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Everything posted by Fish Folk
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I’d tend to describe Neons more as “shoaling” fish rather than “schooling” fish. Shoals are general social groups of fish where each individual is doing its own thing. Schools are where fish swim together, facing the same direction. Rummynose tetras and Bloodfin tetras tend to School more than Neons…
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Take a sterile cup of water to your LFS and ask them to run pH titration test on it. Better yet, maybe they use a digital tester. Sometimes the drops skew if they’ve sat awhile… in sunlight… etc.
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Cation Exchange Capacity?
Fish Folk replied to Scapexghost's topic in Plants, Algae, and Fertilizers
Here’s a very fun non-technical article on CEC by Scott Fellman. Sounds like his review in standard CEC measurement units goes: Sand = ca. 1 Clay = ca. 30+ Zeolites = ca. 100 Soils / Humus = 250 I think at this point it’s helpful to learn what the folks over at Green Aqua do when building soils / substrates… Now, I’d also like to call out @Streetwise who has worked with Walstad method tanks awhile and is in a better position to reflect on your question from experience. -
That is absolutely beautiful!! Wow. I’ve never seen anything like that.
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Honestly… I’m not sure about what works and what doesn’t yet! Yes, the powerhead is for flow and oxygen. The stones and wood are just kind of however they landed. What I need is black worms! But the last order I made came in half dead, so I’m still angry about that and refuse to order from that seller again.
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Congratulations! I like the Dither + Black Worms combo.
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As other US Natives are gearing up to spawn, I am eager to trigger these Banded Darters to lay some eggs. Their tank has kind of been growing lots of duckweed across the top, not getting as frequent water changes as it deserves, and the cheaper powerhead konked out in it. SO! Today was a big upgrade: (1) Removed broken Powerhead, and replaced with another functioning powerhead attached to a sponge filter intake. This was something that folks mentioned on the Forum. I tested it out in this new 10-gal tank that I got to replace the one that cracked a couple weeks ago... (2) Removed loads of duckweed, and extra small flowerettes of water lettuce to provide more light, and lengthened the photo period by an hour. (3) Performed a water change, and fed frozen blood worms Here is a video showing the tank presently, and explaining my thinking about the breeding process / plan. I suspect that I'll be adding several mops. I've already got one made. I think that mops will provide the context for spawning that these guys really need. But here's hoping the Java moss looks enticing!
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First off, Corydoras fry are the most adorable baby fish ever. You'll love them! I like to add a catappa leaf to the eggs to add tannins to their environment and provide context for infusoria to multiply for their first week or so of life. As soon as they're large enough to eat them, I definitely do feed some baby brine shrimp. I like to supplement with fry powder foods like SERA Micron, New Life Spectrum Fry Grow powder, etc.
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Exciting to get these new fish! I'd love to learn what color / pattern caught your fancy. Some questions to consider: (1) Are you adding these guppies to an already established aquarium with lots of stock you've invested in a lot already? Or are these fish starting out a new tank for you? If you are really concerned about the outside possibility of cross-contaminating your current stock, then there is good grounds for medication. However, if they're new to a tank, I think you can just start them outright without meds and watch them carefully for a few weeks. IF you see any worrying signs, it's not wrong to run the med trio. But it's not always essential. I also like to ask the seller what the source of the Guppies is. Are they imported? Locally bred? Have they ever medicated them? etc. (2) If you run the Med-Trio, you could lightly feed while the fish undergo treatment. Just feed once a day and no more than they scarf up very quickly as you watch. I'd choose something like Xtreme Krill Flakes that are not "dirty" in your QT setup. Beware that an insufficiently cycled QT can be more deadly than any possible ailment guppies come with. I have lost a number of fish for that reason before.
