protruding lower jaw.
Any tips on keeping anubias
>>2002326
Java moss + bright light = massive growth
Hey guys, I'm the dude with the mismatched cories. Despite being different species they seem to all be hanging out together, so maybe the lonely julii be okay?
>>2002354
I saw one of those the other day in a pet shop for like 70 bucks. Did you actually pay that much for a fish?
>>2002395
is $70 a lot where you live?
>>2002396
Yes.
>>2002397
huh.
Alabama?
>>2002398
No. I'll have you know I don't like in the scums, but I just have a bit more important things to spend my money on right now than pretty looking fish. No offence intended.
>>2002400
no offence taken.
avoid the saltwater. there $70 is actually pretty cheap for many fish.
>>2002395
There are expensive species/varieties in any pet keeping hobby. Look at finches for example.
>>2002395
$70 is high for most freshwater fish. For a blue Gularis, it's ridiculous. I might pay $70 for two breeding pairs, but certainly not a single male.
Killi prices are weird, though. Petco will sell a Golden Wonder for $5, but places like LiveAquaria will sell the same fish for $15 plus shipping. It makes me wonder if there just aren't very many killi breeders around. From what I've read they aren't particularly hard to breed, and they usually only live 3 years max, so you'd think there would be plenty of demand.
What do you guys think of my 30 gallon,
It has 1 axolotl, some java moss, newly added java fern, and a newly added anubias. Once the live plants take off I plan on removing the plastic ones.
>>2002369
Maybe a teugelsi, mokelembembe or any of the palmas subspecies.
>>2002414
How fast do java fern and anubias grow?
>>2002414
Looks nice. Moss looks a bit disheveled, though.
Doesn't the axolotl dig up the plants?
>>2002420
She has never dug up the fake plants, so I figured it would be safe to add some live plants.
>>2002420
She has never dug up the artificial plants so I figured that lI've plants should be safe.
>>2002414
The java moss shouldn't be planted in the sand, it should be attached to something. The rhizome should be exposed for the best growth.
>>2002418
Slowly. In my experience they take a while to get established, meaning you might have 5 weeks of absolutely no growth. Once they start growing, the growth will be consistent but slow. Java fern benefits from being trimmed.
>>2002435
>The java moss shouldn't be planted in the sand, it should be attached to something.
Java fern, not java moss. My bad.
Are there any carpet plants that require, like, zero maintenance? Meaning I can just shove them into the gravel and they'll be fine with a root tab every once in awhile?
I tried java moss, btw, it took forever to grow and never stayed in the ground.
>>2002408
>Petco will sell a Golden Wonder for $5, but places like LiveAquaria will sell the same fish for $15 plus shipping
Probably because we buy from the cheapest mass-breeders possible. I work at Petco. Something you get off LiveAquaria is likely going to be stronger and healthier and they have a money-back guarantee.
Petco has the guarantee as well but your chances of it dying are a lot higher.
>>2002438
Micranthemum tweediei and Marsilea quadrifolia are low maintenance.
>>2002438
Java moss is a good carpet if you tie it to something, like a plastic mesh. If you're trying to get it to carpet on the ground it won't work, as you discovered. Riccia is an even better option that will grow like mad, but it, too, needs to be attached to something.
I'd suggest micro sword or pygmy chain sword. Both are simple and don't require CO2. Dwarf sag can carpet if your light is very high. Under lower light it will grow taller than a typical carpet.
>>2002436
Thanks for the heads up, I will correct that issue shortly, it's funny I have been keeping aquariums for 20+ years (I know I am old) but I never really got into live plants. I have primarily kept African Cichlids, aquatic amphibians, and FOWLR saltwater aquariums. Live plants are kinda new to me, though I did a planted saltwater aquarium with various species of algae.
>>2002243
added a raw shrimp from a local fish factory a friend works at , came straight out the fishing box unwashed. Fed the tank a few flakes of fish food every day.
Its not sharp gravel very rounded flat-ish bit on the large size IMO
I started a guppy tank and was wondering if you guys have ever made something for the babies to hide in. I was think I could bundle up a bunch of cotton string and have it hang near the top of my tank. Would making a little hut cave thing from a water bottle work? Have any of you tried anything like this? I have a handful of java moss I could use, but I'm worried small pieces may break off and grow in the tank when I don't really know if I want it in there. There are also two small java ferns, but I don't think that's enough.
I'm going to start breeding a new morph of ram cichlid. I'm gunna try and mix Dutch and electric blue rams, I might also mix some GBRs with the offspring.
Dubs names it.
>>2002610
Faux McGee's
>>2002617
Reroll
>>2002610
Audis
>>2002610
Dutchmans
>2 black mollies
>1 swordtail
>cory cat second one was sucked up the filter
>various plants
ill be getting a new 55 gallon long on monday i have no idea how to transfer the plants any tips? the female black mollies is pregnant how do i avoid stressing her out? should i just cycle the new tank allowing it to cycle properly? was gna transfer all the 20 in this tank and 10 from a well settled cycled tank holding a cichlid.
watdo?
>>2002622
Winrar, Dutchmans it is.
>>2002635
I mean you are using dutchmans.
Will diy co2 kill my shrimp if I leave it on at night?
