Desktop Aquatics

The AZ fam strong

Everyone knows I keep fish I am very open about my hobbies and love explaining to people and answering questions about it. Granted I've been doing this for 6 months so ill probably be more reclusive as time goes on.

a little update, have decided I will not have room for another grow out tank. so, I will be monitoring my only tank extremely closely and hoping for the best really... If there are problems might have to rethink the lack of space and get creative. Not much has changed in 3 days but they fry are still with mom and are from what i can tell growing and feeding on the detritus in the tank

Representing southern AZ, gotta love the old pueblo!!!

Thanks for all the tips! Yah I was already feeding the tank baby brine anyways but good to know. The parents seem very attentive, I’m truly just amazed how exciting it is, I was genuinely shaking when I saw the fry and I’ve never been more observant with my tank than I am now. Being only 5-6 months in I honestly didn’t think it would happen this fast or easy.

This is my first attempt at breeding any fish but I did get my apistogramma 'blue steel' to spawn and have started raising the fry on their own. The female is doing a great job and thus far none of the other fish in the tank have been bothering them at all. Is there any extra I should be doing? I am feeding baby brine shrimp and feeding repashy spawn and grow sparingly. I planned on extra doing extra water changes every other day instead of my usual twice a week. P.S. extremely new to the hobby started 6 months ago very excited and nervous

I have nothing but time, I don't plan on moving till march but figured the longer the plan and accumulation of stuff would make the process easier. your stand is amazing and I think ill definitely be will be looking at this one a lot!

I had planned on doing something with wood as i can build it to my exact dimensions just had a terrible time looking for a diy for a tank that size that isnt just a single stand. I want the 75 to be more eye level as im 6'3 and my smaller tanks to be lower but there is no such builds out there that ive found

I have been setting up plans for my new apartment and the rack I want to set up. My plan is to have a 55 or 75gal tank on top with 2 rows underneath with either 20gal or 10gals. I haven't really found any good DIY for making a tank of that size with smaller tanks underneath. Is this feasible I have no experience doing any wood working? any links or advice would be appreciated

oh no, I think maybe you misunderstood me. I know how they all died it was not due to aggression, the cardinals are just picking at each other now that there are only 7. When there were 8 they were a solid school never saw aggression. The male apisto does occasionally lunge at a cardinal but I have yet to see any actual fin nipping besides the tetras on each other.

I have no experience sexing tetras at all I will have to do some digging... it seems to be everyone picking on everyone its very strange

I have a 17gal with 8 cardinal tetras and a pair of apistogramma. The tank has been setup for about 4 months and I have had my share of dead cardinal tetras.... started with 12 down to 8 and then 7 as of last night. The first 3 were dead the first week in the tank from my LFS and the last 2 have gotten sucked into the filter. Now my once peaceful school of 8 has become an aggressive group of 7 that are picking at each other over night since the 8th one died. Is this common in tetras? I know larger schools dissipate aggression but just because one is gone now they are all aggressive? wanted to hear more thoughts on this as I haven't dealt with this before. yes I have a sponge over my intake, they still get in sometimes not sure how.... and water parameters were better than usual ph-6.8 ammonia- 0ppm nitrite-0ppm nitrate-10ppm

I got baby brine shrimp I’ve been putting in once a day so they know it’s there hopefully they breed soon, they could have already the male is very territorial over their cave. The problem is my center piece is full of caves they use and I can’t see in there so it’s hard to tell

Very new aquarist, I’m currently working on breeding a pair of ‘steel blue’ apistogramma, they are so close I can feel it. The female is showing breeding colors and the male is dancing for her outside her cave it’s a matter of time now.

@DannyBWell thanks it means a lot! Totally hooked after this tank I need a whole rack now 😂

Hi there! First time ever using a forum for aquariums. I got into the hobby about 4 months ago. I own a single tank on my desk, a 17gal, that holds a small school of cardinals, 4 panda Cory’s and a pair of ‘steel blue’ apistogramma. Can’t wait to be an active member on this forum as it grows with my hobby!!! (Note that most of the pictures are a month old as the blackwater has dissipated)