HenryC

I just recently saw a post regarding a lamb chop rasbora not swimming around with the group of harlequins in the same tank. I find it fascinating how fish won't school with others, even if they're nearly identical, for example neons and cardinals. You see the example everywhere! Even if they're borderline the same, they won't school if they're not the same species. I've always wondered what are the mechanisms they use to differentiate themselves from other, very similar species. It has to be with pattern recognition for sure right? Not sure if there are papers about this, but my theory is that they have evolved to develop and recognize unique patterns and colors, that's why you see lots of different patterns, and sometimes unusual ones, like the silver tips on silvertip tetras, the full red line on cardinals VS. the half red line on neons, the red spots on bleeding heart tetra VS the black one on serpae, rummynose's characteristic red snout and checkered tail, black neon's white and black lines, etc. They're programmed to scan for these cues that tell them they're good to group and mate with them. Someone once told me pheromones had to be responsible as well. Do you think that's the case? What do you think about it?

Fascinating how fish won't school with others, even if they're nearly identical, for example neons and cardinals. I've always wondered what are the mechanisms they use to differentiate themselves from other species. It has to be with pattern recognition for sure.

I always just explain it as: 1 Fish poop, processes and decaying matter creates ammonia (very bad for fish) 2 Bacteria buddy 1 eats said ammonia and produces nitrite (very bad for fish) 3 Bacteria buddy 2 eats said nitrite and produces nitrate (bad in big quantities) 4 Your plants eats nitrates and produce growth, and you also do water changes to reduce them, then the cycle repeats. There's also much more stuff to consider, like how plants can also consume ammonia, etc. But I feel simplifying it enough is best for new people, you don't want to overwhelm them and discourage them by making it look to technical.

You could try severums, they're super chill. Also electric blue acaras. Even Oscars can be peaceful, mine grew up alongside severums and blood parrots and the tank is as peaceful as a tetra community!

I want a sunfish tank! Send me some LOL

At this point OP should just enlighten us lol, cause it seems nobody has hit the nail on the head with our answers. @Cory Help us out lol! We need help with this boss.

Sad to hear that, greys are incredible animals, so intelligent and personable. This is just a little peachface lovebird, little but with huge personality haha!

Personally I like them more, but the downside is that most of them get massive. But oh boy, they're show stoppers, especially Viejas!

I hardly see photos of T-bar cichldis around, are they not popular? I got a juvenile a few months back and his color is already stunning, he has white, gold, pink, blue spreckles and even blue eyes! It's gonna be a stunner when he grows up for sure: Anyone have any T-bar cichlids? Lemme see yours!

Hmm decomposing uneaten fish food then? Since we might overfeed, Not sure if that counts as internal factor but I voted for that hehe. I'm feeling decaying plant matter is the lowest ammonia source, in a healthy tank we don't have that many decaying plant matter right? Maybe a few leaves here and t here. And fish poop comes directly related to how much fish food you put.fish eat? I'd say the main culprit is fish food, but I'm no scientist hehe.

alright internal factor, I'm guessing you mean pH? since low pH makes ammonia non-toxic to fish? but high pH makes it lethal

my parrot constantly pooping in my aquarium? 🤷‍♂️

Hi, I edit out and retouch real estate photography for a living, if you wish you can send me the photos you need to hide cables off and I can edit them out no problem! Removing furniture/non-permanent cables isn't really missrepresentation and I do it all the time. Would be glad to help. Free of course haha.

This is some serious nerm research up here, love it! Just wanted to say thank you all for your contributions, makes the hobby better for all of us. Excited to see the conclusion to this mystery haha.

That's absolutely amazing! Love the dude's music.

What? your neighbor is porter robinson? Wow that's crazy haha!

aren't they like a gigantic pain to clean?

Not sure over there in USA, but in here in Mexico we call it "Tezontle", it's regular volcanic rock, it's a bigger grain than eco-complete but I bet you can just crush it down. I get it in my local landscaping business by the bucket lol, $10 for one. Might be wortth checking out your local landscaping biz. This is a clip I took showing it to my local fish group:

Working on your tank with duckweed be like:

I was wondering if this Could be possible. I know Co-op has a gift card section, but sometimes I'd like to just send people a surprise gift with a message with murphy printed on it, and a personalized message, that the recipient would see when they open the box. Maybe add an item to the shop for $.99, "Personalized message"?

Let's see if I can remember all lol: Xtreme Krill Flakes Xtreme Spirulina Flakes Xtreme 1,5mm Xtreme Big Fella Xtreme Cat Scrappers Sera Vipan Flakes Sera O-Nip Tsbs Sera Color Flakes NLS Thera A NLS Algae Max NLS Flake Northfin Krill Pro 1mm Ultra Fresh Tropical Formula Ultra Fresh Guppy Formula Ultra Fresh Carnivore Sticks Omega One Cichlid 4mm Bug Bites Color Flake Bug Bites Pleco Wafers Tropical Krill Gran Tropical Red Mico Tropical Shrimp Sticks Tropical Soft Line America (SUPER HARD TO FIND 😞 ) Hikari Micro Pellets Hikari Vibra Bites Hikari Sinking Carnivore Pellets Hikari Freeze Dried Krill Hikari Freeze Dried Brine Shrimp Hikari Freeze Dried Bloodwords Fluker's Freeze dried Crickets (treat for the big american cichlids) San Francisco Bay Frozen Bloodworms San Francisco Bay Frozen Brine Shrimp They eat better than me

The olight i3 is extremely bright for the size: ebay link Or if you want something a bit more rugged and twice as bright (twice the size too) try the I3T: ebay link I own both and love them!

Maybe check if your water source hasn't changed in anything. Do you use tap water?

75g african tank!