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Sandra the fish rookie

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  1. Sandra the fish rookie
    @SWilson ok cool, I will get some from ACO. As for the snails.. I am hoping with all these new plants, some will show up but a friend of mine has a TON in her tanks and will give me some. I am thinking of getting a little 2.5 G adding a small nano sponge filter, and keeping a bunch in there.. I have a perfect little spot I could keep them in.. then they can have all the algae and babies they want.. I have to find that video that Cory made about PH crashes.. I just don't want it to get any lower.. I have 1 Ramshorn snail in my 20 G but its alone.. so no babies.. ugh.. Get an aquarium they said..its so much fun they said.. 🙂
  2. Sandra the fish rookie
    @SWilson I have a wondershell in the 20G (which is why I am so suprised) but no idea what size I would need for the 5G. The KH is low, the the GH is still hard. the water here in Wilmington NC is super hard.. and that has not changed much in the tanks.. but the KH and PH did. It just so weird.. because it was soooo sudden.. everything was great and then BOOM.. so the only thing I can think is the addition of new plants to both those tanks. The QT tank too.. I think its because I added some wood to it.. @Biotope Biologist should I tank that wood out of the QT tank? its the only new thing in there.. the rocks and fake plants have always been there..
  3. Sandra the fish rookie
    I can not thank you all enough! Thank you @Biotope Biologist, @Colu @anewbie and @ererer for all of your advice and help!
  4. Sandra the fish rookie
    @Biotope Biologist When you say organic matter do you mean wood/plants? Could it be the frozen blood worms or brine shrimp???? I use the API test kit 100% of the time.. but for some reason I wanted to just drink coffee, and check some tank chemistry. I completely freaked out.. my PH has NEVER changed or dropped before EVER.. I have a feeling that the 5G and 20G addition of some new stem plants may have thrown stuff out of wack a bit. I had some extra plants, and thought to add some color .. well.. that worked out great didn't it. I also added wood to the 5 gallon so I could add Java Fern for the Pea Puffer to hide and buzz around in.. it was a seasoned piece from another tank.. and was in there before I got him.. and I took it out.. then put it back in there for him. I just did a 1G water change, and we will see what happens. I don't intend to add ANYTHING else to that tank.. maybe a snail to eat if I can get my hands on some
  5. Sandra the fish rookie
    @ererer I have not ever been able to get nitrates to EVER get higher than 10-20 ppm and it doesn't stay there.. I have ridiculous plant growth in my tanks. The 5 G has been up and running since Feb 27th and cycled quite quickly. all my anubias in that tank have 2 new leaves on all 3 plants. This is the reason I struggle with nitrates I have a lot of plants, and green thumb and they grow like crazy.. my 20 G has been up and running since Dec 2020 and I use media from that tank to seed all the others.. (sponge filters).
  6. Sandra the fish rookie
    @ererer April 4th was the API test kit, this morning when I saw the strip results, I re did all of the tanks with the API manual test kit both my tap water, and tank water was tested with both to ensure accuracy. I am pretty paranoid. If I see something on the strip that I am concerned about I use the API kit. I actually only test my water before and after a change so once a week and use the API test kit each time. I use the strips to just do some spot checks..
  7. Sandra the fish rookie
    Thanks @Colu. I am struggling to figure out what I did wrong besides what @ererer mentioned as possible scenario's and I lost all my nitrates too..ugh.. did I crash my 5 gallon tank.. 😞 . With all the left over brine shrimp I did my chemistry on the 4th, and the 5 gallon had Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0.25 nitrate 8.0 ... I think I did a way to large water change in it.. Now what do I do ????
  8. Sandra the fish rookie
    Thank you @ererer I thought doing weekly water changes was fine, and keeping at 20-25% but with real plants, it gets nasty in there sometimes. I only fed my fish once a day in HOPES they would eat stuff that is already in there.. LOL I have heard of people who don't do water changes but every 2 weeks.. maybe I am just taking too much water.. I was doing weekly but much less water.. maybe what I am doing is too large??
  9. Sandra the fish rookie
    @ererer What type of abnormal fish behavior would I expect to see? Just so I know what to watch for? My pea puffer is quiet.. but he is new, so not sure if that is it? Should I do a water change on him now? if so how much? Its a 5 G tank..