>>2002676
probably not but there's only one way to know for sure.
>>2002592
Instead of using java moss, why not try using marimo moss? It's a super slow grower, and the smaller ones are cheaper, too! (at least where I live)
>>2002626
Seed the fuck out of the new filter media with established bacteria from your current tanks. Throw in some decorations from both tanks, and some gravel/substrate. Basically, research all the best ways to transfer the beneficial bacteria.
Then let it cycle. Once the cycling is finished, transfer fish.
The water itself won't be much use, since the bacteria lives on surfaces, not directly in the water column. Only diseases and parasites can be transferred with water alone.
>>2002592
The fry platies in my 20g like to hide in the java fern and there are about 6 species of plant in there. I have a smaller tank exclusive to platies and fry in there seem to only stick to the java ferns despite the established moneywort, wendtii, and sword in the tank..
>>2002528
Ahh, so "river rocks" type. That's good to know! It's also good that you cycled it properly.
Either way, you can buy replacement filter media from the pet store. The cut to size works fine or you can buy the ones made for your filter. Fun fact: you can rinse and reuse filter media a few times before discarding so it's not as pricey as it sounds.
You'll want plants and some lighting. The plants make up for the so-so filter and the light is important for plants. I personally like Marimo balls as they're attractive for foreground, don't need much of anything, don't take over the tank like most moss and, if the ball gets too big or falls apart, you can tie it to wood or decorations to create a very fussy moss carpet that many fish adore relaxing on.
As to the rest of the plants, base it on how much light you have. Always err on the side of too much light when picking plants as the water and other plants can block some light depending on what's in your tank. Do NOT buy java moss, coonstail/Hornwort, or anything that floats like frogbit or water spangles as they will take over the tank. Only choose those if they're the only plants you actually want to have.
You'll want to kill any hitchiking snails by mixing 125 cc of powdered alum (check your grocery store) in around one litre of warm water. Put the water in a sunny spot and let your plants soak in the alum water and sunlight for 3 days. All snails will be dead!
Are there any particular fish you like or want?
>>2002730
> very fussy moss
I meant to say very fuzzy moss! It's not actually fussy at all and will grow even with no added light, it just grows super slowly.
Seriously, it looks super soft and fluffy for moss. In fact, the brown moss inside the ball actually is soft and flossy. The brown is only brown because it didn't get light and can turn green sometimes if you expose it to light for a couple weeks. Marimo is fun stuff.
>>2002592
There is actually a plant called Guppy Grass. Apparently guppies (especially baby ones) adore it.
>>2002408
>>2002439
Seconding that petco fish aren't super high quality. They're fine if you're not looking to breed them but I have gotten badly inbred fish from them before when I was a newbie and didn't know better. You have to stay on your toes and know what you're buying and what you want to do with it.
>>2002262
> 3 gallon tank
...beta keeper? Shrimp? You won't be able to keep much more there as it's super small.
And yes, it is just plastic with holes in it. The waste falls to the bottom and gets sucked up meanwhile the bacteria for filtration builds in the gravel and becomes your biological filter. If you want to add carbon or whatever you can by scattering it loosely on the underside of the plastic or put it in a little cup and have the outflow pour through the charcoal. The later is easier to work with even though you'll need to get creative to make a little plastic box and hold it on with fishing thread. On the good side, undergravel filters are reliable and work really well once established. On the bad side the entire tank needs to be broken down to clean under the plastic and you WILL need a gravel vacuum (the kind with batteries) to really clean up.
Cycling takes a few WEEKS. Stay patient and don't forget to feed the tank.
>>2002401
Depends where you are. I got a sailfin tang for $40, but i also paid $250 for snowflake clownfish
>>2002243
WAT? of course i have media , i binned the standard filter it came with and bought a different one , the standard filter used an air pump.
>>2002737
Will neon tetras work in there, they are what I would like to keep in the tank.
However, I mostly have the tank to put a new fish in for a week or so to see if they show disease and then put into my bigger thank.
However, if it is not good for a little school of tetras, I will get a beta or something else small.
>>2002754
If you have enough room for water, you have enough room for neon tetras
>>2002747
I admit I don't really understand the appeal of the snowflake clowns. I got into saltwater partly to get away from captive types of fish that are so common in freshwater but don't exist in the wild. I have captive bred clowns, but I like the cheap wild types. To each their own, but I prefer natural looking tanks I guess. Most I've ever paid for a fish was $300 for an aussie tusk. I've had a couple of each type of harlequin tusk though, all together I've probably spent about a thousand on them over the years. I used to keep queen and passer angels as well, I spent a few hundred each on those. And the usual flame angels and whatnot for around $100 each. But then it's not uncommon in saltwater to spend a few hundred dollars or even a few thousand on livestock. I'd guess the rock in my tanks alone cost more than my truck. Fish tanks are my favorite money-pit.
>>2002759
cheap wild types? over here you get captive bred clowns for $40 each but wild ones go for $60-70 each. Orange snowflakes are where its at
>>2002762
nah, I mean captive breds that look like wild types.
I got an ocellaris a couple months ago that looks just like a wild fish and was $15.
I like the look of the wild fish. I think the artificial morphs will be selling like goldfish in a few years.