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Welcome aboard! The Corydoras Schultzei are so closely related to the Corydoras Aeneus, I'd follow a plan similar to how we bred Aeneus. You can follow a long breeding journal on the Forum here if you're bored. My son bred these for BAP with our fish club. Honestly, I am not entirely sure how well you'll succeed breeding them in the same tank that you have a Betta and Congo Tetras in. But maybe it could work. The keys: (1) You'll of course need males and females -- Females, when mature, are larger-bodied; males are smaller and thinner (2) They will need to be mature, breeding size -- catfish generally mature slower than many other fish in the hobby (3) Feed quality foods, black worms, blood worms, repashy, etc so that the females will produce roe (4) Add some water flow - Hydor circulars work nicely -- perhaps a gentle powerhead setup (5) Make sure you've got plants that are inviting for egg laying -- bronze crypts are a nice choice Sometimes a nice big water change will trigger them. Typically, multiple factors all play a part in triggering them to spawn. If you're eager to breed them, you'll also need to be ready with a plan once they lay eggs everywhere. Remember that Corys are active at night, so you'll often find eggs early in the morning. I have made a very simple DIY flow-through container for raising fry. I buy thee cheap plastic storage trays at Walmart, cut a styrofoam collar, silicone in place, add coarse filter sponge to the handles, then use rigid airline to attach a Ziss airstone to the bottom for gentle air flow. This floats inside the tank that the adults spawned in. Eggs are moved in, hatched, and fry are raised. It keeps water chemistry consistent, allows you to watch fry grow, etc.
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If you do some research, you might be shocked to find what all you've got thriving in your native waters! For years, I trout fished never knowing these guys were all around my feet. Now I keep a tank for them (Banded Darter)... For me, it was _my kids_ who got me into aquatics. Now it's my mid-life crisis 😂
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I guarantee there's some cool little treasures. My boy and I catch fish from the Potomac river just down the road, and from the tiny mountain creek just behind our place all summer long...
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I know, right??! I don't know. I just do not know at all. Looks like a terribly fascinating aquarium set up. I think there's at least 2x other goby species in there. I think I see some mature Siamese Algae Eaters.
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@Patrick_G @Torrey check out the video above of that crazy Blue streamgoby from Papua New Guinea. Crazy interesting!
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I’m continuing this thread, because I find it all too fascinating! Here’s some species of fish you could keep in a home aquarium that you’ve probably never heard of (I haven’t at least)… (1) Phoxinus phoxinus (Eurasian minnow) — Great Britain, up to 58°N (2) Aphanius dispar (Arabian Pupfish) — Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (3) Alburnoides bipunctatus (Schneider minnow) — Afghanistan (4) Cyprinodons elegans (Comanche Springs Pupfish) — Balmorhea, Texas (5) Fundulus heteroclitus (Mummichog) — New Jersey (6) Sicyopterus lagocephalus (Blue streamgoby) — Papua New Guinea You’ll enjoy watching this guy above in a tank… (7) Cyprinella lutrensis (Red Shiner / Red-horse Minnow) — Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas If you find some you’ve never heard of, do share!
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Love it! Nice story, and great stocking plans. Once this shapes up more to your goals, please update.
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Once they settle in to your water back home, I’d sure appreciate seeing how they compare to your stock. I know you’re very attentive to details, so (and sorry if this is a bother) I think I’d learn a lot if you set them in side-by-side specimen containers and made a video comparing the wild line with your brooders at home. Also, knowing you breed with goals, I’d like to learn exactly what your goals are apart from just adding wild genetics to your lines. Is there a certain color goal you’re reaching towards? Thanks always for your good work. Very inspiring! I’m glad I’m not the only one who gets his boys out in the stream after wild fish 😂
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Welcome aboard! Yeah… even the Siamese Algae eaters can get large and bossy. I’ve got half a dozen in with my Discus. Definitely too much energy for a 10 gallon. You can see mine in the lower right side of this video… Algae control is a matter of balancing light, nutrients, and desired plants (vs algae). Basically, you want your plants to make use of all available nutrients rather than algae.
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Here’s an example of cherry barb spawning behavior with a yarn mop… Fertilization occurs with egg release.
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I have always admired Black Phantom Tetras, but have never kept them before. Their reputation, as you say, varies depending on who you ask. They do get a bit larger than many of the torpedo-shaped tetras. If I’m being honest, I’m wondering out loud if they’re a better fit for a 55 gallon… Gouramis are what I would describe as “intelligent fish.” Honey Gouramis, for the most part, are peaceful community fish. I like to keep smaller tetras with them. I’m on the fence with the Black Phantoms. I wonder if Electric Blue Rams would work out better? Or Orange-flash Apistogramma Cacatouides? Dwarf Cichlids might set a nippy tetra in its place more authoritatively than a honey gourami. On the other hand, if you’re in love with the Honey Gourami, maybe rethink your tetras / schooling fish. What about a school of long-finned White Cloud Mountain Minnows? They are beautiful and very peaceful.