60 US gallon semi-aggressive journal

To get better dietary coverage on the rainbowfish, I’ve diced some small cucumber “cookies” for them to eat. I’m soaking them in a cup o’ tank water and when they’re finished soaking I’ll use a fork to drop them in. Might start doing this from time to time.

Getting more fish might have to be a birthday thing now (15th Sep). I’m not sure what else I want for my birthday, and if it’s just fish that I’ll be getting, my birthday this year should be cheap in comparison to all the rest I’ve had.

I’ll look for more conspecifics of my rainbowfish and maybe some other fish. Thing is, I’ll have to hope an LFS has any in stock at the time. Ordering online likely won’t happen for me, but the only good place to order fish online in the UK I know is Sims Tropical Fish. I’ve heard bad things about TropCo.

I’m a routinely person and I like to plan ahead. If I don’t plan, I won’t so much know what to do when the time comes.

 

The cucumber cookies didn’t work out well. The rainbowfish showed interest, took a bite and lost interest afterwards. Failed.

I then tried crushing up two of my BN’s algae wafers into bite-sized pieces. The rainbowfish enjoyed that, but the problem is, I used one too many algae wafers and I crushed them up too finely. I could’ve done it better.

Will try again tomorrow. I know what mistakes to avoid now.

 

A homemade frozen food mix makes up a big percentage of the diet of my fish. You could try making your own.

 

I usually feed brine shrimp, krill pacifica and/or lobster egg cubes when I feed frozen cubes. I use a maximum of two cubes at a time. I avoid bloodworm.

How do you make homemade frozen cubes? Is there a recipe to follow anywhere on the forum?

 

I usually feed brine shrimp, krill pacifica and/or lobster egg cubes when I feed frozen cubes. I use a maximum of two cubes at a time. I avoid bloodworm.

How do you make homemade frozen cubes? Is there a recipe to follow anywhere on the forum?

Yes:

Homemade Fish Food Recipes? | Fish Food Forum | 47984

I use a few large prawns, a fillet of oily fish and an equal weight of blanched vegetables - peas, spinach, broccoli, carrot and a clove of garlic. Blended then gelatine added. I spoon it into sealable bags, flatten into sheets so that pieces can be broken off and freeze.

 

I’ll check the recipes out. Got some water changes to do today. After that, I have the rest of the day to myself and time to read the recipes. Thanks as always.

For now, I’ll continue to crush up the pleco wafers, but if I’m allowed to make food for them, I’ll have a go at making food instead.

I hate to say this, but I predict I won’t be allowed. I’m going to ask anyway.

 

I hate to say this, but I predict I won’t be allowed. I’m going to ask anyway.

Luckily my wife is ok with it as long as I clean up after myself. If you tell them it's good for the fish and will save some money on prepared food they might not object.

 

I’ll clean up after myself. Fishkeeping has got me more active around the house anyway, so I wouldn’t mind.

This is all information for me to consider. Cheers!

 

I have used those recipes and similar ones as well. I find you do not need as much gelatin as it says.

 

I think I’ll follow the recipe mentioned in the second reply to the thread GlennO linked. I’ve bookmarked it.

I haven’t asked if I’m allowed yet, but to save money (and make it more hassle-free) I’d use only a quarter of the given measurements as recommended.

That recipe isn’t any bad for rainbowfish, is it?

 

I’m going to pull the plug on making my own frozen food (maybe just for now). I was going to ask my mum this morning, but my dad’s work for today was cancelled and he came home early. I fear he’ll sour the environment if I ask, and the plan will quickly be shut down. It would be a risk to even enquire.

I strongly don’t think they’ll buy me all of these ingredients and a blender for the fish.

Anyways, I fed one cube of frozen lobster eggs to the fish this morning. If I‘m not permitted to make my own frozen food, I’ll just stick to crushing up pleco wafers into pellet-sized morsels for the rainbowfish. It’s the best I can do.