>>2002765
You never get the same orange out of captive breds that you get out of wild ones. Unless you get the darwin blacks, captive bred ones of those look just as good as wild ones. Ill never understand the price for platinum/naked/midnight clowns though, they look dull as fuck
>>2002767
There's a really broad range of wild color types.
I'd post the one I got but I'm not on my personal computer atm. He's pretty dark on top and grading to brighter orange on the flanks. Looks a lot like a percula.
>>2002757
Will six of them be okay in there?
I might do a shrimp or beta after doing more reading about small tanks.
>>2002676
No.
>>2002769
Like this?
>>2002772
Closer to this.
>>2002774
oh ok, yeah just regular percula
Bolivian ram fry now free swimming. I read online that they dug shallow pits for the wrigglers and fuck me some people must have a different definition of shallow. Mine dug through the sand capping spread root tab parts and random gravel every where and knocked over a piece of driftwood. Pretty cool though
>>2002346
You can buy gas at any gas supply store. You can also buy tanks there. If you are not sure what is a gas supply store, most welding supply stores are gas supply stores.
>>2002346
To add to >>2002792, in my country at least, you can usually refill empty cans at gas stations too. It's apparently used along with propane for various car workshop stuff.
In fact, I once refilled a CO2 can at a local grocer. But that was a sodastreamer can and it was in that little sliver of the 90s when people were actually using those homemade soda machines, after it was hyped up but before people realised it tasted like shit. You may or may not be able to get some CO2 that way, but whether the can would be compatible with your airstone I couldn't even guess.
>>2002777
Another webm, they moved out from under the lilly pads so it is far clearer and less green. They are chasing the fuck out of anything that comes near. A reasonable amount of fry seem to be struggling though, not swimming well lying seemingly dead on the bottom. Is that common?
Reposting for anyone interested.
Diana Walstad, Ecology of the Planted Aquarium
azw3: https://www.dropbox.com/s/lrk7xx959footwx/Ecology%20of%20the%20Planted%20Aquarium_%20A%20Practic%20-%20Diana%20Louise%20Walstad.azw3?dl=0
epub: https://www.dropbox.com/s/njn703fa8i324q2/Ecology%20of%20the%20Planted%20Aquarium_%20A%20Practic%20-%20Diana%20Louise%20Walstad.epub?dl=0
mobi: https://www.dropbox.com/s/9h9h1cmbd3bqhpm/Ecology%20of%20the%20Planted%20Aquarium_%20A%20Practic%20-%20Diana%20Louise%20Walstad.mobi?dl=0
Dud a little Rescape added the wood sticking out on the left.
Does aq like?
>>2002840
thanks, got any more books?
>>2002885
Right now everything is bunched up at the base of the driftwood. imo it would look better with the anubias or java fern moved up higher.
>>2002354
They look really great I must say!
I had 2 senegalus for a year with a small northern perch in a 100 gallon tank. They were more peaceful then the perch though
Really want some whiteclouds but I only have tropical set ups.
3 fish stores near me say they're fine for both tropical and cold water setups. And desu my "tropical" set up is only 22-24 degrees which is room temperature. So it would be the same as a cold water setup, the only difference being it wouldn't get colder at night.
>>2003058
fisherman casting his line
One of my tiger mustache worms.
>>2003035
Are you fucking serious? Tropical tanks should be above 26 Celsius.
>>2003035
Captive-bred white clouds (which they all are, now) are more tolerant of warmer temps. You should be fine with them at 22-24. Do you have a heater in the tank? If so, try turning it off and see where the temps end up.
What's a good high quality food that would work well for really small fish. I'm looking into getting either a pair of Scarlet Badis or a few Endler's Livebearers.
>>2003109
Hikari, they make pretty good food, pic related
Hey guys I got an extra green emerald Cory and albino cory, bringing each population size to 3. Although the julii is still the only one of his kind in there. I ordered two more Juliis
But I've noticed that are the cories have started to hang out near each other in the quarantine tank. You think they'll be alright?
>>2003109
I buy my flakes and pellets from Kensfish. New Life Spectrum is also good.
>scarlet badis
You're gonna need to feed them either frozen or live foods.
>>2003117
3? That's not enough for them to be happy. Why not just go with one or two large schools? They like at least 5.
>>2002826
Is there enough microfauna(or whatever it's called) for them to feed off of?
>>2003090
Fucking adorable, is that a loach, like the khuli loaches? Or is that merely convergent evolution/breeding?
>>2003144
I know that, they'll be a sale black Friday so I'm going to get the rest of their friends then, also the quarantine tank is 5.5 gallons so I'm going to put this first group in before I put in anymore.
>>2003166
Good on you anon, to be quite honest I am jelly of you and all those adorable little shits you'll be coming home to every day.
>>2003174
Yeah got two pregger platys too. One orange Mickey mouse and one neon blue
>>2003176
Awwww yiiiiiissss, you going to keep the fry?
>>2003160
Id think so ive had danio fry some how survive in this tank. They seem to be better today perhaps the weaker ones have just been eaten
>>2003179
Aiiiyuuuuup, well most of them, going to give away a couple. Maybe try to sell some.