  10. Sandra the fish rookie
    @ererer Hold up a second! I had my Air conditioning unit maintained March 30th, and the fan would only go on when the system ran. I changed it to run consistently. I was also doing regular allergy cycles which runs the system to clean the air, and have not done one in 2 weeks where I was doing them 2 a week.. could that have done it? Right now the pollen in NC is a nightmare.. leaving the windows open might make my asthma flare up. I have all the ceiling fans in the main areas running as I always have. so that has not change. Just the Allergy cycle that I used to do regularly I forgot to do.. I am going to be due to water change the 20G this weekend.. should I do it earlier? and not gravel vac? As nasty as it is in there right now? All the fish seem to be fine right now, no distress that I can notice.. I had a lot of Brow Diatom Algae that I manually wiped off in both the 5 and 20 G..maybe that had something to do with it.. I over cleaned it I suppose.
  11. Sandra the fish rookie
    @ererer 1) New PH values in all the tanks is pictured below. The worst tank is the 5G There is NO KH! even with the API test kit!! 2) Substrate in 20G larger pebble gravel (was surface vacuumed a bit because to rid old food) and new stem plants added as well. 5G is sand substrate, and it was surface cleaned of old blood worms and brine shrimp the pea puffer didn't eat. 10G no substrate (bare bottom) its a hospital/QT tank. 40 gallon is a new tank, has no fish, all new plants with small gravel. 3) There is stone, drift wood in all my tanks including the QT tank. Tap water was tested and came back as 7.4 ppm. I tested it before starting all my tanks. As well as re tested it today
  12. Sandra the fish rookie
    Chemistry done on April 4th 20G Temp 79.1, Ammonia 0; Nitrite 0; Nitrate 5.0; GH 14 and KH 5 (current load 6 fish 2 snails, 3 shrimp) 5G Temp 77.5, Ammonia 0; Nitrite 0.25; Nitrate 8.0; GH 8 and KH 4 (1 Pea puffer) I was testing my tanks this morning and ALL of them PH and KH have dropped I have had PH in ALL of them consistent 7.4 for MONTHS.. I even did them on April 4th and my PH was 7.4 (in 20G and 5G) and KH 20G = 5 and 5 Gallon = 4. The PH in my tap water is also 7.4 and I use tap water (with prime) to do water changes. Temp is 79 in both tanks I did a water change/clean on the 5 G on Sunday (30%) and 20G I cleaned/changed 20% before I added 5 new fish from QT. Even my QT tank PH has dropped to the mid 6's where it used to be like all the others @ 7.4 What happened? What did I do wrong? Do I fix it? or leave it.
  13. Sandra the fish rookie
    @Kirsten I get worried Gazoo will get lonely too. I have to see if I can get my hands on some snails.. but will it be enough to entertain him? He looks fine now, but I was really hesitant to get more than one due to any potential aggression. I read through the post @JettsPapa shared (hilarious btw). and see people have put in ghost shrimp? I would hate to put something in there for it to be murdered (except as needed pest snails). I am feeding mine once a day.. is that okay? I am checking my water chemistry, yesterday I had 0.25 ppm Nitrites, 8.0 ppm Nitrate and 0 ammonia. I know that there were brine shrimp at the bottom because I could see them.. and thought that might be the cause, cleaned it all out and all is good now. Still getting to know the best way to care for my little Gazoo (named after the Flintstones "the great Gazoo).. I thought of adding some neo tetras to occupy him? not sure if he will fin nip or not? My 20G has WAY to much activity.. Guppies (more on the way), 6 corydora, mystery snail, Ramshorn snail, 2 bamboo shrimp and a cherry shrimp.. the Albino's never stop moving.. he will be entertained for sure.. but might fin nip
  14. Sandra the fish rookie
    @Kirsten So true about tank location/accessible. I have him in a busy area where we pass by him all the time. He can also see the big TV, and I swear he watches it.. LOL.. especially hockey (Canadian's fan here). They are so smart, and intelligent. So much fun to have one. Don't get me wrong, I love all my fish. Pea puffers are just such a different fish and as a newbie I find them so fascinating. He pays attention to everything. I have been inside the tank to clean, and I will move plants and rocks around to keep him on his toes.. LOL.. he stay's out of the way and is very calm when I am in there. They are such a blast! I could totally see how people have a few in a larger tank.. they are cool!
  15. Sandra the fish rookie
    I tried these over the weekend.. he didn't touch them. My other community tank went NUTS!! Seriously.. like they have been fasting for months.. I just purchased a bunch of new plants.. fingers crossed I can get some snails out of that!