Honestly, users here always talk about how this hobby is meant to be relaxing and enjoyable, but I’m failing to see how.

 

Perhaps relaxing is not the right word for the hobby. I find it more stimulating and interesting I think. Our big tank is in the living room where we sit in the evenings, and yes, after a long day I do enjoy sitting down and watching the fish (even if the angelfish are bickering and the Laetacaras trying hard to protect their fry from marauding tetras). I actually don’t mind doing water changes and tank maintenance, its far preferable than cleaning the house! Yes, there are stressful moments, especially when you have to catch fish to move them, but on the whole it is very enjoyable to me. Maybe you are worrying too much about your fish, they seem to be doing fine?

 

It’s more about whatever I wish to do with the aquariums isn’t in my hands, but someone else’s. I don’t get the final say. If it was in my hands and I got to make all the decisions, the tank would be a better place. Sometimes I fear people won’t understand this is the case.

The 15 and 6 gallon in my house (not my tanks, but I do all the maintenance) are terrible. I’m always struggling to keep the temperature from going too high in the 15 gallon (can never figure out why) and the 6 gallon has never been a fish-friendly place at all. They’re both plastic-filled messes with annoyingly bright lighting. I was given the “it’s not your tank and I’ll do what I want” excuse when advising not to use these decorations. Luckily, the chances of the 6 gallon being dismantled after the current fish in there passes look promising.

See what I’m faced with?

Doing water changes on this tank (remember it’s 70 gallons, not actually 60) is never as arduous as I expect it will be. I’m still not pleased with how I’m commanded to keep it spotlessly clean every time.

I decided to talk to my mum about making frozen food and I’m happy to report it went smoothly. I told her it makes lots of food and will be cost-effective in the long run, as well as being better for the fish. She took a picture of recipe with her phone camera to refer to.

I think part of the reason it went smoothly is because I was visibly unhappy and annoyed.

 

The only remaining concern with making food is the price of prawn. Is there a less expensive alternative to prawn I could use?

 

The only remaining concern with making food is the price of prawn. Is there a less expensive alternative to prawn I could use?

I just get a small handful from the market which only costs a few dollars. Alternatives would be crab meat or shellfish. But you could omit it altogether and just use fish.

 

Two of the three rainbow cichlids just had a quarrel. There is a pair that is sticking together, while keeping the third away from their area, so I think they’re having another crack at breeding. One of them is intently peering into a little crevice in the sand and staying within close proximity to said crevice.

Of course, this behaviour is relaxed when I approach the tank...

I’m thinking of rearranging stuff during the next water change to give the third wheel extra refuge for whenever this happens.

 

Munching on a cucumber:


Cucumber was demolished by the following morning.

 

I want to grow Brazilian pennywort (hyrdocotlye leucocephala) in this tank. This rough illustration shows what I’m aiming for, with the green cloud representing the pennywort:


Okay, maybe not that much pennywort... maybe.

The oval shape in the top-left corner represents airline tubing which will be used to hold the first pennyworts in place. I’ll remove it when the plant begins to take over. I could even add some to my 33 gallon from this “colony.”

I like to think the pennywort will look aesthetically pleasing, will provide security to the middle/top swimmers and will make maintenance a tad easier.

I’ll get up to doing this sometime around my upcoming birthday. I know I’ve said a lot will happen then, but I aim to get things sorted at this specified time. This birthday will still be dirt cheap compared to all the ones before.

Knowing how beneficial this project will be reminds me of all the years I wasted by using fake plants.

 

Sounds good, I agree that the pennywort should look really attractive and the fish will be happy, even the bottom dwellers since it will provide some shade for them.

 

Has anybody got suggestions for other 4-6 inch long schoolers? I’ve become impatient with rainbowfish and their antics. I’d prefer something less boisterous, like deep-bodied tetras.

I want to allow the current rainbows to run their course and then I’ll replace with different schoolers.