>>2002754
The rule of thumb is one gallon per tetra if you're going to do anything more than quarantine. Remember: one gallon water = one inch of fish. Even schooling fish need some room to breathe.
>>2003161
> Super glue
Don't you mean to use cotton thread as not to accidentally kill your plants/fish from using toxic glue inside your tank? ...I hope so...
>>2003205
Superglue is fairly non toxic, I use it in my tanks frequently, it's great for attaching coral frags to live rock or plugs. Also if you get a deep cut it works better than a bandage.
>>2003211
That's good to know!
>>2003211
Wasn't superglue originally invented as a liquid bandage during WW1 or WW2? The same way tampons where originally invented to plug up bullet holes long enough for a doctor to remove the bullet without the patient bleeding to death?
>>2003245
both are myths.
superglue was accidentally invented for use as plastic in clear gun sights. It only saw use as a liquid bandage fairly recently and several formulas have since been invented that don't cause skin irritation or allergy.
tampons were never particularly effective at sealing wounds, not that you want to seal a puncture wound. A tourniquet and clotting agent is far safer in cases of severe bleeding.
>>2003092
Why would I set my tank to 26C when non of the fish in it require temps that high?
Pearls are getting along extremely well. On the first night, the male barely gave them any rest while taking turns chasing and nipping. No damage was done though, the aggression (or probably friskiness) has toned down massively the next day, and they're inseparable now.
I'm even noticing a brilliant metallic green sheen on their scales that I've never seen before. They must really be comfy, I'm happy they make a great ménage à trois
>>2003256
Well part myth. It's not a myth superglue was used as a liquid bandage. It just wasn't invented for that fact.
"Coover said the compound demonstrated an excellent capacity to stop bleeding, and during the Vietnam War, he developed disposal cyanoacrylate sprays for use in the battle field."
Im thinking of getting an new tank for my pleco. He's a standard "common" pleco, about 40-42 cm (16 inches)
I've had him/her for probably 10-12 years and I don't want to get rid of the big bastard. Current set up is a community tank of 180 litres - shared with 9 neons, 3 mollies and 3 rams (2 female and 1 male) and about 12 billion snails.
What Im thinking is a big new set up built around the pleco. I think a 250 litre tank, sparsely decorated with sandy substrate, driftwood, rocks and a couple of hardy plants. I would like to keep something in there with him but I don't know what to go for... any thoughts on the proposed set up and prospective tank mates?
>>2003348
So I'm thinking of getting an aquarium and some fish
Was wondering what other things I can put in it.
I heard shrimp and snails are pretty popular
Is there anything else I can put in?
>>2003362
unintentional quote
>>2003362
african dwarf frogs
>>2003362
What size aquarium?
>>2003373
I'm thinking 30 gallons
>>2003368
Thanks I'll check those out
>>2003374
If you go with shrimp look into nano fish. A lot of em are colorful and fun to watch.
I think The julii cory is dying guys. He's laying on his side and keeps swimming straight up to the top of the tank when startled.
Is it about time I take him behind the shed and put him out of his misery?
My amano shrimp arrived today. These two fuckers are way bigger than I thought they would be, but they're very lively and active so after I get them acclimatised they should do great. Let's hope they get along with my betta.
>>2002929
Thanks! Polypterus are really peaceful, especially to members of their own genus.
I had the delhezi for several years now and when I added the senegalus, there was some aggression and light fin nipping for maybe the first day. After that, they coexist peacefully. Maybe they just established a pecking order.
>>2003382
Nah, i anaesthatised a fish once and felt bad. Sometimes fish recover seemingly miraculously. Eg my entire tank was on the verge of a crash once when i got back from a holiday, about 4 fish on their sides gasping at the surface. I did a 2/3 water change, and lowered the water level to increase the amount of water movement (pump nozzle out of the water) and added a second airstone, and left them overnight, sure I'd wake up to a few casualties and everything in there was back to complete normality
>>2003348
Anyone got any answers to my pleco tank set up questions? would 240ish litres be enough?
Suitable tank mates? Im thinking 4 silver (bala) sharks but open to ideas
Visited my LFS today.
Noticed they were selling "salt water guppies".
The fuck? There was literally a bunch of guppies swimming around with a few clown fish and a cleaner shrimp.
>>2003434
I can see that happening. Guppies actually like brackish water so with time they may become acclimated to saltwater.
>>2003434
guppies and mollies can get accustomed to brackish or saltwater without problems
>>2003434
Lots of livebearers can live and breed in saltwater just fine. I heard somewhere that the fish farms in Thailand raise fancy guppies in either brackish or saltwater.
>>2003433
No, bala sharks are too big and need too much room for most tanks. I'd just get some more tetra or some nice rasbora.
>>2003427
>release them into the tank
>they get to work sifting through the substrate immediately, not even giving a fuck about the betta being curious
Japanese shrimp have a Japanese work ethic. I'm pleasantly surprised.
>>2003467
i have small community fish in my other tank so Im going for something a bit different.
Was thinking perhaps angels or something, I can't go for anything that needs too much cover because I wont be putting that much in so as to give my big pleco space.
