/aq/-aquarium general
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James 'Brave Choice' Findley Edition -
Continued from
>>2128571
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
>General aquarium care sheets - http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/
>Livestock and plants for sale - http://www.petsolutions.com/ http://www.aquabid.com
>FUCKING GOOGLE
We all make mistakes, so don't put anyone down - rather be helpful.
Chances are, you made a similiar mistake when you were starting out.
>Cool Youtube Channels:
>Aquascaping -
James Findley/The Green Machine
https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreenMachineLtd
Dennis Wong
https://www.youtube.com/user/xiaozhuangw
Filipe Oliveira
https://www.youtube.com/user/FaaoStudio
Oliver Knott
https://www.youtube.com/user/amanoshrimp
>Building your own shit/ Fish&Plant talk
King of DIY
https://www.youtube.com/user/uarujoey
Dustin's Fish Tanks
https://www.youtube.com/user/Dustinsfishtanks
Wayne's Fish World
https://www.youtube.com/user/samuelwaynefoleyjr
Aquarium related documentaries (German & English)
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtkQ-oVBStx0EYRcwz3bHSA
If you got any suggestions, especially related to cool saltwater channels, feel free to post them
>>2134966
Is it bad that I have the hots for Dustin? He lives like an hour away, too.
>>2134997
His channel has gone to shit. His webinars are cool, I guess, but most of his videos now have very little to offer. I'm disappointed.
>>2135000
He has a kid or two, what do you expect? I love his ghetto fish tank vid tho.
>>2135002
He's had kids since he started his channel. His dirted tank series and Peru vids are cool, but too many of them now are lacking in valuable content. I'm hoping he has some insightful vids with his new pond project.
Just had to put my longhorn cow fish down :( He hasn't eaten anything since I got him two weeks ago, and I've tried all different types of food. 4 types of frozen, 3 types of flakes, 3 types of pellets, and lots of seaweed wraps... He would always put it in his mouth, but would always spit the entire thing out, without eating anything. He gradually has gotten weaker and weaker trying to fight my current. Today I found him laying in my chaeto basket. He could still swim, but he must've swallowed air or fucked up his swim bladder, cuz he was always on the surface with his head pointed down, trying to swim down. And due to the toxins they release on death, I didn't feel comfortable leaving him while I was gone to work today... Took him out of the tank and put him out of his misery....
Would it be cost effective to build one of those long shallow aquariums?
>Someone else watches Dennis Wong videos
Thought I was the only one.
What do you have to do to do Aquascaping as a career like James Findley or Tom Barr?
What would you guys put into a 65 gallon tank with angelfish?
Tank is freshwater, and fully cycled
Also, how many angelfish would you recommend to get? I was thinking like 4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3k4uItZDtI
Why do professional aquascapers like this, who clearly have loads of money (as evidenced by all that ADA meme quipment), choose to use in tank ceramic diffusers instead of an inline difuser or external reactor? The only reason to use a ceramic diffuser is because you don't have a cannister filter, which that guy clearly has. And everyone agrees that ceramic diffusers are inferior to inline.
Is it just the aquascape equivalent of black people leaving price tags on their clothing?
Can someone explain what these Twinstar Nano things actually are?
Someone in the last thread said they don't do anything, but they're being used by so many professionals that they can't just be snake oil.
The website says it stops algae growth but doesn't say how.
>>2135063
You could probably go up to 6, but 4 is good. I have 3 in my 55 and there is plenty of space for them to get away from each other.
My pick for tankmates would be pencilfish. N. mortenthaleri are gorgeous, but can be pricey. I think trifasciatus and beckfordii are also nice.
>>2135077
Check out The King of DIY's latest video. He builds one for like $8.
>>2135088
>Electric wires in tank
This seems safe.
>>2135077
Pretty sure it accomplishes the same thing as a UV sterilizer. It kills the algae spores before algae can grow, and also claims to treat "pathogens" that could infect shrimp and fish.
>>2135097
So it's meme tier and you could just use a UV sterilizer instead?
>>2135099
I think so. I don't know if it is more effective at killing algae spores than a UV sterilizer, though.
>>2134980
Any other plants you would suggest?
Cringe stories?
Just found this on liveaquaria
>>2135112
Cover the substrate with blyxa and attach anubias nana petite to your hardscape.
Anyone have any experience cleaning up an old, dirty tank?
I heard of using white vinegar to clean it, is that my only option?
>>2135320
Vinegar and water.
>>2135325
So not even pure ammonia? Guess I'd better stock up on some white vinegar.
give it to me straight /aq/ is it worth it to start a nano reef?
>>2135373
only you can answer that question, and only after you've done it.
>>2135373
quick answer: no
Someone help I've just seen two fucking live bloodworms wiggling around my new mopani wood that I boiled for like 4 days and I don't know if I should siphon because I put in some dwarf hairgrass a little over a week ago but fuckin' A don't these things become pests quick? I'm afraid they'll live in my gravel if I just let it be. 20gal tank is empty save 5 marimo, 2 ghost shrimp, and 3 cherry shrimp. I've never put any live bloodworms in this tank, only frozen. My mopani is also going through a bacterial bloom which I was told would dissipate on its own and was completely normal.
Any ideas what could've caused this?
I was gonna get a pleco tomorrow (unrelated)..
What can I do to get them out?
Any fish or chemical or something that won't destroy my plants?
>>2135373
under 30 gallons no,
but if youre dedicated to saltwater it can be more rewarding than fresh. In saltwater anything under 100 gallons is considered "nano"
Fluval spec 6g here
Big momma guppy
10 baby guppies
Siamese Algae Eater
Male scarlet badis
American flag fish
Thinking of going from moderately planted to dense to handle the bioload and for the flagfish/badis.
>>2135492
I'm aware this setup isn't kosher
Anyone ever had a fish not being aggressive enough?
I moved my featherfin from the hospital tank to a new cichlid tank, hes at least 4x bigger than anything in there and every source i've read says they do well with African cichlids but he's already getting beat up and doesnt really swim around at all
I've had this catfish for 6 years and I want him to be happy but he's just not working in any of my tanks
All time fav saltwater fish
>>2135412
Don't worry about your DHG. It's going to die in there anyway.
>>2135492
>>2135501
Don't worry about the flagfish/badis/algae eater, they won't live long anyway in there.
>I'm aware this setup isn't kosher
People don't just make shit up to pick on you. That's a very poorly thought out stock list.
>>2135505
I have a few faves.
Here's one I haven't owned yet.
>>2135513
Heres mine, some of the brightest fish ive ever seen irl
>>2135520
I've owned 3 of those over the last 20 years, I absolutely love them. Hardy, not mean, and just gorgeous. Getting a bit pricey lately though because they're popular.
I keep looking for them in the wild, I want a pic of one in the ocean but so far no luck.
>>2135520
Here's a pic of one I had.
Along with another of my favorite fish, harlequin tuskfish.
>>2135520
these too. would post Damselfish because I like the way they look but theyre fucking demons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhEOw10iM2c
My favorite reefing video. Look at that anemone tank
>>2135525
I've had just straight damsel tanks before, I love them. Gorgeous fish some of them.
Right now I have a tank of all damsels except for a clown and a coral beauty. I also love the price of damsels, so cheap for some really pretty fish.
>>2135527
Im about to get back into the salt hobby soon. Im thinking of going with a jbj 45 and trying something like this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBlapxh0OYc
That guys mixed reef is so fucking nice imo.
Also might try a wrasse out for the first time once I get things started
>>2135531
that's a really good looking box, the guy has some skill. He says he has a lot to learn, but I think he's got params down.
I like wrasses. They're good pet fish, they learn who you are and will play with you. Really smart fish.
Other than the Harlequin Tusk, pic related is the only wrasse I've kept. I'd like to find a Thalassoma trilobatum, I've been looking for years.
>>2135505
It just looks like a slightly purpler N. multifasciatus.
>>2135052
I think that is just learning by doing and becoming so good, you can turn it into a career. Of course a background in aquaristics helps.
>>2135050
I stumpled upon him by accident and found his videos to be very insightful
>>2135064
I always asked myself that too. I really guess it's about product placement. You can't effectively present an inline-system. But that's just my assumption.
>>2135112
All depends on your overall layout.Small Rotala would be cool I guess, especially if it's brighter red for a nice contrast.
>>2135492
As many pointed out, you set yourself up for failure with that selection. I'd give the Algae Eater and Flag Fish away and invest in some amanos.
Unless you are very anal about water parameters, you will run into problems, when your more aggressive fish grow up and shit up the tank, literally and metaphorically speaking.
Where can I buy these? They're the hidden LED strips that come with the Nat Geo 36 gallon ensemble and the Marineland LED 60 gallon ensemble sold at PetSmart, but I've never seen them sold separately. I can't even find them online.
