Karen B.

Do you have any other ideas or solutions on what I could/should use?

Greetings! So I live in an apartment and all my aquariums are in my living room. My floor is hardwood floor and I want to damage it as little as possible. So far my aquariums/stands had rounded or squared legs and weren't too heavy. I am upgrading one aquarium to a 30 gallons (I know, not that big of a deal) and bought this shelf that can support 1800 pounds (a bit of an overkill) but it’s legs are L shaped and thin and sharp (ask my very bleeding foot for dropping said leg onto it.). I tought about the normal adhesive felt but someone told me it would be enough So I found these, and was wondering if it would be ok? I would probably play it safe and put 2 one on top of the other for each leg And/or would it be better to get L shaped plastic leg protector? My problem is that I seem to be between 2 sizes… So, hrm… help? 🤪

About that… I HATE agression, it absolutely takes all the fun away for me. So after doing my research, and hearing Cory say that White Cloud Minnows were one of the most peaceful fish out there, I bought 16 to go in my 20 gallons. 2 days later, all males had injuries on their fins - I had one overly agressive male. I named him Jaws and I tried everything (time out, redecorating, etc). Nothing worked so sadly I rehomed him. 1 week later, another male started herding every fish in one corner, wouldn’t let them move. Once again, time out and redecorating didn’t work. I rehomed them all and I am so done with White cloud minnows. or all males guppy tank… Ugh.

Oh, another thing! when I fail at what is advised for beginners … LIKE JAVA FERNS!!!! 😡😖

Get in line, I was here first!!! 😅😝

Greetings! So I was showing these pictures of my Gandalf in his « don’t you dare take a picture of me grumpy mode » and someone on the french betta FB group said his fins were damaged…? I don’t see any tearing, yes they aren’t perfectly round and equal but I don’t think they are damaged? Anyone could help me?

Pft!!!!! 😭

Imagine if in Canada we could buy meds instead of just watching our fish die … 😡 Even in FB groups! I am from Québec, so most people speak only french and don’t have access to as many sources of information as others… Some of the things I read are so archaic I cringe but I have stopped trying to argue… -let your water sit for 24 hours before WC (although we do have prime available everywhere!) -air stones/sponge filter will harm your plants (euh….)

Greetings nerms! Let’s just all vent and share what upsets us or bothers us the most in this hobby. Don’t get me wrong, I love this hobby, but… What upsets me the most is « not knowing », not understanding what I am doing wrong, the uncertainty or the whole « there is no definite way », the trial and errors… Like a fish suddenly passing out, for no reason…. Like why can I breed and raise clown killifish yet I can’t get my cory fry to live more then a day. Either when I raise then with the clown killifish fry, or in their separate container… nothing works! Or why can’t I have a lot of shrimps? I see them berried, I see babies, but so few reach adulthood even in a shrimps only tank running for a year plus… or in a tank with clown killifish. Even my adults die more often then they should. These are the main things that gets me the most. I feel like such a failure at times. Like 4 days ago, I had 12 fertile corydoras eggs on my glass. I leave them in the aquarium until I see them darken/about to hatch then moved them. All hatched. 2 days later, only 1 survivor. 😓 I put so much time and care and money and I worry so much that it sometimes feels too much to bear.

I went to my LFS and for the first time in 2 years, they had tons of sunset honey gourami. Gosh I forgot how small, adorable and cute they are as baby! Still stunning as adults but BABIES! 🥰🤪 @laritheloud Just want to take a minute to thank you. Sharing your experience, answering our questions, I can’t speak for everyone but personally it means a lot to me and helped me immensely when I started with my gourami!

Gosh, I was in such hurry, I forgot to attach the pictures

I am reusing my old substrate and just adding to it. What bothers me is the wait for 48 hours because of the micro particules the Estes person say could harm my fish? 🤔

You understand correctly - and yes my gourami are already in the 20 gallons. But they chase each other so much in the 20 gallons (which is the reason why I am upgrading to a 30) that I would be afraid they hurt or stress each other in a 5 gallons. I am keeping everything beside the branch that I will replace, will add more plants to the existing one and will be adding some substrate to my old one as I get 12 more inches to fill in space. The substrate I will add is Estes black river sand. On the bag, it is mentioned that it’s important to wait 48 hours before adding any fish. I emailed the company to know why : « even after rinsing, the sand contains some very fine particles that need to settle or be removed by your filter system so they don't negatively affect your fish. And when you remove and replace the substrate, you effectively wipe out much of the colonies of Nitrobacter and Nitrosomonas bacteria that convert Ammonia from fish waste to Nitrate. If you were to place the fish back in the tank right away, some if not all of them may be distressed and even die. Waiting 48 hours will help to ensure your fish are not stressed. »

Greetings 2 of my corydoras fry have white on ghe tip of their tails… One was moving but stopped about 15 minutes ok. The other seem fine still… Could it be ammonia burn? Karen

Thank you so much! Sorry I am french and sometimes don’t understand very well but moving as much tank water as possible in the new tank or in a bucket to mix/wash old/new substrate? Will my fish be ok 48 hours in a small tub/bin? What about the two gourami in the smaller (I will use breeding container) container floating? I have fritz Zyme 7. Should I use it in the new 30 gallons tank when I add my back my fish just to make sure if I lost part of my cycle, things will be ok?

Can’t believe I didn’t think about that… duh!

