Vimmer

Nice, I love these things and wish I had space for a pair. They are indeed monstrous in appearance yet graceful to watch. First time I ever saw one was as a child harvesting trout in a community farm project in Saskatchewan. It had gotten caught in net unfortunately but no one knew what it was or where it came from as no on had ever seen one before.

Let me know if/when you ever have some Celebes babies for sale. Been looking for a good top water species and these are a very unique fish.

Leaning towards fish in wrong place at time of co2 dosing. It was a 30-40% WC; not the largest since setup but bigger than normal. Temp may not have been perfect but was within 2 degrees F. I've been gravel vacuuming top 1-1 1/2" weekly so doubt gas build up given tanks is still young having only set up in late august. The pristella that died was one of earlier inhabitants the lampeye that had lost colour was one of last added approximately a month ago. What's really making me think it was co2 is that inverts were all fine and the lampeye seems to have recovered tonight and back to normal colouring. Anyway will be keeping close eye on things this week.

Always dilute 60% h2o 40% liquid co2, (API CO2 booster). And always inject into tank right at Return nozzle (fluval 305 canister). First fish loss since setting up in late august. Lost pretty much whole first purchase of ghost shrimp but was still getting ammonia and nitrate spikes then. Lost a mystery snail back then too but other two are doing great. One seems to have grown faster than his shell and doesn't pull all the in when he sleeps, tucks up and hides antennae and organs but his foot sticks out 1/8-1/4". Oh and second fish that had lost colour was lamp eye tetra not glow light. Back portion of body that's usually black was grey. All other tank inhabitants Tank1 36G bow Inhabitants: 6 neons, 2 ottocinlus, 4 fire and ice, 4 candy cane, 4 bloodfin, 3 pristella, 4 orange Von rio, 5 glow light tetras, 4 lamp eye tetras, 2 mystery snails, 10+/- Ghost shrimp Plants: red ludwigia, cabomba Carolinas, wysteria, scarlet temple, sword???, crypt. Becketti, banana plant, small portion of Christmas moss. Seem to be fine and good colouring. Know it is full bio-load and at this age tank is still maturing. Just seems odd that after three weeks of fairly stable number it was two medium sized fish were affected and not the small ones. I've always used the neons as my canary. If they start losing colour there's usually a problem in the tank.

Ok I'm at a loss. Did weekly WC on Saturday. Before change parameters were ph 7.8 as usual, ammonia zero, nitrites zero, nitrates crept up to 60. Yesterday every thing seemed fine. Dosed liquid co2 this morning same as every day. Came home tonight to a floating pristella tetra and a glow light with faded colouring and very inactive. Tested and everything in normal range. Ammonia zero, nitrite zero, nitrates 20 ppm. Invertebrates in tank (2 mystery snails and a bunch of ghost shrimp) are all fine. No signs of illness on carcass just dead. Any ideas what might be going on? Could it be using liquid co2 instead of gas/ poor fish in wrong place at wrong time when dosing?

Well just spotted two baby ghost shrimp in the tank. Looks like I have a neo/Palaeomonidae tank. I'll let them grow a bit before moving them into the 36g with the rest of their kind.

Ok so all the little pumpkins seem to have survived the trip and drip; once drip was done and placed in tank they seemed to enjoy new home and scurried off to the plants in tank and started chowing down on some of the decaying leaves. We'll see what the next 24 hours brings but hopefully everything is good and things take off. Thanks again Hung.

I'm not sure I've done the right thing or set myself up for disaster. Two night ago I noticed the one female ghost shrimp that was carrying babies had eye spots on the eggs. From what I've read this was sure indication they were nearing maturity and would be dropped in next three days. Then something weird happened she swam to top of tank and crawled onto a cabomba floating in tank. Instinctively grabbed a net and moved her into tank I've been setting up to try my hand at some Neo's. Well tonight I got home and she's released most of the eggs. All I can see is what looks like little gel droplets on the one glass that seem to wave with the current. Now what? Was going to wait til she's dropped them all and move her back to the community tetera tank. But have I doomed any hopes of raising Neo's in that tank now? That being said I still plan to pick up the Neo's next week as not available out here in the Styx and not sure when I'd get to calgary again.

I'm at a loss to what to do. Added the four bloodfin tetras and five glow lights this past weeks to try to increase bio load and bring nitrates up in the 36. Been dosing with API CO2 Booster daily and Seachem flourish micro nutrients every two days.Tested last night ammonias a trace, zero nitrites and barely a trace of nitrates. Do I do the schedule WC or just top up?

Oh I know I'm keeping a close eye on that ammonia trace that was still there and wife was told nothing for the 10g for food. 1 snail, 1oto=1 mini wafer each per week. They got used to the over population of comets I cycled with. Which thankfully found a new home with co-worker's dempsys and oscars. Much easier to show daughter they were getting new friends than have to salute live bowl surfers. Never thought I'd have to research what feeder fish I was cycling with but when I did the fish bowl answer was out.

