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Desktop Aquatics

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  1. Desktop Aquatics
    Alright for clarification now that I did some reading on my api test kit, the 1 KH I had said previously was misreading the test. It immediately turned the test color which I guess would mean it’s 0 for KH. I have a hefty leaf litter already established in the tank. for breeding I am looking to breed some F1 ivanacara adoketa. Looking to just get down more to their natural levels and the levels of the breeder I am receiving them from.
  2. Desktop Aquatics
    @Fish Folk yah so my tap is hard af but I’ve been using RO water which is 6.8 ph and 1kh and 5GH for about 2 weeks in large water changes. I have a lot of botanicals and a large leaf litter bed but am still sitting at 6.8ph when I’m aiming much lower. Figured I’d try this peat moss method out. I am using a canister filter right now and a sponge filter inside just for incase I need to move fish into buckets. I’d be putting it in my canister with a media bag.
  3. Desktop Aquatics
    So I am planning on using some peat moss in a media bag in filter to help achieve PHs in the range of 4-5 for a blackwater tank breeding project. I haven't ever tried it and was wondering what people have to say about it and what are their experience or tips and tricks. All stories are welcome and I will be also recording my journey with it on here as I use it.
  4. Desktop Aquatics
    Thank you! I kinda expected that and glad to have that confirmed! these are captive bred so I am sure they can tolerate slightly higher PH's but I did plan on keeping them in the 5-6 range! Totally Agree, I wasn't going to be make the swing into this with the fish in the tank. I had more or less planned on getting them out and rehomed then worrying about the water and trying to nail that in before I receive them! Thank you guys for the helpful tips! I will keep everyone posted on how this goes! super excited for these little guys I have wanted them since I laid eyes on them a few years ago!
  5. Desktop Aquatics
    @itsfoxtail I currently have a pair of apistos and cardinal tetras, however they are going to be rehomed soon since I am acquiring these Ivanacara Adoketa and will be only them in this tank. My KH is 140ppm or 8 drops of the API test kit, I figured the RO water would also decrease this.
  6. Desktop Aquatics
    I am acquiring a new pair of Ivanacara Adoketa and I know very well that they need to be at least in 6.2ph and currently my tanks PH is sitting around 7.6. I plan on starting to use RO water from a local store and eventually getting an RODI system. Will this lower my PH switching from my tap to RO water and using a large amount of botanicals? I already use leaf litter, is there other tricks to lower this PH safely? I will be updating as I start switching to RO water but will be happy receiving any tips and tricks to tackle this problem!
  7. Desktop Aquatics
    Its a 17 gal, They have hiding spots, but I am 100% no fry in the tank. currently have the male in a spawning box outside the tank with visibility between tanks as they are showing off to each other. might try to reintroduce tomorrow again now that they can see each other more. Ill also be able to see if there are problems.
  8. Desktop Aquatics
    I separated my pair of apistogramma agassizii after the male ate the fry and attacked the female and beat her up pretty badly. I separated for about 2 weeks until both we healed up and today I readded them but the female is now nonstop chasing down the male and stressing him out a lot. I have now reput him in his hospital tank to chill out again until the morning where I might try it again. Does anyone have any tips for helping me getting these guys to cohabitate and start spawning again?
  9. Desktop Aquatics
    It’s been a while but I am here with an update! a lot had happened the last 4 months. First off I have sold my first apistogramma pair of “steel blues” and all of their offspring. I did love these fish and they brought me alot of joy and knowledge but it was time for a new breeding pair. After selling that pair I rescaped my tank to a much more realistic look. I also added to my cardinal tetra school up to 12. In June I also bought pair of Ap. Agassizii red backs. They have been growing out alot and I think I finally have my first batch of eggs! I do love these apistos a lot I hope they are as good of parents as my last pair!! I’m truly loving my tank as it is right now with the scape and my fish stocking everything is moving very smoothly. These apistogramma seem to have such a personality to them and are so fun to watch! I’ll try to be posting more as fry come from this pair and potentially another tank on the way!!
  10. Desktop Aquatics
    THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE! @Cmike15 yah i have water in the tank still and the filter is running with it just the nitrates are super high right now and will be like all night due to stirring up all my substrate putting in the new stuff! last time i moved anything I almost killed the whole tank so I thought keeping in a bucket would allow them to be less stressed out. I also added a bunch of botanicals and other bs that needs a day or two to settle without livestock in the tank.
  11. Desktop Aquatics
    As the title states im rescaping my tank and have a small school of cardinals and 3 otos in the bucket at the moment. I want the tank to settle in for a day to do some testing before put them back in the tank. Filter and tank are a year old but replaced all the hard scape and will have plants in the tank tonight. can the fish live in a bucket with an airpump going for at least the night?
  12. Desktop Aquatics
    yah no sunken belly just seems thinner than her former self and when she was regularly spawning. She eats well still and still behaves about the same as she always does but she has been hiding more since I have noticed but nothing too crazy that's alarming as I had rescaped since her last spawn so that could be the reason for the change in behavior.
  13. Desktop Aquatics
    @Fish Folk yah so I’ve tried frozen bloodworms, xtreme nano, xtreme krill flakes, hikari vibra bites and some freeze dried. The thing she’s always eats are the baby brine shrimp and maybe some of the rapashy gel foods but I never have seen her actually eat the gel food. She tries the nano but always spits it out.
