[Found a Big Mystery Snail Clutch This Morning]

Thanks @Guppysnail  I can incubate in another tank for the time being, but for raising them, since it’s going to get messy,  is a new 10 gallon heated with a seasoned sponge filter sufficient? I’d keep it bare bottomed, with lid, a catappa leaf or two. I have powdered foods when they hatch. Just worrying about cycling issues with a new tank, but a seasoned sponge filter should technically alleviate that, right?  

I was also looking for the forum post from a year or so ago from another member raising snabies (love this term) for the first time. It had a ton of good instruction and pics of the clutch as it progressed. Do you know how to find it?
 

 

[Found a Big Mystery Snail Clutch This Morning]

Hi All. Found my first snail clutch today. I was a little late topping off water and guess that did it. I’d like to try raising them but the clutch is in my 6 gal betta tank on my kitchen counter and is one of my best scaped tanks. 

So my options are another 6 gallon where I could relocate that tank’s betta.  Since the tank lid the clutch is on and this other 6 gal are the same, I could just swap lids and let nature take its course - with some supervision. I was going to rescape it soon anyway. The other option is a 10 gallon that only has a BN Pleco and another mystery snail and ramshorns. With the 10 gal, I could move the Pleco to my patio pond and then float the incubator. 

Is a 6 gallon too small?

Is a BN Pleco going to eat snail babies?

is the lid the clutch on too wet/humid?

 

[Larvae ID - Bloodworm??]

Fascinating. When I’ve been gravel vac’ing, the comets have been in a frenzy around the tube. Now I know why 🐛

[Larvae ID - Bloodworm??]

Hi all. So today I was doing some maintenance on my patio pond and testing out a pump to siphon water out. I found these guys in the pump’s strainer afterwards. They were alive and much smaller than the frozen bloodworms I feed my indoor fish. Are these “free fish food”?  First season with a “pond”. Pond is 100 gallons with two comets. 

[HELP MY BETTA IS SINKING]

In addition to the low pH, have you checked the flow?  The Fluval flex tank has a strong output even if the internal pump is set to low (min). I cover mine with a piece of pre filter sponge. Bettas also like warmer water. She’d be comfy at 78-80F. 
 

Can you test for Ammonia?

[Keeping Black Moors with other fish]

I picked up a young black moor recently to live with my two ranchus. I’ve read how bad their vision is and now have learned first hand just how bad it is. If getting a tank mate, would definitely suggest something that won’t outcompete the moor for food. 

[Heavy feeding for grooming goldfish]

I am fairly new to keeping goldfish but have been watching a lot of videos from Luke’s Goldies channel. He keeps/breeds Ranchus and feeds heavily for growth. As others have mentioned, water quality is a must. 

[Patio pond is getting Chlorine readings]

No sprinklers or watering system. And neighbors are all cool and animal lovers too. Newest neighbors are newly fledged Robins. They keep hanging out on and around the pond. Little pooping machines too. 

[Patio pond is getting Chlorine readings]

For what it’s worth, this is the response I got from big box store regarding the SDS request:

“This product does not have a Safety Data Sheet as it does not contain any hazardous components.”

[Patio pond is getting Chlorine readings]

Got it. Thank you @SunBearQ  I struggle with the search and couldn’t find. I’ve requested an SDS from the company. Though the product description says its “FDA food grade approved poly”. Going to keep on testing for a while, treat with Prime when needed. Thanks again for sharing. 

[Patio pond is getting Chlorine readings]

Hi everyone, I’m having issues with something that shouldn’t be this difficult to control. Chlorine. I have a 100 gal stock tank pond in my patio (Agrimaster black tub). It was set up on April 1. Plants added May 5 (water hyacinth, water lettuce, pond lily). Two comet goldfish added May 20. Chlorine readings have been a problem since the plants went in on May 5. I thought the chlorine was coming from new paver bricks used to elevate the lily pot. On May 16 I removed all the paver bricks and used a ceramic pot upside down instead. I also did a 30% water change. I’ve been using Fritz Complete as my water conditioner and then switched to Prime. Testing every day since the 16th I’ve seen no chlorine readings. I added a sponge filter from another tank assuming I lost whatever BB was on the original sponge filter. I added the two comets on May 20 and everything has been hunky dory. But todays test is showing sky high chlorine. 
 

The fish seem ok. The air temps here in Chicago have been cool. Currently 53 F, pond is heated and is currently at 65 F. Heater set to 80F but can’t keep up. The pond gets afternoon sun. 
 

Other items in the pond are a fake piece of driftwood, 3 fake plants, some seriyu stones, 20 lbs aquarium gravel and several fake lily pads for shade. I have more real plants inside in another tub waiting for warmer weather. But added the fake plants for cover. The soil used for the lily is from Aquascape Inc and its ingredients say 90% loamy sand media and 10% expanded lightweight clay aggregate. 
 

Anything else that you see that can cause chlorine readings?

I dechlorinated again with Prime just before writing this.  
 

