[LOW O2]

Thanks for posting, this is great information!!

[Please Help - Platy Developed A Bent/Curved Spine]

Quick question, are any of the platies fins clamped? Are they close and tight to the body of the fish? That's the first tell I had that my platies were struggling after bringing them home from my lfs.

[Is it necessary to nuke tank or meds can take care of it?]

Nope. You do not want to clean the tank too heavily no matter the illness. Unless you're tearing it down and starting over, you want to be as kind to the beneficial bacteria as you can be.

The med trio is a less invasive approach towards addressing potential illnesses that could be affecting your newly bought fish. It's not to be used if you can readily see or detail symptoms of any specific illness. 

[Advise need: Fighting the Ick from Hell]

When I dealt with ich, I had to do several treatments (for neons). I felt like it was never going to get cured but Ich-X finally did the trick after three repeated dosings (15 days). @Mmiller2001 might be right about it being Epistylis. Sorry for your troubles, it will get better but I know how deflating it can be too. Hang in there!

@HH Morant You're just parroting aquariumscience.org! I'm only kidding. I've been following his advice too and I think there's a ton of great information there. A great share, you just beat me to it is all 🙂

[Small Exterior Crack in Aquarium Glass]

I have to agree with @lefty o here. That crack has a fair chance of growing and letting go. Now, if it was in my unfinished basement, near a drain, and I didn't care too much about the inhabitants then maybe? But sadly, I wouldn't risk it.

[The Don’ts & Do Nots of Fishkeeping - Chad’s Journal]

On 1/12/2022 at 9:58 AM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

Queen Mab, legendary Queen of the Faerie. Does she exist? Maybe, for those lucky enough to see her.

That opens up a whole bucket of worms. If you're a fan of Butcher's "Dresden Files" books like I am then where do you stop? I can't name her Mab and not have a Harry in there too? The panda cory's can be the Alpha pack tho. Good stuff, thanks @xXInkedPhoenixX.

[The Don’ts & Do Nots of Fishkeeping - Chad’s Journal]

Thanks @Levi_Aquatics! Yeah, she's looking pretty good. I was worried about her when I first put her into the new tank. The previous 20 gallon was so thick with plants I never saw her. Right after, I noticed her fins were frayed and some little dark spots at the ends of her tail and body where her fins were growing out from. There's still some frayed fins but overall she's looking better and is neat to look at. IF she's not hiding and comes out:)

[The Don’ts & Do Nots of Fishkeeping - Chad’s Journal]

I have a Pleco! Okay, I've had her for a year now but dang if she won't come out to get a decent pic of her. Well today she finally did! Say hello to... y'know I haven't named her yet? Any thoughts as to what she should be called?

[Creating Disease-Resistant Livebearers]

@BettaQueen124 I completely agree with your whole statement. Sadly, with the bad of it too. It's practically baked into guppies that there will be these problems. As Cory has mentioned, if you're a breeder and you create a new strain that's all the rage you know the first few people you sell it to will start breeding them and selling them. In two months they'll be selling fry and undercutting the years and effort you put into creating that strain. Now add another 6 months to a year to strengthen the strain? It's likely too much to ask someone who's only interested in the business side of the biz. Now, as I write this I'm positive it can be done, just a better mind than mine needs to figure it out 🙂

[Creating Disease-Resistant Livebearers]

My recall of Cory's mention was that a disease hits the tank of the breeder, there's a die off, and the survivors are stronger for it. Breeding pure strains and intentionally doing this would be very extensive.

As a buyer and someone who's run head-first into a weak strain of guppies this would be great. In a perfect world it should be done by the big breeders. But I can't begin to imagine the financial loss these breeders would take in doing it. Interesting question though, it's got me thinking, thanks @BettaQueen124.

[Favorite books or youtube channels about fishkeeping]

I really like Prime Time Aquatics on youtube.

Aquariumscience.org as a web site to read up on is nice too.

[The Don’ts & Do Nots of Fishkeeping - Chad’s Journal]

Thought I would throw my timeline of tanks out there and ask the forum, what was the first tank you owned? A personal favorite? Or even a chronological history of your collection of glass and silicone? 

[What tank size should i have?]

Conventional wisdom is that certain fish get big and you need a big tank for them. But aren't goldfish the outlier to this wisdom? Feel free to correct me, I'm more than willing to accept that I'm wrong here. I've never kept goldfish but I thought they're bred to be okay in smaller tanks? And no, I don't mean the mason jars you can win them at the fair in. But they've got to be the original aquarium fish and have been bred to be just that. I wonder if they're actually ok with being in a smaller tank as opposed to others that are sold in the hobby as little fish? I'm looking at you Bala Shark, oh I fell in love with that fish at first sight. Got over it after I went home and learned about them. Sorry, got off track there. Anyway, I recall aquarium science.org posting a story to the contrary of goldfish needing large tanks due to their unique biology and I'm only poorly parroting what I read a while back. So take this for the grain of salt it is, but it does make for an interesting discussion. At least I think so. 

