New 125g Community - "Stump" Driftwood Planted Build

The fish looks great, I may have to look into some of those in the future.
 

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Oh wow and holy cow! I just saw the regulator. That thing is gorgeous. What is the little hose or wire on the output?
 
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  • #354
Oh wow and holy cow! I just saw the regulator. That thing is gorgeous. What is the little hose or wire on the output?
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The two black wires off the yellow piece? That is the power cable to control the solenoid, which turns the CO2 flow on/off. The solenoid will plug into a pH controller which will run CO2 to maintain a set pH (most likely a 1 point drop from current) automatically.
 
The two black wires off the yellow piece? That is the power cable to control the solenoid, which turns the CO2 flow on/off. The solenoid will plug into a pH controller which will run CO2 to maintain a set pH (most likely a 1 point drop from current) automatically.
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Yes that one. Of course, the regulator is in a complex controller system. I got to get out of the old school way of thinking.
 

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  • #358
Any clue what happened to my blue angel's fin? A tank mate attack or environmental (like caught in powerhead)? Part of it looks to have turned black.

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I'm not sure about the black, but my male Angel damages his lower fin like that on a weekly basis, and then regrows it within a matter of days. I have no idea how he does it or what causes it, but his fins are black so I can't tell if it looks exactly like that. It seems to happen frequently if he spooks during a water change or when I open the cabinet doors, but I never see him actually hit anything...
 
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  • #361
Black is suggestive of fin rot. Remind us what you have in the tank?
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30 Rummynose, 3 Angelfish (lost one last week), 4 EBA, 1 GBR, 2 L129, 5 Pearl Gourami, 10 Aeneus, 10 Sterbai.

No aggression in tank at all. Worst I ever see is a minor chase by an Angel that goes about 2' and stops. And 2 days ago I noticed what looked like a vertical split in fin on same angel, and yesterday came home and noticed the area missing with black running down a bit as well as around the "wound". I wouldn't think fin rot would pop up in 2 days, would it?

My only fear is that the L129 (which are invisible during day) would somehow come out and do this at night? Seems unlikely. Or maybe the EBA show aggression when I am not around?

I did just dose tank with Levamisole at 2ppm to treat for Camallanus works noted in some rummy.

I'm not sure about the black, but my male Angel damages his lower fin like that on a weekly basis, and then regrows it within a matter of days. I have no idea how he does it or what causes it, but his fins are black so I can't tell if it looks exactly like that. It seems to happen frequently if he spooks during a water change or when I open the cabinet doors, but I never see him actually hit anything...
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That is good to hear, thanks! This does follow a major PWC of 75% and then the Camallanus treatment the next day so there are some out of norms going on around tank that should settle soon.
 

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It's possible that there might be some aggression that you're not seeing - a lot can happen at night or when you're not around. My fish definitely act differently when I'm around.
 
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  • #363
Made it to LFS today and grabbed 15 Rummynose, 1 Angel and 1 GBR (female) to replace some of the loses I've had over last months.

After a nice 1.5 hour acclimation, I start netting fish out of bags and release. Not 2 minutes after doing so do I see a jerk-face EBA swallow of of the new Rummynose! I tried to chase it down with the net but it disappeared behind the stump with its prey

There goes the community!
 
That would explain it! What are you going to do? If it were me, I'd just rehome the EBA.
 
  • Thread Starter
  • #365
Am not not sure what to do. I am thinking it was more of a crime of opportunity than a murderous streak as I've never seen anything remotely like that from one of the EBA.
 
I'd be very cautious with your RNTs around the EBA, I wouldn't put it past them to grab a rummynose if the opportunity presented itself. I was going to use RNTs as dither fish for my 55 but luckily someone warned me that it might happen. Sorry one of yours got eaten
 
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  • #367
How cautious can one be with 4 EBA and 45, wait make that 44, Rummynose?
 
Eventually they might all be gone though, in time. I lost 15 glow lights over the course of a month or so to my 4 Mesonauta.
 
Am not not sure what to do. I am thinking it was more of a crime of opportunity than a murderous streak as I've never seen anything remotely like that from one of the EBA.
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I wouldn't call it a crime just plain feeding behavior by the EPA.
 
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  • #370
So in addition to my blue, it seems my big gold veil angel also has a shredded top fin now - maybe top inch of a 4" fin.

Does this seem like something the EBA would be doing at night? I can certainly say they don't even go near my angels when lights are on, so shift in behavior seems off.

And my gold veil normally owns the tank so just not sure I see it going down like that. Hate to rehome EBA only to find it is the angels fighting at night or perhaps just getting a big fin caught in a circulation pump fan or something? Am I reaching here?
 
Could be the EBA, or could be another angel. I would doubt it's the circulation pump. My fish have very different behaviors when I'm close to the tank vs when I'm further away and they don't think I'm watching.
 

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  • #372
Well, I found someone locally that would take my EBA (for their 125g tank). Then I tried to net them... No such luck. At one point I could not even find 3 of them in the tank. So in the end I spent 30+ minutes ripping up stem plants with a net and only had one time that I was even close to getting an EBA in the net. During this time I was easily able to net every single other type of fish in the tank.

I guess I am outmatched.
 
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  • #374
I tried three nets!

Between the 2 top braces, the stump and the plants it was an impossible task. I even tried to wedge nets to block access behind stump but didn't matter. They'd hide between rocks and under or behind stump or deep in plants. There were literally times I couldn't even find any of them for a few minutes. Bunch of jerks!
 
