HelplessNewbie

Yesterday, I decided to plunk them into the big tank, and see if a pair forms. https://photos.app.goo.gl/yzPwaowV1ZEGGiiD6 Is the above showing nesting behavior? I think the one hollowing out the sand is a female, based on the wider breeding tube. We don't have flat stones in the tank. Is that a requirement for spawning, or will they just spawn in the sand?

We think the holes in the amazon sword are from the snails. But, I guess it is time for more root tabs.

Tank as of Mar 27, 2024: replaced broken lid with shelving glass at thrift store and added a used clip-on led light to replace the built-in ones. The wall was painted in December. As of today, the blue-black panda guppies are going strong. A couple of the juveniles are showing orange coloration due to one fancy guppy dad that had long passed. Two female platies: 1 blue wag and 1 blue coral, are there for population control because apparently these panda guppies of ours don't eat their young. The jumbo XL sized amano shrimp and a small bunch of bladder snails are doing a good job at cleanup.

We initially had a yeast setup with a bell diffuser but had a catastrophy happen when the air bubbler turned off unknowingly for a long time and most fish were all eventually suffocating. Since we couldn't turn off this type of co2, we decided to scrap it and gain more experience since we were (and still consider ourselves) neophytes.

Thank you, @nabokovfan87 We separated the one airline hose. We attached along the rim above water level: the usb nano pump, the hose with check valves and "pressure relief" valve .

@Guppysnail can you help? I think @knee must be away.

I have been trying to work out in my head how to reduce the nest of wires behind my tank, but still ensuring ease of access and that there are drip loops? I have some questions: 1. Is it okay to combine airline hoses with electrical cords in the same conduit/raceway? 2. I want to have drip loops, but if I bundle all cords together immediately after they come out of the tank, is it sufficient to place the drip loop at the end of the raceway, but before the power strip? 3. Will it matter if my raceway is horizontal vs vertical?

@knee I think these 2 next ones are girls. Please confirm. https://photos.app.goo.gl/nxLPiKMV1qkSQJRZ6

Congratulations!

Thank you for sharing your experience and lessons learned. I will probably try a dirted tank in a 5 gallon some day. In our 20 and 65 gallons, we went with something odd, I think... 1 inch bottom layer composed of hardwood pellets (for smoking meats) with diy N-P-K root tabs sprinkled alternately with a few diy iron root tabs and seed material like organic compost or gunk from a seeded filter, then capped with 1 inch coarse sand. The idea behind using the wood pellets is similar to heugelkultur. When we reach the 1 year mark, I will report on the plants, but barring another water quality issue and ensuing, panicked beginner hobbyist response last year, the plants seem to be doing okay right now. So, it is basically an inert substrate. I expect to replenish the root tabs periodically anyway, so it won't be a hardship to do this later on with a future dirted tank. I mean, when the soil layer gets used up, I don't intend to redo the substrate. Sounds like a pain! I will just use root tabs. Just like your observation about the soil later needing to be waterlogged before capping, we had to do the same with the wood layer. Otherwise, lots of bits and pieces floated up. Coarse sand and calcined clay (Safe-T-Sorb, on a separate part of my 65g) seemed easy to plant in compared to gravel in another tank. Now, if only I can get the jumbo amano shrimp and mystery snail to stop pulling the stems out. I like the idea of mounding up or surrounding the stems with small rocks. I saved a little money by using Black Diamond blasting sand mixed in with the coarse sand. I saved the large water changes for after a 4 week period of ghost feeding and keeping the tank covered to keep algae from getting a toehold. I put the plants in after the 4 weeks.

I caught the twitching on video, after watching a dozen clips: https://photos.app.goo.gl/hapW6JvNx2idZk366 Why would a male act like he is courting the other male with this seizure-like twitching? The movements didn't match your courting pair's.

Such a nice looking tank! I supposedly have 14 pygmy cories in my 20 gallon long, but I only see 3-6 out at a time. So, I don't know if the group is still intact. But, they are sure so cute.

It turns out it wasn't legal here in my state. I got it with some fish that was shipped to me. It took a few months for me to get rid of it all, once I decided I didn't want it anymore.

@Pepere I wanted to ensure they convert to submersed first before reverse respiration soak. I placed each plant in a gallon jug (with top cut off) of dechlorinated water and substrate, then placed them outside. Will also fertilize after a week.

Cool beans! Will do and will report back if anything interesting happens.

These were collected at a sandy lake shore littered with driftwood. Will someone be able to identify them and help determine if safe for my freshwater aquarium? If no way to identify, I was thinking of placing it for 2 weeks in a plant quarantine of sorts with a couple of endlers (I have lots). Do you suppose this is a good test? We also have these branches and root. One piece looks like an antler, I don't know if that is aquarium safe.

Yes, that's exactly what I have ordered online. My last batch didn't make it because I seltzer soaked (reverse respiration) them too long (12 hrs). I am looking forward to trying again (will soak for only 1 hr next time)! However, USPS has a disappointing delay in this shipment, so I don't know if I will have mush upon arrival. Floating plants like duckweed, frogbit or salvinia don't make it in my display tanks because of too much surface agitation and, their leaves never dry off because I keep tank lids and water level on most of them is up to the rim. I had duckeded in my daphnia jars and qt for a while but I got tired of having to scrape them off my arm each time I messed around in the water. I decided I will stick with floating hornwort for a while longer. Eventually, I might try floating water wisteria. I like the idea of having long roots hanging down.

Yes, thanks in advance for helping! I will give these 2 another few days before moving them out of this qt into the 65 gallon. Then, I will have photos to share (no good visibility in the quarantine tubs).

Oooh, these are really neat looking. I like the blue! I will keep these fish in mind for future stocking.

I was planning on 2 pairs only, but I wonder if I can squeeze one more pair in this community (20 kubotai rasbora, 10 serpae tetra, 7 cherry barb, 5 cw097 cory, 8 med amano shrimp, 1 mystery snail, 1 unknown sp. from silverside family)? The tank is 48x13.5x23 inches. Maybe the 48x13.5 inch footprint is big enough for 3 pairs? It is currently moderately planted but I plan on making it heavily planted. Based on your other comment, I guess I have to make sure which individuals I will keep because they will be hard to catch, if I change my mind. Here are the 2 males today, do they seem no longer stressed?

Oh, I have that in my pantry! Will add that to the rotation.

Will flax seed work, instead of chia seeds? Both are considered vegan egg substitutes and make a gel-like consistency, when ground and water added.

Yes, we have set up something similar. I sometimes worry that a leak may happen while away from home. We use wireless, battery-operates ones that integrate with a smart home hub. We then have automation to announce the event, then turn off the water main (it could be an overflow during water change), and other possible sources of leaks like a hob, airline-driven filter, or powerhead/water pump gone awry. Of course, if the tank itself is leaking, the automation cannot do anything about it. I thought about having a catch-pan under the tank to buy one some time during a slow leak; but, it would be unsightly and might negatively add to the stresses on the tank bottom. I run my dry fingers over the silicone joints on the corners of the tanks before each water change.

@kneeThank you so much for your help!!! I am thinking I will just have to place them all in the big tank after quarantine, to get them comfy enough to start pairing up. Any tips on catching them later on?

In what form should I buy this, so that my daphnia/moina can eat it? I see astaxanthin supplements for human consumption. Should I get those and just empty the capsules into the water?