[Ask a question, maybe get featured in a video]

What are your thoughts on ordering fish through the mail in January? Ok, or no way?

[Close to cycling, need feedback for next steps]

On 1/10/2022 at 4:41 PM, Levi_Aquatics said:

@Chad I struggle to keep it under 80-120

Well you're right, that's pretty high. How big and what frequency are the water changes?

Sorry, @Preyhunter, I don't mean to hijack your thread but I can't help my curiosity.

[Close to cycling, need feedback for next steps]

@Levi_Aquatics Of problems to have nitrates are the best one to have, it means you've got a thriving tank. Good for you! And how low do you mean? I only ask because nitrate levels seem to be a hot-button topic if you travel to facebook groups and ask. Something I don't personally recommend and yet I enjoy lurking in from time to time.

[Best Substrate for a Aquatop Pisces 5 gallon tank ?]

I think any substrate is a winner since bettas are good with anything. As for best plant? I'll leave that to better aquarists. Plants exist in my tank, saying they grow or thrive would be a reach 😉 So maybe the substrate should be decided on by what plants you choose? I've always kept gravel but there are way better options for rooted plants, again something I know nothing about.

[Close to cycling, need feedback for next steps]

On 1/10/2022 at 4:12 PM, Preyhunter said:

Clown loaches and Bolivian rams.  I had the clowns in the past and really loved them.  Rams will be new to me.

I've never kept either but I think they're both great looking. Please share with the group, I'm eager to see your setup when you finally get them.

On 1/10/2022 at 4:17 PM, Levi_Aquatics said:

I rarely have measurable nitrites in my water so not sure how snails react to that.

Me neither @Levi_Aquatics, nitrites have always been 0ppm, I have dealt with ammonia bumps (.25ppm) a few times. 

[Close to cycling, need feedback for next steps]

I used ammonia because the recipe I followed for cycling my first time called for it vs food. Since then I've learned either work so really it's your call. I don't think there's a wrong answer. Snails could help but I don't know how hardy they are to nitrites? What do you think @Levi_Aquatics? I'm not much help with how to hurry it along.

[Close to cycling, need feedback for next steps]

I'd say you're almost there. I'm not a pro here but have done this a few times so with that said, I'd keep dosing daily (ammonia or fish food but I think ammonia is cleaner) until the nitrites are at zero. .25ppm ammonia wouldn't bother me too much, just something to watch for in case it rises. Get the nitrates to 20ppm or lower via a water change and you're ready for fish! What are you thinking of adding? 

[How’s it look?]

Oh, I was just joking (ok, trying to) around and thought you were trying to hide it. Thought it was a good choice of plant and placement to do that too. Again, nice tank!

[How’s it look?]

Love it! Those rocks look great and their darkness contrasts nicely with the substrate. But I'm afraid that guppygrass (?, far right) is going to hide your beautiful sponge filter 😞 and you don't want people to miss that 😉

[Beneficial Bacteria accommodation]

I've followed the guidance in aquariumscience.org as well. I highly recommend as a read and see for yourself if you think he's right. He says BB can live anywhere, but yes you need surface and flow. So if you don't have a filter, the BB will find a place to live as long as there is flow. Just not as efficiently as with a filter. Of course, time allows the BB to build up too.

[Filtration- hang on back and sponge?]

I think you're in good shape with that setup. BUT, others with better experience will chime in here. I had a 20 gallon long with AQ coop's medium sponge filters (2) on either side of the tank. For me, it wasn't enough. But a million different things could've been at play and maybe the sponges were fine. Most likely, my issues were due to overcrowding or too many plants inhibiting oxygen and water flow or both. Honestly though, I'm not confident in saying for sure what my problems were. I've since gotten a bigger tank with a canister filter so I've gone to a completely opposite situation of high flow with less fish and plants per gallon.

[Aquarium smell]

Make sure to cover your basics first, check for food or a fish decomposing somewhere in or around your tank. Did you add anything new to the tank? Is the smell like rotten eggs or dirt? Does the smell strengthen when you gravel vac? I had issues with an older tank where after gravel vacuuming the water I was getting from it smelled like rotten eggs, not a good thing but nothing that couldn't be fixed. I'm sure there's other things it could be too, others here will have ideas if these don't locate the issue. Good luck.