Isabella

I've bought 4 new half-sized Harlequin Rasboras 2 days ago. I already have 2 adult ones in my 75 gallon tank, and the 4 new ones are to fill out the group, so that I have a total of 6 in my 75 gallon tank. The 4 Harlequins are in my 10 gallon quarantine tank for a period of observation.

The day I bought them was the day they arrived at my LFS. When I was buying them, they were all so pale they almost showed no color. I don't know if this was due to fear because of the transport or because they're sick.

I had to acclimatize form for over 3 hours (3 hours and 35 minutes to be exact), as the water from the store had a pH of 5.0 (!!!) and their Nitrate level was almost at 40 ppm !!! My water in the 10 gallon Q tank has a pH level of 6.8 - 6.9 and a Nitrate level of 5 ppm. To tell you the truth, I am surprised they made it the next day! Such a huge change in water conditions. They must be very strong little guys.

Since the day I bought them, their color has been improving steadily, and as of now, they look almost normal. Their appetite is very good and their swimming is well balanced.

My question is: Do you think that if they made it through the first 2 - 3 days, there are large changes of them being fine? Or can some disease due to transfer trip and due to the change in water conditions show even a week or two later?

I certainly hope they won't get sick, which is why I took pains of acclimatizing them for 3 hours and 35 minutes! Do you think if I keep the water super clean, they'll make it even despite all that they went through? The worst they had to go through was probably the HORRIBLE water parameters at the fish store! What the **** do they think? And I know 100% their tap water is not 5.0 in pH, so I know they're using commercial products to adjust their pH. Suckers!

Chief_waterchanger

They've been through the worst of it, and are better off in your tanks than the idiotic lfs. Sounds like they --should-- be just fine, and have happy little lives.

cherryrose

I think there's a pretty good chance they will make it since their color is improving, they are swimming normally, and have a good appetite. Good job on taking your time on acclimating them for so long. They are very lucky to have such a loving parent to take care of them.

Of course, there is a chance that they could have caught some disease that hasn't shown up yet but with good care it may be nipped in the bud. Congratulations on your new additions!

CherryRose

Butterfly

Good job!! They go through so much just getting to the lfs no wonder they were pale.
They should be fine now.
Carol

COBettaCouple

i think they've got a good chance of making it with you caring for them. They'd be dead for sure at the LFS by now and sound like they're on the way to being fine for you instead.

Tom

Congrats. The reason they are pale is because they are stressed from the move from the big storage tank to the lfs to your house, their color should be back in a few days. They should be able to make it and would be fine.
Tom

Isabella

They have BEAUTIFUL colors today! They're so reddish-pink on the edges of their bodies Yes, I am beginning to believe they'll be more than fine!

I'll take some pictures of them soon (just ordered a Nikon D40 DSLR camera - I know it's not the best Nikon, but it should be OK for a beginner in DSLR cameras like me).

Tom

So you got the true red harlequins. Those are the beautiful ones. Just make sure you ask about that before you get them because there are also the slim rasboras that look exactly the same but without the red.

But that's great that they are doing better.
Tom

Isabella

LOL, I already want a group of 50 - 100 Harlequin Rasboras in a huge planted tank ... imagine that They're truly beautiful schooling fish. They look STUNNING in large groups in huge planted tanks.

Tom, I was able to tell what kind they were. They're the exact same kind that the other 2 I have are. I've never seen any other Rasbora variety at my LFS. I think they only sell Harlequin Rasboras. I believe the other 2 haven't developed such reddish-pink color yet because there are only 2 of them, and that's not a healthy number for Harlequin Rasboras. The good news is that they're in a 2-fish group only temporarily Actually, one of the 2 Harlequins has a more vivid reddish-pink coloration than the other one. I think they'll all become more colorful when they're all together in a group of 6

My current stocking plan total is: 2 Angelfish, 6 Cherry Barbs, 6 Harlequin Rasboras, 6 Zebra Danios, 3 German Blue Rams, and 4 - 6 Diamond Tetras. But I am now beginning to lean more toward a new plan: eliminate the Diamond Tetras, and get more of Cherry Barbs, Harlequin Rasboras, and Zebra Danios, so that these 3 species are in even larger groups. The larger the group of schooling fish, the more beautiful it looks.

Tom

Ya, the true red harlequins get a beautiful red when they are in big groups. I have 10 at the moment along with 10 b.neons and that is such a beautiful combo. The on;y problem is I need to restock my tank with plants. Now to add on to your thought of 50-100 of them, imagine a 1000 gallon tank with 500-750 of them and a well planted tank. That is a type of tank that I want when I get the money and space.
Tom

Isabella

LOL, a 1,000 Harlequin Rasboras ... sure, in my wildest dreams !!!

It must be such a beautiful sight

Tom

It is a beautiful thing to watch when all the fish swim from one side of the tank to the other and they go as a big school and then there are a few rebels that start to swim to the surface and a few that swim to the bottom. ANd what is nice is that they are all around the same size in regards to length and thickness.
Tom

Isabella

Just an update: They're doing very well Very lively and colorful, with great appetite!

In fact, they seem so well that I'd like to put them in my 75 gallon tank right now. But ... I know I have to keep them in the Q tank for at least 3 weeks. Just to stay on the safe side.

Sabi

Glad they are coming on fine Isabella! They are really lovely fish!Spectacular!

Isabella

Here are some pictures of my new 4 Harlequins + 1 picture of one of my 2 adult Harlequins

http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/f...in%20Rasboras/

P.S. Click on the pictures twice to get their full size.

Isabella

UPDATE:

All righty, it's been over 3 weeks now since I have them and they look perfectly well Just one more week, and I'll be transferring them to my 75 gallon tank Though, as always, I am very worried about the pH change they'll have to go through (the 75 gallon tank's pH is very high due to Eco Complete substrate ). I hope they'll take it well - I'll probably end up acclimatizing them for 3 hours again.

Tom

Just do the 'drip' method which I use if there is a big difference in the pH. If you don't know what that is, just go search it here and I was the one who started it.
Tom

Isabella

Yes, I know what the drip method is Thank you Though I have to tell you that when I was acclimatizing my H. Rasboras to the Q tank (for over 3 hours), I was adding such small amounts of my tank water to the bag that it was like the drip method itself, lol. I was actually using a 3-4 ml/cc syringe.

By the way, I stopped by my LFS today briefly to get some fish food, and as always, I went to look at the fish. They still had about 10-15 H. Rasboras left (I am guessing from the same batch that I bought mine from). The difference in looks of my H. Rasboras and those left at the store is ASTONISHING! The ones left there are still completely pale (almost no color except the faint navy cone), and my H. Rasboras are so colorful and vibrant. If you looked at my H. Rasboras and the ones at the LFS, you'd never guess they're all from the same batch. Just 3 weeks of proper care makes the fish come alive and vibrant in coloration. This also proves the horrible water conditions at the LFS.