Maybe block off part of the aquarium with a divider when they are all in one corner at feeding time?
 
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  • #378
So have issues with some fish dying last 1.5 weeks or so. Started with finding a rummynose once a day. Then 2 a day, and at times 3. All said I'd guess I've lost 20+ of 40 total.

Then I lost a pearl gourami and only thing different with that one was that I poured a double dose of Excel in tank and did t realize it was right where I poured it. Not sure if there is a correlation.

Then two days ago found my large gold veil angel dead. Noticed it breathing hard the day before so had done a water change. Previous one was less than a week prior as I always do 50-60% a week.

Other than angel's breathing, none of the fish look unhealthy. May be unrelated but my nerite snails are normally up at water line and last few days they are all in tank on driftwood.

A few weeks back I did add 12 oto due to algae frustrations, aware I am at top of their temp range. They are all healthy and active.

Parms are good/nomal:
pH: 8.4
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: <5
Phosphate: 2-3 ?

Any idea what might be going on?

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  • Thread Starter
  • #381
Have you figured it out?
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Nope

Have only found 2 dead rummynose since post but just not sure what on earth is doing this. Am down to ~ 12 rummynose now and not sure I want to boost their school up again in size. Perhaps it is just a bad stock issue? All came from same store over several visits.
 

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  • #383
The tank is looking great! Are you running co2?
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Not yet. Have all the equipment just have not put the time in to replumb everything to get it running. It is on my to-do list
 
Could be bad stock, but if I recall correctly, you also added a lot at the same time and really close together - which can be stressful and cause issues with disease. Next time, I would QT them for a few weeks and add them in smaller groups (so maybe start with 8-10, fully QT, add to main tank, and start again).
 
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  • #385
Could be bad stock, but if I recall correctly, you also added a lot at the same time and really close together - which can be stressful and cause issues with disease. Next time, I would QT them for a few weeks and add them in smaller groups (so maybe start with 8-10, fully QT, add to main tank, and start again).
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They were initially added mid-February, so they have been in tank 3+ months. Would it take that long to have an effect?
 
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  • #387
So, what other stock instead of Rummynose might be good in my tank? Something that will not become food for my 4 EBA?

I am wondering if perhaps skipping a school and doing more new world cichlid to fill my stock?

Any advice on what would work well with current stock + plants @ 80F?

Currently have:
4 EBA
3 Angel (lost one, plan to bump back to 4, wouldn't mind 6 if doable)
2 L129 (only see one during water changes and the other can only see its tail LOL)
1 GBR (anytime I add more, they die and leave 1)
3 Pearl Gourami
10 aeneus cory
10 sterbaI cory
10 Oto
 
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  • #389
I guess I was thinking more along the lines of these adding 2+ or so each of:
Red Shoulder Severum
Yellow Banded Acara

But also like thought I believe some require same groups of 5+ which may not have room for:
Threadfin Acara
Gold Severum
Geophagus Red Head Tapajo
Geophagus Altifrons

This a good idea?
 
What do you really want? I think you do have room for a group of Geos if you wanted.
 
The gold severum and threadfin acara do not need to be in groups of five... Solo is fine. Severums eat plants though...
 

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  • #393
What do you really want? I think you do have room for a group of Geos if you wanted.
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Good question. I love my Angels and as much as I curse them for turning a school of rummynose into feeders, I love the EBA. Guess I am fond of the "personality" of the cichlids.

The gold severum and threadfin acara do not need to be in groups of five... Solo is fine. Severums eat plants though...
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Well I guess that is one thing I failed to look into for severums. Certainly don't want my plants to become a buffet.

Do I have room for some yellow banded acara (or other type someone can steer me to) and a group of Geos? I'd have to dig into Geos a bit more to see what varieties will work well, other than those mentioned. Will they be okay with PFS substrate covered with lots of plants?
 
Severums will appreciate groups while they are young. They naturally shoal when very small and will benefit from increased numbers. Once they get to around 3 or 4 inches you can pick out the one/ones you want to keep.

Threadfin acara definitely will do better as a single. Their conspecific aggro is quite high when mature
 
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  • #395
So been reading up a bit and seems here is why I would not want some of what I mention in my tank:

Incessant digger/plant re-arranger:
Threadfin Acara
Geophagus Red Head Tapajo
Geophagus Altifrons

Plant Eaters:
Red Shoulder Severum
Gold Severum

That leaves the following that might work:
Yellow Banded Acara (Bujurquina Vittata)

Also adding to the mix:
Keyholes
Dwarf Flag
Kribs*
Festivum**
Apistos**

*Always thought Kribs were out of my tank parms, but looking now seems Seriously fish has temp range of 75-81F. Would these work at 80F?
**Had been recommended in past so could always go with these as well

Are my assessments correct? Any advice on what would work well?
 
Festivums might also eat your small schooling fish, just so you know. Mine have eaten many of mine.
 
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  • #397
Festivums might also eat your small schooling fish, just so you know. Mine have eaten many of mine.
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The EBA have already taken care of my small schooling fish for me This restock will replace the school in my tank.
 
Severums in general will eat plants but there are many plants they won't take touch. Just depends on what plants you want to keep.

In general all geos or close relatives will dig and rearrange
 
  • Thread Starter
  • #399
Here is current state of tank. Thinking sevs or geos would wreak havoc on my world?

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That looks like a salad bar for a severum. Though I have seen hobbyists say their sevs don't eat their plants
 

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