Greetings In about 2 weeks, when my new plants are done quarantining, I will upgrade my community tank from a 20 to a 30 gallons. My population is 6-8 corydoras, 16 chili rasboras and 3 honey gourami. My initial plans were just to put the fish/sponge filter/heater/filter in a 5ish gallons tub for the day and things would be fine. However, I will be adding substrate to my original one. The tank currently has flourish black sand but I don’t really like it so I will mix it with my favorite, which is estes black river sand. On the package, it is said to wait 48 hours before adding any fish so I wrote to the company to know if it was because of the cycle or something else. Turns out it’s also to give times for any fine sand particules to be picked up by the filter. So now I don’t really know what to do as far as my fish are concerned. I can’t move them in any of my other tank. Would they be ok to stay in a 5ish gallons tub for 48 hours if I don’t feed them and do 50% WC each day, with their heater, sponge filter and HOB filter? Another thing - I can’t leave my 3 gourami free in the tub. One would be but the 2 other would have to be in floating container (so to stay at the right temperature). Is that ok. Should I put air line tubing in their floating container too? If a tub is not cycled, but I do large WC everyday and do not feed, is it a problem. Or I am up to any other ideas/suggestions.

Greetings! Thank you so very much for all this helpful information. Just one question - can fry swim through the sponge or get stuck in it? ?

I know, dumb question but I have always wondered if it was harmful for fish if right after I feed them, I dose fertilizer, iron, excel, etc as I am already by the tank. Since they are eating, would these products be more harmful?

Greetings I have been raising Clown killifish for few months now. They don’t grow fast, but I don’t seem to have a high mortality rate so I was happy. However lately I added some corydoras eggs just before they would hatch (you can tell as you can see the fry in the eggs) and for a few days, things seemed fine. The first Cory baby was about 5 days. However I don’t think my method is the best. I raise my clown killies in glass container with some floating plants and air line. The glass container are placed in a bigger tup which is heated. I am always afraid they won’t find their food so I put lots of baby brine shrimps in their container. Then twice a day I syphon the dead shrimp, add more water and put some more shrimps. But it’s quite clear I overfeed. But no death happened. Last night I didn’t have live BBS so I added some that I had frozen. This morning I didn’t have time to change the water, nor feed them. I could only do it around 7 pm and my biggest Clown killifish was dead and so were all 4 of my baby corydoras. So I guess it’s my fault - overfeeding, bbs that were already dead (frozen), no wc, probably a buildup of ammonia but none of my other smaller killies were affected… so that was kinda strange? I am always afraid my fry won’t find food and will starve. As for corydoras, if you have any tips, I was never able to raise them. Only time I ever had fry was either when I didn’t even know there was egg(s) on a plant, throw it in my wc bucket, neglect it and find them like 3 weeks later. Or let them in my main aquarium but now that I have female gourami, I don’t see corydoras fry anymore. Basically, the less I do to raise them, the more successful I was… but as now the tank trick isn’t working, any tips? Thank you!

I wrap my plywood and will with the particle board in some plastic liner to make even more sure mo water will damage them! thanks for all the advices and suggestions

Greetings Nerms! So I am a very anxious person. I live in an old apartment, first floor, with real wood flooring. I have 7 aquariums- just bought the latest, a 30 gallons. And everyone around me keep saying it’s a lot and predict a catastrophy. All my aquariums (30g, 20g, 3 x 10g and 5g) were bought new. And are on furniture specially made for aquarium except my 30 gallons - I bought an industrial shelf but as the aquarium was a tiny bit bigger around, I put a 3/4 sheet of plywood on top of the shelf. My landlord knows, he approved each of them. I phoned my insurance and I am covered. However I was wondering if there was any other things I could do to reduce the risk of flooding my living room, or damaging the floor, etc. I hear so many horror stories of aquariums leaking… My current setup : Soon the 20 gallon will move and replace one of the 10 gallons on the other side. And the 10 gallons will be placed under the 20 (on a plywood sheet) and my new 30 gallons will move to where the 20 was, on this shelf, on top of which I will add a slightly bigger plywood sheet (shelf is 36 inch, aquarium is like 36,75’’) Thank you!

Greetings I currently have a 20 gallons high (24 x 12 x 16) and I feel it’s a bit overcrowded or, at least, that my honey gourami don’t have enough space to be away from one another. (1m honey gourami, 2f, 15 Chili Rasbora, 6-8 false julii corydoras). The population won’t change. So I decided to upgrade to a 30 gallons (36 x 12 x 16). I know it’s not much of an upgrade but living in a 1rst floor apartment, so much water actually freaks me out. So I will keep everything- plants, substrate (I have flourish black sand but it turned a bit grey over the year so I will mix in some stoney black river sand from Estes), sponge filter, HOB filter (Aqueon 30 gallons quietflow), rocks… Only thing I will change is my piece of wood. 2 questions : 1 - will I lose my cycle? 2 - Should I upgrade my HOB to a 50 gallons one? If you have any other advices or suggestions, I am all ears. Thank you!

I absolutely love that stand… so of course it’s not available in Quebec 😓😩

@Fish Folk @MAC @lefty o My problem with that solution is how heavy the stand + the aquarium will end up. I live in a 1rst floor apartment and yes the aquarium is by the wall (the wall the separate the inside/outside) but will the floor support that much? Cinder blocks are not light.