>>2135563
ebay has them
>>2135563
You tried craigslist? Maybe someone there offeres them seperately.
Did your strips die?
>>2135563
Double check your local petsmart for em. I used to work at one and we carried two different lengths.
>>2135511
How does that help me or answer my questions.
>Set up a nano aquarium with a sand foreground
>It gets algae growing on it, dirty and looks like shit
>Look how the pros keep their sand foregrounds clean
>They just siphon out the sand and replace it every week.
Nice
So my DSM experiment was a big failure and stuff at the back started melting.
I flooded 2 days ago and things seem to be going ok. HC is pealing well.
Unfortunately I don't think the melted plants at the back will recover. The yellow leaves are dead. Fortunately there is new growth under the melt.
>>2135566 #
>>2135613 #
I've found other "hidden" strips on eBay and PetSmart, like pic related, but they're bulkier and more complicated. I was hoping for the really minimalist type ones. Is there a particular keyword I should search for?
>>2135412
Rather get some cory cats. They should make a short process out of those bloodworms, but in general, they are harmless and a good live food source.
Your hair grass is indeed suffering a bit, as others pointed out, but if you do not intend for an intricate aquascape, it shouldnt be a problem
>>2135822
Don't get discouraged. I myself always preferred a wet start to a dry one. Many plants seem to get confused and adapt to their emersed form and spend much energy on that rather than developing proper roots fast and spreading. At least that was the case with me often times.
There's white fuzzy mold all over my tank out of nowhere that won't go away. I scrub it off and do a water change and it comes back within 24 hours. How the fuck do I get rid of this nasty shit? It's driving me crazy.
Is £50 a good price for a full 2Kg fire extinguisher with a dual stage regulator with electric solanoid?
For anyone that uses one of these, how long do you find 2KG of Co2 lasts?
>>2135900
>Is £50 a good price for a full 2Kg fire extinguisher with a dual stage regulator with electric solanoid?
2kg CO2 FE: £25
Dual stage regulator and solenoid: £89 (CO2art)
>how long do you find 2KG of Co2 lasts?
For a 60 litre aquarium running 2 bps for 8 hours a day, about 6 months.
How often do I need to change my filter media? When I do change it, are there any risks of a mini-cycle? IIRC most of the filter bacteria lives on the gravel/rocks, right?
Thanks
>>2135990
What kind of filter media are we talking about here? Really you should only ever need to change the mechanical filter (usually a sponge), and that only needs to be done when it's clogged. Ceramic media or bioballs may not ever need to be changed.
Well I've just bought a Fire Extinguisher based Co2 system and I'm going to pick it up tomorrow.
Hope I don't blow myself up.
>>2135994
Just remember that if you're using a cable tie to keep the squeeze trigger held down, that if you want to detach the regulator after setting the system up, cut the cable tie even if you think that the tank is empty.
>>2135511
I just bought the algae eater to take care of the algae on the plant leafs and the flag fish was an impulse buy that I'll eventually rehome.
I do water changes usually twice a week. The only thing I need to get are more plants to break lines of sight for the benefit of the flagfish. I don't see any signs of stress in any of them
This is my current fish tank. Can I put more fish in it? Total of 4 fish, 2 Goldfish, 1 male betta, 1 platy. I had another platy but it died with bloated stomach. What can I add to improve it?
>>2136072
how big is that tank? those goldfish will probably outgrow it
>>2135511
Fuck off man, I likely know more about the hobby than you. It's temporary
I'm planning on keeping the badis and finding it a mate along 4 or 5 clown killifish
>>2136084
My guess is 7-10 gallons. I used a standard ruler to measure which came up with 15 gallons but no way is that 15 gallons since I already have another 15 gallon but is bigger
>>2136072
The bio load is too heavy, you'll end doing water changes every few days. You don't have the plants or substrate to help clear the waste as well.
>>2136089
What kind of plants can I add and what is a substrate? I LITERALLY have no experience with fish. I inherited both of them. The goldfish came in the tank but were left to die by a girl who abandoned her apartment. The other betta was there becuase my little sibiling had it in fish bowl but of course it didn't survive well and had a missing fin plus Ich (still Ich tho). I just added platys to keep them company.
>>2136091
I would change from gravel to sand and get a bunch of easy plants like sword and anubus.
I don't know why you thought they needed company because you are overstocked to the point of harming the fish. Get rid of the goldfish eventually
Beginner question here, but the different filter medias confuse me a bit. Currently I have a small filter with a sponge (this is the mechanical filter?) underneath a small bag of white ceramic tubes (this is the biologic filter?).
The ceramic pieces are getting pretty filthy and was wondering if I should wash them out? The brown algae build up on them is getting to be enough to actually slow the water flow by a noticeable amount, but I also understand that the algae that grows on the biologic filter is needed?
Should I wash them off or replace them completely?
Thanks guys, they look sort of like pic related.
>>2136155
the sponge is both mechanical and biological filtration.
the brown slime on the ceramic is indeed the bacteria of your biofilter.
if it's slowing the flow you might rinse them.
Just take out some tank water and put the ceramic media in your container of tank water. Rinse them off by lightly rolling them around in your hand. You're just trying to remove the excess bacteria, don't try to get them clean.
Once you've done that, put the media back in the filter and dump the water you used to rinse them.
>>2136160
Thanks man, will do.
So it's correct if I have my ceramic beads on top of my sponge?
My filter is a AZOO Mignon Filter 60 (pic) and the sponge is in the bottom half of the vertical chamber.
>>2136072
>Can I put more fish in it?
Remove the goldfish, they grow huge, stunting them in a small tank will make them prone to disease faster.
>but can I?
Possibly, depends on what you want.
>>2136091
>What kind of plants can I add?
Anything really, low-light, fast growing ones are your best bet. Don't trust carpeting plants that google says.
>what is a substrate?
Flooring, I would replace the gravel with black sand but it's all personal preference really.
About to use an old fish tank I found in my shed that still works and has some neat rocks and fake plants in it, so I'm just lurking these /aq/ threads to learn more before starting.
I watched The Green Machine's most popular video, was not expecting myself to watch the full 30 minutes. The amount of detail put into that is fucking remarkable and looks beautiful
>>2136043
>>2136087
Algae eaters get big, for a tank that size your algae crew should be amanos and a nerite. American Flag Fish get too big and too aggressive for a badis and they grow fast.
And "it's temporary" is bullshit. Badis are slow, picky eaters. The guppies will out compete and starve the little guy before you even have a chance to cycle a new tank.
Quit trying to justify it, just admit you grabbed random shit at your LFS without researching it because it looked cool.
mystery snail seems like it got a bacterial infection. not moving much the last few days, but still retracts when touched.
aside from water changes what else can i do?
>>2136260
You are correct having the beads on top of the sponge.
Also, be sure to do what anon said and use TANK water when cleaning the ceramic media. Do not use tap water, as that will kill the bacteria.
>>2136072
Try to get a new home for the goldfish and add some water lettuce as a swimming plant,
elodea, cabomba and hygrophila as stem plants (dirt cheap, hard to kill)
And if you like, get a small lava rock and a small anubias nana, attach it to it.
>>2136043
I have many algae easters, crossocheilus reticulatus and siamensis and if they do not get company of their kind, they sorta flip the fuck out and can let their aggression out on other tankmates.
You should do the following:
remove flag fish, remove algae eater - find a new home for them
See how your badis does - those guppies could suppress him so either use the tank for your badis or for the guppys if that occurs
Also add Amanos and snails and you should have no problems with algae whatsoever.
>>2126284
This is me
My co2 had trouble fitting in the cabinet, I probably should have measured first kek
I don't know where the hose goes on the regulator but I'll figure that out. Some welding company said told me it would cost 30 dollars to fill my 10lb tank. I'm wondering if I should add a vertical piece of wood in the corners for extra support.
I think it will already hold up a 200lb tank but im paranoid.
Ok so I just collected my Co2
Somethings I've noticed that are a bit alarming.
Even though the nut is very tight on the FE. The whole regulator can rotate with a bit of force.
Also there's no signs on the front knob to say which was to turn it for more or less pressure.
>>2136603
Well I just tried it out. Nothing exploded as I gingerly pulled the lever. And a gentle hiss of Co2 came out the end of the needle valve.
Will have to wait till my new metal bubble counter and check valve come in the post because there's no way the plastic ones I've been using with this DIY setup will take the pressure.
Guys, I've notice my tanks have been getting considerably warmer lately. It's 4:30AM here in Central California, and my temps are reaching 83.8F/28.8C. Normally, that's comfy territory for my gouramis, loaches, and plants but I'm worried about the health of my Rummynose Rasboras and shrimp.
