Tfreema’s Fish Tanks

You don't fill up the whole tank when cleaning...

 

I guess you could and run it through the filter, but you can also wipe it down

 

You don't fill up the whole tank when cleaning...

I wanted to run the filters to get everything reset. It would need to be at least half full to do that.

 

Need to get your help once again to work through a stocking issue.

My blood parrot and EBA started getting into skirmishes, lip locking, etc after living together for 2 years.

I have had to pull the BP out to a 26g timeout tank.

What to do? I miss seeing my big orange puppy in the front room tank, but I am very attached to my EBA as well.

What are your thoughts on moving the EBA to my 120 gallon African region tank that has the following stock:

2 ctenopomas
3 African butterfly fish
1 African brown knife
5 Ropefish
3 bengal loaches
3 female bn plecos

 

What are your thoughts on moving the EBA to my 120 gallon African region tank that has the following stock:

Hmm... I say give a try.
I have had EBAs with Angels, Discus, Bolivians, Yoyos, Cories, Tetras, Rams. Plecos and never noticed an issue except when breeding/protecting eggs and young.

Good Luck!

 

As long as there’s nothing in your 120 that your EBA can harm or vise versa, I’d say give it a shot

 

Thanks guys! I have wanted to keep the tank mostly “African region” but I gotta figure something out or rehome some fish. The temperature and tank setup fits for the EBA though.

Actually, if I was smart, I would rehome and get another tank shut down.
Hi, my name is Trinny and I am a fish hoarder. Lol.

 

Thanks guys! I have wanted to keep the tank mostly “African region” but I gotta figure something out or rehome some fish. The temperature and tank setup fits for the EBA though.

Actually, if I was smart, I would rehome and get another tank shut down.
Hi, my name is Trinny and I am a fish hoarder. Lol.

If all the requirements match up and you don’t want to get rid of the EBA, don’t do it lol

 

Well, I guess tapatalk is now gone...... I will have to deal with browser. I may be posting less, especially is posting pics is an issue.

 

Ok, it’s decision time. I gotta get the fish that are in 3 75 gallon tanks and my blood parrot being held in a 26g bowfront lined out into 2 75 gallon tanks.

What are your thoughts?
Tank #1 LR
3 BP or 2 EBA**
4 Hoplo catfish
3 bn plecos
11 Congo tetras

Tank #2 Den
Angelfish
Small EBA
12 Congo tetras
Rainbow shark
Male bn pleco

Rehome
9 Adolfoi cories
SAEs
4 Praecox rainbows
2 bn plecos
Maybe 1 BP?
Maybe 1 EBA?

**If BP, 2 large EBA displaced - move one to 120g? If EBA, rehome BP

 

What a dilemma!
Curious, how the inhabitants are doing since you moved the BP?
Could try to put the EBAs together?

I was down to just 3 tanks, but ended up getting a 29 gallon to separate the Discus, then received 5 pairs of Rams from coralbandit. Now sure what I was thinking, sounded like a good choice at the time. But... the Rams especially the Blacks and Golds were not behaving (lost a pair of hybrids) so ended up getting a few10g. So, now up to 8 again. Duh!

 

What a dilemma!
Curious, how the inhabitants are doing since you moved the BP?
Could try to put the EBAs together?

I was down to just 3 tanks, but ended up getting a 29 gallon to separate the Discus, then received 5 pairs of Rams from coralbandit. Now sure what I was thinking, sounded like a good choice at the time. But... the Rams especially the Blacks and Golds were not behaving (lost a pair of hybrids) so ended up getting a few10g. So, now up to 8 again. Duh!

It sneaks up on ya doesn’t it? Lol.

All is well in the 75 gallon the BP came out of. Got the praecox rainbows back in and they remain healthy.

That is the dilemma. One reason I hesitate putting EBAs together is that I am not sure of the sex of the other one. If female, I am concerned they will fight. If a pair, then they will destroy my plants looking for breeding spots. The tanks plants are just now reviving after having the pair in there tearing them up constantly. So two females is preferable at this point.

 

It sneaks up on ya doesn’t it? Lol.

Yep, especially since I was planning on selling a few pair of the Rams at the cancelled Auction a few weeks ago. I say put the EBAs together and see what happens. At least you would know for sure.
I have 3 males together and they are fine. No female to fight over, she is in another tank with about 3 dozen fry.
I could send you a pair of Rams?

Good Luck!

 

Welp, one of my FX4 canister filters just stopped working late yesterday evening (or that is when I noticed it - it was running the night before). I was out in the driveway with a floodlight taking it apart to check for obstruction in the impeller, etc. The motor is just not working. I got this one 11/29/19 - UGH!!