 

Rummy school and swim constantly; black neon and cardinals just sit still and look pretty. Serpae are a bit more active but some people complain they are nippers. Mine are quite shy around the angelfishes. Whitefin rosy tetra will mostly stay together but they are not very active. If you want a very active tiny fish kubotai rasbora spend all day long swimming near the top.

 

All good options, though none get to 4-5”. Actually that size would probably be too big anyway for a shoal in the tank size you have. The rainbow cichlids (and pleco) should probably be the biggest fish in the tank. Have you thought of looking into species that would occur naturally together with the rainbow cichlids?

just remembered you still have the geo in there as well I think. Well anyway, something from so ewhere between Costa Rica and Colombia?.

 

I want deep-bodied tetras that will be too big for the geo to eat. The geo is pretty much peaceful with anything that doesn't fit in his mouth.

Colombian tetras have interested me, but I'll have to see what species are available.

 

They should be good.

 

I’ll be looking for those or the like.

 

I found airline tubing and suction cups lying around in the cabinet, so I used them to make a ring at the surface that’ll (temporarily) keep any floaters in an enclosed area.

My LFS has lots of Colombian tetras, but unfortunately, there are still pretty rough fish there. Not the Colombians, but their rainbowfish. When I went to my LFS yesterday, there were gigantic boesemani rainbows like nothing I’d ever seen before, however they had ich and roughed up fins. I think the display tanks are all linked to one system, so I don’t want to buy their Colombian tetras in case they can introduce ich to my aquariums.

 

I found airline tubing and suction cups lying around in the cabinet, so I used them to make a ring at the surface that’ll (temporarily) keep any floaters in an enclosed area.

My LFS has lots of Colombian tetras, but unfortunately, there are still pretty rough fish there. Not the Colombians, but their rainbowfish. When I went to my LFS yesterday, there were gigantic boesemani rainbows like nothing I’d ever seen before, however they had ich and roughed up fins. I think the display tanks are all linked to one system, so I don’t want to buy their Colombian tetras in case they can introduce ich to my aquariums.

That is a shame, and I do find it strange that shops display obviously sick fish. I have never seen that here.

 

Not only that, but allow the ill fish to mingle with the healthy fish.

There’s another shop I can check, that also has a broad selection. It’s a similar distance away to this one.

 

Would you consider ordering online? I believe there are some quite good ones in the he UK?

 

Would you consider ordering online? I believe there are some quite good ones in the he UK?

I’m not allowed and I don’t know too much about the good online vendors.

 

There were some thresds here a while back that might be useful: Best online tropical fish websites for the UK | Commercial Websites Forum | 498736.
Your favourite ONLINE fish store UK only? | Polls Forum | 500521

 

A while ago now, I added a bunch on trumpet snails from my 33 gallon to the 70 gallon. Today, I noticed numerous trumpet snails all over the tank, including some huge trumpets. They’re really beginning to flourish.

My mum is shouting at me right now, complaining about all the snails.

My birthday has passed, although I haven’t yet got any plants. I’m making all efforts to avoid my most frequented LFS, as diseases seem to be wreaking havoc on their fish recently. It’s sad to see... they also didn’t have the plants I’m looking for last time I checked.

I can look elsewhere, though. Haven’t got enough money at the moment. If my fishkeeping motivation is beginning to look sloppier, just know it’s because I’m not finding what I’m looking for around here, and I’m unprepared to see my once trusted LFS go downhill like this. I also experience other issues outside of this hobby.

Other notes: I just did the 50% weekly water change for this tank, and the fish had a cucumber slice to eat yesterday. If I peel the skin off at the top, I find they eat through it quicker and make less mess.

 

Hello everyone,

To the users who are still viewing this thread, if you have some time to spare, maybe have a quick read of this thread here to have an understanding of what’s gone on with this tank:

Woke up to the strangest thing I’ve ever woken up to... | Fish Memorials Forum | 512195

This aquarium journal is over.