My tank gets indirect sunlight for a few hours a day, and the house itself kinda gets warm. All I can really do is turn up my HOB filters, lower the surface of the water by a couple of cms, and take off my glass canopy hood. Will that be enough to cool the tank down? Or will my Sawbwa Barbs and shrimpies have to endure a 4 month heatwave?
I plan on buying a clip-on fan to blow on the surface of the water, and some floating hornwort to stop potential jumpers. Don't want to see or step on any crispy fishies baked into the floor when I return from work late ;_;
>>2136622
how big is your tank? maybe just fill a plastic waterbottle with water, freeze it, put it in the tank and have a second one ready, when the one you have is thawed so you can achieve your desired temperature and refreeze used up bottles.
>>2126284
Back again
I read the instructions and set up the bubble counter and inline reactor.
What plants are good for an iwagumi tank?
I was thinking of going with hc Cuba?
>>2136626
It's a 40 breeder. Can't be assed to do ice bottles since I'm at work all day
>>2136632
I'm actually at work most of the time too. In the morning I just slip in an appropriate bottle (when forecast says its getting too hot) and let it thaw til i come back. Of course I use a bottle size that get's the temperature to level I want it to be.
Your other options are going lidless, installing fans or getting an aquatic cooler (usually quite expensive)
I'd just monitor the situation for now. Are the Shrimp Caridina or Neocaridina?
>>2136627
HC is what most use, but beware that you need great lighting for that.
Nice dildo btw. You a grill?
>>2136643
Not the guy you're replying too, but I've heard a few people say that high light isn't really needed for HC, just good flow and Co2. Dennis Wong talks about it in his HC video.
I'm growing it under a 1100 lumen DIY LED fixture. With DIY Co2
>>2136645
may I ask how big your tank is? I got a 60l one with a 1600 lumen LED and according to some sites, I would need almost twice the lumen to let it grow properly. Maybe I'mma go try it out one time.
>have rainbow shark and bristlenose pleco together
>noticed rainbow shark is suddenly too afraid to eat from the same algae wafer as the pleco
>no noticeable injuries
>pleco now regularly runs off the rainbow shark
>rainbow shark shares second wafer with loaches instead
The fuck? Kind of assumed the shark would be the more aggressive one in this situation. I know plecos can get a little aggressive over food, but dayum, didn't expect it to scare off a fish twice its size.
Are there any aquarium plants that CAN'T be grown in a temperate tank?
I'm considering keeping my next project, a 4ft dutch style, unheated.
Temps wont get below 20c
>>2136731
>Temps wont get below 20c
If that's the case then it's hardly temperate is it? But no, you shouldn't run into any problems. Lower temps supports higher dissolved CO2 and slows down their metabolism it can be beneficial for plants to be kept cooler, just as long as you're not after lightning fast growth.
When will /aq/ merge with /plant/?
>>2135880
It's the filter I have on the pic, my light is better than what it shows, plus I'm leaving another one on at night, dosing co2 and leafzone regularly.
If it doesn't do better in a couple of weeks I'll probably leave it as-is and invest in taller plants.
>>2136672
I got a pea puffer yesterday and expected it to tear apart my smaller shrimp, but my smaller shrimp were bullying it instead.
Maybe your pleco talks shit, maybe your rainbow shark is shy.
I'm in love with bloodfin tetras
I have a school of 5, and they like to hang out with my congo tets
They're so cute
>>2136949
You you love them so much take a picture off tumblr instead of taking one of them?
>>2136866
never.
People that raise plants underwater like to believe they're elite aquarists at the pinnacle of achievement in their field.
recognizing them as nothing more than mediocre gardeners would ruin the whole thing.
>>2136632
>>2136642
...You know, on second thought I think I'm just gonna grab a 16oz bottle and drop it in frozen inside my tank before I go to work
The shrimp are both Cherries and Amanos, I'm less worried about them since my shrimp always seem to thrive under abuse for no reason. I'm more worried about my Asian Rummynoses, they must be cooking in there since their optimal temperatures according to most sites maxes out at 75/76F
>>2126284 Here
Aqua forest gave me a pretty shit rock imho 2bh
2/2
>>2137145
They actually look pretty good, did you end up getting koke as well?
>>2137161
>>2137197
>>2137211
thats the same rock
I realized I didn't see a bunch of things I ordered in the boxes so I started throwing the packing material everywhere until I thought to look in the aquarium and saw they put 6 different things inside of it, the absolute madmen.
The glass cover was shattered.
It was in the tank with two pieces of wood, a hose, mat and thermometer.
I haven't seen any scratches but I haven't looked super closely yet either. Theres a bunch of shattered glass in the cracks and I have no idea how to get it out safely, or if pieces so small could even do damage. Everything big I got with a vacuum.
All this because they didn't want to spend or charge me 10$ to properly ship a sheet of glass. It was just thrown in the tank in a cardboard box.
Their return policy is they "help you" file a claim with the carrier and they won't refund you until thats settled. This just seems like negligence with packing on their part to me and not the fault of ups.
Rate my 36 gallon.
>>2137266
Neriteeggseverywhere/10
>>2137266
Hope you like babies, cuz thats how you get babies, but Im a sucker for Anubias and Swords, so I give it a Brettygood/100
>>2137082
>meanwhile in sunny California
Man, if it weren't for the hot as balls summers, I really wouldn't mind it here.
I use a small USB fan on my 20 long and leave the front hinge of the Versa-Top open. It keeps the tank around 72-74 instead of 80-82.
>Fall for the "ADA is high quality meme"
>Buy an ADA diffusor
>Struggling to get co2 tubing onto the end
>It shatters in my hand and cuts me up
Ah yes very good quality
>>2137363
How much you paid for that ADA diffusor? Was it the 100$ one?
I use a cheap ass typhoon JBL one I paid around 15$ for on my nano tank and never had an issue.
>>2137367
About that new, but I bought used.
Next time I'm getting moss, I'm getting the slow growing variety. I already plucked enough to fill up a gallon jar a couple months ago, and now this thing expanded to the size of a goddamn soccer ball
>>2137398
Just for reference, this is the tissue cultured Taxiphyllum "Spiky" from Tropica I superglued at the end of November. That giant ass ball is actually the left portion by itself
While mosses are pretty, they are a pain in the ass to trim and clean up after. I think I'll stick with Java Fern and Buce on hardscape when I move in 3 weeks and rescape my tank again. And maybe stems too just to watch them grow out and provide some surface cover, I've always liked how Rotala Rotundifolia looked in my old tank before I had to nuke it for camallanus worms
>>2137398
Do you use Co2?
>>2137363
ADA is good, just overpriced. You'll find that all glassware is fragile, you should warm the co2 hose with hot water first before trying to force it.
Same goes for taking it off, the tubing will get brittle after a few years so best to use a sharp knife rather than trying to use brute force.
Pea puffer will not eat.
Won't eat frozen bloodworms, live bloodworms, pest snails, or live cherry or ghost shrimp. Wtf.
I'm about to go to the store and buy some brine shrimp, hopefully some with garlic in them.
I even put him in a smaller enclosure temporarily with live and frozen bloodworms and a bunch of small live snails to see if anything would get his interest and nothing happened. He nibbled at one of the live ones but it wiggled and he ran.
He doesn't look sickly skinny yet, but he hasn't eaten for three days.
Anyone else have a particularly picky pea puffer?
>>2137456
>Anyone else have a particularly picky pea puffer?
Perhaps pea puffers preposterously prefer partaking Portuguese pork portions precisely prepared pickled?
How long will a pic related (JBL Proflora M601) last if I pump 2-3 bubbles per second?
>Oscar keeps ramming his HOB filter
>Keep waking up in middle of night to loud grinding of impeller out of place
IM GONNA FRY YOU UP YOU LITTLE SHIT REEEEEEEEE
I Really want duckweed or fairy moss/azolla
is it a bad idea to get it if its going in a 10 gallon betta tank? I've heard it grows quickly so if it pans out, I plan to put a bit in my 50 gallon community tank
>>2137612
just buy a fire extinguisher and a regulator for 1/4 the price.
>>2136493
I will rehome both when they get too big.
I think guppies get a bad rep, the badis is never in competition with them because he doesn't eat dry or frozen food.
Trying to carpet Monte Carlo in a Walstad tank, no CO2 and 108W of lighting, lets see how it goes, I'll post pictures tomorrow.
Better pic with anubus I replanted
>>2137427
No co2, just Excel from when I dosed it daily for 2-3 months and then stopped and went back to full low-tech with no water changes
One night I found one of my Sawbwa Barbs sleeping in the moss like this, went to get my phone to take a pic and then found my Honey also getting comfy. Kinda sad that I'll be getting rid of this giant clump, hope my shrimp and fish enjoy sleeping in java fern and buce instead!