Agree Balas are potentially a bit big - what about red belly piranha? Again 4 of these plus one big plec in a 250 litre tank might be pushing it but I'm after something different to my existing small community fish aquarium
>>2003486
Piranha will tear the plec to shreds. You could do a mixed african cichlid tank if you want, they mix well with plecs, my dad used to have this setup.
>>2003488
that was my first thought but in alot of public aquariums that ive been to that have piranha there's a big plec in there with them. im not gonna risk it if there's a chance though.
I've been toying with with the idea of african cichlid set up but never had much (any) luck with my attempts with cichlids before, though they would suit the rest of the tank well. thank you anon
>>2003478
Enjoy watching them now, because they're gonna disappear for a week or two before working 24/7 in the open again
>>2003492
Make sure you get only peaceful species though. And remember, more is better with cichlids. Allowing cichlids large amounts of tank space to themselves leads to aggression due to territories being formed. Pack that shit full of fish (within reason) and they'll be a lot more calm. You'll notice that most African cichlid tanks seem to be "overstocked".
Don't put plants in the tank, the fish will eat them. Stones to form caves/flat areas for algae and bacteria to grow on is probably the best aquascaping for a cichlid tank.
Watch out for convict cichlids, they'll upturn all your stones and move your gravel.
>>2003493
I'm worried you might be right. One of them is hiding under my driftwood already. The other is still out and about, though.
>>2002395
I live in nyc and I saw a 3 foot platinum gar go for $6000 and it sold, aquarists will pay a lot for their fish, even if they are freshwater
>>2003528
>$6000
Was it at Monster Aquarium in Flushing?
>>2003368
Be warned, these are some of the dumbest creatures in all of creation. They have hilariously slow reaction times, to the point that food will bonk them on the head while you're trying to feed them and they'll still miss it.
Okay so I wanna get my angelfish a buddy but I don't want them to fight to the death. 36g
should I get 1 adult, 1 or 2 juveniles, or 3 adults? or any other number you guys think would be better
>>2003624
You want to keep at least four, in that case. With just two they'll pick on each other constantly and eventually bully each other to death. With four the fighting is spread out more evenly.
But how big is your tank? Scalare need a lot of room to establish territories, or even a large group is going to fight constantly.
And do go for juveniles. If they grow up together they're in my experience a bit more docile.
Well guys, the lone julii died, I'll admit I'm a little heartbroken.
>>2003427
They get even bigger if they're females.
Like 4 inches long
So I want to get some firemouth cichlids, but I don't want to just keep one species in my aquarium. I have a 75 gallon tank. So what can I keep with firemouths in a 75 gallon.
>>2003689
Larger tetra and rasbora species should do fine (such as congo tetra or giant danios), hell, when I first started out, I had some firemouths in with cardinals.
A pair of dwarf cihclids would be good too, I'd go for some Bolivian rams.
I Live in new jersey, liveaquaria is in california and the shipping cost and distance worries me. are there any websites like liveaquaria that are closer to the east coast
>>2003629
36 gallons. i think it's like 29in x 11in x 18 in
so do you think 3 juviniles + my adult angel is the best choice? I thought when you have a lot in one tank they stop being territorial since there's nowhere for them to have their territory
also, would that be over crowded because I have 4 albino cories and 4 glass cats as well, I'm getting a second filter on black friday though. I'm a beginner
>>2003694
Can rams hold their own with firemouths?
>>2003740
I had firemouths with GBRs, so I think Bolivians will do fine, but it always depends on the particular fish.
If you're still unsure, get a pair of kribs, nothing will fuck with them. https://youtu.be/nuDIR-deYXs
Also, larger rainbowfish (such as reds or boesemani) would mix well with firemouths. Possibly some larger less docile gouramis might go fine too.
>>2003742
that's an awesome cave. gotta get me one of those. love fish that hide in caves
>>2003742
I want to primarily stick with central and South American fish if I can, I will have to do a little more research on rams, any other suggestions?
>>2003742
i have a firemouth in a community tank with several pairs of kribs and hes a huge asshole to them. hes even an asshole to his own reflection. id like to point out that i did not want the firemouth. my ex put him in there and i was like wtf. waiting to deport said firemouth to a friend
How do I soften my water?
My tap water is very hard and I want to keep some fish that live in softer water.
>>2003766
for fish purposes you'd probably just go to the grocery store to buy distilled or collect rainwater.
>>2003764
Huh, strange, mine didn't even bother with the tetra, he was pretty chill.
Guess high intelligence has it's downsides in pets.
>>2003744
You could get a small school of torpedo barbs if your 75G is a 75G long. I love these fish, but haven't been able to keep them due to my 70G tall. (also, it's an Asian fish, but the parameters overlap.)
Keyholes are a nice peaceful S.American cichlid. More chill than a ram, but bigger, so it can hold it's own against a firemouth if it needs to. These should be kept in pairs, but males and females are hard to distinguish, so read up on that if you're thinking of buying them.
Larger catfish such as pictus (spotted or 4-line) are good too, plecs if you want, but I personally hate them.
A school of tiger barbs would do well too.
Okay guys, one of the green emerald Cory cats has started to lay on his side and swims that way too, it looks like he's struggling.
Is there anything I can do?
>>2003766
Which species are we talking about? The vast majority of fish kept in the hobby can tolerate hard tap water, even if they don't live in hard water naturally.