From left to right:

Strip 1: showing high Chlorine 

Strip 2: tap water 

Strip 3: Ammonia looks 0 to me

Strip 4: post Prime treatment 

 

[New betta fish acting erratic]

Is he possibly reacting to his own reflection on the glass?

[Crown tail female]

Agree!  They’re sassy little things. Very active. 

[Cyanobacteria aka Blue-Green Algea Questions]

I have had Cyanobacteria in two of my betta tanks and treated it successfully with the Fritz Slime Out product. It works pretty fast. Does your “algae” have the characteristic stink and sticky/slimy feel?

[Bristlenose Pleco food??]

Feed Bruce after tank lights have been off for a while. 

[Are Mollies good at eating algae?]

Mollies are great nibblers of algae. Just as I donate some, more appear. If in Chicago area, you’re welcome to as many gold dust lyretails. 

[Starting a pond, gathering supplies]

So how bad an idea is putting two Ranchu goldfish in this 100 gal patio container pond?  I bought the fish at a local fish club swap a few weeks ago and they’ve been hanging out indoors in my 20 gal long. The “pond” is with 6 feet of the house. We’re in the city so not too much predators in the form of raccoons. But do have opossums, owls, hawks. I will have a grate type cover and a heater. They would also come in for the fall/winter. Short summer season here. 
 

Tell me I’ve lost my mind and need to consider alternative goldfish. 

[Where did my Cory catfish go?]

I glad you found him. I lost a betta who got himself wedged into his cholla wood log and got stuck. It was heartbreaking. Never using those again. Fish can get themselves into all kinds of pickles. 

[Starting a pond, gathering supplies]

Hi, so I decided to start a patio pond. I’m in the research stage and gathering my list of supplies. As of now, I’ve only purchased the tank. It’s a 100 gal stock tank and will be above ground but in my recessed patio. I plan on having 3-5 shubunkin or comet goldfish. I live in the Chicago area, so big time weather and temperature swings. 
 

A filter is my first task and was hoping I could get away with two large sponge filters (stacked or separated). If this would work, I’d like to get them ordered and start seasoning them in my other indoor tank. 
 

Aside from items I can source from the Co-op, what are your favorite online pond resources other than Amazon, and big box home stores?  
 

I have a somewhat local place specializing in really big ponds, so most of their filters, de-icers, heaters are large-scale. 
 

I’m also collecting bricks for stacking plant baskets.

I still have much to do / plan for. Fun stuff!

[3 Molly Fry in the Filter Compartment]

Got them out but they’re in the tank with their parents and other adults. When I put the net in the compartment, two exited through the intake slots. So, I just netted the other two out, blocked the intake slots and see how it goes.  They’ve been in with their parents all day, so hopefully they’ll be ok. Cute little guys. 

[3 Molly Fry in the Filter Compartment]

Just looking to raise them up to donate to lfs. I don’t know what color the parents are called but one of the fry seems to have a black speck/patch over one eye like a dog, so my heart went out to save him/her. 

These are the adults that came from gold dust lyretails. 

[3 Molly Fry in the Filter Compartment]

Make that 4 fry found 🙂 

[3 Molly Fry in the Filter Compartment]

Hi Everyone.  I've discovered 3 little molly fry in the back filter compartment of my 9 gal Fluval Flex tank today.  I've been too slow, I guess, in rehoming the adults.  There's 7 left of 17 adults and now a few fry are in the filter compartment.  They are very teeny tiny and actively swimming. When I lift the hood, they come up and wiggle around.  Very cute.  I offered some fry food via a pipette and they seem to chase it.

Anyway, though I'm not intentionally breeding, I've got to get them out of the filter compartment.  I have two other tanks that could work for them and wanted your thoughts on which is the better place. But considering how small/young they are, should they be moved to another tank at all? Can such small/young fry handle acclimation?  If I net them out of the filter compartment and put them in the tank they're in with the adults/parents, they'll probably get eaten with 7 big always hungry adults in an already small set up.  The alternative is putting them in my 20 gal display tank that only has a half blind betta and lots of panda corys.  I figure one half blind betta may not see the fry and there's tons of plants and hiding spots. But the betta is a meany. Either way is a gamble.

A third option would be to set up my 2 gallon hospital tank with a spare seasoned sponge filter, but haven't done this with fry, and again, not sure if they can handle acclimating to a whole new set up.  

Votes? 

Option A - Put them back with adult Mollies (block the filter intakes so they don't find their way back into the filter), and let nature run its course,
Option B - Transfer them to the 20 gallon and run the risk of an angry, but half blind betta, or
Option C - Transfer them to a 2 gallon hospital tank with seasoned sponge and heater and let them grow a bit

 

Appreciate your thoughts.
 

[Rimless vs Rimmed tanks]

I have a UNS 90L (20 gal). The quality is amazing. Glass is thick and clear. I had to custom make a glass lid as it didn’t come with one. Like others have said, it’s hard to hide the calcium buildup. Especially where the sponge filter sprays a fine mist on the lid and edges. But worth the money. 

[The Nanoest tank]

Awwww!