xXInkedPhoenixX

Some of my favorite fish are the least fancy ones. In fact on my days off I got some male Guppies to add to my Flex tank Endler/Ember population. I asked the gal at the LFS to just pick some of the ones with the least color, part of it is that I realize they are often picked last- some of the best animals I've ever had the pleasure of knowing were the plainest. They are mostly silver and black, a couple have a little color but I'm already loving them (no good pics yet they are in QT and not enough light). 2 of my favorite Endler (I know, not Guppies) boys are the plainest. NEL and Flare, they are cute, interactive little guys.

In the end let us not focus on the things around us that we cannot change and make this into a complaint fest. To me this takes away from this post. What I saw in @CalmedByFish's post was a deep sadness not just by the current situation but an ONGOING issue for the last 6 years and I'm very sorry you have had to go through this. Which is why I focused on a solution- I'm hoping the LFS owner can help you. That would bring some faith back to the human race for you I hope. *virtual hugs* I truly empathize with your situation- I cross my fingers that you are able to come up with a happy solution that will get more fish and joy back in your life.

If the owner was kind enough to help you in the way they did, is there any reason you can't have them help you pick out new fish? Like take pictures and show you? You might be able to explain your vulnerabilities. Maybe they'd even let you in a few minutes before the store officially opens? I got guppies this week and I actually just let the employee bag the first they catch. I feel like this method has never gone wrong for me- and I'm standing right there. 🙂 It's similar to ordering online anyway!

@Gator Happy New Year to you too. I've had the same experience. My Otos all like to hang on the wood in the tank, they don't seem picky. In my Oto tank they love the coconut houses and spider wood- most of them are there during the day.

One of the pieces is long and the thinner end wants to float a bit. The other piece I didn't have a problem with.

So the wood went in the tank (no pics cause I have no light yet. It's dark in there even without tannins). Not having a place to store it I used all the tannin water on several houseplants including a dip for my airplants, and all of my succulents outside that only get watered once a month. Here are several recipients (not all pictured):

My city picks them up with the leaf piles and it is turned into mulch. I would use mine in a garden but I don't have one, just containers and a small patio so nowhere to put one outside. When I feel like having a Christmas tree it's always a fresh one- because it supports the farmers who grow them, it's not made in another country (no offense to other countries at all- it's just that it is a shame we don't make much here for ourselves), it won't be (eventually) more plastic in a landfill as with artificial trees. The benefits to me other than the above are that my house smells nice, and I don't have more stuff to store.

One of my favorite tanks on the forum! Beautiful! I love that you have smaller fish in a huge tank.

Hi @ToirCigam, welcome to the forum- and fish keeping. I have two 20 gallon tanks, I have 2 air driven sponge filters in EACH of them rated for "up to 20 gallon tanks". Aquarium Co-op's are rated "and up" not up to. If you run smaller filters in larger tanks with bigger bio loads you may just have to squeeze them out more often. Honestly if you were shopping on the Aquarium Co-Op page- you could go with 1 large. Personally I like one in each back corner and they are well hidden by plants. Because the Co-ops are so much bigger than the ones I've purchased online and they are coarse not fine- you could do 2 smalls. So if you just want to go with the small size- buy two.

@StreetwiseHow does one know if a wood is aquarium safe? I hesitate to use anything that's not in an aquarium store.....which is dumb I know because I'm waaaaaaaaaaay overcharged. I won't even use the lava rock outside for fear of pesticides. It's more about my bad luck than anything really.

@lefty o thanks much good to know. I kinda figured due to the weight, but I've only ever used spider wood and chola which absolutely does not stay down.

I will make good use of it one way or another @Streetwise

@Streetwise I only boiled it an hour mostly to make sure it would stay down, be sanitized, I can easily removed jagged edges to make it safe for my baby Otos- and to admittedly get some tannins out- holy moly. I'm not sure I'm ready to go THAT dark like you. 😉 Plus they are going to the LFS eventually...those parameters would not be theirs.

Was boiling wood for my new grow out tank. Tannin soup: Keep and use in tanks or useless and toss? .....man this stuff is dark....

Mine has, 1 plant 2x another plant 1. Funny how us fish keepers get excited every time.🙃 My Anubias Bloomed !!!!!

Really hope Mimsy doesn't have dropsy. It really sucks. I hate having sick fish. ☹

Am I picking up that you're not a quarantiner? I'm not judging, just think you are especially brave for it. Is there a reason you don't? Just curious.

Usually you do a small water change after treatment with most meds but you may want to leave this for at least a day after the last treatment if there are no signs of stress or ammonia. Follow the instructions on this carefully it must be super concentrated because it says 1 drop per gallon. Do your best to calculate your volume so you don't OD. Do another round as the bottle says if you still see spots. It also says to use half dose on some fish. Seems like strong stuff, be careful with it!

🤯 They can live underwater?? I've always thought they could drown because they come out of the ground outside when it rains too much!

They are for sure beautiful!

OTOCINCLUS VITTATUS: The Accidental Oto Tank Unfortunately yesterday's injured baby didn't make it. 😔 I know it happens but I still feel bad about it- its sibling is doing fine however. Today while doing my daily maintenance (along with a thorough baby hunt FIRST) I've spotted 2 more little tikes in the Accidental Tank. I left them alone for today as they were out of my reach. I've decided it's time I make a grow out tank for the Otos. I'm going to get a 5 gallon Aqueon and have its accoutrement in my Amazon and big box pet store virtual carts I guess I haven't pulled the trigger yet because I don't trust myself to have put everything I need in there (ever have that feeling you're forgetting something?). The big red button will be pushed sometime soon. This time it won't be bare bottom because I think it might be easier to catch them with substrate. I plan on getting moveable decor/hides and plants so I can take all of that out when I'm ready to catch them and take them along to the LFS. The 7 babies I have in the big floating breeder are ok for now, but if I keep getting new babies I'm going to need a place to float them for a while until big enough to put in the grow out. OTOCINCLUS VITTATUS: The Parent Tank I still have a feeling Momma Oto is guarding something- but haven't seen any eggs or babies since the first two were caught 9 days ago- but if you think about it, I got the 7 in the Accidental Oto 2 months ago, and now getting a new batch. Boy can they be sporadic. I also made some Indian Almond Leaf tea today. I plan on adding it to at least a few of my tanks but most to the 2 Gallon QT for my popeye patient, and my Accidental Oto Tank.

This was asked on the forum earlier this week, most here do the DIY with light "egg crate" you can get at the home improvement stores (search the forum if you don't know what it is you'll get more info and pics) Hope the forum gods forgive me but someone else also posted a link to a site that sells the strip you speak of, it's the only place I've ever seen it being sold so I bookmarked it. It's for Aqueon tops, I presumed this is the glass top you meant. https://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3753+3829+3831+5346&pcatid=5346

When you filled your tank did you put a plate or a bowl down on the substrate and add water that way or just pour directly on the substrate?

Also @Cinnebunsdo a good cleaning and small water change before dosing IchX - I'm sure the instructions say that but water changes during medication times are usually not encouraged- follow whatever they say- watch your ammonia levels- heat speeds up decay in your tank. Good luck my fishy friend!

If I were in your shoes I'd probably put some salt in but NOT heat the tank (if you want to go that route) until you get the Ich X or other treatment (I've used API's Super Ick with success but it will turn silicone blue). ALSO, If you up the heat, run more air, as the heat lowers oxygen levels in the tank.