I have an FX6 that I have had for about 5 years and several other FX4's that have had absolutely no issues. They are beasts for filtration. This one definitely falls under warranty, but who has time to work through all that before replacing the filter? Fortunately I have a Hydor 350 on that tank to hold the fish and the media in a tub with airstones until I get to Petsmart to grab another. Then I have to decide how I handle the warranty issue. If I wanted to slap the old one in the new box and return it, that is also a no go for now. Petsmart is not doing any returns or exchanges until this COVID-19 thing blows over. So, even if the purchase was in the last 90 days where I could simply exchange, I still would be out of luck. Bad timing......

 

Welp, one of my FX4 canister filters just stopped working late yesterday evening (or that is when I noticed it - it was running the night before). I was out in the driveway with a floodlight taking it apart to check for obstruction in the impeller, etc. The motor is just not working. I got this one 11/29/19 - UGH!!

I have an FX6 that I have had for about 5 years and several other FX4's that have had absolutely no issues. They are beasts for filtration. This one definitely falls under warranty, but who has time to work through all that before replacing the filter? Fortunately I have a Hydor 350 on that tank to hold the fish and the media in a tub with airstones until I get to Petsmart to grab another. Then I have to decide how I handle the warranty issue. If I wanted to slap the old one in the new box and return it, that is also a no go for now. Petsmart is not doing any returns or exchanges until this COVID-19 thing blows over. So, even if the purchase was in the last 90 days where I could simply exchange, I still would be out of luck. Bad timing......

Sorry to hear about your filter.

Talk to your PetSmart manager. They'll help you out. I had their TopFin heaters fail 3 times in 6 months and they replaced it with an Aqueon the 3rd time when I asked for a different one. I found my PS to be very flexible to take care of their customers.

 

Sorry to hear about your filter.

Talk to your PetSmart manager. They'll help you out. I had their TopFin heaters fail 3 times in 6 months and they replaced it with an Aqueon the 3rd time when I asked for a different one. I found my PS to be very flexible to take care of their customers.

Great advice! I did not see this before going, but here is what happened:

I was going to just bite the bullet and grab an FX4 and deal with the warranty issue later. No time for dillydallying around. The media was in a tub with airstones and would only hold bb for so long. I played the silly game until I got my 25% off coupon and off I went. I happened to run into the manager on my way to checkout. He commented on my big purchase and I told him what happened. At first, he said, let me know if Fluval does not come through for you. Then he said, you know what, let's just take care of this right now. He was able to pull up my purchase in November and did an exchange with a promise that I would bring the old canister back sometime this week.

Now I am in there every week getting crickets and have bought several FX series canisters over the last year or so. It does help to be a familiar face. His statement was, you are a good customer and we need to take care of this.

He also said to strip the canister of everything and just bring the shell. Take out the impeller, keep the screws that holds the lid on, etc. He will just be throwing it away so no need to bring in hoses, media, baskets, etc. So I am winding up having some spare stuff out of the deal. Silver lining kinda thing.

 

Good News
That's "Great". Now go buy a Lottery ticket, you never know.

 

Good News
That's "Great". Now go buy a Lottery ticket, you never know.

Maybe I should. That was luck.

 

Lots of keepers put leaf litter in the tanks for there corydoras, they love it. Yep the congos are going in in a few minutes.

 

Great to hear! PetSmart seems to be better (and more flexible) with Customer Service than PetCo. I also had an issue with a dog crate and PS took care of me with almost no hassle. I wasn't sure if it was my specific PS or all the chains. I know one PS that isn't very good and I've avoided that store but the 3 others I go to are very good.

 

I moved Cricket to the 75g with another EBA to see if they would get along Saturday. Then this happened on Monday:

I would say they are getting along, lol. They are actually working so good together.
Moved and guarding the wigglers today.

 

Congrats! Hopefully they can keep all those predators away and some survive. What's your plan?
Good Luck!

Learning all the Time.

 

Congrats! Lol at those congos just waiting for a chance to get at those eggs!

 

Congrats! Hopefully they can keep all those predators away and some survive. What's your plan?
Good Luck!

Learning all the Time.

Plan is just to see what happens. See update below. If they keep breeding, I may pull some in the future to raise.

Congrats! Lol at those congos just waiting for a chance to get at those eggs!

Yeah, it was proven to be too much. There was a big pile of wigglers through yesterday, but they are all gone now. Only hope is that some made it to some hiding spots and manage to stay hidden until big enough to come out. I imagine they will keep breeding with as well as they did right off.

 

Correction to the last update.

Well, the wigglers disappeared yesterday and I thought oh well, they did good for a first try. THEN, today as I was vacuuming the substrate, dad was attacking me like he was guarding and mom would not let me near the middle of the wood. This is what I find.

They are really smart parents. Lchi87 Cricket from you is the momma. I don’t think she ever really liked Jiminy. She was never this good with him.

