vic622

Hi Neil, I'm going to be taking them to an LFS in Cranbrook to help support my habit , but I promised a pair to the neighbour - I suppose I could cull a few more from the herd ... BTW, I started them on ground-up frozen shrimp, and once they got bigger (about 1/2") changed them to NLS - big difference in appetite and color once I changed. Vic

Have you looked at the Aequidens rivulatus (Green Terror)? Very colourful, very cool, very prolific (my pair lay about every 2-3 weeks). The male should max out at about 20cm with the female a bit smaller. Very animated but not toooooo aggresive, except when they're spawning - then all bets are off Here's a shot of my male ...

Hi All, I'd like some help sexing some A. rivultus (Green Terror) juvies. There's about 20 of them and they range from 1" - 2 1/2" and although it's easy to tell the males from the females when they're larger (their parents tails are very different, along with a distinct size difference, m-6", f-4"), I can't tell on these smaller critters. What should I look for? I tried to take some pics, but I can't get a clear enough or close enough shot to post. I'd like to give a m-f pair to a neighbour who lost their 6yr old oscar. Help & thanks, Vic

I'm sitting here in the midst of a cardboard-box nightmare, looking at the tanks, thinking "Man. this is gonna be fun" :cry: I'm gonna pull the plants, rocks and driftwood tonight and do a water change and then tomorrow all that'll be left is to catch and bag the critters, load 'em in the truck with me and head out! Thanks for all the best wishes & I'll be in touch when I get to the other side Vic.

Well the move will happen either Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning - depending on the weather through Crowsnest Pass. 2 tanks, the 40g cichlid etc. and the 30g planted with my menagerie of fish, crustaceans & plants! More tanks when I get to the other side (Jaffray, BC). I think everything is in place (ie:moving supplies - buckets, bags, battery-air pumps), now I only have to remove the tank contents & bag everything for the journey. I'll try to take pics of before, during and after to chronicle the "adventure " Now I just hope that I don't forget to pack the rest of my household belongings :rofl: Vic

Thanks, That's what I thought - but - I know there are a bazillion different types of pleco and I thought, maybe ... :P

Is there a bristlenose and a bushynose pleco or is this just the same critter with 2 common names, or a "right" and "wrong" name?

Yes, because of the fish load. I don't want the wastes to get elevated. Until I get the move over with (2 weeks and counting) and my other tanks set up the fish load will need to remain high. I also find that at this frequency of changes, the fish seem more happier (natural ?). If I let it go too much longer ie: 5-6 days between changes, they start to seem a bit lethargic. However, when I change the water they seem to pick up energy. Incidently, I'm talking about 5gal changes in a 30gal tank. What is the downside(s) to doing changes at this frequency? quote name='Milan' date='Mar 6 2006, 09:40 PM' post='2071345'] That's too often ... It takes about a week to capture the trend with some degree of reliability ... Is there a particular reason why you are doing WC's twice a week?

Yup, I'll keep it on the current schedule of water changes (2x per week) with testing to see if it stays at this level. I'll be moving in 2 weeks and at that time I'll consider whether to look at upping the CO2 and lights. I hope to see the levels stay consistant until then. I'll post the results over the next 2 week before the move and hopefully things stay stable. Baby steps before the big plunge

I wonder if these 2 should go in the oddballs forum?

Gold Spot pleco in the 40g 3 x CAE's, 2 x ameca splendens (for the hair algae) in the 30g

I was able to lighten up one of the pictures for you. Nasty looking, whatever it is that's hanging.

So here are the latest test results: Each test, except the 1st, was 24hrs after a ~25% water change. Test result order: today, (last week) Friday, Wednesday, 1st test NO2: <0.1, <0.1, <0.1, 0.2 NH3: 5, 5, 5, 80 <- musta been wrong PO4: 3, 3, 2, 3 KH: 5.0, 5.0, 4.5, 4.2 pH: 7.4, 7.5, 7.2, 7.4

Well, the finned-vacume cleaners seem to have done their jobs - when the lights came on this morning there was no sign of eggs on the rock and the Ram-pair where kinda swimming around looking confused. :cry: I guess this answers my question about removing them and the eggs from the community tank. I'm sure they will lay again, and hopefully this time it will be after I've made the move and got the things set up in BC. and I can actually move them into a fry tank. Where's a pouting smiley when you need one!

