xXInkedPhoenixX

Poor Queen Mamma, glad she adjusted quickly.

Welcome to the forum @Joexemm

YAY! Someone building my dream tank! Woohoo!

@Minanora thanks! It wasn't labled (to my frustration) but I think it's a type of creeping fig (varigated). In my experience they can be rather prolific so I'll probably need to do a decent sum of trimming in the future.

@SarahO, I am SO sorry for your losses. Let me tell you something- you started with what, IMO are some of the HARDEST fish to keep alive DESPITE all the hype in the aquarium hobby- most especially Bettas. Peas are hard for many other reasons, just ask @Odd Duck. I can get Otocinclus to breed, I can cure a vertically swimming fish and have them go back horizontal- none of my other fish have issues- but I could not for the life of me keep a Betta alive. They are delicate, and bred to have bigger and bigger fins (I even tried smaller, and fish from a breeder and STILL failed). If you think I'm wrong do a search on the forum for sick or dying Betta and you'll see....even the best of fish keepers struggle. I stopped keeping them. What I think you need is a win. If you want to give up that's ok but I don't think you do. Take your tank and do something really fun. You like the interactivity of a Betta? Try a group of male guppies or male endlers. They won't reproduce and you get color, action and personality. You want a group? Ember tetras are pretty easy and very small, so are CPD (Celestial Pearl Danios) but they do hide a little more- they are fun. There are all sorts of schooling fish like Tetras and Rasboras that are fun and satisfying to keep and also very forgiving. Just know, it really isn't you. Sure you made mistakes (like the cycle) but you've learned and adjusted and it's still not working? Sometimes it's just time to change tactic. Just my 2 cents for what it's worth.

Oh yeah and this: I mean c'mon! It's a work of art! (also a baby Oto)

Lol. It's not a normal length but it looks healthy. Also often times the poop breaks before it gets too long because they move so much- maybe this one did it taking a nap or too busy eating to move. I'd be admiring it and wouldn't worry. That goes into the poop hall of fame right next to: And...this was a baby tho....

It's raining here in California (well my section of it anyway) thank goodness. We definitely need it.

THE PERMANENT BREAKDOWN: The Accidental Nursery aka Cocama Hotel Bittersweet day really. A reminder of my disappointment with the last batch of 10 Tiger Otos that died for an unknown reason. I won't be needing the 5.5 Nursery because once I move all of my Accidental Otos to the Parent Tank- the Accidental 10 gallon will again be the ACTUAL grow out tank- that is if they decide to spawn. More on that tank another day. Today was the day to hopefully finish mourning the loss of the last batch- breaking down a tank can be like that. I thought about what to do to make a positive replacement yesterday when I decided today was the day for the move. I didn't like the idea of an empty space to remind me what was there. I wanted something lovely to look at- and something alive. A fish tank wasn't an option- not now anyway. I decided since there is some decent light in this room (that wasn't available when I made my Scapes from Scraps Snail vase) plants could be it. I also didn't want my cats messing with said plants. I have several plants in my house but they are high up on stands and shelves- these would be on a desk they are on fairly regularly (My Singapura loves to sit on TOP of my Flex9 and I have no idea why- one doesn't really need to know, the only reason is: Cat). So a terrarium was the solution. Because of the recent Scape from Scraps we did on the forum I remembered all the nice things my local nursery had to make up container gardens like this so a trip was planned. $400 dollars later (don't worry the terrarium wasn't the most expensive part- I went a little nuts for my patio container garden and spent most of yesterday on that which was fun 😁). For this particular project I came home with a glass terrarium and 3 small plants. This morning after regular tank maintenance (basically spot cleaning and putting out new foods for the Otos, Hillstream and Snails). I got to work on breaking down the tank. I took the plants out and put them in a 3/4 gallon QT tank after pulling the Narrow leaf off the wood - the Anubias were easy since they're attached to rocks. Question for all of you reading: What do you do with plants that were part of a sick tank (tossing is not an option to me- I can't do that to live plants)? How do you "sanitize" them? Bleach, Hydrogen Peroxide, bomb them with meds or salt, or just QT for "X" amount of time with frequent water changes? Any suggestions would really help, thanks! All the hard scape and equipment was boiled- will be left to dry and store since none of it has a space for now- and the substrate was put in my patio container garden. Bye bye tank: This tank may end up at either my Mum's house or my Nephew's house for their frogs or fish after a bit more rigorous cleaning and drying out. If I start another tank in the future I might start another Aquatop rimless as I love the one I have. For now though I'm going to stay at 5 tanks. Back to the terrarium. Space made after tank removal I put an office LED light on the desk for those days like today the light isn't great (thankfully I got my patio stuff done yesterday- it's raining today which is terrific but not exactly gardening weather despite having an overhang). It will help me see the plants a little better anyway (will likely help the aquatic plants) and it's unobtrusive. As I said at the Plant Nursery I got the terrarium and 3 small plants. I already had dirt, gravel from an old tank, driftwood from a beach walk, oak from the forum Scraps fun, and glass that I just pulled out of the Parent Tank. I sat at my kitchen table putting together the terrarium. Put in 2 pieces of Oak to have the vine plant climb (to train it I used a couple of bag ties). Placed the plants. Layed the gravel. Where the blue glass stream was going to be I put some white gravel down so the blue glass would show better. I hammered the firepit glass with a hammer on cement (wow, that glass is a lot stronger than you think- I had to double bag it and it still wasn't breaking) so that I could have a small stream (piece of driftwood and the oak formed a bridge nicely). I had enough crushed glass leftover to add to my Faerie Gardens outside (their "streams" get dirty/lost over time despite my maintenance efforts so it's a nice spruce). I think it turned out rather nicely and I've never kept any of the species I chose: New beginning people. New. Beginnings.

