Ted

I am looking at getting some top swimming fish for colour that will thrive in an unheated (room temp about 73 F) 20 long tank that I am growing up some cories in. The cories are about 1 - 1 1/2" long. I have always been interested in killies but when I looked up the APHYOSEMION GARDNERI and GOLDEN WONDER killifish that were available on the tfd order they seemed quite aggressive (fin nipping, fighting to the death among males,eating smaller fish). Any suggestions for smaller, colourful killies? And does anyone have any available? Thanks Theresa

I have a nice ten with 2 species of dwarf cories (hastatus and pygmaeus). They school nicely together and I understand they will not cross-breed (but never having breed for me, I don't have first hand experience), cherry and green shrimp, endlers, and 4 galaxy rasboras. All the fish, fully grown, are less than 1 inch. The tank is loaded with java moss and a few small crypts. I also have a few red ramshorn snails and a bit of a problem with common pond snails,so much that we now have a trio of assasin snails as well. The tank is overfiltered with frequent water changes. The cories, shrimp and snails all seem to get along fine. Theresa

<!--quoteo(post=2208137:date=Jan 16 2010, 10:21 AM:name=timbruun)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (timbruun @ Jan 16 2010, 10:21 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2208137"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->You'll need to specify which africans you are thinking about. Some get along while others don't.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Look on the cichlid forum under quick reference, then cookie cutter setups. http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/quick_reference_list.php . It only goes up to 75 gallons so you'll have to do some tweaking but at least it tells you who can go with who without the danger of cross breeding or serious aggression. Theresa Edited to fix link.

Which breeding stock are you talking about Ann Marie ? Theresa

One of the most inexpensive places to get wood is Bow Valley Aquariums in Calgary. A tank builder, they stock a few odds and ends including wood. We bought medium pieces for $12 each and large for $15. The pieces marked "large" may also be smaller but more decorative and more complex in appearance. The medium would be a good center piece in a 20-30 gallon. We used two larges in our 90 gallon. They ship too. Maybe you'll be going down to the auction in March Theresa

A diatom filter is used on and off. I remember reading that if you use it continuously, it can be harmful but I can't remember why. Anybody else remember? Theresa

Hi, Welcome to the forum, We have used them in the past. The media gets plugged quickly, is costly and it really isnt enough flow for a tank that size. Try a Hagen Aquaclear 70, you will be much happier, it has a washable sponge which saves you money and provides a much greater surface area to trap debis, and also provides greater flow. Ted

Welcome to the Forum Ted

If your main filter in the big tank is a HOB, you can split it and either put the sponge in the new HOB or the bio balls, leaving the other half (bio balls or sponge) in the original cycled tank. Replace what you took out so that each HOB has one part new media and one part seasoned media. Instant cycle. The bacteria growing on the mature part seed the new part. You can also give your new tank a filter squeeze so that the bacteria from your existing sponge seed the water and are drawn into the new sponge. It's a little messy but works well. I always move the bio balls over because if you are going from a larger filter to a smaller one, the bio balls conform to the size of the new HOB. Best of luck Theresa

Tammy We aer so sorry to hear about your losses. Theresa and Ted

And you do a super job too! I never worry about my 11 year old or 17 year old (future fish junkies - oh, maybe present fish junkies!) cruising this site. Theresa

Welcome to the Forum, Lots of great folks on here. We are in Bon Accord, so that must make us neighbors! Take Care, Ted and Terry

Thanks for the help everyone. BN fry and peacock fry are doing well. Thanks for the tip about the mom peacocks Jason, next time I get one near term I will do that for the other BN tank. By the way, AnneMarie, I couldn't use the bathtub since that is where Ted is since I let him in the house. But it would save on Prime (volume of water)...hmmm Theresa

Nice looking fish Catherine! I am so glad it worked out and can't wait to get in on the next order. Our family motto is now "25 clown loaches!" Theresa

I am rapidly running out of room. it must have been quite the weather system that swept through Edmonton because everyone is breeding. Can I put 1/2" peacock fry in with a pair of adult BN and their own 1/2" fry? Just need somewhere else for the other peacock fry! Thanks Theresa Surprised this week with albino longfin BN fry, regular brown BN fry, sunshine peacock fry, saulosi fry and a blue regal about to spit!

