Abby's Pass (200g planted)
Advertisement
OP
- Messages
- 71
Yeah if I get a pleco he will be no more than 5 inches max. But it is a big concern if he were to disturb bottom dwelling rams or apistos. Can you believe a 2 inch L236 Zebra pleco sells for over 400 USD here?! I'd be gutted if I had to rehome him.
In other news I was peering into my tank last night, and saw a tiny reflection that didn't look quite right. I eventually managed to catch the critter responsible with some tweezers. Here he is:
The intelligent look in his eye sent a shiver down my spine, and eventually I worked out he was a damsel fly nymph. Terror justified!
In other news I was peering into my tank last night, and saw a tiny reflection that didn't look quite right. I eventually managed to catch the critter responsible with some tweezers. Here he is:
The intelligent look in his eye sent a shiver down my spine, and eventually I worked out he was a damsel fly nymph. Terror justified!
Advertisement
- Messages
- 149
Zebra pleco tend to be quiet shy so unless you have a mostly bare tank you might not see much of them; bn pleco are half:half - some are amazingly bold and others you won't see for years. I'm partial to lemon blue eye if you go that route but some like green dragons or super red. There are a lot of different colour morphs for bn so you could be quiet creative if you want to decorate your tank with them - a bit of poka-dot here and so forth.
Now you just need some fishes to eat those monsters before they cause real havoc.
Now you just need some fishes to eat those monsters before they cause real havoc.
OP
- Messages
- 71
Advertisement
At least they have a relatively short life in the tank and will hopefully mature and leave soon (if there's any left). It's shocking how small they are vs the size of fish they can prey on.
TC plants are great but you can also quarantine new plants or give them a "bath" with a low strength hydrogen peroxide or something similar to kill any pests/snails/eggs. Worth Googling some guides first if you do it.
TC plants are great but you can also quarantine new plants or give them a "bath" with a low strength hydrogen peroxide or something similar to kill any pests/snails/eggs. Worth Googling some guides first if you do it.
OP
- Messages
- 71
The tank is just over a month old now, and some emperor tetras and assassin snails went in a few days ago. The livestock is doing well, and the plants continue to grow. Fortunately I have not been able to find any more dragon fly nymphs. One of the water hyacinths in the sump flowered though. Here are some pictures. Thanks for viewing 
OP
- Messages
- 71
- Messages
- 595
I never knew how much havoc nymphs could wreak until I saw this thread! I've had damselfly nymph pop up in my betta tank before, and now I'm very glad it didn't do any damage. I saw it zip by once while I was untangling and trimming some rotala. It must have been about done growing because I didn't see it until two days later when I woke up with a damselfly on my wall, right above my bed! It was a little jarring to wake up to, but I pulled out the ol' tupperware and cardstock trick, and let it go outside.
Advertisement
- Messages
- 149
OP
- Messages
- 71
I agree, they do look pretty cool, but I would put raising them right up along side raising snakes, spiders and wasps.. I did manage to catch another one in my tank, and a third grew wings and flew out. Better out than in I say.
In other news I lost two ottos to white fugus / hunger, but the rest are still doing ok. I've started feeding them rapashy soilent green which they are picking at. The emperor tetras and my SAE also love it...
I'm currently feeding the emperor tetras Hikari micro pellets. Each pellet is around 1/4 the size of the tetras eye (see below). How many pellets should a tetra eat in a day? I have a big school of these now (the last lot went in a few days ago), and they can consume a pinch of micro pellets in seconds... When I first got them they were a bit pink and transparent, but they are starting to get a bit more color and definition now. Very happy with these guys.
Next up I've decided to stock two pairs of blue rams. My water sits at around 28 degrees C, and I plan to feed them a combination of sinking wafers, frozen worms and frozen brine shrimp. I know that they are a more tricky fish to keep, but we can't get past the pretty colors.. Any tips for caring for them? Lastly I noticed when I do a larger water change my tds can drop from 150 down to 100, before climbing back to 120 after I add fertilizers. Is this temporary swing any cause for concern, especially for the rams?
Glad your nymphs are gone and the ottos are doing well with some supplemental feeding!
With feeding the tetras, do they all feed together in a school? I'd get their attention and then put in as much as they can eat in 1-2 minutes. If they're all eating together they'll be competing and each should get a reasonable feed.
Your diet for the rams looks fine. Just be wary of over-feeding on frozen feeds. I think 2-3 times a week is plenty for most fish.
No idea on TDS sorry
With feeding the tetras, do they all feed together in a school? I'd get their attention and then put in as much as they can eat in 1-2 minutes. If they're all eating together they'll be competing and each should get a reasonable feed.
Your diet for the rams looks fine. Just be wary of over-feeding on frozen feeds. I think 2-3 times a week is plenty for most fish.
No idea on TDS sorry
OP
- Messages
- 71
A couple weeks since my last update, and things have been going well. The big change was the addition of 4 German Blue Rams, and 6 Corydoras Sterbai. Here are some pictures.
The corys are happy as Larry climbing over themselves and swimming in circles like a bunch of aquatic puppies. And definitely know the rams are doing well because after 1 week I found this:
Just below the ram in the foreground you can see some fry, so it seems they wasted no time at all in making babies. Two days later and the parents have stopped hiding out in the jungle (nipping at anyone nearby), and I can't find the fry, so I suspect they were all eaten. A bit sad but a bit of a relief as well..