>>2137863
Favorite part of the tank is this little forest( pygmy chain sword?).
I also noticed my Dwarf Hairgrass is finally showing runners after 2 months! It was about 1 month of Excel dosing, 1 month low tech no Excel. This thing does carpet, but very slowly. I might have to put them in a more brightly lit area of the tank and resume daily Excel to get them to spread faster
One of shot of the badis. He's come out swimming against the water jet and briefly tried to throw down with the flag and a guppy.
>>2136375
Welcome to the hobby anon.
Rate food
>>2137645
Mine got the shits with me because i didnt feed him one night and ripped the canister intake pipe off
>>2137227
aqua forest hasn't emailed me back which is pretty epic...
>>2137874
Those look like cryptocoryne though can't tell you the species. The smaller ones are probably C. wendtii.
hey guys I'm out of fish food. can I feed my mollies cat food or something?
>>2138013
chop up some cucumber
>>2138017
i thought they need protein
>>2138020
mollies are vegetarians
nigga do literally 2 seconds of research before you go buy your pets
>>2137886
giving your fish advil is not a good idea
>HC keeps coming unrooted
>>2138024
Yeah. I have a small platy grow tank. I put some moneywort in it. If you don't feed twice a day and/or miss a feeding, they strip that wort clean.
Is it normal for Ottos to wig the fuck out over every little thing?
I have one in my 5gal shrimp tank, and he seems to be in a perpetual state of panic.
There's plenty of hiding places for him, but if I move wrong or a shrimp gets close to him, he has a spaz attack all over the tank...
>>2138256
>They're captured from their home where they swim in shoals of thousands, bunged into a bag and flown all the way to your country, where they're placed in a tiny box until someone buys them, then you take it home and place it by itself in a tiny tank.
>>2138256
Otos need friends and a 5 gal isn't really big enough to have a good sized group. Algae crew in a 5 gal should be a nerite and maybe amanos.
Hi, why are my goldfish not eating?
I have decided to sell them because they arn't.
I want a finding nemo tank for my daughters room now.
https://www.gumtree.com/p/fish/small-fish-tank-with-3-goldfish-fish-tank-dimensions-32-x-24-x-20-cm-/1172276822
>Want to scape my tank into a mixed dutch / nature now I've got a proper FE co2 system, something like pic related.
>I can't scape it because I have no where to put the fish, and I don't want to waste the mossy driftwood thats in there at the moment but I have no where to store it and wont be using it for the new scape
>I'd have to buy another tank
>I have 4 tanks already
>Tall aquariums
Why the fuck do these exist?
They look like shit, they can't be scaped good and it's not good for the fish.
>>2138305
What are the orange plants at the back and the green plants just in front of them?
>>2138307
>"b-but it takes up less space"
Seems to be the usual excuse
>>2137401
I got some buces in a trade from an LFS. They're actually a lot more attractive in person IMO.
>>2137703
You'll never be 100% rid of it if you get it. It seems to come back from the dead. It also sticks to your arm and ends up all over your house. Giant duckweed, salvinia, frogbit, or water lettuce is easier to deal with if you can find it.
>Every aquarium in Takeshi Amanos gallery has a sign saying you can't take photos
Why?
Why the fuck can't my phone take a decent picture of my aquarium?
It always comes out blurry and grainy and overexposed.
It takes great photos of LITERALLY everything else.
>>2138374
copyright maybe
>>2138401
You can copyright plants in a box of water?
>>2138402
yes.
>>2138401
No. That's not true at all.
>>2138374
>yo dog we heard you like lights so we put a light on your light
Only 90s kids will get this
>>2138390
Because your focal length isn't right - you are taking a picture of an indeterminate focal point at an indeterminate focal length (through water and glass) and it's not something you can set within the phone I think.
>>2138413
Well thats why i said maybe, but im not talking about copyright of the layouts but to do with licensing out their own photos. But seeing as you know then enlighten us.
I need some help /an
One of my angelfish passed away just now, and I'm trying to figure out why
I was getting ready to do a water change when I saw her. She was laying at the bottom of the tank slowly moving her fins. Then she swam to the top and twirled around a bit with her mouth at the surface. Then she suddenly sank
They're in a community tank, and none of the other fish mess with them. Tank is around 80 degrees or so, and the water is fine. She ate good this morning too
>>2138429
It's probably to not spook the fish with flash photography, but seeing as most people are idiots and don't know how to turn their flash off, it's just easier to ban all photographs.
Further, copyright is reserved for intellectual property. An aquarium layout is hardly intellectual property.
Just snagged a 5 gallon Fluval Chi for cheap to put in my college dorm. Is it okay to put a king betta in there? They're a lot bigger than regular betta splendens, so would he need a 10 gallon instead?
>>2138457
they live in puddles just put him in a water bottle
>tfw nobody wants female bettas
>tfw seeing them sold for £2 at lfs but no one wants them still so their tank is cramped and they look ill
>tfw they look just as good as plakat betta males
>they're better than males because you can have multiple
Anyone else have a betta harem tank?
>>2138457
He'll be fine. Their care requirements are the same as regular betta. If you can get a 10 gallon go for it. It's better, but not necessary.
>>2138457
>Glass bowl
Triggered.
I don't get how people still think this is ok.
It's not like bettas are even temperate fish masquerading as tropical fish like Platys and Danios. They're genuine 100% tropical fish that need temperatures at the higher end of the spectrum.
>Every single youtube video about how to keep discuss starts with "ITS A MYTH THAT DISCUSS ARE HARD TO KEEP ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS A WATER CHANGE EVERY 2 DAYS USE RO WATER MONITOR THE PARAMETERS LIKE A HAWK AND SPRINKLE CRUSHED GOLD INTO THE WATER."
Ah yes "myth".
>>2138495
Not my picture, found it on google images. I keep my bettas in 5 gallon tanks with aqueon heaters preset to 79 degrees. pic related, I have the same tank for my delta tail.
>>2138489
I used to have a betta sorority but the thing about it is that you need at least 5 or 6 of them, otherwise they'll all gang up one one poor mama. RIP Carmenita
>>2138282
Hi Mark. That tank is WAY too small to put even one goldfish in. Goldfish are like, the messiest fish, so they need huge amounts of space to not die from their own shit poisoning them. They also grow to be absolutely massive. Yours are probably majorly sick, considering you have 3 of them in, what, a 5-gallon? One sole goldfish should be in at least a 10-gallon. Please don't get a tank for your daughter until you are really knowledgeable about fish so you can be a good role model for her. Here's a good web article about goldfish care:
http://www.firsttankguide.net/goldfish.php
Also, bettas do not live in mud puddles. They live in Thai flood plains. Pic related. Does that look like a puddle to you? Please brush up on general aquarium knowledge before asking questions. Random petco employees are often not very knowledgeable. Please do your own research.
>>2138495
I don't need a heater for my betta tank most of the year, but that's because I live in Hawaii.
He likes peas and broccoli best. He's a little pig. He also eat my plants. Asshole.
Here is my Double Tailed Betta fish Fred. Ive had him for about 3 months. Ive read about tail rot and while I dont think his tail is getting worse or shorter it looks kinda torn and ragged. Is that just the pattern or is he diseased? Also how should I treat it if so.
>>2138638
I agree, it looks a bit jagged. What are your tank specs? I think I see a filter in there, and that white thing is probably a thermometer for your heater, right? So as long as you're reading 76-80 degrees you're all right there. Most fish get fin rot because of dirty water though, so if you think that's what's going on, you might want to upgrade his tank size or just change the water more. If it gets worse you can do an aquarium salt dip.
Can you feed bettas to an Oscar?
>>2138568
California here
>9:30PM
>tank temp is 88f
lowest temp ive seen since summer started was 80 f and that was at like 4am
>>2138712
sheesh, what do you keep.
>>2138716
I have a sorority
I just bought a heater to tamp down on a recent ich outbreak but with temps like these, I may not even need it
>>2138646
Its about 2.5 gallons ive got a filter that I turn off during the night cause its loud and he doesnt seem to like it much. Ive been replacing his water often with the conditoner. Early on the pellets would sink sometimes and I can see some pellets in the gravel. Is that a problem? Ive also petted him but I washed ny hands before. Should I get aquarium salt? Pic related is all my stuff for the tank. On hot days I open the lid and turn on the fan. I have to replace more but it cools about 10 degrees.
>>2138607
His name is Hitler. I finally got him to hold still by giving him some broccoli.