I'm with your son, I like the castle too, it stays!

Welcome to the forum! I'm sure you've got lots of stories and advice to give! Beautiful tank

Ha @Minanora well, I don't think I have a choice with a smaller net...especially with that tank- it's not huge being a 20 and there are too many things to get in the way. I'm used to using it. The ACO net kindly sent to me from the CARE package is too big for any of my tanks unfortunately, but it's good for straining buckets! My ruler comes in handy, had it for a long time now- it came that way, In the kitchen retail industry we used to call them push-me pull-yous (as a Dr Doolittle joke) but they're called rack jacks typically. That one has a magnet on the back and the ruler is a bonus- not all of them have it. I have another one that's just a rack jack with a magnet. EDIT: I just checked, they still make my exact one! Check this out on Amazon Fox Run Oven Rack Push/Pull Kitchen Ruler, 0.25 x 1.25 x 16.5 inches, Brown https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B000BRNF7M/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_SYFRQ1FT01PT5JXA6JJ3

@Minanora Thanks yea, it's rough losing a whole batch of fish and in the end you don't know why (though there are suspicions). Honestly my Harlies weren't as hard to catch as my Otos are. I just used an average sized net- but I only have 20 gallon talls so in a 75 they are going to give you a run for your money. My Harlequins however are a lot more scared of me than I've seen with other people- so they made it a little easier for me by trying to hide in corners which makes them a bit easier to catch- if yours are the same with an appropriate sized net you'll get them just fine. Thanks, yea my plants are looking pretty good, that's my oldest tank- the big Amazon the oldest plant I have....there's one in the front right corner I got at the same time, it is extra small. Lol. Just light and fish poop for me- easy care plants are truly easy care.

OTOCINCLUS VITTATUS AND COCAMA: From the Accidental to the Parent Tank So. Today I started the move of some of the Otos from the Accidental tank to the Parent tank during my regular tank maintenance time. I was determined that I would catch the 5 remaining Cocama/Tigers and as many Vitattus I could catch within a short amount of time (without doing too many to shake the cycle of course) would go into the tank today. One of the great things about bare bottomed tanks and plants on rocks/wood/in pots is that most of the tank can come out so catching is a little easier. Otos are NOT easy fish to catch. I removed both the Coconut houses and caught a few of the Tigers that way since they were inside (had a net right outside to catch them). In the end I caught all 5 Tigers and 10 Vitattus. My new residents were placed in my ACO Catch Cup and hooked to the side of the Parent tank, I put a cup of the new water in every 15 minutes for 45 minutes (there is little difference between the 2 tanks but for temperature).I also added one of the coconut houses a chunk of Java Windelov (attached to wood and a suction cup back right upper corner) and a piece of very long Java Narrow Leaf on a piece of wood (front left). I also added another small glass food dish for the additional Otos (potentially 30 total as I'm not sure of the exact number in the Parent tank due to some babies from the very first spawn being allowed to stay). I was then able to inspect the Cocama a little better than I had in the past. I appears to me that I have 3 females and 2 males- the females have longer more hourglass or guitar shaped bodies and the males lack the length and shape. Then I was able to release the new residents! Short google video: https://photos.app.goo.gl/afLQvHdYgu5wPaK88 I won't see them a whole lot since there are plenty more places to hide in the parent tank but at least they seem to be doing well so far from what I can tell. In fact as I type this and it's "moonlight" mode now before lights out for the day- one of the females is hanging out front and center. This move has made me pretty happy with my aquariums at the moment and I can't wait to put the rest of them in there and see how it goes (of course I'll do it slowly and right just excited to see the outcome).

