mtnmonster

I usually hunt any chance I can. I enjoy just being outdoors and the occasional game I harvest. Haven't been out in almost 2 weeks because I hurt my back so I'm itching to get in the wild again, but my aquarium is helping me keep my sanity. It's been a tough year so far. I'm trying to get my first deer with a recurve bow. It has been a fun and humbling challenge so far. Our muzzleloader season started this past Saturday, but I'm still going to take the bow until I get one. For me it's not about the kill, it the journey to get there. It's just nice to get some peacefulness in this crazy world.

Right now I just have the light that came with the hood on my 10 gallon. How do I know if its good enough for my java fern, cryptocoryne wendtii, and anubias? The crypt seems to be the only one showing any signs of growth. I'd eventually like to upgrade to a better light.

I just got home while hooking up my light timer and putting a black piece of poster board on the back of the tank I noticed the spot is gone. I don't know. Should I still treat it? The betta is acting healthy, apparently he can see his reflection better and has been nonstop flaring at the black background.

The white bulb on lower fin tip. It wasn't there yesterday and all water parameters are back to normal and good. I did do a water change yesterday and I did notice one neon tetra attempt to chase the betta from food so I'm not sure if they've started fin nipping. He wouldn't hold still enough for a very clear picture but the spot looks a little fuzzy. Also what could cause a neon to become food aggressive? Its not just the betta it chased away but the other smaller neon too. It has become a little bully this past week. This was the first time I've seen any aggression towards the betta.

Not at all. Unless its just so small I need a microscope. Probably not the smartest thing I've done,but I stuck my hand in and its a slime that wiped away. I know the slime coat is good but I've never had any spots like this in it before. Even though it is unsightly I'm taking it as a positive sign microorganisms are growing. I know I'm doing something right lol

I've never had this before or at least ever noticed it before in any tank I've had. All parameters are good and where they need to be. Is it some type of algae? I have been dosing easy green for my plants. Its not just on glass. Its growing on everything and looks like dust. Some even floating in water. Only seems to move from water flow. Upon a closer look there seems to be small worm like organisms squirming through it

So far my kulhi has been eating all the bladder snail eggs. Hopefully he can help me keep them under control

I've never had snails before and I know they can be both beneficial and pests. I had a bladder snail stowaway and decided I'd let it be. It has laid eggs on the back of my filter and after a little research I learned they can rapidly multiply. I don't mind having a few but I don't want them to takeover. What is the best way to prevent this? Assassin snails? This morning my kulhi found them and ate half of them so that helps but there's still quite a few I know he won't get to.

Right now I have a tetra whisper internal filter. I'm switching to a sponge filter to have more control of flow. What is the best way to make the switch without disrupting the tank parameters? Right now I'm going through a nitrite spike so I won't be actually doing this until the spike levels out. I've never used anything other than hob filters so any advice is appreciated.

Thanks for the input. I'm doing water changes and added some salt that night. The betta is doing much better. Nitrites was showing 1ppm and unfortunately has went up to 5ppm. No ammonia. Nitrates around 40 now. Just doing water changes to try to keep things down until it gets converted. But fish seem to be doing great even though they have been fasting for 3 days now. I'm going to feed them tomorrow before the next water change . I think I may have been over feeding a little. Still trying to figure out how to feed so they all get something without feeding too much.

Last night I noticed my betta seemed to act a little different. Kinda lethargic. Tonight I came home and thought he was dead. Very lethargic and floating but occasionally swims behind some plants. He looks to be struggling a bit when swimming. I decided not to feed tonight because his belly looks slightly bloated. All water parameters seem fine and normal but I have a small nitrite spike. Even my neon tetras are a little shy but other than that seem fine. The kulhi loach is hiding like normal so I really can't tell with it. I did notice a slight film on the water. Water charge day was supposed to be tomorrow, but I'm going to do a smaller one tonight. Don't want to do too much to cause anymore stress. Water temp is at 78 degrees. The bettas color and fins look healthy. But with the inactive behavior and floating (mostly his right side up) im thinking swimbladder? I've never seen this with a betta. I usually feed 2 days/ fast 1 because the betta gorges on not only his pellets but the tropical flakes i feed the neon. I've tried feeding him his food first to make him not hungry when I feed the rest but it doesn't work. He's a pig. I don't think its the nitrite spike because I've dealt with those many times in the past and never had much negative impact on the fish. I tried to get the best pics I could but he didn't want to cooperate and come out of hiding.