>>2138712
Jesus christ, I think most of my tank inhabitants would die from such a massive swing in temperature throughout the day and they're tough bastards themselves
Also, I'm thinking of giving my fish away to the LFS or another hobbyist before I move my 40 breeder. 11 kuhlis, 8 rummynose rasboras, 3 honey gouramis, and a crapload of shrimp are way too bothersome to keep alive while I rescape and probably recycle my tank. I could probably keep the RCS and Kuhlis alive in an oxygenated bucket though, the survived before in the Fall/Winter... What should I restock with when I resettle? I'm thinking of giving these guys a chance again, and having a larger school of Lambchop/Espei or Harley Quinn Rasberries. Or maybe a school of Threadfin Rainbows
>>2138536
so cute. Adorable fish is offended.
>>2138702
Yes. Gourami actually make half-decent food fish.
>>2138712
Fellow Californian. I'm pretty amazed my black bee shrimp are holding up as well as they are. Tank temps fluctuate from 78-84.
>>2138747
Tank looks like the 1 gallon Aqueon Minibow. Unplugging the filter at night makes it pretty much useless in general. Put some polyester batting in the outflow of the filter to cut down on noise and flow, or look up DIY filter baffles. Also get the water tested. If you don't want to buy a test kit, PetSmart will do it for you for free if you bring them some water from the tank.
He could be biting his fins due to stress or it could be fin rot from high ammonia, caused from things like rotting food in the tank.
Aquarium salt is largely unnecessary. Better to just not let food rot in your tank and do frequent water changes.
>>Be me
>>@Petco
>>Ask for nine gold comets
>>Marks me for ten and gets me 20
>>Winks
>>neveragain.jpg
>>2138805
he wanted you to save them. He knows damn well the condition they'll be in until someone takes them
At least if you take them, they'll either be living the sweet life or will die quickly from neglect. Eitherway, their suffering will end soon
>>2138766
Pearl gouramis are nice. They are just not as bold as other gouramis, so don't house them with anything that could bully them or nip at them, like most of the species you listed, and you should be fine.
R8 my tank.
20 gallons fully cycled.
>blushing tetra named Sushi
>golden Groumai named Finley
>2 cherry barbs named Tic and Tac
>loach named Draco
>fiddler crab named Sebastian
I'll finally be getting my own place soon and moving out of shared accommodation as I've got a new job.
Do you think it's worth asking the Landlord if I can put in a pond?
I'd be looking to get buy a house in 5 years so I'd be possibly be renting there for 5 years.
HC at the back is still suffering while the HC at the front is flourishing.
It's stopped melting since flooding but it's not spreading and it's new growth has stunted small leaves.
I'm injecting co2 and dosing ferts
Any idea what it could be?
>>2138837
naw wait until you get a house
in the meantime, get a big tank and a bunch of babies for your future pond. That way you'll know what size to make your pond once everything is adult sized
>>2138842
sounds like you have uneven lighting dude.
What are the prickly rosette style plants in front of the rocks?
>Have a female betta in a community tank
>Does everything a male betta does except flip it's shit at everything in the tank
Dunno why they're so unpopular.
Rate my tank?
Only just stared the whole fish keeping thing, any beginners tips for me?
>>2138878
Forgot the pic...
>>2138869
girls are temperamental though. Emphasis on the mental
>all peaceful in sorority tank
>feed them
>flaring everywhere
>one fish darts quickly past another
>torn fins all over the tank
>try to add a new girl to sorority
>have to remove ALL fish from the tank and reintroduce them to the tank 1 at a time, from least aggressive to most aggressive in 30-minute intervals or they'll all gangup on and kill the newcomer
I suppose these arent problems if you only get one female but if you only get one anyway, you may as well get a flashier looking male
>>2138861
Downoi
http://www.flowgrow.de/db/aquaticplants/pogostemon-helferi
>Go to 2 lfs
>No hob filters
wtf
>>2138879
0/10 because of the fucking pineapple.
>>2138834
rates and tips please anons.
im new to this.
>>2139013
what did you even do? That looks like all the cheapest plastic shit at walmart with nothing growing in the tank besides the algae on those stones. There are all of TWO fish visible despite all the names you listed. What is there to rate?
>10/10 cleanliness
>excellent blending of black and blue gravels friendo! Nice plastic stump!
learn to aquascape
>>2138837
Make a pond like pic and just load it up in a flatbed when you go to move.
>>2139013
>>2138834
>blushing tetra named Sushi
Needs to be in a group of 5 or more
>golden Groumai named Finley
Will outgrow the tank, and might end up being too aggressive to be with the other fish. Thick lip, dwarf, or honey gourami would be better, or some kind of small (<3") cichlid.
>2 cherry barbs named Tic and Tac
They *should* be in a group of 5+, but they tend to handle smaller numbers better than most. If you do get more, try to keep a 1:2 male:female ratio.
>loach named Draco
Needs to be in a group of 5 or more
>fiddler crab named Sebastian
Needs somewhere to come out of the water, needs brackish water, will probably try to eat your fish. Not suitable for fish tank mates in general.
Also your water level is way too low.
Give back the crab, the gourami, and one type of schooling fish, then build your other schools, and get some other kind of centerpiece.
>>2138814
Pearls can also be murderous assholes too, I've learned from firsthand experience
I might try doing a similar setup to this biotope. Just Kuhlis and a small group of Pearls, I'll probably have to get the gouramis at a younger age and all at once so they can establish a pecking order and get long OK
Anyone know anything about LED voltages?
I've got an LED unit which I made myself with an LED driver that is rated at 18-35V.
It's a bit too bright so I want to dim it. The only dimmers I can find are 12-14V.
Would this be ok or would it burn out the dimmer?
>>2139141
*12-24v
>>2139141
The dimmer would get fugged.
http://www.amazon.com/Unique-Goods-Controller-Adjustable-Regulator/dp/B00QBFI7US?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0
The module in the link will be able to safely dim the LEDs, even though it says motor controller.
>>2139148
So there's nothing special about an LED dimmer? It's just a DC variable resistor?
I'll see if I can find one of these motor controllers on my country's ebay.
I don't think you can get actual LED dimmers that go as high as 35v for whatever read.
>>2139151
Both LED dimmers and PWM modules are the same exact thing, the higher-voltage ones are generally sold as motor dimmers since the vast majority of LED arrays run at 12V.
Can fish become traumatised?
I stupidly bought 2 indian gouramis and put them both in the tank. They proceeded to fight each other for several weeks, the smaller one losing every time. I was able to get rid of the big one recently. But the small one is still incredibly skittish.
>>2139159
>Can fish become traumatised?
Yes.
fish can learn behavior via conditioning.
YOU FAGGOTS ALL READY FOR THE MASSIVE INFLUX OF RETARDS AT YOUR LFS DUE TO FINDING NEMO 2?
>>2139200
Interested to see how they gone sell blue tangs to kids, I mean its no clown in terms of hardiness, can be aggressive and needs a big-ish tank.
![emoji-masks-for-social-media-android-iphone-text-electronic-message-emoticons-kaomoji-facial-expressions-smilies-smiley--[3]-148920-p.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/q6UkCem.jpg "emoji-masks-for-social-media-android-iphone-text-electronic-message-emoticons-kaomoji-facial-expressions-smilies-smiley [3]-148920-p")
>>2139200
>At LFS today
>"omg it's nemo"
I will kill your child
Has anyone ever ordered Killifish eggs?
Apparently they're like brine shrimp in the way that they can be freeze dried and they last for years in a suspended state.
>>2138834
Fucking garbage.
>that random mishmash of schooling fish
>Gold Gourami in a 20 gallon
>A fiddler crabs
>A FIDDLER CRAB
>tacky gravel
>that water level
Please do your research on fish you buy, they're not decorations, please don't be one of those
>well they're not dead in the display tank so they'll be fine in mine!
Retards and just buy whatever looks cool and then throw it all in one tank with no regard to anything. Would you buy a bunch of different rodents or herps and throw them all in one tank and expect them to be fine? Fuck no.
>>2139208
Anon pls stop you are triggering me. I used to work at a LFS and I'd hear that every fucking day followed by the little shits pounding the shit out of the glass.
>>2138842
>Fiddler crab in freshwater
How is it not dead?
>>2139200
>DO YOU SELL OCTOPUS?
>CAN IT FIT IT IN THIS 5G?
How do I vacuum the algae off the bottom of my planted without sucking up the baby shrimp I can't see? Should I just flip the substrate around instead?
>>2138842
Lighting might be uneven and, as someone mentioned before, when you dry-started, only the front HC was getting enough water. The stuff in the back is higher up and wasn't as wet, so that could have contributed to it.
>>2135014
holy shit dude those are just mating behaviours
>>2139200
I think Petco was attempting to be proactive about this and was offering blue/yellow bettas on sale as part of a Finding Nemo promotion. They looked just similar enough to Dory to fool a small child.
>>2139210
When you order killifish eggs they shouldn't be freeze dried. In the wild they live in seasonal ponds, so their eggs have to survive the dry season when the water evaporates. So the eggs you buy are mostly dry and ready to survive shipping and a few months of dryness until you simulate the wet season, but freeze-drying would probably kill them.
