redcherrybarb

Thanks everyone! I have added some plants that I recieved from a friend. I have no idea what they are but they a big, lime green and have long soft leaves. And I also tied a Java fern to the driftwood and its growing! I only have one t8 bulb (I think it's a plant bulb, it came with the tank I bought used) and that seems to be keeping the plants going with minimal growth. I did pick up the ferts, flourish, Excel, iron and potassium, and dose according to the bottle. I did get the new finnex planted LED for Mothers Day but haven't put it on yet! I'm a little scared actually. And just for an FYI. I have a color max and two day whites in my Aqueon LED. It's on the Krib tank. I put a crypt and some of those soft leafy plants in there for them to mess with (they love them) and I am seeing slow growth! Keep the advice coming! I am now at the crossroads of the dilemma activated carbon vs. ferts... Does carbon remove ferts from the tank?

I have a 36 gallon bow front that I would like to plant. I have had fish for 20 years, never tried plants... I already have a nice small piece of Malaysian driftwood that I boiled forever and is in the tank. I would really like to have a low tech planted aquarium, could anyone point me in the right direction as to what I need for lighting (SO many different opinions online making my head spin) And what substrate I need. Where do I go to procure said supplies (best place in your opinion) And what plants I have breeding pair of Kribs I would like to put in this tank but I am worried they'd root in the plants? So I'd probably go with Rams My water is soft (we have a softener) and the ph is about 6.8-7 Right now there's only 3 corys in this tank, I moved them when the kribs started spawning as they were cranky and relentlessly chasing the cats. Thanks all

Thanks so much for all your advice! I am really looking forward to seeing how they make out.

I did a 30% water change, vacuumed gravel and fed very lightly today. The gravel was dirty! Added an air stone in a far corner away from the nest for lots of aeration. No flashing from the fish today that I have seen, but I did stock up on aquarium salt just in case. I'm almost obsessed with checking them over when I see them out and about. I had my 13 year old son on "flash watch" today while I was busy setting up his tank. My husband is pretty sure I'm nuts. The female has only come out all the way out a few times today to feed and she is very shy when she does. I haven't seen her in hours now. The male comes out every half a hour or so, does a tour of chasing the corys, eats a bit. Then right back into the nest. He's eating way more than she is.

I have been watching for that, can't see any spots... If I do see the dreaded spots, I have to ramp my temp to 86F because my corys cant take the meds? Will that hike in temp affect their spawning?

I have another question to all you in fish land. My Kribs are still doing their thing, only coming out to eat, check out the territory and do some posturing. They look fantastic, bright colours, active, hungry and have still been very actively courting. But this afternoon I noticed them flashing every so often. I was told that spawning cichlids do that sometimes to show dominance. Is that true? My heart sunk when I seen that. They seem so active and healthy. They are the only other fish in the tank besides some very busy little Corys. Water is all at zero, but I threw in some stress coat and prime to be on the safe side. My water is very soft. Is that a problem? Thoughts? Suggestions? Living in Camrose where the local lfs doesn't even carry nets, it might be hard to find meds if I need them.

So I figured, at best, when I brought a random male and female home from the aquarium store that they hopefully wouldn't kill each other. I thought even if they didn't pair up that maybe they could cohabitate peacefully. I never in a million years thought I'd see her shaking her thing for him literally 5 seconds after putting them in the tank. I was gob smacked. Do you raise the fry? I have never had fish spawn before in all the years of keeping them.

Yesterday I bought a male and female krib, and almost immediately upon acclimation and putting them in my tank they started to exhibit spawning behaviour. They were all over the tank, the female displaying her very purple belly, and the male was following her everywhere doing a shimmy for her, his throat and underside turning Crimson. They were not aggressive towards my corys, but made sure they stayed away from the entrance of the log they claimed. Going in and out several times. This morning I seen her for about 30 seconds, and I seen him poke his head out the back of the log. They seem very cautious and a bit defensive. So are they just being coy this morning or are they in that log getting down to business? I have successfully kept kribs before but only males, never had the opportunity to get a female where we were living. I have a 26 gallon bow front, with an LED, running two HOB filters (cycling one for my sons tank). Temp is at 78-79F, water is a bit softer than town water, we have a softener. ph is around 7.3 She likes flakes, he eats anything. Offered them sinking pellets, flakes and shrimp.