>>2003735
If you're interested in small fish, Msjinkzd has some nice stock. For corydoras and other wild caught fish, try Franks Aquarium.
How bad was your first tank /aq/? This was from about 2009. It's just ugly and boring.
>>2003808
Tank i have now
ive got 2 questions for you guys.
1-how often should i change the carbon/filter bags/whatever on my hanging filters? how often should i clean my sponge filters (assuming that there are snails, fish, and shrimp that eat off of them)?
2- can you guys help me construct a brine shrimp hatchery? ive read several how-tos on this, but i havent had any success. i keep reading conflicting ideas on this, so im hoping one of you has a functioning brine hatchery and can help me out
>>2003810
nice. you running co2 in there? what kind of filtration?
>>2003793
I want to get some Neon Tetras but I read they like softer water and my city has notoriously bad hard water. My Zebra Danios and albino Corydora have been good but I don't know about the Neon Tetras.
>>2003644
Sorry to hear that, anon.
>>2003382
> The julii cory is dying
> All his tank mates died
You bought a sick fish.... return it.
>>2003828
Most filtration units like a Brita filter will remove minerals and chlorine in one swoop. This also removes *All* minerals, though, so make sure you add just a little treated but unfiltered tap water in so there's some minerals for your plants and fish. Either that or get some of the Wonder Shells. Those can help, too.
>>2003815
Rinse filters and sponges out when they start getting gunked up and restrict waterflow. If you have a spone on your intake and a filter stagger cleaning them if you can. Just use either tap water (will kill all bacteria, good and bad) or some water you siphoned out of the tank when doing water changes (will not kill anything, good or bad).
>>2003492
I've kept plecos with red-belly piranhas.
they're about the only fish a piranha won't kill.
>tfw your fish shit all over your aquatic garden
Current stock:
2 banded gourami
8 neon tetra
5 rosy tetra
2 rummy nose tetra
3 otocinclus
1 vampire shrimp
1 female betta
Would adding a blue ram or 6 Danios or 6 cherry barbs or 6 black tetra or another female betta be too much for my 16 gallon tank?
Why won't my fish utilise all my tank?
It's heavily planted but the fish don't swim in the planted areas. They just tend to amass in a blob on one side of the tank and never move.
>tfw you have to go away for a few days and trust a $5 autofeeder to keep them alive
I'm worried for my fishy friends.
>>2003925
Nigga you could not feed them for 1-2 weeks and they'd be fine, provided you give them extra a few days beforehand and water change
>>2003855
He's already dead, and another cory died.
>but Tai fire red shrimp to test if the rams eat them
>rams leave them alone
Welp, guess my tank's gunna be crawling in shrimp in a few months.
The platy gave birth. I have some of the fry in the trap. So how do I feed them?
>>2003919
I wouldn't any anything else to your 16 gallon tank. You are already over the general rule of thumb for fish anyways.
The general rule is 1 inch of fish per gallon.
Just got a water hardness test kit today.
Is it weird for KH to be 15, and GH to be 4?
>>2003926
This night one of my amano shrimp somehow climbed out of the tank and into the autofeeder, and gorged on a whole day's food for the whole tank by himself.
Guess the autofeeder is out for now, because of one piggy shrimp.
At least he survived.
Shitshitshit
I think I fucked up bad, guys.
I got 3 little Cory cats from Petco yesterday. I thought I had quarantined them long enough, but now they're all dead and so are 2 of my neon tetras.
The only other thing I added was a small bag of carbon to my filter, that I had rinsed out in tap water and drained really well. I don't think a tiny bit of chlorine would wreak this much havoc, but would parasites be this bad?
What the hell is going on?
>>2004328
>Petco
There's your problem. How long did you quarantine for?
>>2004329
I don't remember exactly, I think it was less than an hour.
>>2004330
I think you mean "acclimate" not quarantine. Quarantining fish is usually from 2-4 weeks in an isolated tank
This is why people need to get actual quarantine tanks, especially if you buy from chain stores like Petco
>>2004330
That's not a quarantine. That's just acclimation at best. Minimum quarantine time is two weeks, with four being ideal.
>>2004340
...Did you dip your cory cats in saltwater when you brought them home?
>>2004351
Yeah, I put them in my 1 gallon brackish "quarantine" tank to hopefully kill off anything they might bring in.
>>2003985
>>2004328
Yeah, you got sick fish. Don't add more and don't change the water extra. Just save and freeze the bodies then return them ASAP. Bring a water sample from the tank as well (not kept with the fish).
>>2004136
Grind up fish flake very fine like dust and sprinkle it in. Turn off the water filter during this feeding time to prevent the food from being blown away.
>>2004352
>Corycats in salt
They don't handle salt well. It can kill them if they were already weakened/stressed (which they were from being in a pet store).
>>2004358
I've never had problems with my previous cories and salt before...
I guess if everything is dead when I get home from work, I'll tear it all up and try a Walstad tank.
>By some "dwarf sag" off ebay
>Put it in my tank
>It's not creating a low carpet
>Instead the plants are now 8" tall
Some "dwarf" sag this is.
Should I question the seller?
>>2003901
What's the problem, plants love it.