>>2139264
I saw this ad and took advantage but BEWARE. I bought sixteen bettas for a 55gal and now I'm down to one. wtf happened
>>2139267
>Being a pedant like this.
You know what he meant.
Tips for getting rid of unwanted livestock? I think I'm gonna go on a hiatus from the hobby. Not enough time to do proper tank upkeep, plus I intend to move soon so the whole setup needs to be broken down and bagged up anywyay. Eventually I hope to start anew with a larger tank (only have a 20 gallon now), but only after I find some stability.
>>2139258
Get algae eaters
>>2139302
I have a 8" in a turtle tank but I want to keep the shrimp fry and eggs safe.
I'd also like to add fish but idk what will leave the shrimp eggs alone. It's a 55gal and I'd like to add something big like oscars but I really want to protect the shrimp and let them propagate.
>>2139311
Tetras maybe
>>2139284
If they were all male they probably fuckin killed each other, even with females it happens. Bettas are savage
>>2139312
I have schools of fish in my turtle tank, I have no problem moving (protecting) them as long as they don't mess with the shrimp. I have several corys, a school of zebra danio, and a school of balas.
Also, I need a 3-4ft piece of drift wood to bring things together, does anyone have a cheap source or know where in the US to pick up wood safely? I will be going out west and live near a river currently. I just want to make it safe and boiling it in the bath tub doesn't sound like I'll actually get boiling water, just really hot.
Does anyone here have a Fluval 5 gallon tank like the Chi or the Spec? I'm interested in bettas but I've heard the filter is too strong. Ideas to dampen it? Is it necessary?
Will rcs eat bloodworms or copepods?
Also are my rcs getting a good diet? I just feed them hikari algae pellets but they have a cuttlebone in there and watersprite and marimo to pick through as well
>>2139258
I just shine a light in the bucket and put the babbies back in the tank
>>2139300
bring them to a LFS
>>2139376
My RCS gorge themselves on frozen bloodworms as long as their body. I've heard from others to feed protein sparingly for them. They don't do shit about copepods in your tank, and I'm not sure they would hunt live bloodworms either
I feed my RCS a variety of stuff, NLS community pellets, and Hikari Crab Cuisine, Algae Wafers and Shrimp Pellets. I should also get them zucchini again, I bet they and the rset of the fish in the tank miss having a freshly blanched slice to much on
>>2139321
>People trying to source fucking wood.
Dude, if you need to boil a piece of wood, get a metal garbage can and start a fire underneath. Shit ain't that tough.
>>2138124
>go to buy hairgrass
>"nah mang, buy some Monte Carlo, it's easier to grow"
>buy Monte Carlo
>turns out tons of people have issues with HC uprooting itself for fun
Ech, I hope mine stays put.
>>2138307
I had one once
>break your shoulder every time you want to reach down to the substrate
Ah yes, quality design.
>>2139096
Get a flying fox, basically a rainbow shark that'll eat algae and fits well with that biotope.
>>2139415
>source: someone who doesn't rent
I can't just go starting fires
>>2139428
Go do it in an abandoned lot. C'mon son. Use your head.
>>2139432
>starting a fire on property that isn't yours
Where do you live?
>>2139434
The Greatest Country in the World®.
Nobody is going to do anything as long as you don't burn shit down.
>>2139439
I have an acre of land but I don't want to burn a big hole, also, it would cost about $20 for a metal trash can. I could put that money towards something else.
So I had this 20gal tank as a kid and made a little frog and minnow habitat. I think the minnows ate all the frogs.
>>2139446
Get one of these then: http://amzn.com/B004070QDA
Then you can have awesome crawfish boils come next spring. You'll even be able to catch the tail end of this season.
I'd call that a good investment.
>>2139450
>http://amzn.com/B004070QDA
looks nice, but honestly I could crank up the gas water heater to boiling temps and fill the tub. hopefully it'd be hot enough. not really any crawfish up north
>>2139459
Bake that sum bitch at 200 - 215 F for a day.
Put it in a large tub afterwards and let it soak until it sinks. Replace the water until the wood no longer leeches out tannins if you give a fuck about appearances. Most fish appreciate the brown water, though, and tannins help to a degree with fungal and bacterial troublemakers.
Don't sue me if you catch your shit on fire, though.
>>2139321
Has your turtle ever eaten the fish?
I've wanted to add some schooling fish myself for my turtle tank
>>2139260
Mating behaviors? No... He was less then 1.5 inchs long, not nearly the size of an adult longhorn cowfish, nor did he have the coloration of a mature adult longhorn cowfish.. They were signs of a dying boxfish, in a heavily stocked marine reef. I was not about to put my hundreds of other animals at risk of pahutoxicity. It was sad to do, but after recently cleaning out two customers tanks from boxfish dying in their tank and nuking the entire tank, I feel confident I made a good choice.
>>2139328
I've kept bettas in large freshwater tanks, with multiple powerheads. The bettas always love to swim in the tail end of the powerhead, where the force isn't to strong, but still much stronger then other areas of the tank. They bulked up and ended up being the most muscular bettas i've ever seen
>>2139474
He has eaten a zebra danio or two and a small cory cat that wasn't cautious enough. He was still a baby then. Turtle is 1.5 years old now and about 2.5". Danios will ostracize the weakest member of the group and I didn't have enough at the time so the weakest of the five got eaten. I have 7 now which seems to be the magic number with my tank/ecosystem. Everything has been great for the last 10 months; no casualties. My Balas have gotten really big, one even outsizing the turtle. My tip would be getting something big and armored like my 8" pleco, the turtle just tries to mate with him...or something fast like the bala/danios, or something cheap. Goldfish add too much to the bioload so keep it simple and cheap. Don't get too attached although I do love my fish. My other tank has RCS that I want to breed plants and shrimp in to sustain food in the turtle tank. Going to transplant some cabomba for the turtle and the RCS are reaching adulthood after a couple weeks so hopefully 3rd generation will pop up soon.
pic related, my fish were eaten in the old 20gal. Now that I upgraded to 55 gal there haven't been any eaten fish. If I ever noticed fish getting nipped at I'd probably move them to a different tank though.
>>2139493
also, my turtle gets a lot of exercise and fun chasing fish around, I really think it adds a lot to his quality of life
keep in mind zebra danios are research model fish like fruitflies or insects so there is an overwhelming abundance and buying these from pet shops is better than letting them die in stores.
>>2139493
>>2139501
I've heard small, fast fish being a good option (most stores around me don't sell fish big enough to compete with her size, she's an 8" RES in a 90 gal setup) I was considering a school of guppies since I heard they're fast and can breed fast so if she eats a few of them, they'll eventually replenish themselves. But danios sound like an interesting option. (I did have two small goldfish with her for a week until she decided they were fair game)
also I dig that above tank mesh around, how'd you make it?
>>2139495
I just did a bit more research on your behalf - mix up a strong saline solution and soak that fucker in there and then in freshwater. That seems to work too.
>>2139505
the above tank thing was made with wood trim and gutter cover I think, I improvised it for a 20gal. I hope you have a bigger tank for a 8" RES. Gutter cover is just a mesh wire leaf preventative that was cheap and available. quarter round salvaged adn painted as the corner posts. nothing hard or impressive.
55gal is pic related
>>2139517
awesome man, much appreciated, I will likely be salting some logs while out on vacation next week
>>2139535
he's grown quite a bit since then and the bamboo has grown around 6"
>>2135411
well it has something to do with separating 2H+ and O-- from H2O, in saltwater there are more ions dissolved
>>2139535
sadly, 90 gal is about all I have space for now until I can move to a new place. (granted she's already 11 years old now and hasn't grown as rapid anymore since about two years ago)
The only upgrade I can do for now is an above tank thing for full tank use (sitting about 2/3 full right now)
also very nice setup, the bamboo looks pretty cool
I want this tank for my sliders so bad
>>2139542
90gal is a pretty good amount of space for a turtle that size; I can't tell you that you are a monster if you dont get a 500gal or something crazy, I might upgrade someday but my turtle is a western painted and only 2.5" so my 55gal tank is an ocean to him. plus, he spends a shit ton of time around the thermostatr heating up.... makes me feel better about leaving him when I go out of town every other week. he can manage the "free" food and the dock adjusts to water level so I am usually ok..
>>2139545
turltes spend so little time on land it'sworth just gettinga big aquarium, my dude gets on the raft under the light very little, could be a personality thing, but by nature aquatic turtles just want to swim around m9y
>>2139505
for a turtle that size, maybe try something quick like balas or something aggressive like oscars....not really sure.
