Trish

I have a problem with it mingling with the Subwassertang, it's not very attractive.. wonder why some is short and others loose and thready... light?

I'm sold, I think I'm going to let my "hair" grow!

This is a method from Richard Klinger for a quick start. Not surprising your Cherry Shrimp didn't survive, they are water sensitive preferring established tanks with bio film. Once your tank is older you could try again. I always run extra hang on back filters in my established tanks to move should I need to start a new tank quicker. Here's how to instant cycle: "Find an established healthy tank and take the filter material out of the filter and squeeze it out good in a bucket of aquarium water. Then dump all the filter cleanings into your new tank with the filter running. Your filter will clear the water of the cleanings and you will have instantly established a beneficial colony in your new tank and won't have cloudy poisonous water for your fish. It will be all set up. It is good to use filter cleanings from a tank with the same bio-load ( number of fish ) but if you can't what ever filter cleanings you get will help as long as it comes from an established filter." Then it is a good idea to keep an eye on ammonia and nitrite to make sure they stay at zero.

Bolivians are gorgeous at spawning time! My 40 gallon has 1 mature male and 4 juvenile females.

@FishyJames I haven't had any sinking wafers for awhile, much cleaner than shrimp pellets! Thanks.

That's a lovely herd of albino Cory's, what are they noshing on?

I like Oto's.

In the past few months I've been having a constant reaction on the skin between my fingers, bumps with extreme itching, sometimes my upper arm will itch and get red after I've been in the tanks. I thought perhaps it was the "all in one" fertilizer. I've also been sneezing like a mad fiend and having to use my puffers more for shortness of breath during this same period. In the past I used long sleeved gloves, but since I'm not putting medication or Excel or Paraguard in the tanks, I go bare skinned... always washing my hands and arms at least 3 times after coming out. Look what I've learned! I believe I'm one of a few that have an allergic reaction to FROZEN BLOODWORMS! WARNING: Bloodworm Allergies Are Real for Some Fishkeepers Bloodworm induced Anaphylaxis Asthma progressed big time, sneezing, eyes are dry. These side effects lasted up to a week even with puffers. Guess I'd better start re evaluating wether it's worth feeding blood worms.I don't physically touch the blood worms either, use a pipette or baster... it seems it's once they are in the water. I usually defrost 3 blocks of Hikari per tank, and feed liberally twice a week. UPDATE: I'm not feeding frozen blood worms anymore, there's enough information out there on allergic reaction to prove it isn't worth it. " Once you're allergic to bloodworms, each reaction gets worse; best to get them out of your house." What I experienced from bloodworms is not worth the risk to my health even with protection. So $25 worth of bloodworms went to the trash. I'm a nurse by trade, and made the mistake of not reading the fine print! Now a few months after water changes, I have no symptoms what so ever. Back to using aquarium gloves as well, I'm preferring dry arms! Hoping this information will help others that might experience an unknown reaction. ****** Hikari warning. Handling frozen food that is derived from a a live animal can cause the same allergic reaction possible by handling the live animal itself. To avoid potential problems always throughly wash your hands immediately after use and before contacting your nose, eyes, and mouth. Avoid contact with open wounds. ********

I'll throw one in my glove compartment, you can never be too careful! Glad everything turned out well for you @Kat_Rigel

1st defense would be water changes.

Another reason...mine start glass surfing when they are getting ready to spawn!

Bloat is a symptom...Best to know what kind of fish are you describing? What is your water quality, have you tested recently? Are the scales raised or pine-coning ( Dropsy) Over feeding? A five gallon bucket makes an easy "extra" quarantine container if outfitted with sponge filter or air stone and heater. If its constipation, you could try Epson salts bath for 15-20 mins or a cooked pea. If bacterial maybe try Maracyn.

Those are Ramshorn snails. While some consider them a pest, they can also be helpful tank cleaners. You will only get too many if you overfeed. You can hand pick them or trap them with a piece of zucchini weighted to the bottom for a few days. If I have to many I feed them to my loach tank. I don't mind Ramshorns at all!

I've experienced massive loss of crypts after temperature changes, a power outage even as small as 3 hrs left me with a tank full of cooked spinach. The down side of beautiful crypts. They took months to return and have never achieved the lushness of the first established planting even with root tabs every 3 months. Moving them has never been a problem.

I survived a 7 day outage boiling water for bottles on our wood stove 24 hrs a day, switching out bottles to all the tanks. Battery air pumps are a must! I had only one casualty, the loss of my 13 yr old King Kong Parrot due to the fact I didn't have emergency air pumps at the time. The fluctuating water temperatures, even monitored the oxygen was removed and he most likely suffocated. A sad loss indeed. After 25 yrs with no generator I now have one wired in, although I have not used it yet.

Do water changes before power goes out if you know it's coming Calcium Chloride Heater (note must be pure 100% Calcium Chloride: 130F Plastic water bottle 500 ml bottle Add water to almost fill and 100 g calcium chloride Monitor temp take out or add more bottles Heat packs 113 F tape to side of tank with painters tape Tape near bottom, cover completely with painters tape Cover tank with Mylar Emergency foil blanket or reg blankets. Battery powered air pump Ammonia filtering *****Unplug regular filters or ammonia will be pumped in .**** Need filtration put air stone to bottom of aquarium place filter media over air stone or attach battery air pump directly to sponge filter. Don’t feed fish***** Power back on Let tank go back to normal temp Don’t feed fish right away Do a large water change Make an emergency kit Battery powered air pumps sponge filter airstone/ weighted airstone batteries D size for air pumps mylar blanket 52 x 84 -36 x40 for 20 gal heat rises thermometers flash lights 500 ml bottles heat packs/ 72 hr 110 F red line to outside for oxygen 1 to 20-30 gals monitor tape/ painters tape box filters air tubing blankets Tank will be ok at 63 degrees if necessary Watch for ICH

Anything that is prone to swim bladder.

I raised 1 spawning and kept 9 fry, now juveniles shared amongst my tanks. Now the juveniles are spawning. It is interesting to watch the behaviour leading up to it as they get cranky! This is what I woke up to this morning, I remove the eggs usually to feed my loach tank and everyone goes back to their happy normal.

I did it backwards and tried to confine the frogbit and duckweed.

Thank you Colu, when you breed your own they are amazingly hardy fish.

Thank you Philip, Bolivian's are the friendliest of fish and like to pose!

I haven't had to deworm fish luckily. My first Rams were not good stock and developed Hexamita shortly after. Not too long ago it was still possible to purchase Metronidazole in my LFS. It did disappear off the shelf for awhile though. Even General Cure was hard to get as it has Metro in it. Other wormers like fenbendazole and levamisole have to be gotten through the vets now and would be more costly. I thought about trying farm livestock outlets for the latter but wouldn't want to figure out the dosing. You might look up using Epsom salts. Since, I bred and raised my own Ram fry and they are super hardy!

Happy to be amongst like minded!