Hi Henry We'd be interested in 3. Thanks Theresa

Watch out for the saulosi and demasoni demonstrating aggression to each other because of the similar striping pattern. We had that experience in our tank.

Thanks Valerie! I'll look for them there the next time I'm in Edmonton. I haven't seen them there in a while. Best to talk to henry, he can probably order them in if you want. If you get Henry to order some in, pm us the price. Maybe we'll get a few. They sure are cute! Theresa

Will try to get some more pictures. The majority of the fish are the same as the 2 smaller ones I took the first shot of and so are the fry. The bigger one is quite a bit larger and his colour is not as bright as the youngsters. Same story, bought as a saulosi but isn't. If the younger ones mature into something like the "big guy" I'm also leaning towards the P. elongatus variety. I just followed Ishkabod's link to a part of the cichlid forum I've never been to before (and lord knows I've hunted all up and down the profiles) and there is our big guy! Ooh, the frustration, having a tank full of lively 1 1/2" juvies/fry that I don't want to misrepresent to people but I sincerely need the room and also don't want them to be used as feeders. They are really pretty and personable fish. It's funny though, after being back in the hobby and doing lots of research, and then going to the lfs I see a few I think are mislabeled. Even with a fish store, unless you are buying from someone you trust, you take a chance. Theresa

Please help id these fish. Sold to us as P. saulosi but as we gained experience, obviously not. Quite aggressive with other striped cichlids (to the true P. saulosi males put in with them) but not with themselves, females similar colouring to the males but lighter, when not stressed their stripes are quite dark, fry are blue and striped, do not breed or show interest in the P. saulosi females (thank goodness), very lively in the tank, lots of interaction with humans (begging for food, not hiding). Thanks Theresa IMG_1109.bmp

Hey, I was wondering if that was you, welcome aboard, have fun. Ted

We also keep a few established sponge filters in other tanks and extra Java moss ready to go into tanks with the new fry. It seems the really little ones graze on the sponge (microflora and fauna no doubt) and then use First Bites or Ken's Golden Pearls and move up to NLS Grow. Best of luck. It is pretty awesome. Theresa

Welcome to the forum Great looking fish! Ted

We bought a special tank down in the states that was designed to be a Betta barracks and brought it back as carry-on (whew - now that is a story). It is basically a long tank that has had slots cut in the top trim to allow panes of glass to drop down to the bottom. They are not siliconed in but sit loose anchored by the substrate and the top trim. There is flow around the edges of each pane, but it is not enough for a fish to slide through (only about 1/8 - 1/4 of an inch). You could increase flow by using a perforated pane or plastic craft canvas. We put a filter on one end and a heater in the other. What is nice is that the dividers can be changed, making as many as 6 compartments, or 3 even compartments, or 2 with one slightly larger than the other. After seeing this, of course we noticed that the 2 1/2 gallons that Big Al's stocks have the same slots cut in the top trim. Now we use our own tanks and craft canvas and poster hanging frames to make our own dividers. Whatever the tank, they are all planted with real or plastic plants and have caves and hidey holes for the male bettas. They do not seem to have any problems with living this way. The smallest compartment we use is 2 1/2 gallons (1/2 of a 5). The girls all share a sorority tank except when we run across a female that is too ornery, then she goes in a female divided tank. Have fun - it certainly beats a bowl for quality of life and your own viewing pleasure. Theresa

I was able to catch 3 out of the 7 Albinos (miscounted the first time - lol) and all of the Red Empress and now everyone is happliy swimming around their new tank. What surprised me was the Albino dominant male has lost his timid streak and is actually chasing larger Red Empress away from the cave he has staked out. Makes my heart glad as I was worried about his. With the extra space, the smaller Red Empress male has coloured right up too! Thanks for all the help Theresa