Ok crisis over in 10g I think. Did the second WCof the day yesterday, another 30% for total of 50 for day. Ph7.8, nh3/4 trace not .25 but not quite zero yet, no2 0, no3 20 Also added 4 blood fin tetras to 36g. Drip acclimated and they're loving new home. They've taken up with the 6 neons and are roaming the tank in this big red tailed school. Looks cool and weird at same time

I've dosed nutes into the 36 again and seriously considerring adding few more tank mates to increase bio load. Been holding off til I get to Calgary for better selection and prices. Saving space for school of hatchets but tank is maturing faster than I expected. Hoping until then I can keep nutes up with supplements at least a bit. The ten what concerns me most did another 30% WC but unable to test as in daughters room and it was time to get her to bed. Will see what's up when off work tomorrow. And told wife no more feeding the damn snail and Oto. If they can't live off water and tank grown algae well they're cheap. It was cycled and doing great til i told her I gave them a wafer and the snail never moved off it til it was near completely gone. Next day her and the kid dumped four of me in there. Took two days for the spikes to show. As long as things are back by 24th all is good.

I'm more curious as to what kind of fish eggs have a shelf life more than anything. Wonder if the instructions tell ya not to put them in that bigger tanks with bigger fish :p

For twelve buck I might get one just to see wth?

Ok update; it must have been either nutes or co2; did 25% WC, added flourish and API's liquid CO2 booster and it's looking better already. Waited 2 hrs and tested: Nov. 8, 2014 ph7.8 amm&nitrite0,0 nitrate .5 Tank 2 however has serous issues but think it was either me stirring up the bed ripping plants out or wife over feeding the snail and Oto this week. Nov8,2014 Ph7.8, nh3/nh4 .25, no2 .25, no3 40-60 EEEEk Time to go change more water in tank2, dang I hate small populations.

AGREED!! I found a hydroponics store (via other members on the forum with the same question haha) and they have 48' sunblaster brand t5HO bulbs for $13.....the god damn petstores want $30 per bulb!!! I don't think so!! .......besides, this guy likes to give it and NEVER take it

Ok yes it is a Scarlett temple that is showing distress. It wasn't perfect when I bought and set tank up but at first it was flourishing for five or six weeks. Now it is starting to melt/ get very thin leaves. Haven't added any ferts or liquid carbon as yet. Rest of plants growing well (still no roots on cabomba but wow does it grow). It is not Calgary water but still hard water. Ph is also high 7.6-7.8 past 8 weeks.

Whew, too much to do and not enough tic tocs. On a side note can anyone tell me why the Scarlett temple is starting to get thin leaves? Newer setup completely cycled by nitrogen cycle tests. Kh and gh reads 120 and 180 on dip strips(all I could find in this town). Haven't added any ferts yet or liquid carbon; just picked some up tonight and was going to dose after 10%WC tomorrow to see if it helps. The leaves are getting thin and wispy in the tank almost transparent.

Whew, too much to do and not enough tic tocs. On a side note can anyone tell me why the Scarlett temple is starting to get thin leaves? Newer setup completely cycled by nitrogen cycle tests. Kh and gh reads 120 and 180 on dip strips(all I could find in this town). Haven't added any ferts yet or liquid carbon; just picked some up tonight and was going to dose after 10%WC tomorrow to see if it helps. The leaves are getting thin and wispy in the tank almost transparent.

Picked up some red ludwigia(thought my scarlett temple was ludwigia til I saw the right one) and Java fern tonight. Out of time to get it in the tank so please tell me it'll be ok in the bag until morning or should I be floating in the tank until I can get planted?

Was thinking about how cycling works and it got me thinking simply by the way the nitrogen cycle works isn't it better to add plants when your tank is brand new than at any other time in tanks life? The nitrite and nitrate levels have their highest spikes/levels at this time and so wouldn't the plant be able to root better at this time as well?

Not exactly heavily planted tank(kinda thin actually) and some other stems rooted extremely well. Two more popped out in last 24 hours so gonna just let me float til they root or die. Was planning on getting hornwort for floating for hatchetfish but if this stuff won't stay down ....

On that note anyone know where I can pick up a neo variety fairly inexpensive? First attempt at them I don't want to spend fortune on little white crosses

Ok so that clears that up because until I spend the $ on an RO system for my house I can pretty much only keep Neo's if that. Natural Ph out here is 7.8 - 8.2 from tests I've ran in past few weeks. Put 6 teaspoons of 9.6%acid in 5 gallon pail over the weekend trying to get it neutral, got to 7.4 stablized but won't push past and I'd be afraid to put that much acid in a tank with critters. Saw a thread with discussion about lowering gradually with RO water changes so that may work until purchase and install home system

Pretty sure I could get stronger acids, work for veg packing plant and greenhouse grower supply out here, but would it be safe for the critters to even attempt and it would only last til next WC. Like you say just have to live with 7.8. Found it hard to believe "greenhouse capital" has such horrid water