Basement Fishroom Bargains

I have recently acquired my first group of Julidochromis (dickfeldi), and all they do is hide. I haven't seen them out from under their preferred rock once, even when I feed. Parameters are perfectly fine. Do they require some kind of dither to be more active or are they just still getting comfortable?

These guppies arrived today for my room and I thought I would show them off. They look great. Also got an order from the Co-op today which contained the specimen container I used for the photos. 🙂

Just an update, picked up a 90 the other day that was previously used for a turtle. Bit beat up, but holds water. Trying to figure out a stand, as well as placement for it. Right now stock is tbd, but thinking of making this like a mascot tank for the room. I've thought about things like a school of Roseline Sharks, maybe some Archer fish, a ghost knife, a tire track eel or similar type things. It's not going to be set up right away, but that's where my mind is atm.

Maybe a school of cherry barbs? They're both non-aggressive and shouldn't outcompete the Danios for food, or be spooked by the danios activity. Also, maybe a species of peaceful cichlid like Kribs or Apistos for the bottom?

Get measurements of the tank and make sure it will fit in whatever vehicle you are using. If it comes with a stand, make sure they both will fit in one trip, or prepare for two. You can determine the capacity of the tank as well if you know the dimensions. I can't post a link but googling standard aquarium dimensions will provide several sites with charts for tanks sizes based on dimensions.

I've watched Cory's videos which were where I got the idea in the first place. 🙂 Wood isn't too expensive where I live so 2x4s are an option. I don't have blocks currently, I was looking at sizes online. When I was referring to the 8x8x8s I was looking at standard, hollowed out 8x8x8 blocks

a 90 fully set up weighs over 1000 pounds. My concern is, will a 2x4 cinder block stand support its weight? And with the traditional cinder block being 2 inches too short, will using 3 8x8x8 cinder blocks to cover those extra two inches make the stand weaker?

Welcome to the forum. I'm from quasi-rural Indiana as well so I'm familiar with the hard water. Sounds like you have lots of cool fish.

I appreciate the suggestions so far from everyone. I picked up the tank this afternoon. Only $65 on marketplace which is pretty good. Not setting it up yet, got to figure out the stand issue. I currently don't need to built the stand for anything else (unless other bargains come up) so for now it can wait. Open to more fish suggestions, and importantly, feedback on a stand build.

Gorgeous fish. Too bad you say they're protected. They'd be great for a native themed tank.

I am concerned about the weight, hence my questions about the stand. I may do five legs instead of the three Cory does for his if I go for cinder block and 2x4s. Those shiners are gorgeous. They are now on my must have list! I don't know that they will go in the 90, but I absolutely have to get my hands on those at some point. Thank you very much for the suggestions!

I was thinking hydrochloric acid would be a good start. 😉 Any preferred tiny fish?

So, as of tomorrow, I am probably getting a 90 gallon tank for an absolute steal. It will easily be the biggest tank I have ever owned. It does not come with a stand so will cinder blocks and 2x4s work as a stand or will I need to reinforce it more? Also, since its the biggest tank I've ever had, I am open to any and all suggestions for what to put in it. I have a few ideas, but I want to get ideas from other people too. Those of you who have read my fish room journal know someone asked me about a show tank. I think this will be it so fire away. Edit: The tank is two inches wider than the standard cinder block (18in instead of 16.) Could I use 3 8x8x8 cinder blocks instead of one 16x8x8 per level? Would that decrease the strength of the stand?

No photos today (basically because no one wants to see pictures of air pumps), but installed a couple of air pumps to replace broken ones.

Update, acquired and hung a light for the second rack of tanks

The answer to this question is highly relative. If you are heavily stocked (you aren't), water changes are probably more necessary. If you have plants, that likely reduces the need to change water. That's why I put plants in every tank, even if its just floating plants. Smaller tanks are also inherently less stable so it may be harder to maintain stable parameters. If your parameters are good (as @FrozenFins outlined), you probably don't need to change. However, sometimes, even if parameters are fine, you may want to water change. Some species are prompted to spawn after a large water change for example. So TLDR: it's complicated but its not absolutely necessary.

