Ceiora

I started treating with melafix yesterday hoping it would help prevent infection while things healed up. I also got a new heater for him to keep the water warmer as my tanks have been struggling with the cold here. This morning he was more active and quicker getting food. I thought we were improving. Now I don’t know what’s happening. He’s now hanging on the bottom of the tank and not moving except to come for air. He used to be really active and follow me around from the tank and now he won’t even look at me. I did get him to eat food (Hikari pellets), but it was pretty horrific as I discovered more of his mouth is gone and he immediately started oozing blood from his mutilated jaw. The picture I’m attaching here is not of my fish, just for demonstration purposes. I’ve drawn what is now missing from my fish as I’ve been unable to get the fish to look my way. Keep medicating and hoping for the best? Or put him out of his misery?

Hello everyone, My betta has been losing colour quite a bit, so I assumed I just bought an already older one when I got him in the spring. The size difference between him and my October betta is significant. He’s also gotten a lot slower. Yesterday I noticed something that originally looked white on his mouth from above when I fed him. Was in a rush going to work so I didn’t have time to look more. Today, however, I’m starting to think he has a mouth wound. He is still able to gulp air and eat, but he is definitely showing less enthusiasm. Thoughts?

This sounds so much like how my first planted tank plants were going. I lucked in last minute, but I was planning on using my water change bucket to hold everything. A large mixing bowl would would as well.

Welcome! Always great to see a fellow Canadian! Though I wouldn’t be any help, I’m here for help myself lol.

The last couple days I’ve been looking up things to help my snail lol. Been researching foods and calcium help lol

Thanks guys! Should I perhaps try moving the snail out into my cycling tank to ensure my betta survives for sure, and maybe he will? My planted tank is being posted about here:

So it took no time at all to experience crypt melt. Saw that coming though, even my parva plants lost leaves. They’re still in the process of melting those leaves, but my banana plants are doing well with new growth. The one that came with long roots has even started to grow into the substrate. My Java Fern has lost two leaves, but one leaf is growing little plantlets that I’ve heard everyone talk about. Watching the growth will be fascinating. I discovered a hitchhiker today. The snail is super tiny and surprisingly see through. I guess I’ll need to wait and see what kind as it gets bigger? I’m tempted to move my proper mystery snail into here as his tank is crashing and moving him would lessen the bioload. If the little guy is surviving, maybe Francis can to?

It’s between 50-75% because the water level drains so quickly with the ridiculously small tank. It’s a struggle to do less.

Hey guys, I hadn’t been monitoring my tanks properly for awhile, except for sporadically. When setting up for a new tank, I was motivated to start monitoring all tanks and discovered an ammonia spike in my oldest tank. Occupants showed no signs of distress. Tank is 2.5 gallons and contains a Betta and mystery snail. Betta was added in May and snail was added Oct 6. I used to check tank daily and parameters never really changed as long as I did weekly 50% water changes, parameters didn’t change after adding snail. Oct 28: ammonia 2.0, nitrite 0, nitrate 0. Did 75% water change and brought ammonia down to 1.0 Oct 29: ammonia 1.0, nitrite 0, nitrate 0. Did 75% water change and brought ammonia down to 0.5 Oct 30: ammonia 2.0, nitrite 0, nitrate 0. Did 75% water change and brought ammonia down to 1.0 Oct 31: ammonia 1.0, nitrite 0, nitrate 0. I’m going to assume something bad happened to my good bacteria. Any recommendations on how I should handle this? I have no tank to move the guys to as new tank is still cycling and other tank has stupid aggressive betta already in it.

I couldn’t resist, I did it. The original tank was just too small, especially for such a crazy active betta. And tonight was the one night that I didn’t have a 3 year old all over me lol. Before: After:

Chanting loudly “DO IT! DO IT!”

I want to upgrade my 2nd 2.5 gallon (as I’m currently in the process of upgrading the 1st) to double the size with a 5 gallon. My question is, can I get away without cycling the new tank if I take everything (substrate, decor, equipment, water) and put into new tank? Would it not be the near equivalent of doing a 50% water change? Second question: if I want to change filter to a sponge filter instead of the stupid cartridge one after moving to new tank, can I just hook up the sponge and leave the old cartridge in for a bit or safe to remove completely and replace?

As long as I have the sponge filter outlet pointed back at the glass, the light doesn’t get splashed. I’ve just turned off the air stone and my betta log is still drifting around, so I’m going to assume I have enough water flow. I moved my light so it’s no longer centred across the top of the tank and away from the sponge just to be safe. Thanks!

