Scapexghost

I want to try keeping apistos for the first time and naturally i want to breed them. It will be a 10 gallon blackwater tank with just the pair. So, for those who have bred apistos, what should i know? Which are the easiest to breed or which species do the best in hard water. I have seen the co op vid on setting up an apisto breeding tank, and i have some coconut shells.

I think that would work fine

Globetta seems like a weird one. I get glo tetras but regular bettas just look so much better than the glo varieties

Cash

A few days ago a purchased 2 plants from my lfs, aluminum plant and purple waffle. As i am now aware, neither of these are aquatic plants, and will die if submerged for too long. Now, i am aware that this is at least partly my fault. I should've done research beforehand. Even eithout research, i should have at least been suspicious as to why such pretty plants are never seen or mentioned in aquascaping. That said, this fish store did sell me plants that can't grow underwater. My question is, what is the proper next course of action: A) plop the plant in my HoB and move on. Maybe in 4 years when i have the time and space to set up a terrarium/paladarium theyll come in handy. B) ask for a refund or an exchange. Now, while im not necessarily strapped for cash, my aquarium budget is limited. But, even beyond money, a lot of people will by these plants from this store and put them in there fish tanks and kill them. This is bad for not only the costumers and, long term, the store, but the local hobby as a whole. That said, i dont necessarily want to cause any drama and it could be difficult to actually prove the plants cant be grown under water if they actually push the issue.

Water companies inject co2 into water to decrease pH. Once it gases off the ph raises again

Nope, outside of special cases like if you are treating the take with meds.

I dont know about you guys but i feel like i could keep way more exodon tetras in my olymic sized swimming pool I dont know about you guys but i feel like i could keep way more exodon tetras in my olymic sized swimming pool

Ive seen a couple pics online of ppl using them. Im at university rn so i probably could find a toxicologist and/or botanist. Guess ill ask around in the morning. Thanks for all the help!

Darn nature ruining all my ideas! How about acorn husks? Lots of those around

I think ill leave it at home. My dad and little brother are fish keepers to so they'll take care of it for me.

Seems so people enjoyed my first tank journal so I'm starting another for next semester. Obviously I can't set up the tank yet so this will just be brain storming. Not like I have anything more pressing to do during finals week. 😉 For anyone waiting for an update to the other journal, The tank is at home rn and i forgot to take any pictures. All the fish are survived the trip, at least. For next semester's tank, I want to try breeding apistos. For those you followed the last journal, you may be thinking that a five would be too small for a pair of apistos, but i have a solution: bring a ten gallon. I mean, what are they gonna do, measure it? Non fish keepers can't tell the difference anyway. And, let's be real, people are breaking a lot more serious dorm rules all the time. Anyways, i want to try a black water tank with a peace lily emersed out of the top. There wont be any plants in the substrate, just the peace lily and some floats. I thinking of a light, fine sand for the substrate. For hardscape, im thinking spide wood to help blend in the lily. I collected some botanicals, (black?) Oak leaves and acorn husks. The leaves i got right from the tree but the husks I got off the ground hopefully thats ok. I also have some coconut shells im gonna make into caves. I may use some rocks too, not sure. Any suggestions are appreciated

I know a lot of woods are dangerous, but what about leaves? Any i should look out for?

Are pine cones safe? That would make for a great temperate blackwater scape. Not that apistos are temperate

So, I want to set up a blackwater apisto tank. I saw an MD Fish Tanks video a few months ago in which he used oak leaves and i thought it looked good. There are a lot of oak trees on campus, any tips on collecting them, making sure they are safe, and preparing them for the scape?

Might work in a large enough tank since dwarf cichlids stay near the bottom while bettas stay near the top.

That would explain it

I would do a school of tiger barbs, maybe one of the smaller, more docile c/sa cichlids as a centerpiece. Could add swordtails as well, i find they do well with tiger barbs.

So i need to move this tank 300 miles by car. Should i bag up the fish and and everything else, or should i just drain the tank half way and transfer everything like that?

So, for this tank, I'm having a bit of a dilemma. I'm going home for thanksgiving friday and won't be back till the following weekend. Naturaply, I'm concered leaving my fish for that long. It's probably ok for the older ones, but it's pushing it. The dilemma is that I'll have to take the fish back home the 6th anyway, so shoyld i just take the tank home now?

Do you do anything to prepare the dirt? For example, sift it, or mix in sand or clay? Im doing a dirted tank rn and tannins are a bit of an issue, im wondering if sifting out the wood chips wouldve prevented this.

Thats not a bad idea, but i think logisticslly it makes most sense to take everything with me.

You should see me dorm floor is coveres with extention cords and power strips😅

Can't wait!

By tear down, i just mean take everything down and take it home. I would leave the plants, but youre not allow to leave anything plugged in at the dorms over the break. Im glad youre enjoying the journal, ill start another one in january for the next tank. I am studying electrical engineering.