ChargerstoLA

The one on the right looks like he came from flavor town. What is his favorite diner, drive in, or dive?

Welcome, those are some amazing photos. Someone must not use a cell phone. I love the photo of your red ear slider, looks like he is free falling.

Have you tried feeding baby brine? When I know mine were at prime breeding color I would put some baby brine. After 2 days I would do a water change. But when I do water changes I would make sure the water is slight cooler then my tank water, GBR like the water hot. This simulates rain which supposedly triggers breeding. Also, I can’t tell from the photos you posted but are you seeing breeding colors from them? The female’s belly will get a nice red. The male’s nose will turn reddish too. Looking at the photos again, are you positive you have a male/female pair? I can’t confirm they are a pair from the photos that were uploaded. I just say this because lip locking isn’t as much of breeding behavior. I’m I tend to see more tail whipping at each other, but that I am not 100% sure. Why the lower temp? I know rams love the heat cranked up.

I have had a similar setup and although eggs would get laid, I would never get fry from it. It wasn’t till I started pulling the cave once the eggs were layer was I able to get fry to grow out. I did notice a lot of competition between the moms and watching their batches of eggs.

Even with mama on site the tetras will start snacking on the fry. That doesn’t mean some will not survive. Make sure to feed heavy so that both the tetra and the fry can get some food. Realistically what is your goal? Are you trying to churn out and get a bunch of fry to grow out? If that is the case, get a dedicated tank for sure. This will require a lot more work from you to make sure the fry grow. But if you just want to enjoy breeding happening in the tank and a couple of fry survive, see how they do in the tank. You can watch as mom and dad take them around the tank to where food sources are and keep them in a school. Each version is enjoyable in it own way.

Amazing colors, one day I will go all out and setup a tank like this. How often do you have to trim to keep this bad boy in line.

Never seen this before but looks like an awesome project. I love how for the most part, most the the pieces look like they have not changed too much. Except of those are still working they were really made with quality. Good luck getting a heater to last nowadays.

One day I will have fish swap access. I can only dream.

Have you done any breeding with dwarf cichlid yet? If not I would recommend starting with Apistos. I started with GBR and could never get the fry to survive. Then I went to apistos and I was actually successful. Now I am back at Rams and giving it s go. GBR have some of the best coloration I have ever seen in freshwater fish. Apistos are beautiful and a lot hardier then GBR. Unless you have a breeder that can give you some quality GBR, store bought ones tend to be very sensitive, I would start with some Apostos.

I love all the bristlenose you have. That chocolate has a nice full beard that I am jealous of. I have been breeding bristlenose and I am trying to find my next pleco to try and breed.

Hey and welcome. I feel I am still new trying to respond to more things. **I am also trying to hit that 50 post requirement to see the locked posts**

If everything is rooted I have not seen bristlenose uproot plants like that. In terms of seeing them out and about, I feel you would see the ottos a lot more than the pleco. Personally, I like bristlenose because they are so easy to breed, but space might be tight on your 20.

That will help your shrimp if you are looking to go toward adding a smaller cichlid. There are no guarantees it will be fine, as they just can become an expensive dinner. However, I have seen success with adding the shrimp before the fish. If you are dead set on shrimp, going with loaches and coryies is the way to go.

Rams can be very finicky, but if you get them from a good breeder you should not have any issues. I love my Rams and their breeding behavior and color changes make the hobby even better. GBR are sensitive, but Bolivian Rams are a bit easier. You could also go Apistogrammas or Kribs for the same vibe as GBR but not as sensitive. Your mileage may very on keep shrimp with these fish. Your current setup does not have enough hidey holes for baby shrimp to survive.

When you say they are dead, how do you find them? Are there bodies missing, or do you find them in the tank and turned to that particular red color they become?

It’s biofilm. Most likely has been there the whole time, you are just noticing it now. Surface agitation helps break it up so it does not build up. Ever leave a bucket of water to to sit outside? You will get this same buildup. Then if you touch the inside of the bucket and you feel that “slimey” texture. That is also biofilm.

I started with a colony of blue dream neocardinia. If there was 2 things I wish I new early was using Salty shrimp. It is one thing to get shrimp to have babies. It is another thing to get those babies to grow. Salty shrimp really helps them make it/do the molt process. Next, while some people enjoy going for a skittles tank. After my population exploded from 10 to 100 in very little time. I decided to add some other colors to the tank. What I have found is you mostly get “wild” type looking. Although they look unique, I wish I had just stuck to getting my blue dreams to looking their best.

Do you guys think the buildup actually does affect the light getting to the plants ?just wondering how often I should be scrubbing mine down.

1. Largest Tank I have had is a 50 Gallon. 2. I think I would do an awesome Electric Blue Acara setup. I have been wanting to build one of those sand waterfalls. So prolly plants on both side meeting to a center sand waterfall.

With a 29 gallon I would say it is most likely a Super Red Bristlenose Pleco.

If you could find out what size tank it is would help us narrow down what kind of pleco it is. If the tank is 30 gallons or less, we can “assume” it is a super red. But then again, you never know.

I would still fill it with nano fish!!! I wonder if that tank is big enough for 1 Betta. 🧐

I know rainbow darters a a beautiful native fish.

I haven’t run a heater in any of my shrimp tanks. But my house is kept around 68-74 year round. Is there a particular shrink you are looking to go with?

I was recently looking into Amazon puffers as they are purely freshwater and do not need brackish conditions. Where did you find them? I didn’t know there teeth grow so fast. Good thing I have so many snails in my tanks.