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My partner wanted to start their own tank and naturally gravitated towards pea puffs. So here is the tank getting ready to be setup I still need to paint the stand white to go with the rest of the furniture so the tank looks dirty from the dirt/fluval stratum mix that was put in. The cherub is a resin bust planter. When my partner gets back from their travels we will be picking out plants and what else to put in here to provide activity for the pea puffs. tank is a aquatop 12g high that was going to house isopods but after several failed attempts I gave up and moved that project to the 12g bookcase tank that used to house gobes. Filter is a shiruba canister and the light is I believe a hygger plant light w/moon setting. More to come! And also if the diction in this journal changes it is because my partner may commandeer it. ☺️

I never use dirt in my tanks - i don't want my fishes to get dirty.

Water conditioner typically does not affect the hardness and/or Ph of the water. With a Kh as high as yours, I doubt there is any reasonable amount of drift wood or leaves you could use to significantly drop those numbers. Hard to say if tetras will do well in your water because I can't tell what your Ph/KH reading are other than they hit the maximum that the test strip can read. Neon's should be fine up to a Ph or 8. Higher than that, maybe? Honestly, I think all of us just starting this hobby tend to stress over water params only to find that, over time, many typical, pet store fish will acclimate to a wider range of parameters than the internet would have us believe. In my experience, trying to change your water's makeup can be a frustrating and usually unsuccessful effort. There are products you can use to lower the Ph/Kh of your aquarium, but these tend to make your parameters bounce. It's best to just stay the course with what you have. What fish appreciate the most is stable parameters over perfect parameters. Good luck and stay with the hobby even if you don't succeed with your first tank. (Alas, many of us don't. I know I didn't). And ask any question you want. Many knowledgable people here to help you on the journey.

Are those organisms moving under their own power? I don’t see anything in your pic that looks like it has organelles or structures inside them. Those look very irregular in size and shape so less likely to be parasites. Most parasites will have a fairly narrow range in size but that’s still usually a fairly consistent size among a single population and very consistent shapes from one to the next. They may vary in shape depending on the angle they’re viewed at, but will still be nearly the same length, same total width if laying flat, etc. I did have to look up that organism since it isn’t something I’ve run across before to my knowledge. It seems much more likely to occur in stressed and over crowded fish in breeding ponds and may be secondary to other problems when the water is still seasonally cooler than the fishes optimal temp. Apparently the Chilodonella organism is very quick to release from the fish upon its death so may not be found on swabs of lesions even shortly after the fish’s death. It is ciliated and motile, so it should be clearly moving around within the water droplet if present. Hope this helps clarify. A video of it moving would help tremendously with identification.

Tulu

I would for sure keep on top of doing water changes because even a slight amount of ammonia and nitrite can set a fish off.

They have retractible fangs you need to be careful of! ☺️😀😉

Welcome to the forums! This is a great place to learn and people are great at helping each other out. First you're going to want to create a post in the disease section of the forum where it will receive the proper attention. When you post there don't forget to include the water parameters for both of your tanks and photos of all the sick livestock. Good luck and you are already doing great as a fish parent learning from mistakes.

I have never heard of an instance where someone was hurt by a tiger barb 😀

I use these. Thick never fall apart work great.

I mean I used way more than needed, but I don’t mind essentially spending a tiny bit more to be safe. I didn’t test the water but I did any hour soak with a tonne of prime AND a thorough rinse beforehand so I have no doubt the bleach is gone.

They typically like softer water with lower ph. Also they are also not the best genetically and have their own disease that makes them harder to keep alive.

Yes came to comment basically the same thing as @tolstoy21. Stable nitrates, nitrites, and ammonia are most important. I think there are a few people on this forum who keep discus (a notoriously fussy fish) in liquid rock water so don’t worry about any if that or go chasing parameters for your fish.

Make sure the bottom pane is not tempered before drilling or else it will shatter into a million bits. This is easy to check with a pair of polarized sun glasses. Many tutorials online show how to do this.