Thanks k9outfit Did your's lay in the substrate or on a rock? I noticed at the LFS, when they were with about 20 other Blue's, that the male was building a nest in the sand, but they completely ignored the sand in my tank. :eh: I won't be doing anything special this time (I'm moving in 2 weeks), but now that I know they are a breeding pair, I'd like to know what to do for the next brood. I'll have a 10g fry tank & a 20g grow-out tank set up at the new digs, just not right now. They're in a heavily planted tank (including cabombo & java fern) with killifish, pearl gourami, rainbow fish, tetra's, algae eaters, loaches & fan shrimp. I imagine that they will be fodder for at least one of these other species. Do I remove the eggs, only? Eggs & female? Eggs, female & male? Leave them in the community tank? If I remove them, is there any special setup (water or cover) for the fry tank? What do I feed the fry?

I've been keeping an eye on my Serpae Tetra's all evening (a couple are looking ill), and I looked at the back of the tank and ... My German Blue Ram's (M. ramirezi) are laying eggs! I have a gravel (1/4") bottom on the tank, and so I added a couople of piles of sand to see if they'd, well, you know, and low and behold - they ignored the sand and found a rock to lay their eggs. I'm so excited -ham-

I'm not sure it's related, but I've just been watching the Tetra's and at the back of the tank, on a rock, my German Blue Ram's (M. ramirezi) are laying eggs! I have noticed the male Ram, all 3/4" of him is very protective in general, I wonder if maybe I've had a couple of over-inquisitive tetra's who wouldn't take the hint ?!? http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_ram.php' target="_blank">

Love to, but the link don't work

I might have to try stirring things up a bit :P I have a salvaged pond pump that I use to vacume/drain the water. Maybe if I add a stick to the end of the tube and stir at the same time ... Hmmmm, more gizmos & gadgets, I like it! It'll be easier in a couple of weeks, after I've moved, I'll be replacing the gravel with sand. I know that in my Cichlid tank with the sand on the bottom, I can stir it up real easy - I just have to be careful not to vacume up all the sand. BTW, Jason, what does "HTH" mean?

A couple of my Serpae's are not well. In the pic's you can see the missing lower half of the tail, bloated stomach & the bulging eyes. The other fin damage has been present in these fish (6 of them) since day one 6-8 weeks ago. Both of the effected fish seem to have normal color and they seem as active as the other four. This is in my planted tank, and the only fish in it who seem to bother the Serpae's are the other Serpae's. They are constantly after one another. Temp is fine. Levels are fine. Regular water changes (8g of 30g twice a week). Food & feeding have not been changed. Any suggestions? I'm afraid its either aggression or fin rot. All the other fish in the tank are showing NO symptoms.

Does anybody else find it :cuss: 'ing hard to vacume the sand/gravel in a heavily planted tank? Just doing my weekly major cleaning, and there has to be a way to clean the substrate, but with all those green things growing all over the place ... darn things get in the way! I think I'll pull 'em all out !!! Just kidding, I wouldn't give up the greenery for any reason! Have a good Sunday ...

Cute little critters! Do you know how old they are?

I have my doubts, too, about the NO3 (after sleeping on the numbers) and will check it again once I get home. However maybe I have somehow pleased the aquarium gods or they are taking pity on me ... Thanks for the method for brewing up a standard. I take it that it wouldn't hurt to test the distilled to ensure 0.0ppm initial then add the KNO3 to get a 10ppm final/difference. Vic Doesn't sound right for NO3 to drop from 70's to 5 ppm in a day, even after a 50% WC. Not even if you managed to put the mighty Sun on the top of your tank with all the CO2 in this world .... I would doubt either the previous or this last reading. To verify your NO3 test kit, you can use KNO3 as follows: - Dissolve 1 tsp of KNO3 in 500 ml of distilled water. - Add 30 ml of this solution to 5 gallons of water. This should raise the NO3 level by 10 ppm.

And today's readings: Removed 20watts of light (40watts total) pH=7.2 (nutrafin) NO2=<0.1ppm (nutrafin) Ammonia=0.0ppm (nutrafin) NO3=5ppm, yes five! (nutrafin) PO4=2.0ppm (AquariumPharm) KH=5.0 (nutrafin) GH=6.7 (nutrafin) The NO3 & PO4 kits were bought Sunday. Know anybody who has a sets of standards? If I can do another change before I head out to get in the snow plow truck, I'll do one today, otherwise it'll have to be tomorrow moring when I get back home at about 0500am. Later, now I gotta catch some shut-eye to get in the plow. Vic

Glad to contribute to the biosphere.