Lacey D
- #1
Hey all!
Q's: 1) Is the 69-71 "preferred temp" I've seen on the internet what others here are running at? I tried that (got as low as 71) and they sank to the bottom and stopped being as active. Did I let my setup cool too fast?
2) Is it true they're not jumpers? I am in the process of cutting the filter slots in a plexiglass lid for the aquarium they're in (to keep shrimp in later), so I have it on there at an angle right now. It'd rather not have it on at all if they're pretty much guaranteed to stay in the aquarium.
3) Two of the girls I bought are very pregnant. What are the chances that they'll drop fry in an aquarium still being cycled, after the stress of being transported and having massive daily water changes?
4)I haven't added salt or anything other than Prime and Flourish to the (tap) water. Please let me know if there is anything you recommend.
5)Food recommendations? They liked frozen brine shrimp, but ignored the flakes the second time around (could be stress). So far they seem pretty happy grazing on the algae which came over with the crypto, but that won't last forever
Readings yesterday, before the water change:
pH: 7.2; Ammonia: 1.0; Nitrite: 0.5 ppm; Nitrate: 0 (but getting darker).
Background: I have some experience in the past with fancy guppies, but this is my first time with endler and despite reading up on them I'm not as prepared as I probably should have been First off, I had started a 10-gallon tank as a experiment-my first dirted tank--last week. I added in the HOB from my betta's tank, complete with old filter and filter media, the spare heater I have for my betta (pre-set 78F) and a massive sponge filter rated for 40 gal, to get that colonized for the 37 gal I'm setting up in July and to clear the dirt from the water since I'm still in the process of planting it (it worked--the water is crystal clear). I also added some crypto plants from the betta's tank, and some other organic material to help with the cycle.
I use tap water conditioned with Prime, and had a cloud in the water for a day which looked like a bacterial bloom. I did a 50% water change, and the water parameters looked promising...but I ran out of test strips. So I went to the LFS to get a new API kit and check out what they had...and I was weak. I fell in love with one of the boy endler, and since I was planning on getting endler anyway for the 37 gallon, I ended up coming home with 6 of them-2 boys, 3 girls and a "bonus" fry which was accidentally netted. Caveat: They LOOK like endler, but as they're not rated I am assuming they are at least P if not K. The LFS I got them from is very good and knowledgeable (Aquarium Co-op), but there was too much going on to have a discussion about that I'll try to post some pictures later though, to identify the type of my favorite boy, as well as to get an opinion on how hybridized they might be.
The plan was to put them in the betta's tank, but he was very aggressive with the bag. So they were put into my 'experiment' aquarium instead. Three days later, other than being skittish, they seem to be doing fine. Water readings with the new API kit show that it is definitely NOT cycled, but thanks to the ammonia dump from the new fish, it is definitely on the way. I'm continuing to do 50% water changes everyday like a typical fish-in, and so far no one is showing signed of ammonia poisoning (I'd expect the fry to show it first, right?). After reading that 78 was probably too hot, I unplugged the heater, and over the course of the next day it dropped to 71...and the endler (esp girls) stopped exploring and being as active. I plugged it in again last night to make sure the temp didn't drop TOO far (our house heater is off at night)--checked in this morning at it was 74 and they're all roaming around again. I've decided to keep it up to help the bacteria establish faster--hope that's not a mistake! (The plan is to buy an adjustable heater for this tank this week to take things down in a more controlled manner, if that's recommended).
Any advice appreciated, as I fall in love with this new species <3
Q's: 1) Is the 69-71 "preferred temp" I've seen on the internet what others here are running at? I tried that (got as low as 71) and they sank to the bottom and stopped being as active. Did I let my setup cool too fast?
2) Is it true they're not jumpers? I am in the process of cutting the filter slots in a plexiglass lid for the aquarium they're in (to keep shrimp in later), so I have it on there at an angle right now. It'd rather not have it on at all if they're pretty much guaranteed to stay in the aquarium.
3) Two of the girls I bought are very pregnant. What are the chances that they'll drop fry in an aquarium still being cycled, after the stress of being transported and having massive daily water changes?
4)I haven't added salt or anything other than Prime and Flourish to the (tap) water. Please let me know if there is anything you recommend.
5)Food recommendations? They liked frozen brine shrimp, but ignored the flakes the second time around (could be stress). So far they seem pretty happy grazing on the algae which came over with the crypto, but that won't last forever
Readings yesterday, before the water change:
pH: 7.2; Ammonia: 1.0; Nitrite: 0.5 ppm; Nitrate: 0 (but getting darker).
Background: I have some experience in the past with fancy guppies, but this is my first time with endler and despite reading up on them I'm not as prepared as I probably should have been First off, I had started a 10-gallon tank as a experiment-my first dirted tank--last week. I added in the HOB from my betta's tank, complete with old filter and filter media, the spare heater I have for my betta (pre-set 78F) and a massive sponge filter rated for 40 gal, to get that colonized for the 37 gal I'm setting up in July and to clear the dirt from the water since I'm still in the process of planting it (it worked--the water is crystal clear). I also added some crypto plants from the betta's tank, and some other organic material to help with the cycle.
I use tap water conditioned with Prime, and had a cloud in the water for a day which looked like a bacterial bloom. I did a 50% water change, and the water parameters looked promising...but I ran out of test strips. So I went to the LFS to get a new API kit and check out what they had...and I was weak. I fell in love with one of the boy endler, and since I was planning on getting endler anyway for the 37 gallon, I ended up coming home with 6 of them-2 boys, 3 girls and a "bonus" fry which was accidentally netted. Caveat: They LOOK like endler, but as they're not rated I am assuming they are at least P if not K. The LFS I got them from is very good and knowledgeable (Aquarium Co-op), but there was too much going on to have a discussion about that I'll try to post some pictures later though, to identify the type of my favorite boy, as well as to get an opinion on how hybridized they might be.
The plan was to put them in the betta's tank, but he was very aggressive with the bag. So they were put into my 'experiment' aquarium instead. Three days later, other than being skittish, they seem to be doing fine. Water readings with the new API kit show that it is definitely NOT cycled, but thanks to the ammonia dump from the new fish, it is definitely on the way. I'm continuing to do 50% water changes everyday like a typical fish-in, and so far no one is showing signed of ammonia poisoning (I'd expect the fry to show it first, right?). After reading that 78 was probably too hot, I unplugged the heater, and over the course of the next day it dropped to 71...and the endler (esp girls) stopped exploring and being as active. I plugged it in again last night to make sure the temp didn't drop TOO far (our house heater is off at night)--checked in this morning at it was 74 and they're all roaming around again. I've decided to keep it up to help the bacteria establish faster--hope that's not a mistake! (The plan is to buy an adjustable heater for this tank this week to take things down in a more controlled manner, if that's recommended).
Any advice appreciated, as I fall in love with this new species <3
