FrogFan23

:welcome: That was quite the learning curve! Sounds like you're on your way now ...

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I agree. 10 gallons is not suitable for keeping goldfish. Yours are just babies for the moment. They can suffer severe physical harm if they are kept in a tank that is too small for them. Weather loaches get exceptionally large (see Weather Loach) and most loaches can have a significant impact on the bioload of an aquarium, as do goldfish. I am keeping just three shubunkin goldfish in a 29 gallon and that is cutting it close (I believe that 10 gallons minimum per goldfish is suggested). For your two goldfish, a 29Gal tank might be more suitable. If you get the loaches, think larger than that. The more surface area, the better. A 40 or 50 gallon breeder tank might work. Otherwise, there are a number of creatures that can be kept in cool water conditions. It's just a matter of doing the research.

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:welcome: Happens easily. When I got back into the hobby I only meant to have one tank!

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I wouldn't recommend using them as feeders for crays. There is a fungal disease called the Crayfish Plague that shrimp can carry that can infect and kill crays. North American crays are also carriers. Australian and European crays are highly susceptible to this disease.

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I have heard of many people that have kept ADFs with bettas. Whether they get along is dependent on the temperament of the betta. An ADF would not have any problems with otos or apple snails. However, keep in mind that there are many kinds of apple snails, and they have special needs for care as well. The snail typically referred to as an Apple Snail in pet stores is Pomacea canaliculata. This species can get larger than a baseball and is voracious plant eater. A snail of this size can easily overwhelm the biological filter of a 5 gallon tank and is not suited for a tank of that size. Another variety of apple snail is Pomacea bridgesii, commonly known as a Mystery Snail. This snail typically only gets as big as a golf ball. These snails have gender and require a male-female pair to reproduce. Mystery snails do not eat live plants. It is a very common misconception that mystery snails can survive only on algae. They cannot. In my experience, their lifespan will be severely shortened if calcium-rich blanched vegetables and bottom-dweller pellets are not provided. One could easily be kept in a 5 gallon tank. If you are looking for an algae-eating snail, consider a Japanese Trapdoor (pond) snail. They are quite effective at dealing with algae, as are otos. For both ADFs and bettas, a low-flow filter would be best. Tetra makes the Whisper 3i filter, which is powered by a small air pump. However, it is recommended for tanks up to 3 gallons. I do not know of any other suitable filters.

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:welcome: Personally, I love to do planted aquariums in small tanks. Easier & cheaper to beef up the lighting requirements ...

Ooh, my list could easily become longer than three ... 1.) "Wild-type" axolotl 2.) Dwarf Cajun Crayfish (Cambarellus shufeldtii) 3.) Red Claw Macro Freshwater Shrimp (Macrobrachium hendersoni species complex)

I took a look at their website, as I prefer to support local businesses when possible. There are absolutely no products visible at their webstore. Has anyone else noticed this problem?

I use an XP2 on my clawed frog tank. As they do not like strong currents (and they do not need or like heavy water agitation), I put the spray bar and flow control below the water line.

3 Otos in my 23Gal, an army of cherry shrimp, and, most recently, a pair of japanese trapdoor snails for my ACF tank. Of course, I can't forget the shubunkins, who clean up hair algae better than those aggressive ameca splendens ever did for me. I've never kept plecos because I heard that they aren't really all that into algae eating. It would appear I am wrong, at least where the bristlenose is concerned.

LOL -- just like our cats!

Did a bit more research on Macrobrachium rosenbergii yesterday. They don't usually get their blue claws until they're adults. Sub-dominant males will usually develop orange claws, generally to avoid being attacked by the alpha male.

:welcome: back!

My wife and I were in BA today. I took a closer look at the "blue claw freshwater shrimp" again and I was surprised how many of them had faint red stripes on their claws with no blue whatsoever. One of them seemed to have blue claws with red stripes but there were none with just blue on their claws. I could have sworn they had more blue the last time I visited the store. It is entirely possible that they are not Macrobrachium rosenbergii but another species all together. There are a number of long-arm freshwater prawns in the pet trade that haven't even been classified yet.

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Interesting. I wonder if BA might have gotten a Red-Claw mixed in with their blues? Petshrimp.com - Red Claw Macro

You'll want to plan to move him to at least a 20Gal fairly soon. They apparently grow quite rapidly and a 5Gal wouldn't be sufficient space, especially if it is a male. I found this link about keeping Macrobrachium rosenbergii as pets and thought it might be of interest to you: Miami Aqua-culture Inc. - Introducting Macrobrachium rosenbergii Even if it turns out to be a different species, the care is likely similar. Best of luck.

I believe that most, if not all, North American crays are coolwater critters. They can handle tropical temperatures but my understanding is that it will drastically shorten their lifespan. Make sure that you have the nitrATEs under control in your community tank, since crayfish are very sensitive to nitrATE levels, as I discovered the hard way with my electric blue. There are a group of aussie crays (can't remember if they are the southern or northern varieties) that can handle tropical temperatures, however. The Cherax Quad comes to mind. Canadiancray would know for sure which species can handle higher temps. Aussies get VERY large.