I'd say if you move Betta that's a consideration but if you have other inhabitants I'd just do a section at a time over a week or so.

I love Plecos, especially the common sort that gets too big for the tanks I keep- have a lot of respect for them. I remember the videos at Goliad Farms on youtube after the big Texas freeze- they are some of the only fish that made it and they only had those as cleaners not really to breed and sell. Plus I think they are beautiful fish. ..this one is no exception, glad he found his way to your house. He's much better off.

Is everyone in your tank accounted for? As @nabokovfan87 has hinted it's a bit strange it's still on (the issue)- not that it isn't possible. Bettas are seriously delicate IMO, if you have the ability to put him in QT with cycled media I would strongly consider that, with some salt and catappa leaf if you've got it. He may have the start of fin rot/bacteria infection. Keep the water stupid clean.

I just watched the video that explains why @Cory is moving this direction and I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE. Social media IMO is a total drain on positivity- this is why I'm not a member because I refuse to give my money to social media platforms eventhough it supports ACO (when I do watch videos I never look at the comments because inevitably I want to punch a few people). I do understand that business basically can't turn away from social media in these times but there are definitely ways to approach it and what Cory is doing is definitely one. I turn my support to buying when I can- which when done right anyway is more than the membership fee. I'm ok with being left out of the club things, and discounts- it's a consideration I had to make- but if I'm ever able to become a member in another way/just through the store or forum, I'd be happy to pitch in. I've never been part of any social media platform and I don't consider this one at all because it IS positive and the overwhelming majority us agree to disagree when necessary without getting nasty and when there are those who are a little on the edge they get called out on it and either change their tune or eventually they get banned or fade off (probably because "ignore user" starts to get used). So thanks Cory and the WHOLE team that helps make the engine run- I'll support you however I'm able!

Yes I suspect you are getting false readings from your test kit.

I wouldn't recommend using bandaid products like denitrate UNLESS it's an emergency and fish are showing signs of stress. Even then water changing is better. Since that doesn't seem to be the case avoid it. They often cause more fluctuations in parameters that actually stress fish more the majority of the time. 🙂

OK. If your fish are not showing signs of illness and the swim bladder was being treated before you saw a spike in nitrate I'd just monitor and at most do another water change tomorrow and see what pans out.

This is usually the issue with most people using the freshwater test kit- if you haven't been shaking the 2nd bottle for 30 seconds and then the test tube for 1 minute after you add the 2nd bottle drops SINCE YOU STARTED USING THE KIT AND EVERY TIME AFTER this will give you false readings for the life of the kit- there are crystals that form in the 2nd bottle that need to dissolve which is the reason for all the shaking. I would get a bottle of test strips as a back up test when you can. If your fish are not acting off then I would do nothing further. If you're iffy about it do another water change tomorrow or when your fish are not acting right. I suspect you may be getting false readings OR you have Nitrate in your replacement water- which you can also test for.

Ok, have you been consistently shaking the 2nd bottle for 30 seconds and then the test tube for 1 minute since you STARTED using the kit?

OK, what are you using to test the water and do you have an alternative testing strip or kit?

Hi there. Did you recently add fertilizers? More specifically root tabs? Are your fish showing any signs of illness? My Nitrates are consistently at 40 and sometimes appear to be at 80 (per API Master Test) and my fish do fine.