 

It happened to me a few months ago with my EBA. They spawned and had wigglers then gone. I thought "Ok", maybe next time. Two days later time for a weekly water change and they were attacking the tube. Why? Yes they moved the wigglers to a very well hidden spot, behind a piece of driftwood, could only see from the back of the tank. Fast forward, have 3 dozen juvies growing out in a 33L now.

Even after all the breeding I have done the fish are still teaching me.

Good Luck!

Learning all the time.

 

Yeah, they have moved them a couple times now. I took the day off and did some filter shuffling today. I had an fx6 not in service so I got it on the 125g. Moved the fx4 from that tank to the only 75g that did not have an fx4. Then I moved it’s AC110 to the EBA spawning 75g tank. PLUS, I actually started out with cleaning another fx4 that was due before starting the shuffle.

Adding the AC110 freaked the parents out so they moved them again. I am just curious if they will be able to protect them enough for any to survive. Lots of hides in the tank.

 

Video update.

 

I am just curious if they will be able to protect them enough for any to survive. Lots of hides in the tank.

About 6 months ago, I had a Bolivian Pair spawn in the 55 lightly planted community.
They did a good job getting them to free swimming, but... then the tiny ones were swimming all over.
I could see they were working overtime and over stressed, trying to keep them corralled. "Kids".
No other tank available, I even tried to help out and add a divider. But the little ones were swimming through the small flow holes. Not to be.

Good Luck!

 

Depends what other fish you have in the tank. My EBA pair spawn every 2-4 weeks in my 75g and none survive more than a week with a bunch of rainbows and denison barbs. When I had them in a 40b with only 8 corydoras, most of them survived. Keeping a light on at night seems to help the parents protect the fry for a bit.

 

Well, y’all know me. I just could not resist and pulled about 40 fry a couple days ago. The parents still have a small bunch surviving in the tank, amazingly.

I have been giving them vinegar eels and 50micron golden pearls alternating several times today. Even trying to get some to the tank babies. The parents are vicious. Dad just about followed my hand right out of the tank. They are being very vigilant and vicious. Even so, their bunch is dwindling.

 

I pulled about 35 fry a few months ago and I only lost 3 so there's 32 in my pleco tank. They're about 1.5-2" now. My last batch of fry are all gone in the 75g as of last night. They lasted about a week.

I bought these droppers a couple of years ago and they're great for lots of things, including spot feeding.
10pcs 10ml Glass Graduated Droppers Lab Pipettes Dropper Liquid Pipette with 10 Rubber Caps: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

 

Strange I am only counting a little over 30. No dead bodies. No escapees into the tank. It is hard to count with them moving all around.

What do you guys feed at what age? I have been alternating vinegar eels, microworms and 50 micron golden pearls. At what point should I introduce decapsulated bbs eggs? I don’t know that I will do the bbs hatchery.

 

Normally, I am prepared with freshly hatched BBS, but... due to busy schedule, etc..
I only fed fry powder and golden pearls to the brood I am growing out now about 36 for a few weeks. Then slowly added frozen brine shrimp, frozen blood worms and freeze dried blackworms along with pellets and crumbles. They are about 10 weeks young now and doing fine, most are 3/4 - 1". Just had another spawn about a week ago, have a cloud of swimmers today. Started a hatchery. Will update any differences in survival rate and size with the feeding change.


Good Luck!

 

I stopped hatching bbs and use microworms for the first week or 2. I add decap bbs and finely ground TetraColor Tropical Granules after 2 weeks. I also have Ken's #00 growth food.

 

Lol unfortunately I don't have the patience to read through 88 pages but wow you have a lot of tanks! I want three more (Lake Tanganyika, Large Semi-aggressive, and community setup) but I have no idea where to put them all lol

 

Lol unfortunately I don't have the patience to read through 88 pages but wow you have a lot of tanks! I want three more (Lake Tanganyika, Large Semi-aggressive, and community setup) but I have no idea where to put them all lol

yeah, and it’s a lot of work too. I currently have 7 display tanks, 2 fry and 1 quarantine tank up and running. Oh, and a 10g hospital tank that is just for collecting pest snails at the moment.

Best of luck on getting your tanks up and going.

 

Ok, I need advice from my EBA breeding friends. The pair that just spawned is trying to spawn again, but they tore the previous spawning site (large anubias) off the wood. They are tearing up my plants looking for an acceptable spawning site. I put a large piece of slate in for them, but they are ignoring it. I do not have a tank to permanently house one of them. So, if this does not work, I will have to rehome the male. Or try him out in my african region tank.
Any suggestions on what I should do?

 

I gave up and let them decorate the tank for me.

 

I gave up and let them decorate the tank for me.

Awwww man, someone gotta have something I can do! Lol.

I am seriously thinking about putting a splash of blue South American flavor to the african region tank.

On another note, the EBA fry is 3 weeks old. Would y’all move them to the 20L fry tank or keep them in the breeder for targeted feeding a bit longer?