xXInkedPhoenixX

Glad to see you and hubby do it right by ignoring the distractions around us. Hope your time with him is awesome. The tanks and inhabitants look amazing as usual!

Mine are just starting as well, but we have ignition!

Mine wouldn't be a fish, I'd keep a small colony of Coconut Octopus

@Jeff a simple but very very popular thing to do in my family is cutting the tops off of garlic bulbs (how many? depends on how many people), drizzle with olive oil and roast them- the cloves start popping out so they're easy to dig out with a cocktail/appetizer fork, squish that clove on top of a piece of sourdough or french bread, dip in olive oil and balsamic, top with a bit of fresh goat cheese. NOM. There is never anything left.

@laritheloud not without some losses. I was sorry to read that.

If it's just for shrimp tank you can use the ACO nano sponge https://www.aquariumcoop.com/collections/all/products/aquarium-co-op-coarse-sponge-filter?variant=29459429195845 You could also go with the small size if you wanted.

@Odd Duck I thought it might be something like that. TBH I can't wait to stop using the Kanaplex. I really hate medicating fish. I agree the Epsoms seem to be helping a lot. I'd really just like to give them clean water and time. With an occasional soak and aquarium salt treatments (because that's in the QT too).

I don't keep shrimp but when I see shrimp tanks they seem to really love sponge filters as I'm guessing lots of good bits get caught on them- this will include a prefilter if you went with an HOB

Looks fantastic!

@Odd Duck yes i'm seeing those now that I pulled up your recommendation- those would likely be my best option

@Odd Duck thank you- it's a jumping off point for sure anyway- as my biggest tank is 20 smallest is a 4 so I'll start there and look downward and see what options I have. Sometimes shopping is like a youtube rabbit hole- you have to follow one product to another....

@Odd Duck I've been interested in getting a UV, can you link to the one you have? Just as a jumping off point?

OTOCINCLUS VITATTUS: The Parent Tank So I went and mentioned yesterday that Momma Oto looked like she was guarding eggs but I haven't seen any? Well someone has done someTHING because today I caught 2 baby Otos!! I found them within about a half hour of each other. Thankfully before the Harlequins ate them. I always hate catching them from here because if they escape my net they almost certainly have a chance to try and make a swim for it across the tank which is where I've lost some to the Harlequins in the past. Nature, I know but I caused the food to run so bums me out. Anyhow. I did several other patrols before leaving for work and found no further. I will have to do daily frequent checks from this point for a while as I could just get a few- OR a small wave of them is coming. The small breeder was put in the tank and the 2 babies were placed with a few glass beads (for bio film since the breeder has been out of the water a bit) and some crushed Hikari Algae Wafers (which is how I've raised all my other Otos). At this stage I used to worry that they could get through the vents but they apparently can't however they are SO small it's hard to do a roll call at times as they can sit between the vent lines and nearly disappear. Even when they're on solid pieces of the breeder you can barely see them... I checked around Momma Oto and didn't see any translucent eggs anywhere on her Amazon, however I recently planted more Amazon compacta behind her in a pot and that's harder to inspect soooo.....

If it's only a small amount I would caution you to add them. If I were in your shoes- if you're not planning to already- I would put the new fish additions in a small Quarantine tank- started by more established tank material if possible. After they pass the muster and your tank is still stable this should be enough time to add them. You could possibly add the shrimp to the tank but this is a very new tank, IME shrimp do better in more established tanks- you'll have to make sure they have access to food while at the same time not creating water parameter issues for you. If you choose not to QT (which I warn you against) I would keep a VERY sharp eye on your water parameters and be prepared to do, possibly, daily water changes.

Makes me wonder if the cloudy water is some sort of positive confirmation there are or are not parasites? I couldn't positively confirm for my tank- it was a very loose diagnosis and possibly a longshot.

Well, I think too @PineSong it depends on the meds. Some meds are fine- but for example I'm using Kanaplex right now in a QT tank and it makes the water a bit cloudy. It's filtered by a fairly large sponge. I think what you said could be part of it. I also think sometimes it's a particular batch of medication too. Most manufacturers will mention if it will cloud the water or cause discoloration. I don't remember reading that Expel does.... @Ocellaris did you also turn off your lights for the 24 hour treatment period?

In that tank I have the submersible pump (aftermarket one as the Flex9 original pump stopped working and wasn't variable), modified coarse sponge in center chamber with biorings and crushed coral and a ACO nano sponge filter in the main chamber @PineSong

Today I was admiring my male Mystery Pegasus, he reminded me of a Ram with how his antenae sat today. Also got to see 2 of my baby Horned Nerites at work on the front glass. They're hard to keep track of in this jungle of a tank so it's good to see them.

I just used Expel P yesterday in my Flex9 on a suspected parasite infection. I didn't have any clouding problem today and did the water change- I was actually impressed with how clear the water was- not that it wasn't before but it seemed more clear. Weird.

My concern would be the tank is only 4 weeks old. You could crash your cycle if you add too much too fast that is if you even have a cycle? Did you start it with media from another tank or?

For me it'd be like picking my favorite pizza. Impossible tasks.....

I have Black Neons myself- my water is 7.6 they do fine. I find that pH makes a difference when: it fluctuates too much- this includes when we as fish keepers try and adjust it constantly (bad) a fish needs it for breeding (certain fish require a certain pH) or it's too acidic (lower pH for some fish IME isn't great but they don't seem to mind the higher- bearing in mind I only keep more common smaller fish, may be different for other species) when you're moving a fish from one pH to another- if it's too much of a change it can negatively affect the fish You might find if you have a steady pH and you get fish from a store that has similar parameters you won't have an issue keeping fish that per the internet "require" certain pH. Some tank raised fish that are brought up in your similar parameters would be used to it.

OTOCINCLUS COCAMA: The 2 Gallon QT First of all thank you @Guppysnail for your words of encouragement. In my experience animals are far more resilient and resourceful than human beings when faced with a disability- it's almost as if they don't miss a beat. I'm fully prepared for this one to have a non functioning eye, or lose it, or cloud over, or etc. Whatever happens it will have the best care I can provide for them. I'm stubborn and will not give up until I've tried everything I can. If it is lost it won't be because I didn't make the most effort I could. @Hobbit also thank you for the encouragement. What's funny is some days even with pictures I'm not sure if it's improved or not but glad to have other sets of eyes here to look. And yes, Momma Oto, she looked more like the hammock itself than laying in one. Silly girl. @Odd Duck to have you also confirm improvement and be encouraged by the progress is especially nice since you rightfully pointed out it may not heal at all- it looked REALLY bad. I appreciate the dose of reality as reality is often brutally honest. We have to be skeptical of things in order to not be totally devastated at times. I also very much appreciate helping me formulate a treatment plan that seems to be working really well. What is it about Kanaplex you think is helping this along? Thought I would share how I prefer to write stuff down and have a visual as opposed to electronic reminders. I have a dry erase board for other reminders and I write treatment plans along the bottom and make a check off list: So to our Popeye patient today is day 8 of Epsom Soaks. Correct me if I'm wrong but it even looks better from yesterday?! I feel like it has and I'm really pleased.

What I would do is go to your local LFS and ask them what their pH is. If it's similar to yours and they have Neons ask them about them- if those neons do well in the same water you may still be able to keep them. There are ways to lower pH naturally by adding driftwood and certain leaves- but if the Neons would go in the tank with the betta? The lower pH would conflict with a betta's preference of 7.0

Sorry about the guppy but they were probably already on their way out. Hope the Betta improves for you!