k9outfit

To me it looks like a very nice Labidochromis Perlmutt. When stressed they tend to get a darker slate grey hue to them, and the barring also becomes more pronounced. Also, if fed NLS, the mother of pearl colour tends to have more of a bluish sheen to it.

Does anyone know of where I could find some? Preferably in/around Edmonton, but also possibly Calgary? If not, any ideas how I could move some from a friend's tank to mine, without them all dieing off? The transfer would take approx. an hour from tank to tank. Not sure which section to place this under...

My experience has been similar, though I didn't actually loose any fish; I seperated the Compressiceps before the pair anihilated the other two. Now the other two are also in seperate tanks, since my 180 didn't seem large enough for them both, even though they're opposite sexes. My Calvus seem a bit more tolerant of each other; there's 6 (4 males, 2 females) in one of my 90s. These are F1s, and all from the same batch. So far, they haven't tried killing each other, though I think I'll be needing to seperate them shortly. My intent is not to be discouraging, quite the contrary. Success is what gives a person confidence, and confidence is what motivates most of us to try ever more challenging species, and also helps us overcome failures along the way. On the other hand, setting one's self up for failure by starting off trying to spawn a difficult or delicate species is the quickest way to abandon this hobby. Also, successes give us the experience necessary to be able to trouble-shoot effectively when suddenly all the fry die off for no apparent reason.

Calvus and/or Compressiceps are a 15 (BAP) point fish, not without reason. Definitely not the fish for the novice breeder. You may get them to spawn, but in this case the spawning's the least difficult part of the equation; raising the fry being the real challenge. They're an extremely slow growing fish, and for the 1st 8-10 months are extremely delicate. I would strongly recommend starting with something considerably easier and hardier, for instance Lamprologus ocellatus or something along those lines, if shell dwellers are what you wish to try. ...Just a suggestion so you don't get discouraged before you even start. I have yet to get mine to spawn in anything other than an appropriate shell; possibly I'm doing something wrong?

Don't know what kind of filter you're using, but if it would be a canister, could you have accidentally moved the return when you did your maintenance, so it no longer agitates the surface? As for nitrates, if you're doing regular maintenance, can't see they'd get high enough to actually decimate your fish. Also, the temperature of your water shouldn't kill of your fish - either by filling your tank with colder water during a water change, or by forgeting to plug your heater back in after. I regularly do 80-90% water changes (have also done 100% water changes on my Discus), I have filled up 40% of my tanks with cold water after running the hot water heater dry, I have forgotten to plug heaters back in on sensitive fish that require a lot warmer temperature than Africans, etc., etc. If your fish are healthy to start with, can't see that any of these factors should be an issue.

To add a new food into your Discus's diet, easiest and quickest way is to always feed the new food 1st thing in the morning when the fish are hungriest. Next feeding, give them a food they like, and alternate between the familiar and new food throughout the day. Persistance is the key. Also, once even 1 fish starts nibbling at the new food, most likely they'll all try it. Personally, I have not found starving fish a very successful option, since some fish will starve before they'd consider eating an unknown food. Also, it seems as though they just get plain turned off of all food due to starvation, in which case you've got a He** of an uphill battle to get them eating anything again.

Actually, more like 2 years; that is, at least the Ocean Green, Scorpion and Gold. That's what 50% water changes, 3 times a week for over a year does for these fish.

While growing out your Discus, I would *strongly* recommend 50% at least 3 times a week, to get strong, even growth among all your juvies. Also, feeding 4-6 times a day, with a variety of foods will also enhance strong growth and good health. Once the Discus are mature however, water changes can be cut down to 50% a week (prefferably twice a week or 3 times in 2 weeks), and will also survive moderate neglect and overcrowding for short periods, providing they're healthy to start with. Discus, contrary to popular belief, are actually quite hardy. Useing anything but tap water (i.e. hard) is completely personal choice - unless you're planning on breeding. Much more crucial is the lack of pH swings. By no means an expert on Discus, I have dabbled with them for a couple of years now, and currently have over 50 in 10 tanks. Have only lost a couple due to aggression in all that time... Blue Ram, why would you add R/O to a small tank, yet not to a large one?

At least I didn't also suggest option #4 :tongue: The Long-finned White Clouds I'm *assuming* are man-made; they have longish veily fins: caudal, dorsal and pectoral, but they really don't look tacky. They can swim normaly, etc. Pretty well all the long fins do is provide a larger area for the brilliant colours.

Love the Killes, though you'd have to find a species that likes to be in your face, rather than hiding in a mop. Got some Aphysemion striatum almost ready to hatch.... Have you thought about Long-finned White Clouds? Gorgeous little fishies that *are* in your face. Soon will be ready to go.... Endlers... how many would you like? :smokey:

Aren't most, if not all snails hermaphrodite?

tanks with water: 230+180+(2)90+50+45+(10)33+(7)29+20+(7)15+12+(5)10+(3)5.5+2.5=1424 tanks currently without water: (10)50+(4)33+(2)25+20+(3)15+(2)10=767 ... think they're all accounted for....

Cobalt Blue Zebra & Purple Zebra; these 2 varieties will go together, but only in a tank that's 40 gallons or more, and preferably 4 feet long. Also, you would probably need at least 5 or 6 of each variety to keep the fish from damaging each other.

I recently had a MAJOR ammonia spike in one of my tanks. The spike lasted for over 3 weeks 'til I finally found the source - a very dead and decayed Pleco that was well hidden, trapped under some wood. I was dosing 5 times the standard dosage for that tank, twice a day for around 3 weeks straight. But since my temp is over 31* C, I probably should have used it at 1/2 strenght, but didn't; therefore, one could construe I actually used 10 times the recommended dosage. Went though a few litres of Prime, but didn't loose a single fish.... 30 full sized Discus. I swear by the stuff.... It may have given me false readings, but believe me, it sure DID read the ammonia!

As in: not well water; since as some people are aware, we live out of town on an acreage. And yes, to avoid further misunderstanding, I do use dechlorinator; but I do not add any stuff I normally would add to my African Cichlids' water, nor do I add any stuff I normally add to my South/Central American fishes' water. Therefore, "straight tap water". Also, if it were a chlorine or chloramine issue, wouldn't all Endlers, male, female, gravid or none, be dieing off, rather than only the gravid females?