Since you have a paludarium style tank you are going to want to get a glass drill and drill the bottom of the tank. Set up a pipe in the tank at the water level you want to be at. Then you will need a gate valve on the drain side to control how quickly water drains. I just bought a nyos viper for my sump and it is a night and day difference between it and other return pumps. You really don’t need an expensive return pump just one that consistently pumps at the rate you desire. the sump needs baffles too to control the flow of water. I bought a cheap 20g high during one of the many petco/petsmart aquarium sales for my sump and my baffle kit from ebay. The package got stolen and the seller was very nice and trusting to send me another before they got their ebay insurance kickback. Anyway I drew a rough sketch of what I would do in a paludarium style sump. Also if you can get your hands on a 50g lowboy I highly recommend for low slung tanks! I really enjoy mine for my gobes. I can attach pics too of my sump to give ideas. They are really nice to have and provide excellent water quality. Lastly just do some quick math to figure out how much overflow your sump can handle (I use the sump as the overflow) paludariums need not worry about flooding the display Sketch: My sump:

Because it’s such a perfect fit with their cuteness and such a nice contrast with their behavior! 😆

The title of silliest little plant in my tank is this tiny Nymphaea minuta. It's about an inch tall and has been around that size for many months. This is one of the babies from when the bigger Nymphaea minuta flowered a while ago. No idea why it refuses to get any bigger, but I love it and I'm keeping it

https://guppyexpert.com/guppy-fish-types/ Will the article above help? Nice guppies. I am thinking along the lines of a Albino Delta Glass Guppy (Poecilia Reticulata), as a combination of tail shape, pattern, and color.

Should be fine but I wouldn't do it every single day for multiple times a day. In the trout fly fishing community, we take extra precaution when handling fish- some more than others. Precautions are taken during the de-hooking process after a catch, taking a photo with a fish and sometimes when stocking fish into rivers. The protective slime coat is what most people aim to protect, but they also try to avoid touching their gills and over exposing the fish to air if removing from water. One of the best ways to protect fish when handling is to wet your hand first prior to touching or picking it up. Do not touch it with dry hands. Trout are obviously a much different kind of fish than a guppy, however similar care would apply. Also keep in mind this info is coming from a trout fisherman and not from a guppy handling expert haha but I figured I'd let you know how some people handle fish if they choose!

He looks nice and plump. I would do nothing but monitor for a week. I’m sure the meds make them feel yucky the way they make humans feel yucky.

Dump hydrogen peroxide from the grocery store on them. They basically dissolve.

@Tropical Fish Gallery Welcome to the forum! I’m at the opposite corner of the U.S. (FL), and I want to find a reason to go to Seattle just so I can spend all my money at ACO!

he was actually really cool with it, until you tried to pick him up out of the water, then the fight was on, and everything got wet.

I’ve always been curious about dirted tanks, but I’m definitely too scared to try it😂 The convenience of never having to plug in root tabs sounds reeeeeeal nice, but eventually you’d have to redo the entire tank which I don’t love. The thing that I don’t like the most is the thought of disturbing the dirt whenever I try to stick plants in it or uproot anything. Releasing that into the water column is not a nice thought for me😂 If I was going to do it, I’d do it in a nano tank and I’d probably use Fluval stratum (versus actual soil) and cap it with gravel. That’s the other problem, I feel like people like to cap theirs with sand to hold it in better, but personally I don’t like using sand. I think I’m just paranoid, but for me I’m fine to plug in root tabs every once in a while and target feed my heavy root feeders lol. Maybe someday I’ll try a dirted nano scape!

its not best for them as mentioned they have a slime coat that helps prevent infections etc. now having said that years ago i had a gar that always refused to get out of the way when i was cleaning and id have to grab him and move him, but i didnt go out of my way to do it.

Thank you everyone. I appreciate the knowledge and feedback.

