Hippoherder

Big Al's has some live sand for fresh water. Its Black Tahitian moon Sand. I just wanted the moon sand but the only way to get it is as a bag of live sand. It comes in a bag for 20 gallons and isn't too pricey.

The law makes sense to me. It would seem to me the intent of the law doesn't extend to fish that may also upset the balance of an ecosystem if they are imported. Snakeheads are legal in most of Canada and yet the government is on alert that introduced populations in the US may make it into Canadian waters. There was a small panic about it a few weeks ago but it was a false alarm. If you don't watch river monsters, they have one or two episodes highlighting how a foreign species was dumped into local waters (like the snakehead) and it is destroying the ecosystem. I think the asian carp was another one. Anyways, the law makes sense but I am sure it could be extended a bit further.

You can't leave us hanging like that What types of annual killies and fish?

Nice! What are the fish with the yellow stripe? THey look black excet for a horizontal stripe of yellow in the middle.

Where do you get your cyclopeeze?

In my cherry shrimp tank, which also has 2 or 3 rainbow shrimp and 3 CRS I have a shrimp that is 2.5-3cms that is a uniform dark black cherry (almost black) except for 3 tiny white lines on the fan portion of its tail. I think it might be one of (what I though wa) a rainbow shrimp. I'm pretty sure it's not a cherry... not really big enough for a CRS...I seen it 3 or 4 times over a few weeks. It's hard to see since its so dark and I never have a camera when I see it. Really cool coloration, whish I knew for sure what it is. I thought rainbows were bluish.

I have my CRS and cherries in the same tank at 74. The cherries did color up a bit more when I had the temp at 78-79, but I also had a dark sustrate and better lighting then as well so i can't say it was the temp for sure. Everyone is happy and the cherries are prolific at 74.

THanks for the advice I think I may try some killifish along with the rainbows. I am doing mop spawning with the rainbows anyways and this will use the same resources.

I have a 20 gallon extra high that was intended for dwarf seahorses but that project will be delayed for another season. I am using it to start some multies (cichlid shell dwellers). I will be starting with 6. The tank has the same footprint as a 10 gallon tank but is 24 inches high. That leaves a lot of space empty since the multies hang out on the bottom. I can think of a fw things that may work in that space -neons or rasboras...I am getting some small rainbows for another tank (Pseudomugil gertrudae) and could put a couple in there... I was really hoping for a couple of cichlids to occupy the mid upper levels but not having much success finding something. Some say Kribs and rams could fit in that space but I think only if it was a long and not a high. Any suggestions?

It will be a little while before I can get a reverse osmosis system. Until then, does anyone know if a brand that sells 5 gallon jugs of RO water?

Big Als is slightly cheaper than Pices for CRS and both are cheaper than Riverfront.

Also Big Als Aquarium. Its very close to Pices.

Sounds good. I am getting a few trios so I will have something to trade soon.

LOL So it was quick-draw Jayba If you would like to exchange a pair/trio or some eggs at one point I would be happy to do that.

Just curious as to who is getting what from the Gary Lange preorders or if you are on the lookout for eggs at the auction. I am picking up some Pseudomugil gertrudae - "Eubenangee Swamp" trios. I was looking at the Aru II but someone else was faster

Congrats! I had to look hard at picture 3 before i saw the fish. Nice Camo.

Nice! x2 on the orange ones

I am going to be going with a rainbow fish tank soon and I wasn't sure if my shrimp are compatible with egg layers- meaning, will they eat the eggs. I have read 2 different opinions. One says they have been witnesses cleaning the eggs. Others just speculate that the eggs are fair game. Does anyone have any experience with this? The same question applies to the snails. Anyone have any experience with this? I need to know if I should find a new home for all these guys. If I do, what the heck do I use for a cleanup crew? Thanks

If you are just looking for something that is more mechanical and will get some bacteria colonization (but not the best for it), I picked up a couple of cylindrical sponges that you slip over the intake at Big Als that didn't cost much. They came with an sponge insert to plug the bottom up as well. Other than that, the sponges are way too expensive imho.

From what I have been reading, it sounds like additives don't work well or for long unless the water is reverse osmosis or purified first. I don't know for sure because this is my first time doing any of this. Peat is supposed to be a more stable solution...again from what I am understanding from my reading - not fromexperience. What's the difference between Seachem's Acid buffer and Discus buffer? I bought some of the acid buffer to try and alter water parameters down to around ph 6.0 aswell but wasn't sure if it worked of if my digital ph meter is unreliable. I got the initial readings down almost instantly but checking a few hours later I got higher readings.

What does RO stand for?

I am going to need to lower my ph into the low 6 range. My understanding is PH down is only a temporary solution unless you purify your water prior. It sounds like the peat pellets are a bit of a better solution. I've never had to lower Ph before so this is new territory for me. Can someone reccomend one over the other? Do I just make a makeshift bag to store the peat pellets in my filter? I would hope there are some kind of instructions but I'd be ordering this online from Big Al's.

I have done both. I had a colony of poison dart frogs in a river system tank . The long and the short of it is it will depend on the species you are housing together. As long as they are from similar climates you should be fine. In the frog tank I kept a school of neons, which were perfectly suited to the overall temp and conditions that the frogs needed ( keeping in mind dart frogs are largely terrestrial). I would suggest any number of rainforest frogs or tree frogs to make it interesting. In a 30 gallon (depending on how tall) , there are quite a few tiny frogs that would work. The newts could work but I ran into trouble. It might have just been an odd coincidence but my newts didn't thrive in my combo tank and a couple even came down with a funky disease/condition that my specialist vet couldn't put his finger on. It also turns out some of the stocked items that are used for newts may also be toxic to them. You could go aquatic frog but it would not be nearly as interesting and you would miss the chance to take advantage of the landscape. you could definatley get a small bromeliad and some small air ferns in a 30.

I think I've finally aught the cichlid bug. I've never kept cichlids before but I think I am wanting to give them a try. I really like the idea of the shell dwellers to start. I've been reading up on them and they look like they need a species only tank. Has anyone had any experience keeping this fish with anything else? I would imagine shrimp or general community fish would get beaten up. Just wondering if anyone had any luck with anything. Also, is anyone breeding these? Thanks