I did as well. When I first got them, I didn't know who Sage was. I may well have bought from him, I don't remember who I got them from originally. Provided I can find more electrical outlets. 🙂 I need to install a slop sink this spring to make water changes easier because right now I'm lugging buckets downstairs. 🙂

No air system, that might be in the future plans (along with an autowater change). The rack is exclusively sponges and matten filters. Working towards going exclusively to sponge. Most of my equipment is hand-me-down that came with the tanks. As HOB's break, I'm replacing them with Co-op sponge filters. Right now, no show tanks in the room. I have a show tank (55) upstairs in the living room of the house. I may put a big show tank downstairs at some point. I'm gearing up to breed mostly though. Presume you mean X. doadroi which, if you do, I agree. 🙂

First of all, welcome back to the hobby! That is a beautiful tank you have there. Are you planning to add any more livestock? What size is the tank? In terms of over feeding otos, you can overfeed anything. But if your parameters are stable, and your otos have nice round bellies, you're probably ok.

Hey all So I have had 4 sunspot Brevis in a 30 gallon tank for a while with lots of shells and rockwork for something like a year, maybe more. I'm unsure how to sex them (can you even do it?) but I would hope I have at least one female. I've had no spawns. Nothing that even looked like breeding behavior. Originally they were alone, but I added some non-aggressive barbs as potential dithers, thinking that might work. Still nothing. My parameters are all fine for the species. Does anyone here have experience breeding them and if so, any tips you can pass on would be helpful. Thanks

Awesome work! Nothing excites people, particularly kids more than baby fish!

I got mine through Aquabid about three years ago. They were being sold then as X. eiseni San Marcos, but I dug into it and realized X. eiseni San Marcos had become X. doadroi San Marcos. And yes, their populations are like rabbits...and my experience is, they are effectively bulletproof. I even had one get caught in a net when I was moving it, broke her spine. She recovered is still living happily and is currently pregnant. When I moved them into the new house, I did not realize the outlet I put them on was on the same switch as the basement light. They went three days without heat or filtration or water movement in a tank I freely admit was overstocked. No casualties.

I just started a journal thread with how it looks now. Didn't do pictures of all the tanks, but its a general overview. 🙂

Hey all, So I figured I'd show everyone what the fishroom looks like at the moment as well as take advantage of the ability to journal to remind myself what I did and when. I may also use this as a way to take notes on the lineages of my fish and keep track of breeding records. With that said, here is the fishroom right now. The two standalone ten gallons are both filled with Xenotoca doadroi who have literally bred faster than any guppies I've ever owned. Probably going to list some on Aquabid once I get comfortable shipping fish. The larger group of tanks consists of 3 30s, a 20, 5 tens, and 6 5s. Some of the 5s are vacant as yet (probably going to be used as fry tanks unless I can find something small I want to breed in them. Suggestions welcome.) The nearest 30 is Neolamprologus brevis, sunspot, and African blue-striped barbs. The twenty is a pair of Apistogramma panduro, three red lizard cats, and six marbled hatchetfish (I think its still six, they're impossible to find in the floating anacharis). The large rack has platies, guppies, swordtails, mollies, A. mcmasteri, and convicts. The far 30 pair have Kribs, cherry barbs, a very slowly breeding species of Priapella, Poecilia picta, an Oto, and a group of panda corries I never see. Every tank has at minimum floating plants, and some have planted ones as well. Its not quite done, I need to install a light on the bottom row of tanks for the plants there. I'd consider adding more but I'm running out of electrical outlets and I'm supposed to get some work done in the basement soon (ish) so no more tanks for now. I'll update once I get the light installed with a photo of the rack.