So, I have a red flame sword and it is currently planted in front of my sponge filter - I was hoping it would get some height and help to hide it a bit (I really wish it was black like their air line, but...)...anyways, it is growing and getting some new leaves and I love it but none of the new growth is getting any height. The few leaves that have a stem (see photo) are all growth that was there when I planted it. Does it need more light? Currently I have the smallest Aquasky light (12W) in the back center (settings below), primarily for the stems and it also does a sunrise/sunset. The main light is the ACO Easy Plant LED set at 30% (on at 8:30am, off at 4:00pm). Does it need root tabs? (stratum and bio-stratum with crushed root tabs under gravel) is it just not going to grow taller in my aquarium? I am fine with that, but I may want to move it forward and put something else taller in that spot if that's the case Everything else seems to be doing well in there and the small amount of hair type algae has balanced itself out and died off so overall the tank is going great, but just this one plant I was hoping would serve the purpose of hiding the sponge filter, is not really up to snuff so to speak . Sorry about all of the reflections!

We planned a short Seattle vacation and scheduled a trip to the OG retail store. WOW was it exciting to see it in person. I can’t believe how the store started, where it sits today and where it’s heading (+sq. Ft). As a 35 year Canadian hobbyist myself along with an 11 year old son now arms deep in tank water, I’m just so stoked seeing quality products tweaked and rethought for the hobby. Things like coarse foam, bottle baby food feeder, battery backup pump and that ingenious easy flow. Keep them coming. While the expansion wasn’t yet ready due to things outside of Corey’s control, it gives us another reason to head back 😀. Also glad to score on those discounted damaged box items. Thanks to the knowledgeable and welcoming Co-op crew. I’m excited to join and contribute on this forum. Cheers!

If this becomes a recurring issue I would look at what your feeding

My 40 gallon breeder from Aqueon used tempered glass, no drilling the bottom. One more thing to consider. Build the sump right and you will always have it for other tanks if the paludarium doesn't work out or you get boring with it.

I use a dollar-a-gallon 29g. This was a bunch of years back, but I don't remember the 2 glass dividers being super expensive. But, yeah use anything that will hold water, is easy to work with and inexpensive.

Agree 100% on the filter socks. I wished I had planned them into my sump design.

I think it would be good as a curtain plant

If this fish s truly constipated, epsom salt and a little bit if smushed peas can help relieve it. https://be.chewy.com/aquarium-fish-constipation/ Epsom salt can also be attempted as a possible cure for dropsy --

there was one on the forum here a while back really bloated, like twice as big as yours. salt was the cure.

Update: He’s all better now!!! It was definitely just intestinal blockage. I woke up this morning and noticed the lump was completely gone, and a pretty big mess was left in the tank. Thankfully it’s my water changing day!

Were you able to find a solution?

Hello there, I'm from Ho Chi Minh city, Viet Nam and I found this lovely forum while looking for a way to quarantine plants before introducing them to a new home. Obviously "a bit" of googling showed the H2O2, KMnO4, and bleach methods, but they all have disadvantages and not really assuring results. And then I found out about the Reverse Respiration thing, was a bit skeptical at first, but after reading the longgg post that looks too similar to a submitted paper, I am convinced, and really impressed by the amount of dedication poured in. So naturally I created an account to join the fray (is this the right idiom?). I've kept fish for around 20 years at a young age, and just got into planted tank for the last 10 years, on and off. Anyway, here is my freshly-scaped tank, 95 gallons. I've just finished the hardscape (heavily inspired by greenaqua's tank), and am still in the process of selecting plants, which is getting a wee bit frustrating. So many things to choose from, not enough space haha. There we have it. Oh and to the friends from 'Straya, especially Perth. Oi, cu...tie pies (forum rules teehee). Cheers tldr; I like you guys, can I join?

I’m pretty sure that just means you have high pH and hard water. I remember Cory mentioning in a video that if the GH reading was purpley pink like that it just means you’ve got hard water! If you followed the directions on the back she checked it at 1 min that should be the most accurate result you’re going to get 🙂 I haven’t seen that KH reading before but it also looks like you just have really high KH as well.

