elf_poop

I have a approx. 300 gal lined pond that has a slow leak and we can't trace the source. My fiance wants to just add new liner overtop the old liner. Is that a good idea?

Looking for large low light plants

So I just got some green rasboras (http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/microdevario-kubotai/) and they are not shoaling or hiding. Smaller than Harlequins. They (8?) Are with furcata rainbows (http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/pseudomugil-furcatus/). Maybe something to think about?

I like that better. Nice hidey hole in the bottom. What size is your CO2 tank? and how long has your tank been running?

Do they not do the same with tank temperature water poured in?

S/he was an adult Roseline barb. A crack the size of an inch in the back of the tank, just enough to fit the fish through at the right angle. We think this one attempted suicide a month ago and my S.O. picked him/her up from the floor and tossed back in. Even though I didn't know this one "personally" (hard to tell them apart when you had a school of 11), I thought s/he was happy. Would have preferred it died of old age. Very upset hard to find a decent sized one for a decent price. I feel obligated to the school to replace their friend... also hoping the others don't get any of those silly ideas in their head. R.I.P. Rosey/Deni you were so young...

OK this is helpful. (I have plenty of fish poop, and have not needed to cultivate elf poop for a while now.) I have a small dirted tank that does well but I'm not going that route again cause it's too messy. I want to just do sand because it's so easy to plant the roots. I do have play sand and clay gravel right now mixing, unintendedly. The main reason I am concerned with light is because my smaller/shorter tanks are doing well and have much older substrate (non fertilized, no CO2, no/few fish) and my big one is not. I did not go with LED because they don't go 24" depth. Have 2 fluror sunblaster T5 tube's on this tank (Fluval planted tank LED on the other and sunblaster T5 bulbs on the dirted tank). I think I'll try CO2 once I redo it with some easy plants intended for hard water.

Please provide some recommendations for a 6 feet wide, 2 feet deep tank that I want to have med-heavy planted. My plants are doing terrible (maybe you can recommend soil as well?). Thanks!

I'm guessing you're adding several flat rocks or surfaces for them to choose. Take these out after a few hours, once the male has had some time. You will have to raise the eggs/fry yourself. Add methylene blue and use a bubbler, at minimum. Raise the temperature slowly. There should be enough oxygen from the M.B. And bubbler.

How long does it take to get rid of brown algae? I didn't have it and now I have it - The tank had finished cycling in early March

I'd gladly take some jungle val off your hands!

I read that they need to be the dominant fish in the tank to feel comfortable. Can someone confirm compatibility with large angelfish, 10+ roseline barbs, small clown loaches, one 7" black ghost knife fish? I have a feeling that it won't work out.

Not sure if this is any help as I haven't had enough mysterious fish death experiences. The only time I can think of was when some fish died, I couldn't find their bodies, and then I got a 'sulfur' smell coming from my canister filter, and some more fish died (but some lived). Water parameters (pH, nitrate/nitrite) were fine, can't remember if I tested ammonia. I was informed my tank went through a hydrogen sulfide cycle and it was suggested I stir up the sand to release the gases and clean the filter again. Another one was a long time ago I had added polished rocks to the aquarium without boiling. When they were boiled, gross black stuff was dispelled and they've been fine with fish since. If it is not disease, then it might be some foreign substances that can't be detected. Have you tried cleaning your filter with aged/treated water lately? The discoloration (and clamped fins) is usually from stress, submissiveness, or generally not feeling 'well'. My german blue rams (and angels) lose their vibrant colors due to any of those. That pic looks like the fish has a sunken stomach, did they? You said no outward symptoms though?

I think I used about that amount. Or 10 drops/10gal - take out carbon filter. I just read it prevents (more) fungal, but you should use an anti-fungal medication to treat. By the way, you can use FURAN-2 or Bifuran in conjunction with Kanaplex if you are not seeing progress with just kana.

Yes I've treated fungal with methylene blue in combination with kanaplex (http://www.seachem.com/kanaplex.php) for two 6" koi in a 10g hospital tank. Really bad fungal on tail (about a third was gone). In the 1st week it got even worse! I thought they had no hope. 2nd week reduced to about the same as introduction to medication. 3rd week almost all gone. I may have added metroplex as a precaution for any secondary bacterial infections that attack weakened fish, but the use of metroplex (http://www.seachem.com/metroplex.php) is not intended for fungal and I stopped anti-bacterial treatment after the stated treatment period on the bottle. Koi are pretty hardy so I used all 3 in conjunction. I believe after 3-4 weeks from initial treatment the fungal went away. I had a bronze cory with dorsal fin fungus too. I can't remember if I used kanaplex, but I definitely dosed with methylene blue and salt. Milder fungus but took about 2-3 weeks as well in a lot of methylene blue. I hope you are using enough methylene blue? The back of the bottle is only for eggs. If you are worried just add it slowly in phases. Hope its getting better.

