xXInkedPhoenixX

I have a single Hillstream, Kirby does great- seems better at keeping plants clean than the glass sometimes so they are paired with a single Nerite in a Flex9. Kirby is one of the lights of my aquarium life.

Hi. Pots add a whole lot of interest to a tank- things like Aquarium Co-op's easy planter would work for a rock look and there are others out there you can buy. Java fern and Anubias are a couple of my favorite plants because they are rhizone plants you can glue them to decorations and wood and put them middle tank instead of just on the substrate areas. I agree, tall tanks are really hard to carpet so I'd trash that idea. I have two 20 talls- but I think I've done a good job for a low tech tank to fill the space using pots, wood, glue, suction cups and allllll easy grow plants. If you take a look at my profile page (linked below, the solid facts, scroll to bottom for pics) you can see where I've utilized pots and glued and/or suction cupped Anubias and java in different areas of the tank. @Guppysnail is also good with use of pots, so check out journals there for ideas! When looking for pots don't limit yourself to pet/aquarium stores, lots of safe ideas outside of that- like garden stores.

Yea that's what I meant 🤣 It's got to go....somewhere....else

@Japes welcome to the forum. I've never had one of these fish but recently got a Bolivian Ram from another fish keeper and have started to understand more Cichlid behavior. My Bolivian had a hard time adjusting in a quarantine tank- he did eat- which yours isn't so that is concerning (he was also by himself so had a chance to take his time). I have no other way to describe it but he literally was moping. No color- just sat on the bottom of the tank on his fins- I was even a little worried he wasn't able to swim- thankfully he proved me wrong a few days in. I left him in the QT tank because I wanted to make sure he wasn't sick- but after a bit over a week I couldn't stand it anymore (he wasn't displaying illness to me as much as sheer stress? lonliness?). He colored up more as soon as I put him in his permanent tank- and within a few days he was out and about- and now....he's coming to the front of the tank to greet me. It's been 4 days. Before you make any changes to your stocking plans- just watch them- look for signs of physical illness. Fish can be fine for several days even a week or 2 without eating. Maybe lower the tank lights to reduce stress but that's all I would do. Give them more time.

I am no expert- but for some reason the tall plant on the far left is bothering me. Keeps drawing my eye- like I want to move it to the right or change its color. I think it would have worked better with the Java there. When I put my hand over that plant I like it.

I get it. Mine are pretty shy too- they like to hang out in all the lovely areas I made for them that are covered with plants and wood. If I sit in front of my tank long enough they come out. I feed them JUST like @Guppysnail (literally have all of those foods) but I can also add- they'll eat crushed flake (I feed Xtreme Krill and Fluval Bug Bites) and more recently Aquarium Co-ops Small fish/fry food.

The snail could also have been getting some noms from the substrate- it may have picked something up and the sand had just come with it. My Nerites are often burrowing in the substrate lines and get about halfway down- they nom, then sometimes just rest there for a time. Eating is hard work when you only have a foot to put things in your mouth!😄

@Chick-In-Of-TheSea yeah weirdly I have a big range of colors in my bladders- that's one of them but I tend to think the chalkier ones maybe don't have as healthy a shell- I don't know much about bladders though so it could be an actual color- I also have dark bronze and black ones.

That 1st Cory needs a fin whipping for that trick!!!🤢 😱🙃

She's gorgeous. Love that shot of her with her mouth open lol- the candid shot all females are not fond of- making a funny face. 😯

@Hobbit How about a dream fish room design contest. We can have 1 thread for those good with computer/CAD design and one for the hand drawn- anything goes!

That totally sucks @Chick-In-Of-TheSea, very sorry to hear it- thought they were getting better. You can PM me with the pic.

My 10 gallon is a bare bottom, when it's full of babies it gets a daily vacuum- but right now just 3 nanny snails so most of the time I use coral feeders or turkey basters to spot clean (because there is still detrius from time to time)

I appreciate that @Chick-In-Of-TheSea

@Chick-In-Of-TheSea mine has something going on that isn't at all like yours. There are days I think she's less swollen and others where I think "why did I think she seemed better?". She's fine otherwise though. The "Large Marge" of my tank- in charge for sure.

From what I can tell it seems at least a little less.

Welcome to the forum Klix

If my Otos spawn again I will be selling offspring but likely to only those local to me. Otos still seem pretty sensitive even tank raised and I don't want to take the risk of shipping. No signs of recent spawns - but I'm not a breeder- I just let them do what they want.

@Chick-In-Of-TheSea oh those are just gigantic bladder snails 😄 apparently I have a few well fed ones. 🙂

I've used Stress Coat and Prime together (because prime was my water conditioner at the time and while Stress Coat is kinda advertised as one too I don't use it regularly due to its thickness)- no issues.

@Odd Ducktotally agreed. Thing about mine I didn't notice the progression- and I find it hard to believe it happened overnight. Can't wait to see what's going on with @Chick-In-Of-TheSea's fish.

@Chick-In-Of-TheSea not at all. Behaves normally in every way. Hangs with the others. Even the others don't single her out.

Hiya @Chick-In-Of-TheSea, I've got a similar issue (but IMO worse than yours) with 1 of my Black Neons. I tried treating for various things but it seems to me after treating and no change (in fact seemed to stress her more keeping her separated from her tank) I decided she probably has some sort of tumor or organ failure, who knows- it's not treatable. So put her back and she's been fine, eats (unlike when she was in QT) and hangs with the others/swims normally just like her other tankmates- just looks funky.

Oh Anubias, how do I love thee, let me count the ways.... I have Anubias in all my tanks Nana, Barteri, Congensis.... What I've found I love most- Posting them high up so their roots grow in what I call a reverse universe of plant... This is one of my Congensis, suction cupped half way up a 20 tall, impossible to capture the beauty of the green roots that have grown down (another Anubias species in foreground): This is an Anubias Nana that is in my Flex9, posted in the middle of the tank on a piece of spiderwood that also looks like a root, it is managing quite a system as well (another Nana in foreground on a rock):

@Guppysnail nothin but love here my friend 😅