>>2004389
I had this same problem. I think it's overrated as a carpeting plant. They tend to stretch if they're not getting enough light. I've seen them grow pretty damn tall.
>>2004358
Will the fry swim uo to the food?
>>2003109
So I ended up getting a group of RCS and 5 chili rasboras. The shrimp are super active and the rasboras have been hanging out around the mudwort I have in the tank. I'm still gonna try to find a Badis so I can have a nice red themed tank. I also bought some NLS ultra red .5 mm pellets and everyone seems to like them so far. What frozen foods would yall recommend for fish this small. Would Daphnia and Brine shrimp work well?
>>2004558
The RCS will nibble on foods that are bigger than their bodies, so don't worry about them feeding.
For the chili rasboras (great choice btw) daphnia would be best. Frozen brine shrimp usually consists of fully grown brine shrimp, which may be a little large for them. Frozen cyclops for marine fish would work.
>>2004558
My scarlet badis is so picky he won't eat anything that isn't wiggling in front of him.
>>2004678
Not that anon but they sell cultures online of various live foods. When I kept badis, I maintained a culture of grindal worms and micro worms for the babies. You can also order california black works.
>>2003434
If you convert them back to freshwater, they'll have no parasites. Really good as feeder fish that way.
>>2004209
Terrible rule.
Good rule is more fish load = more water changes.
Plants and aeration make the difference.
>>2004366
Your salt trick is good for any fish except swamp ones. If it likes lower ph, then the salt is bad.
If it breathes air normally, salt hurts too.
>>2003816
Sorry for late reply, but yes im runnin Co2, the filter is nothing crazy. Its just an Ehiem 650 i believe. Once a month I put Osmocote+ into pill capsules and shove them into the substrate .
Plus my little helper keeps me company while im cleaning the tank.
>>2004776
Either way, your already overstocked. Its not just the cleanliness of the tank to be worried about, but thats like haveing 10 roomates in a 1 bedroom studio apartment.
>>2004136
I feed my mollie fry ground up flakes. They eat whatever algea they can too.
>>2004709
I have the benefit of working in an insect lab, so I give mine live blackfly and mosquito larvae.
>>2004925
...with no toilet, so they all just shit everywhere.
>Another Neon Tetra decided to die last night with no signs of illness prior
Why do meme tetra do this so much?
>>2005177
they actualy don't in my experience. I bought a shoal of like 15, they lasted a good 2 years, and then when there were only 3 or 4 left I went and bought 8 new ones. that was a couple of months ago and ive still got 9 total so at least one of the old old ones is still going
the thing with neons is they are quite sensitive, very small and usually pretty heavily overbred etc. the ones we get in LFS's are pretty weak and weird. One of mine now has a crazy bent back and swims all spastic, of all the neons ive ever had i reckon one in 15 is like this
>One of my biggest and reddest RCS is an original viking RCS
>One out of the 3-4 survivors of my original colony of 20+
>She's berried again
It begins, another wave of shrimplets soon
Hey senpai, I have a community ten gallon with 5 neons, 1 mystery snail, and a really really docile blue male betta. Is there any possibility of me keeping 1 Bolivian ram or honey gourami in there?
>>2005390
I wouldn't risk it in such a small tank. Your betta may be fine with small colorful fish that look nothing like other bettas, but it probably won't take kindly to other fish that are shaped similar to it. There's also a risk of fin nipping from the ram or gourami.
I have a community 29 gallon freshwater tank. 1 red platy, 1 angelfish, 1 male betta, 1 plecostomus, and I plan on getting some neon tetras. What are other good fish and live plants that would work in my situation?
How many aquariums would I need to maintain a stable population of guppies or endlers?
I was thinking one for fry/pregant females, one for quarantine and one for each sex when it starts to get crowded.
>>2005437
>How many aquariums would I need to maintain a stable population of guppies or endlers?
one plus a toilet to flush all the extras down.
>>2005448
or a turtle than can catch them, but then you'd need another tank.
>>2005437
This depends on how large you want the population to be. You could easily go over 100 tanks if you wanted, but it sounds like you want to have 4 tanks. So get 4 tanks.
The important thing is to have a plan for what to do with the fry. Do you already have a place in mind that will buy them? Are there local aquarium clubs/societies that have auctions? Will a LFS buy your fish? Figure this out first.
But some wood in my tank last Sunday and now it's coated in a white goo.
It goes away right?
>>2005429
That tank is bad and you should feel bad.
> shitty artificial looking substrate
> no hiding spots for the fish
> mesh reptile tank cover
> crap lighting
> side mount filter
> tiki plastic decor
Read a book on fish keeping and look at some properly aquascaped aquariums, maybe then your aquarium will look like it was set up by an adult.
>>2003162
its a kuhli
>>2005437
My guppies are becoming extra-ugly with each generation. There is a way to avoid this?
>ib4 guppy eugenetics
Guys, so got this 30 L Tank with 5 Danio margaritatus, about 10 blue pearl shrimps and one Vittina semiconica snail. im thinking about getting something new for the tank. do you think it would overload the tank? i got alot of plants which is a couple of stems of Egeria densa, eleocharis parulva Anubis barteri var. nana(i think) and Javamoss.