>>2139547
I'm hoping it'll at least sate her for the long haul until I can afford the final upgrade for me and her as well. I would like to upgrade to a 120-150 gallon or so
>>2139557
I would, but the space isn't too suited for her size and a large aggressive fish as well
pic related is her tank, though the photo is majorly outdated (this was when I first got this tank to upgrade from her old, extremely small enclosure)
Changes include a completely rebuilt basking platform that is properly fit to the width of the aquarium, taller, and decorated (this was the old version of it straight from the old tank), higher water level due to the revisions of the platform, and goldfish obvious gone because she ate 'em (in hindsight, I really should have invested in real hides for them)
a note of irony, I got this tank from craigslist from a guy who had 2 7" oscars in this tank. I figured it was fine space for the two of them but not if the water level was lower for both an oscar of that size and my turtle
>Buy clip-on fan
>Come home after work and see fan inside tank still running
>Panic
Thank goodness I haven't seen any casualties yet, just a bunch of scared fish hiding from the giant white intruder at the surface
Fan actually cooled my tank down to 76F when it would usually be 83.8F, nice! Crazy ass evaporation though
I'm a fag so I'd like to have a beta. Well, I'd like to keep an aquarium in general but the problem is my room can be up to the high 80s during certain parts of the day. Someone mentioned betas needing higher temperatures, but would that be too hot? Are there any fish that could live in my sauna of a room?
>>2139545
Wouldn't really get used ever. Might be nice if you were breeding them, but who the fuck would breed normal sliders?
>>2138834
>>2139013
As many pointed out, find a new home for your crab and gourami.
What kind of Loach is it? Loaches also need friends, and depending on the size of your tank, they might get too big,
As many pointed out, get more schooling fish, for the bottom, get bristlenose pleco or 5+ Corycats of your choice.
If you encounter Algae issues, get amano shrimp.
As many pointed out, you do not have a planted tank, but it is up to you. Some people keep their fish even in bare bottom setup, if the species allows it. Just beware that big gravel like yours can cause nitrate problems, if you dont vacc it regularly, rather use smaller substrate.
Plants can be beneficial in terms of tank stability and oxgen, driftwood or leaflitter can add some antiseptic properties to the water and generate biofilm for fish to graze on.
If you should decide to get plants, rather get hardy ones like cabomba, elodea, hygrophila, java fern and anubias and move up from there. Plants also benefit from smaller substrate, due to their roots systems.
>>2139649
most ram cichlids from south america like it more on the warmer side, same with many pleco species
bettas can 'tolerate' up to 86 degrees, but should not be kept higher than 82ish for a long time.
You can always use a frozen water bottle to cool down your tank if necessary or get a fan.
>>2139649
78-84F is an okay range
they can live in pretty hot temps so it'll be fine unless you stick the damn thing in a bowl, then it'll fry. Get a ten gallon tank and an opaque tank divider then you can get TWO betta and not have to worry about overheating since a larger body of water keeps a more stable temp
>>2139657
Okay. I know betas enjoy planted setups as well since they like to nest on real plants, what would be good plants to get? And a good, er, base to the tank. I'm guessing if I were to make a planted setup I'd have to put the divider in before adding the base and plants. I'm not sure what to call the base. I mean like groundwork. I know sand is bad, but stuff like that.
>>2139688
you mean the substrate - unless you want to do elaborate aquascapes, don't buy an active substrate with nutrients in it. They pricey and you wouldn't benefit that much from it.
Gravel would be too coarse and feed/waste would get stuck in there to rot and it could lead to air pockets/unhealthy bacteria forming in it.
Imho, go with cheap, small grain, non-active substrates, like jbl manado in the pic in either brown or black.
Plants depend on what you want with it. If you wanna aquascape it, you'd need to invest in good-ish light and co2, but I'd rather recommend a low tech setup with no co2 and your regular light for a beginner.
Get some floating plants like water lettuce, bettas love that and they draw many nitrates out of the water. Same for hygrophila-stem plants or cabomba and elodea etc.
Furthermore you could get anubias and or javafern that you could bind onto a piece of wood or a rock (never bury the rhyzome of those plants in the substrate - will lead to rotting and toxins)
Also you could get an Echinodorus/Amazon Sword species. Many can grow lush and big or medium sized Valisnerias.
Rather stay away from carpeting plants or plants that are bright pink/red - for them to thrive you need good light and co2 most of the time.
You can dose liquid fertilizer like easy life profito/excell etc. for your plants.
>>2139704
I'm pretty new to this, but why are they called floating plants? I'm assuming they literally don't float in the aquarium. Binding implies cutting off a piece of the fern then attaching it a rock or wood, but what would I use to bind it? And I'm not sure what the Rhyzome is, but I suppose I could google that.
Also, when it comes to getting a rock or wood, I can use any rock or piece of wood provided it's either passed a vinegar test or I've boiled it, correct?
>>2139707
they do float on top, like you can see on many lakes.
Binding means you can bind the rhyzome (the thick piece at the bottom of the plant, where the respective leaves come out) using a string of choice. Of course nylon would be best, since its transparent and doesnt decay.
wood can't pass a vinegar test, before you pick out something in nature, rather get a cheap piece of driftwood at a petstore for like 5 dollars or look at craigslist. This way you dont run the risk of introducing any potentially toxic residue to your tank.
You can either water the wood in a bucket for a week or two and replace the water so the tannins come out or boil/bake it. I prefer watering, since by boiling, you open the pores of the wood and it releases many tannins, which turn your water too brown (note: its harmless and actually can help with your fish health, but too much makes it look very dark and can lower your PH to a degree you dont want.)
For stones, you can pick anything that passes the acid test. Ones that do not pass, will harden your water. Or get cheap dragon stone or lava rock at a petstore/Craigslist. Boiling stones shouldn't be problematic.
Vinegar test means pouring vinegar over rocks you want in your tank.
If you pour vinegar on your rocks and they fizz, you cant use them in your aquarium. If they don't fizz, then you CAN use them
>>2139712
So just typing the Rhyzome to a piece of wood would eventually lead it to attaching to said piece of wood, huh.
Thanks for all the info. I've screenshotted it for future reference for when I eventually decide to get a tank. I just got laid off wednesday but I can get my shitty retail job back pretty easily, I think. Just gotta wait until then I suppose.
>>2139718
No prob. You can usually get a great bargain at craigslist and other sites of that nature. The more you read upon the fish you wanna keep, the better. I'd also advise you to let your tank cycle and settle as long as possible beforehand. Bettas are often put in uncycled tanks because they are so hardy but I would not risk it personally. Also you can feed frozen bloodworms. It usually gives bettas a more striking colour, at least was the case with mine, compared to just using pellets.
>>2135245
Redtail catfish or red tail shark?
>>2139321
extremely hot water in your bathtub should work fine. Also, if you have access to your water heater, you should be able to turn up the dial on your water heater to get even hotter water. The combination of 140 degree water and chlorine in the water should be able to kill most things on it. Just let it soak for an hour or so and keep adding more water in like 15 minute increments to keep the temp up, without draining your hot water heater.
>>2139291
He compared killifish eggs to brine shrimp eggs. So yes, I knew what he meant. He was confused.
>>2139571
the fish will definitely need substrate and plants/other hiding spots if they even want a fighting chance. my turtle has to weave through bamboo if he's going to catch them
>>2139767
You decide.
i have 5.5 gallon with 20-30 rcs and some java moss.
its heated and filtered.
realistically how often do i really need to do a water change?
>>2139889
I change my 5.5 water once every week
But I only have 3 guppies and a singapore flower shrimp. The shrimp makes a lot of waste. If he wasnt in there I feel like I could do twice a month changes. 20-30 rcs might make a decent amount of waste.
>>2139797
what would be an ideal, manageable substrate? I only know of large stones and sand, but I heard sand can fuck up your filters and stones are a bitch to clean from bulid up of shit underneath.
I'll invest in some better hides that at least don't take too much swimming room.
Has your turtle even tried to eat the bamboo? Mine attempts to eat anything new in the tank and tried at least 6 times to eat the fake ones
>>2138390
You probably have a glass aquarium, things are less clear than acrylic. However glass is better over all cuase function
>>2139743
I will also keep that in mind. I need to read up the nitrogen cycle and stuff anyways.
>>2139889
However long it takes for ammonia, nitrate,nitrite and other waste to reach undesirable levels.
I love these guys so much
My marble is king of the tank. He takes shit from nobody
He swims around like some sort of mob boss and always comes back to his friend
I'm not sure if the other one is female or not
>>2139889
Probably once every month or two months. Test your nitrates once a week to see how long it takes for them to get above 20.
>>2139912
Pea gravel, but you'll probably need to get a gravel vacuum to clean it. Though to be honest I'm not sure how substrate is supposed to help the fish get away. Driftwood and some big resin ornaments would probably work better for that.