  16. Sandra the fish rookie
    I just got a Pea Puffer about a week ago. I purchased a 5 gallon just for one, knowing I would only have one, and that they are fin nippers. I give him blood worms, as currently don't have any pest snails to give him yet. He is large enough for me to sex him, he has the very obvious dark straight line down his belly. I have a lot of plants, and just added a few more, and some rocks, wood etc. for him to zoom around in. Initially he was nervous, and stayed in the back of the tank. Over the weekend, he is really coming out and when I go visit him he comes right to the front of the tank to see me. I tried to give him some frozen brine shrimp.. but he was not a fan, but the blood worms he enjoys. I found that if I leave them a bit frozen (I do cut a bit off a cube because he is only 1 little dude), as they thaw and drop, he likes to hunt them. I feel once you have one.. you can't be without one. Like Corydora cat fish.. GOTTA HAVE EM! I am no pea puffer expert whatsoever, and come to the forum for everything fish related. Like you, I saw one in a LFS and I was hooked. Had to get one.
  17. Sandra the fish rookie
    My brother had Piranhas in the 1980's. I watched him care for his tank, and then get another tank just for his feeder fish (which were goldfish, and I loved them). He always had huge tanks and a beautiful outdoor pond. So, as a child, liked the idea of fish, but didn't have the confidence, or knowledge to even think about starting in this hobby. I was always around all kinds of animals. Most doctor's offices, had fish tanks.. and I would stare at them the whole time being there. I love fish.. they are so Zen! I knew eventually I would get a tank.. I always wanted a betta, but the corporate office would not allow animals of any kind. Once I fully became a regional employee (work from home), was when I decided to just DO IT! I purchased a 20 gallon kit and being a green thumb, dove into real plants as well. The plant thing has turned out well, the fish thing.. meh.. it was a rough start, but its getting better. I must like it.. I now have the original 20 gallon, 10 gallon QT tank (my husband calls it the MASH tank), I have a 5 gallon for a pea puffer, and just set up the 40 gallon breeder (no fish yet, just a lot of plants and scape). The last tank will be for a Betta! Not bad for someone that started Dec 2020! LOL 🙂
  18. Sandra the fish rookie
    @Fish Folk He seems more curious at night, with the TV on, he seems to be watching more of what is going on, and ventures out and around the tank more. He is in a pretty central place, so he can get interaction with us when we are done our work day. We have dim lighting in our great room, so there is less shadows for sure. The windows are quite large, and they are also tinted, to help with heat and glare. I really try to approach the tank slowly, so not to startle him.. I wonder if I have to change the lighting timing? Currently I have it turn on at 1 pm and off at 10 pm but maybe I should have different timing for him?
  19. Sandra the fish rookie
    @Fish Folk I guess that I have wanted one for so long, that I am paying more attention to what he is doing. He stays at the back more but through out the day has ventured up to the middle and top of the tank. He doesn't seem afraid of me going in there to check his water or temp of the water. But I think he is still a bit nervous. I know they can live alone, but want to make sure the environment he has is the best it can be.
  20. Sandra the fish rookie
    @Fish Folk I got my first pea puffer yesterday. He's in a 5 gallon right now. seems to be doing well. Still a bit stressed. Where did you find that syringe to feed them with? Is that something I could purchase on line? Any additional advice you could offer me about pea puffers from your personal experience is appreciated. I think I have exhausted the internet, blogs and YouTube at this point. I see that sometimes he bumps into the side wall when I approach the tank.. is that because I am scaring him? I just want to make sure he is okay. It has been less than 24 hrs so I know he is a bit stressed. My post earlier today has a picture of him in the tank. Thank you!
  21. Sandra the fish rookie
    @Colu I don't have any snails in there (yet). I am going to try and see if I can get my hands on some for him to eat over the weekend. Is there anything else he can eat? I am not that familiar with frozen food, but want him to be as well fed as my other fish are.
  22. Sandra the fish rookie
    @Colu okay cool.. is it okay that he didn't eat them all? Should I take them out? or wait and see if he eats them? at the LFS they would just put a whole cube in there.. and leave it for them to eat.. but the only thing I will leave in my tank is a algae wafer, so my snails can eat later in the night..its usually all gone by the morning.. I used long tweezers and put them in there and some flew around and others sank to the sand..hope I did it correctly
  23. Sandra the fish rookie
    @Colu How long are thawed blood worms good for if keep in the fridge? I just gave him some, and he is eating some of them..I did not put a lot in there.. so I will watch how he does.. Next time I will cut a bit off the cube that I need.. and keep it in the freezer. I have never used these before so not sure how I am supposed to feed with it..
  24. Sandra the fish rookie
    @James B Okay cool. I had 1 corydora die within the first 5 days. But I didn't see any signs of illness at all. I did a full course of Maracyn just in case, but all the others have never shown any illness at all and are eating and thriving. I used carbon post medication as well.
  25. Sandra the fish rookie
    @Colu Can I QT more than 1 species of fish at the same time? For example if I get some cardinal tetras and something else? so they all QT at the same time? What are your thoughts?
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