>>2005783
Well, eugenics is the at the heart of what you're doing. Don't let the ugliest ones continue to breed. You also need to introduce new breeding stock every once in a while.
>>2005390
You can't keep two different species of labyrinth fish together
>>2006302
Yes. Gouramis and bettas compete when put together. They're too similar! Even worse, gouramis tend to be better swimmers so the betas typically lose.
Get more gourami of similar types instead.
>>2006309
Ok, thanks.
>Get 20 RCS
>After a 2 months the females get pregnant and give birth to a shit ton of babies
>3 months later the females aren't even saddled
>Most of my large females are dying off
Do RCS only have one brood then die or something?
Aww shit guys, I got a great deal on some golden bee shrimps on black Friday, but my tank is only half cycled with 0 ammonia and over 5ppm nitrite. They ship on 12/9 so I have some time. How do quicken the process?
>be UKfag
>looking for ghost shrimp
>literally no-where has them in stock
>turns out no-one imports them as feeder food, so no-one ever stocks them as pets
>Palaemonetes varians fucking everywhere
RCS are too small
Ghosties are too hard to find
Dwarf crayfish are banned
RIP
>>2006466
There's a store near me that sells ghost shrimp as feeders. I wanted to buy some once but the assistant warned me away from the purchase by saying "Yeah they need salt water and they die in a few days anyway". I asked him if they were ghost shrimp and he confirmed they were, so I don't know why he said that but I never risked it.
RCS females grow up to half an inch so they're not that small. And you can always get Amano's
>Dwarf crayfish are banned
"Crayfish" are banned. Look for an australian red claw lobster or "blue cobalt lobster". They're crayfish but not called crayfish and are sold readily ;)
I went to petsmart for Black Friday sales and they had like 6 different types of baby cichlids. I was surprised, I didn't know they sold fish like that
Could I put one of the 5-inch plecos in a 5 gallon long, heavily planted, if it was the only thing in that tank?
Thinking a clown.
>>2006452
Just keep adding bacteria supplement every day
>>2002414
you cant put java fern and anubias in the sand
it will just rot an die.
You have to tie it to a root or stone using some floss
>>2002414
>axolotl
Those plants are going to get eaten.
>>2006564
there is no way you could do that without it being a torture for the pleco
>>2006595
I've had java fern and anubias in sand for years. The fern's only doing okay, but the anubias is doing very well.
>About to add 6 cherry shrimp from my shrimp tank to my main tank which has two gourami and a female betta
Place your bets?
>>2006605
Depends on if you have loads of plants or java moss or something honestly. I've had RCS in my angelfish tank for a year now, they just hang out in the moss and come out at night.
>>2006605
Well a Rosy Tetra just had a go at one but couldn't fit it in it's mouth.
>>2006482
Feeder "ghost shrimp" in the UK are almost always Palaemonetes varians, they're almost identical to "real" Palaemonetes paludosus but need salt-water, my local LFS has these too, was gunna buy some until I realised.
I tried cherries, got the biggest adults the shop had and my betta still ate them. Which surprised me, because he's a chill dude who never attacks anything, I was expecting my cichlids to eat them before the betta did. The problem with amanos is that I want to have a breeding shrimp, and amanos are too difficult to breed.
Also, I know about the blue lobsters, but they grow too big and are much too aggressive for my tank, hence why I was looking for the more peaceful dwarf ones.
Why are there no large, peaceful and easy to breed shrimp? Why must you make me suffer, God.
>>2006598
Why?
>>2006616
Plecos are shit machines. After goldfish, they have the worst waste of any fish you can buy. A 5 gallon would get polluted almost instantly, you'd need to do large water changes almost every day.
How do you grow moss like this lads?
Mine never goes bushy it just grows in a long thin fan shape.
Also how do people keep their aquascapes so clean? Mine is just covered in a layer of organic debris despite cleaning every week.
>>2006665
My LFS has something similar in their display tank. As I understood it, they put clumps of moss inside shapes of mosquito net and the moss eventually takes the right shape.
>>2006666
Quads are true, it's just moss growing through mesh or netting.
If you fucked up and used an inert substrate like slag for your aquarium before you knew that inert substrate is bad for planted tanks is there any way to make it non inert?
I fertilise a lot but my root feeding plants still grow shit.
>>2006670
You can grow plants in inert substrates just fine. What kind of ferts are you dosing?
>>2006700
Potassium Nitrate, And Trace mix.
If it's not the substrate my lights must be too weak then.
I have a hairgrass carpet but it always looks unhealthy and nothing like the thick lush carpets I see in aquascapes. Mine is patchy and yellowish green.
>>2006722
You don't dose phosphates? How are your other plants doing?
>>2006727
Just read on my fertilizer, it contains Potassium Nitrate, Potassium Phosphate, Magnesium Sulfate
>>2006738
Ferts sound good then. Are your other plants looking bad? It might be your light just like you said.
>>2006741
The only other plants I grow are Java fern, Anubias and Moss which all grow great.
>>2006743
The plants you listed will grow fine at lower light levels. Though depending on how deep your tank is and how intense your lighting is, you might have difficulty growing dwarf hairgrass.
>>2006665
The fan shaped moss looks like fissidens fontanus which is pretty hard to find.