>>2138766
I have a Lone Survivor threadfin rainbowfish in my shrimp tank. Watching him eat his frozen cyclops is the most adorable thing. I'd get more, but nowhere around here sells them any more.
>>2139987
They're usually pretty cheap on aquabid
If I'm having to topoff my tank water very frequently (almost a gallon a day), should I be buying bottled drinking water?
The tapwater where I live is hard, so I'm worried that the mineral buildup from topping off with tap water will eventually harm my shrimp and fish
>>2140037
shrimp and fish consume some of the minerals that make your water hard.
water changes are what keep it from building up though. If you're worried just keep up on water changes.
>>2140049
I don't do water changes since I'm following a low tech EI dosing guide. But... considering the whole point of no water changes is to preserve the co2 balance, I might as well do water changes since I'm oxygenating the shit out of my water
I'm just worried for my Amanos, since there's been mass die offs for them a week after a water change
>>2139545
>that small ass tank
/aq/ has gone to hell hasn't it
I may or may not be getting an old 100gal tank soon
I want to try making an abandoned, overgrown cityscape aquarium. Any clue how to go about it? Is it worth trying to carpet moss all over everything?
are those magnetic algae scrappers a meme?
it looks like a good way to scratch your tank up
>>2140105
Hmmm, the hardscape material would be a little challenging to setup (abandoned buildings and cars)
I suggest Dwarf Hairgrass for the carpet substrate, and Weeping moss to attach to hardscape
>>2140112
I remembered that I had some and tried it
They work, no scratches but good luck getting in corners and just above your gravel line
my mystery snail isnt doing so well.
he hasnt moved in weeks and does this thing where hes half out of the shell. white mold looking thing appears something. parameters are fine, this is the only snail thats affected water changes dont seem to be helping. what can i do?
>>2140037
keep a couple-gallon water jug with conditioned water handy, problemo solvedo
Does anyone have any idea what kind of mushroom coral this is?
>>2138402
It could be some research going on with that shit. They don't want ppl taking pics for that purpose alone.
>>2140147
But what if it's conditioned water filled from the my tap? Does letting water age make it less hard magically or something?
>>2138898
>Downoi
Do they require high lights and co2? Or can you put them in a low maintenance tank dedicated to easy and medium plants?
>>2140105
Sounds neat. Do you have the cars and buildings set up? If not my first guess would be model train scenery. Its usually plastic and lasts a while. Maybe put some water resistant finish over it to make it last underwater too.
Does the eheim 2215 come with substrate pro, or do you have to pay extra for the pro© substrate?
one of my fish is stuck upside down constantly floating to the surface desperately trying to go down, how do i fix this issue?
>>2140380
Do you have a filter on?
>>2140189
Medium light, high co2 and good flow if I recall correctly.
Anyone have tips for dealing with brown algae like this?
The three things that are supposed to cause it don't really make sense to me.
First is TOO LITTLE light. This doesn't seem likely seeing as I have green algae as well.
Second is too much nitrate, can't be that seeing as the tank has no lifestock in it and I'm not even adding ammonia to cycle. It's just full of plants at the moment.
Third is too little oxygen. According to my co2 drop checker I have a good concentration of co2 so I must have an ok supply of oxygen too. Also increasing co2 is supposed to DECREASE algae, not CAUSE it.
>>2140457
red ramshorn snails man
they keep my tanks clean as fuck
>>2140135
Sounds like it already ded.
Bettafag here, wanting to get a plakat but all I see at the pet shops are massive plakats called "king bettas", are plakats really just that massive? Should I just get a female veiltail instead?
>>2140600
King Bettas are larger bettas.
Just planted my first 15 gallon tank, reccomendations for stocking it?
Can someone ID these half dead bugs in my old bottle of fish flakes?
>>2140710
Mites perhaps? They like fish food thats old/moldy/damp
>>2140714
Can they be fed to my rainbow shark and gouramis?
>>2140718
I woudlnt risk it personally. But hey your life
This is a betta skeleton. Post will follow
>>2140864
>>2140865
My >2 years old betta died somewhen sunday in the day. He had became very lethargic and weak over the last weeks and had been blind on one eye for a while too, slowly shutting down. Since he lived in a 10 gals with a population of ramshorn snails, I decided to leave him in there and see what how it would go. I added a few more snails and dropped a bunch of there algae food around him. (when I found it only the veils from the large fins had gone, the fish was still complete and a few snails were snailing around.) Through monday there remaining a mass of snails on the corpse preventing me from seeing it. I added alage food in the area and changed some of the water. water didnt foul up as far as I can see. Through tuesday it was covered too and I scattered alage food around the tank. and just now (in the night) I moved the plants around as the snails have dispersed, and found the skeleton, pretty much picked clean. skull and spine. the head and mouth kept its shape. also there seems to be a long bone that runs parallel to the spin but its head-end is disconnected.
I loved that fish honestly. Just wanted to share the science.
>>2136072
Hello I have updated my tank. Unfortunately I got yet another fish, I honestly didn't want it but I clean for a living and I have to take fish tanks people abandoned. I just cant bring myself to kill them, I dont know what type of fish is the black fish. What else can I do?
>>2140869
I could never do that and find your actions of feeding your fish to a bunch of shitty snails disgusting. That's just me though.
What are some of you're favorite fish?
>Mine: Scarlet badis
Tiny little fish that look like perch
Vibrant colors and relatively easy to keep
They do require live food though
Glad I have a Daphina culture
>>2140338
I finally checked and mine came with subsrat pro and much pro
Is there anything better I could be using? I've read that the media you should use can depend on what's in your tank
>>2140600
"Non-king" plakats seem to be getting harder to find. What's wrong with a king plakat? They're supposedly less aggressive and their care is the same.
>Should I just get a female veiltail instead?
No good reason not to.
>>2140870
Is that a fucking 5 gallon?
>I dont know what type of fish is the black fish
It's a black molly.
>What else can I do?
g i v e t h e m a w a y
>>2140879
they're not shitty snails they're his lifelong friends. what's the problem, should I prevent the body from decomposing in your opinion? Or should I just hide it from my eyes? It's not an action, I let it happen. What good would be achieved in flusing him, except contaminating public aqueduc?
>>2140879
decapitation and freezing fish in a ziploc are the disgusting ones mate. that is just nature, life and death, death and life. All corpses return to the earth
>HC coming unrooted every fucking day and floats up to the top in huge chunks
How the fuck do I stop this?
How do good aquascapers prevent their high light, high co2 high fert aquascapes turning into algae factories?
>Buy a hob filter
>It's REALLY FUCKING LOUD
Any way to make it quiet?
>>2141270
>Take top off
It's much much quieter
Is it ok to run it with the top off?
>>2140927
I only have a 5.5 gallon and I read that because they're bigger they need more space, so I didn't want him to be cramped
>>2141273
Try putting something on the top to weight it down, since the sound is probably just the lid vibrating.
>>2140931
10 gallon actually. I have three seperate tanks from all the fishes I've collected but only one filter that works. I know its overcrowded mostly becuase of the goldfish but no one wants them even for free.
>dwarf gourami mate
>female keeps eating eggs out of nest
>territorial male pecks at her repeatedly
>she ignores him and keeps going at it
This sucks
>BETTAS SHOULDN'T BE KEPT IN CUPS REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
enjoy the shitty tank then retard
>>2141493
>Honey Gourami trio
>Male keeps building bubble nests
>They get broken up
>Females are uninterested in spawning
>Male loses breeding colors
Female gouramis are stone cold bitches
>>2141527
Well imagine being confined to small room for yourself where you eat, sleep, poop, piss and play in for the rest of your life. You think it's alright cause:
>They're fish they don't feel anything or think blah blah I dont care.
These fish stunt in health, growth and development while in confined spaces.
>>2141543
Who cares? They're fish.
got an rcs tank with no substrate. so the bottom is littered with shrimp poop. parameters are fine.
i was just wondering if the poop will be harmful or anything.
i siphon it up during water changes but the shrimp are so low bioload i would wait weeks before doing so. only really doing it when water levels are dropping
>>2141597
Yes. You need bacteria to decay some of the harmful chemicals in poop and said bacteria will grow best with substrate otherwise you will have little to no bacteria
>>2141642
i have a sponge filter for that purpose.
my parameters are fine, do i really need substrate?
>>2141647
If ammonia/nitrite are zero it's fine.
recommend me some meme fish
>>2137266
not an expert, but looks just a smidge overstocked?
mollies are huge poop machines, you're gonna wanna water change pretty frequently
I need opinions on good shrimp substrate. I wanna know what people think is the best and which ones are cheaper, but still work well.
![20160602_132212[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/cAaHSuG.jpg "20160602 132212[1]")