Yellow guy looks fungal. Still have the fish? Are these white and fuzzy?

I don't know about cichlids, but, probably need more info. So you're saying the older fish are dying and your newest are fine? Or random? What symptoms 48, 24, 8 Hours before death? lethargy? Loss of appetite? Anything protruding from the vent? Does the vent look bloated or sunken? Heavy laboured breathing? All same symptoms before death or different?You could try treating with bacterial, protozoan and fungal treatments as it's worth a shot.

Yikes - how about treating the fungal? It's sad. I'm sure plenty of the empty fish tank kijiji ads suffer the same thing.

Is this some sort of disease spreading to them one by one?

What about adding a little bit of Prime to your fish baggie when you add some aquarium water? (or adding Ammonia lock) I don't know if adding water treatment before or after transport makes a difference, but Gold Aquariums always adds Aquaplus to "de-stress" the fish. I added Prime to my angel bag after a 1.5 hr trip before adding aquarium water to bind any toxic waste. I have also heard adding methylene blue/salt will help the fish take in more O2. I've seen Concept Aquariums purposefully have blue-tinge to their water?

I usually fatten my fish up with blood worms and brine shrimp. I've done this for my GBR. I usually feed a couple of NLS pellets in the morning, then 8 hours later a sprinkle of flakes, then a couple of frozen BWs or a few frozen BS in the evening/bedtime. The shortest time they've spawned was within 8-9 days. I think was I changing the water 20% every other day (yes, they were being fed a lot with a variety of food at the time). Mostly they spawn 10-14 days with twice weekly 30% W/Cs. I do try to add cooler water because I heard adding warmer water creates tiny air bubbles that are bad for fish. And once they're well-fed and feel clean, they spawn within 36-48 hours. I raise the temp slowly after eggs are fertile.

In my experience 4 corys are okay. I have not seen a difference in "happiness"/comfort level with 4 vs. 6 as some people say. Although, I think tank mates have a lot to do with comfort and I think what you have set up is good for that as they are basically non-aggressive. And if the corys have lots of cover they'll be fine. I wouldn't worry about adding more unless you want to. 4x the cost is steep and I've had problems with keeping Pisces fish alive before - at least you can get a refund if they die

Here's my experience with the above species: My 20 gal planted started as 20 cardinals+clown pleco+maybe 6-8 corys. This worked well except it was hard to keep the substrate clean and the corys barbels were getting mangled on the sharp rocks (which look like what you have). The clown pleco was very territorial during feeding time and probably caused a few cory to injure themselves (1 died from a gill injury) on the substrate. Then, took the corys out so they could be put on sand substrate. Put 1.5" female GBR in. Bought a few baby corys. Good set-up but I felt like the clown pleco wasn't getting enough to eat cause GBR are pigs, and if not them then the cardinals would get everything. Sold cardinals, sold baby corys, put 3" male GBR in for breeding (after the 1.5" male didn't work). Breeding pair GBR and clown pleco now. Pleco definitely not getting enough to eat. Sold clown pleco and now just have 2 GBRs. Personally I would not put 2 GBRs in with a gourami and all of those other fish. In my experience, 2 GBRs need a lot of room. The first pair I had HATED eachother and would chase eachother in the 120 gal they were in (though paid no attention to the gouramis). Once in the 20 gal the female would get torn fins and ich from the stress of the dominant male. From my experience, GBRs need a lot of room, especially if they aren't the right match. I can see 1 gbr and 1 gourami, but not 2. Also, think about feeding - like my clown pleco was getting out-competed for food. If I fed any more, I would have to up my 2x/wk W/Cs because of the cardinals/GBRs. And now, my corys in the 120 are getting out-competed due to the fast swimmers in the tank.

Very sad he lived a long life. I would be distraught if my BGK fish passed, but its only 4"

Name of these 2. 1)almond leafed 2)Long narrow round leafed.