I found an old 55 gallon tank I quite a few years ago in my shed. I'm going to fill and test for leaks but the glass is pretty dirty. What would be the best way to clean it?

I was thinking about getting a large tank and I've been toying around with putting some fish native to my area in it. Anyone ever keep anything like bluegill or other sunfish? Not sure of the legality yet in my state but I'm looking into it.

Thanks for the edit! I noticed the java fern when I took the pictures. I fixed it already.

After my nephew's fish all died my sister asked me to take to my place and set it up for him because she just didn't have time to take care of it for him. I tested the water and she was right. I asked when the last water change was done and she said it had been over a month. I tested the water and the nitrate levels were as high as the chart would go. Everything else was a little crazy too. She previously had 2 comet goldfish 2 corydoras and a common pleco in the 10 gallon tank. They survived for about 9 months then all suddenly died within a month. I took the tank home and started over. I assumed the tank had already had good bacteria in the gravel substrate and I have cycled many tanks successfully with fish in I decided to add a betta. After a couple weeks everything leveled off and didn't get too crazy, but my nephew lost interest in the little betta. So I added 5 neon tetras and a kuhli loach and the activity level increased a lot in the tank. This is the first tank I've ever had a betta with other fish and so far it has been a success. Since adding the new fish there has been a slight ammonia/nitrite spike as I expected, but it's barely even showing on tests. This is my first 3 species tank. I also had a beat up java fern that came from the previous fish. I think the goldfish may have tried eating it, but It was propagating so I decided to add it even though it looks pitiful. I also picked up a cryptocoryne at the lfs. The guy said it would probably do well with my set up, but I've never dealt with anything other than java fern and dwarf lilies in the past. Also found a small snail in the crypt when I got home. Not sure what kind it is and couldn't get a good picture. I've got a few questions. 1. what type of crypt is this? and do I need to change substrate since it is a root feeder? fertilizer? 2. Should I look into another filter system? The flow seems to be a little strong for the betta and for the meantime I made a little current break from a plastic lid. He seems to like hanging out near the intake and doesn't seem stressed or getting hurt my it even though I've seen his fins get sucked it he can still swim away easily and just seems like he just like to chill there. Right now I've got a Tetra whisper 5-10. 3. Feeding time is a challenge so far. The betta seems to chase the neons to eat their tropical flake. He won't touch his pellets and the pellets are too big for the neons. I feed the loach a bottom feeder pellet every other night no problems there. But the only aggression I see from the betta is when I feed the flakes. Any suggestons on what to feed or how to feed them so they all get something? 4. I seem to have a loner neon. It is the biggest one and he seems to hide 50% of the time by himself. He seems fine and still fairly active. Just seems like he likes to have a moment alone sometimes. I don't think he's stressed or sick, but I've never kept neons so I don't know if this is normal. Sorry the pics are upside down and sideways. I'm not sure how to flip them.

I just set up a betta for my nephew and he got really bored. So I did some research and added 5 neon tetras and a kuhli loach to the tank. When the neons and loach were first released I thought there was going to be problems. The betta just flared a little at them kind of like he was just showing dominance. Now he mostly ignores them or just follows them. Its almost as if he knows he's king of the tank.

I've been an off and on fish keeper. I've recently set up a 10 gallon tank for my nephew and it has sparked my interest even more. Looking forward to learning here and probably going to set up my own tank soon. I'm looking to try new things. Most of my fish keeping has just been learning. I've made mistakes and kept fish in the past that I know now I shouldn't have. I've learned that local fish stores, at least here, only worried about selling fish and now that I've been learning more I think I will be a better and more successful fish keeper.