  14. Desktop Aquatics
    @anewbie yah so she’s a “blue steel” I’m assuming tank raised as they aren’t wild caught, the temp is around 78F and 7.2ph 0ammonia 0nitrite and 10ppm nitrate
  15. Desktop Aquatics
    So the reason this isn’t in the sickness/disease category is because I’ve been monitoring her for a while and she doesn’t seem to show any symptoms of a parasite or Illness. I’ve given the tank a run of the trio also. This is more in regards to I’ve noticed she has been getting skinnier in the last couple months but still seems to eat the bbs I feed the fry but never any other food? I’m trying to think of a way to fatten her back up to when she was spawning with the male. She still acts normal and isn’t getting bullied by the male, what are the best ways to try and fatten her up?
  16. Desktop Aquatics
    No pictures for this update! I have officially had my tank setup for exactly a year!!! Essentially this is my tanks birthday and oh boy what year it has been and the amount of enjoy and knowledge has been so crazy! While experiencing a handful of losses due to a lack of knowing that fish could be sucked into the canister filter I have also brought so many more into this world! having successfully bred my apistos and growing out 3 batches of their fry, I have been considering new fish for this next year. The current stocking is a pair of blue steel apistos, a small school of cardinal tetras, 4 otos and a single amano shrimp. This stocking has brought me so much joy and diversity to my first tank but I am feeling a bit bored of the apistos as I have bred them and the cardinals are amazing but I think I'd like to try Pencil fish instead! These are just stocking changes and I would be keeping the amano and otos for sure as they are so fun to look for and keep the tank looking decently clean. With such a small footprint I have been considering other dwarf cichlids. With this new year of Fishy experience I hope to continue breeding fish but also with alot of life changes I might have to take the tank entirely down but only if I have to move! this would allow me to maybe add more tanks but only time will tell! Thank you everyone for making this first year so amazing and hopefully many many more!
  17. Desktop Aquatics
    February update! It’s been almost a year since setting up my aquarium and diving into this amazing hobby! The amount I’ve learned in this year is insane! I went from wanting to only do aquascaping to falling in love with apistogramma and black water aquariums! I have just finished growing out my second spawn of fry and have gotten 6 otocinclus to help maintain the algae in this aquarium. Haven’t had any losses except my cardinals from my original group but haven’t lost any in about 9 months so I call that a win! Can’t wait to keep everyone updated as I will be moving soon and probably adding an aquarium or two in the future!!
  18. Desktop Aquatics
    update: she has fully healed up after seperation. I believe she was just stressed. she had clamped fins and a white fluff on her tail but all has cleared up with a week in a breeder box away from the male. I will reintroduce her when her tail is fully grown which should be a couple more days! thanks for the help!
  19. Desktop Aquatics
    So first time dealing with a sick fish and it’s my female apistogramma blue steel. She was lethargic and looked a little stressed and withered. I moved her to a breeder box with a hide to see if this would help. It’s been 2 days since she was moved and currently have some maracyn and aquarium salt on the way. Just trying to pin down what could be affecting her as she was good last week. Didn’t realize how blurry one of the pictures was
  20. Desktop Aquatics
    No pics were captured but observing all my otos and the one in question I do believe it is alright and has just a strange coloration. Everything about it seems healthy just a leafy red hue to this one. Will continue to update this post if something changes!
  21. Desktop Aquatics
    @xXInkedPhoenixX no odd behavior I had noticed it today and the others aren’t the same. It could be a diet thing maybe, but I had noticed today on the glass and he moved immediately when I got the camera out. I’ll try and get better pics this evening
  22. Desktop Aquatics
    Not sure if this a concern or not as I am pretty new to otos just noticed it this morning? Anyone help out identify if this a concern or not?
  23. Desktop Aquatics
    Welcome back James! sounds like you've been through a lot hopefully the hobby treats you well going forward!!!
  24. Desktop Aquatics
    Big Update! So today I successfully sold my first batch of fry that my apisto pair raised! I had to take apart my aquarium to catch them which was a learning experience for sure as I had only ever set it up and let it grow out. While it was sad watching my tank come down as I took out each hardscape piece and took off every plant it also allowed me to fix beginner mistakes! for example I had planted anubias extremely high in my aquarium leading to weird surface growth that always annoyed me. So while bitter sweet was a great experience for me. Selling the apisto fry was extremely interesting and tested my catching abilities. Even with all the hardscape out catching 34 little baby apsito fry was challenging as I had only ever caught corydoras before which were super easy to catch. Being my first attempt at ever spawning any fish to have 34 grow out was definitely an accomplishment for myself but also the amazing parent apistos that I have! I have read on forums that apisto moms aren't always that great but My female is amazing best momma out there! I'll be posting pics of my tanks rescape in the coming days as the water settles and I finish adding more botanicals in!
  25. Desktop Aquatics
    Sold my first batch today! Bitter sweet but also exciting to see how many survived to “adulthood”. I sold 34 from my first batch it was a lot more than I thought it would actually be! This also meant I had to take down my aquascape which now the tank looks bare again but I am excited to see it grow out again!
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