I also will sometimes brush up against my flower horn, but for the most part, there is no benefit to the fish. If you are compelled to pet something, you may want to try a different pet.

Doing this sparingly is fine in my experience. I've got a flower horn that allows me to pet him. I only do it every now and then, and always gently. Never noticed an issue.

In general, it's not recommended to touch your pet fish with bare hands. Fish have a slime coat, that protects them from bacteria, parasites, and helps them swim. Touching can potentially remove this layer, making fish more susceptible to infections. However this is a big debate and it is up to you. I personally do not do it and I also wash my hands very well without soap before putting my hands in a tank.

Every week or 2 I siphon about 5 gallons out of my 100g, cleaning a bit of the sand while I'm at it. Thanks to good flow and cory cats, the sand stays really clean. Then I use this water to clean my pre-filters, then I water my house/garden plants with it. My tank is well stocked but is mega-planted and has pothos growing out of it, so nitrates are never a problem. Then I top it off with fresh dechlorinated water, clean the glass - and that's it! (Outside of filter maint and what not.)

I wish I could get mine that high for more than a day or so with my plants

I would skip gravel vac'ing. You're pulling up fish poop which is good food for your plants. Other than that - consistent water changes are always a good thing.

I sold $130+ of plants out of here today, I've been putting off trimming. Most of that was from selling significant amounts of buce and and half the bolbitis. I think I want the Limnophila sp. Wavy to come down between the buce and the crypt nurii, it currently is just not green enough in that area. Plus, too many of my groups are just "blobs", I want them to have defined shapes and directions. One of the more common things I get asked is how I keep my tiger lotus compact. Well this is after trimming it down pretty significantly since it was getting too tall: Unfortunately it was still too tall. You see how there is a big gap between the lowest leaves and the substrate? Well a lotus will always grow leaves higher than the highest existing leaf in my experience, they just keep growing upwards until they are no longer shaded out. So unfortunately I needed to cut it back even more. Yeah, it looks stupid now, but that's the price you pay for a compact lotus. Luckily I only have to trim it back this far every few months, then it's just a matter of trimming any particularly tall leaves.

A little early to be throwing in the towel, isn't it?! Plants are looking healthy, that's half the battle. I think replacing one of the reds with either a bright yellow or orange plant could be nice, like didiplis diandra or ammania pedicellata. I like that you have lots of different "shapes" in your planting. It really leads the eye around the scape. Can't wait to see it grown in more!

💥 💥 💥 💥 💥 💥 💥 💥 That's like dropping a cherry bomb in the toilet, and waiting to see what happens.

Pearl Gourami are a great option in that sized tank. I would do 3-6. I have kuhli loaches, they are great but very shy. I would get atleast 12 so that hopefully they come out for you. If you go with the kuhli loaches don’t get a ram or apistogramma, espeicially a pair, as they will be too territorial. Apistogramma are more agressive than people think and in my experience, won’t hesitate to obliterate a guppy. Generally guppys and platys wouldn’t be compatible with that setup because they like hard water and apistos like soft water, although its definetely possible. Also they are more central american than south american.

Here’s some tid bits that I found ~ Maintenance Best kept in a densely-planted tank and an excellent choice for the carefully-aquascaped set-up. The addition of some floating plants and driftwood roots or branches to diffuse the light entering the tank also seems to be appreciated and adds a more natural feel. If you wish to raise fry alongside the adults the addition of a fine-leaved aquatic moss such as a Taxiphylumsp. is advisable (see ‘Reproduction’). Filtration does not need to be particularly strong as it mostly hails from sluggish waters and may struggle if there is a fast current. Do not add this fish to a biologically immature aquarium as it can be susceptible to swings in water chemistry. Water Conditions Temperature: 22 – 30 °C pH: 5.0 – 8.0 Hardness: 18 – 215 ppm Also they say not suited for a community aquarium because they are outcompeted for food😕