Finally here is a picture of the plants, which are growing quite dense. You can also see some of the tetras schooling together near the pass. I've had a little bit of bba growing on the bolbitus and hygrophila leaves near the surface, but new leaves are growing fast enough that this is not a concern. I've also dispensed with the filter socks, and am allowing detritus to just settle in the main sump chamber. Water quality and clarity is unaffected so this is less maintenance I need to worry about now. Also after decimating the snail population many times over, I think the infestation is finally under control now. Snail guts under finger nails is disgusting.
The corys are happy as Larry climbing over themselves and swimming in circles like a bunch of aquatic puppies. And definitely know the rams are doing well because after 1 week I found this:
Just below the ram in the foreground you can see some fry, so it seems they wasted no time at all in making babies. Two days later and the parents have stopped hiding out in the jungle (nipping at anyone nearby), and I can't find the fry, so I suspect they were all eaten. A bit sad but a bit of a relief as well..
Finally here is a picture of the plants, which are growing quite dense. You can also see some of the tetras schooling together near the pass. I've had a little bit of bba growing on the bolbitus and hygrophila leaves near the surface, but new leaves are growing fast enough that this is not a concern. I've also dispensed with the filter socks, and am allowing detritus to just settle in the main sump chamber. Water quality and clarity is unaffected so this is less maintenance I need to worry about now. Also after decimating the snail population many times over, I think the infestation is finally under control now. Snail guts under finger nails is disgusting.
- Messages
- 5,747
OP
- Messages
- 71
- Messages
- 5,747
Yes, I find the same in my large planted tank.
OP
- Messages
- 71
OP
- Messages
- 71
I decided to break the South American theme, and I added a giant Plakat Beta to my tank as a centerpiece fish. He's called Mr Nimbus, and so far he is getting along well with the Rams. His diet is blood worms, brine shrimp, betta pellets, and raw prawn meat which he goes nuts over. Right now he is 3 inches at 3.5 months old, but I'm expecting him to grow to 4-5 inches.
In other news I think my rams ate their fry as they disappeared a couple of days after I found them. I did a massive trim of the tank today and found new eggs.
In other news I think my rams ate their fry as they disappeared a couple of days after I found them. I did a massive trim of the tank today and found new eggs.
Advertisement
- Messages
- 626
Your tank is stunning, and I love that you’ve stuck with smaller fish! I wish I had your aquascaping and plant skills!
- Messages
- 1,078
- Messages
- 20
OP
- Messages
- 71
Thanks Gudgie, I wouldn't call it skill though, I just persevered for long enoughYour tank is stunning, and I love that you’ve stuck with smaller fish! I wish I had your aquascaping and plant skills!
Cheers, I'm using a Canon EOS-R, and a f1.4 50mm Sigma Art lens
Great idea! except my daughter would knock over the camera
...I actually started planning out the tank a year before hand. It was a bit of a hobby in my spare time.
- Messages
- 1,078
OP
- Messages
- 71
OP
- Messages
- 71
It's been 8 months since my last update, so it is long overdue for a bit of a share. My tank has been in low maintenance mode for the last few months, so sharing where I'm up to might perhaps motivate me to spend a bit more time tidying things up.
Despite being close to 1000L in size, I honestly spend very little time on my tank. I wipe the glass once every 2 weeks with the glass scraper, change the co2 every 3 months, and spend 2 hours every other month cutting down the plants, which grow like crazy. I removed all of the faster growing stems, but the species that remain still grow like weeds. First world problems ey. I'm still keeping up with the weekly water changes, although I'm sure I could cut that back as well. Here is a phone pic of her below after pulling out 2 10 liter buckets full of trimmings. I could have kept cutting but my back was killing and I really needed a beer.
Early on I had a spot of trouble with BGA, then later BBA. By month 4 the tank had matured, the tetras and shrimp were breeding like rabbits, and the algae was outcompeted by the establish plant mass. I lost my giant beta due to over feeding a couple months after getting him, and I replaced him with a Zebra pleco and Tiger pleco. They are both beautiful fish, but I only get to see them once a month, if I'm lucky. I think that adds to the thrill.
Despite being close to 1000L in size, I honestly spend very little time on my tank. I wipe the glass once every 2 weeks with the glass scraper, change the co2 every 3 months, and spend 2 hours every other month cutting down the plants, which grow like crazy. I removed all of the faster growing stems, but the species that remain still grow like weeds. First world problems ey. I'm still keeping up with the weekly water changes, although I'm sure I could cut that back as well. Here is a phone pic of her below after pulling out 2 10 liter buckets full of trimmings. I could have kept cutting but my back was killing and I really needed a beer.
Early on I had a spot of trouble with BGA, then later BBA. By month 4 the tank had matured, the tetras and shrimp were breeding like rabbits, and the algae was outcompeted by the establish plant mass. I lost my giant beta due to over feeding a couple months after getting him, and I replaced him with a Zebra pleco and Tiger pleco. They are both beautiful fish, but I only get to see them once a month, if I'm lucky. I think that adds to the thrill.
- Messages
- 1,078
Advertisement
- Messages
- 1,078
OP
- Messages
- 71
It is a magnetic glass scraper from Tunze. You can actually see it in the picture. It has a metal razor attachment, but I've been too scared to use that, so I've left the hard plastic default scraper one. It works very well, and can even get the stubborn GSA off. I just need to be careful scraping near the substrate, where sand can potentially get lodged in.
I've used razors on occasion as well, but I wouldn't connect one to a magnet where I have less control.
- Messages
- 1,078
Random Great Topic!
Today's Deals
Advertisement
Advertisement