I haven’t had to refer to this yet, but I’m sure I will as I cycle my planted tank: How to Fight 6 Types of Algae in Your Fish Tank WWW.AQUARIUMCOOP.COM Do you dream of having a beautiful aquarium but end up constantly fighting to keep algae at bay? In this article, we discuss the root causes of algae, the most common types found in freshwater aquariums, and the... I personally am nervous about finding the right algae eater to help me keep decor while I clean the glass, but still fit my tank.

It’s so exciting! I can’t wait to get to that stage! Also extremely anxious lol How’d you handle cycling?

Day two: Java Fern has sunk back down, took an old cartridge from my 2.5 gallon and just dropped it in here, added betta log for future use, and added an air stone because my pump had a second output that I thought I’d try out. As there was room for more water I just dumped my water change water from my small tank into this one, figured the fish poop could only do good over here. The bubbles popping at the surface seem to have a rather large splash zone. Is this going to be a problem for my light? Do I actually need the air stone or will my sponge filter do enough for aeration?

I decided to go the route of paper and pen. Yesterday I sat down and tried to get as much down as I could remember and today I did the actual water testing to see how it would work out. I think I like the setup.

I posted in my introduction to the forum that I was going to set up a planted aquarium soon but was facing hiccups, such as the plants being scheduled to arrive BEFORE substrate and equipment. Great news! The equipment was early and the plants were late, so everything arrived today! I got a Cryptocoryne Willisii, Cryptocoryne Parva, 2 Banana Plants, Anubias Gracilis, and Microsorum Pteropus (what I’m thinking is going to be a problematic Java Fern?) I would bet money on having done something wrong during setup, but I’ve attached a picture regardless. And @Irene, you told me over on YouTube that I should tag you 🙂 Any tips on how to handle the fern being so thoroughly stuck in that wool stuff? It’s now floating because I don’t actually know what to do with it, bought it without thinking. Also, not sure if this how the sponge filter is supposed to be set up. Any reassurance or changes I have to make? Thanks in advance everyone, and wish me luck!

I was able to find Easy Green on Amazon for Canada, though it is currently listed as unavailable. I bought one right before the status changed. A quick search also brought up Easy Iron.

Unfortunately, as I’m in Canada, I can’t order from aquarium co-op and am forced to go online for almost everything. Tomorrow I will be making the drive into the nearest town and see if I can find a cheap one. I have discovered what the problem with the broken one was, and a family friend will attempt to fix for me. We’ll see which happens first.

Well I actually feel quite inspired after reading this thread, went from procrastinating record keeping to procrastinating sleep! Now I think I have a rough idea of what I want to track and how the table should look. Thanks guys! By tank, water parameters of course, denizens, feeding (especially since I’m experimenting with different foods), observations (aggression, health), actions (water changes, moving occupants, fertilizers). I think that covers the basics as I plan to use a notebook, I miss writing.

Welcome to the forums Hobbit! 😉 It’s always good to have something to blame MTS on, but my excuse is a bit more flimsy: they’re just too pretty lol

Thanks Maggie! Frank has actually begun turning more red since I got him, I’m very curious what colour he’ll be going into 2021. And Fred has two identical iridescent scales under each eye that usual cause the creepiest pictures, I’ll experiment until I can take a picture that does him justice. Welcome to the forum! Though I don’t think I beat you by much time and you definitely seem to have more experience 😉 I’ll definitely do that with the crypts I ordered, but I think I’ll be stuck with the taller plants in a bucket as my current tanks are ridiculously short. Any advice on what I should stick in the bucket with them and how to care for them until everything arrives?

If we’re confessing: I bought my first fish and tank at the same time, so definitely no cycling was done I also didn’t have a heater or filter for the poor Betta And the tank was definitely too small, still is On the plus side, I’m slowly fixing my mistakes and no one has died yet.

Hello everyone! After buying my first home as a single mom and with no one to tell me no, I bought my first fish! Frank is a blue Betta that I bought on a whim, fell in love with, and now desperately want to give the best life I can! He's kind of dim and likes to swim into my hand or under decorations I’m trying to move when cleaning his tank, but I love him none-the-less. I got him a tank mate by the name of Francis who probably wishes I had not. As soon as I realized I wasn’t killing him, I thought it would be safe to buy a second fish and tank. And so the red crowntail Betta by the name of Fred joined our family. I've learned now that I made a mistake listening to my LFS about the boys not needing bigger tanks. They both are 2.5 gallons and I’m in the process of remedying that. Currently setting up a 10 gallon planted tank for Frank, who seems like the more laid back fish that might get along with others. A few hiccups along the way of course: my plants are arriving before any of my other supplies will (substrate, light, fertilizer), and the air pump for my sponge filter doesn’t work. If everything somehow works out, I’ll look at upgrading Fred next. I’m here to learn and absorb as much info as I can and I imagine I can only improve from here. Quick question, would it be ok to place the plants in my water change bucket with my next batch of water change water from the boys tanks?