# 6.6 gallon bookshelf nano ( First ever attempted aquascape!! Advice needed!!!!! 56k)



## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

**CURRENT PICTURES ON LAST PAGE!**
*Recently Re-Scaped"*

And its actually on a bookshelf!!!

This is my first attempt an an aquascape. I've kept plants before, but never beyond sticking them into the gravel and hoping they lived. This is by no means complete. In fact I just started aquascaping it this week. 
I have all my background plants planted and figured out. Now I'm still playing around with rocks, and trying to figure out my foreground and mid ground plants. I'm thinking water shamrock for the foreground.

*Tank *- Petco 6.6 Gallon Bookshelf Aquarium (24"Lx8.13"Wx9.25"H)
*Substrate *- CaribSea Tahitian Moonlight Sand
*Lighting - *Single T8 Bulb (came with the tank), Upgrading to dual T5NO strip, 6700k.
*Filter - *Aquaclear 20
*Heating - *None (will be getting one once summer is over)
*CO2 - *None (DIY yeast setup soon, Building DIY Paintball)
*Fertz -* None (will be dosing Flourish, and Flourish Iron)
*Hardscape* - Local rocks
*Flora - *Red Ludwigia, Parrots Feather, Rotala Indica, Greater Duckweed, and Water Wisteria (this is for coverage and to absorb nutrients, will be replaced)
*Fauna - *2 male fancy guppies, 1 baby guppy, 5 leopard cories, 1 zebra nerite, 1 oto (will be getting him at lest one friend when my LFS get them in), and 4 blue pearl shrimp.



I just planted the rotala yesterday. The parrots feather and red ludwigia was bought at the time of tank setup. Both have finally started establishing a large healthy root system. The rotala was bought with a large root system. The parrots feather and rotala were grown out of water. I'm waiting to see progress on the rotala, but the parrots feather has sent out new submerged growth. Waiting for it to grow another inch or two before I tim it to start promoting a nice bush. Same with the red ludwigia and rotala. The duckweed is starting to shade my red ludwigia, I have to scoop some out some next time I'm in the tank.
Had a die off of 10 blue pearls the day the rotala was added. No test kit so I had no idea what caused it, after a water change and some time everything has gone back to normal and my surviving shrimp couldnt be happier.
Finally, suggestions or tips are welcome!! Sorry for the bad pictures.. My cats ran off with my camera charger and all I have is my really bad cellphone camera.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

More


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

Advice needed!! I want to leave that side under the duckweed open sand for my cories.. And want to slope the planted side down towards the sand... I'm having trouble finding a good midground and foreground plant... And with rock placement... I want a rock where that one is.. but I want more to create some sort of border or edge.. Having trouble making it look good... And creating depth and the illusion that this tank is much larger than it is..


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## 2in10 (Feb 8, 2011)

Good looking start


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

2in10 said:


> Good looking start


Thanks.. I know th eplants will situate themselves wiht time... the rocks are bothering me more than anything.. well the one rock....


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

I just officially switched over my fish to homemade fish food... I still feel like the recipe and proportions are off but, they liked my first two batches a lot... So I figured I would tweak it as each new batch was created...
I've started recruiting people in my area to text out this batch... But so far I only have a few and have accidentally made alot more than I need... Still figuring out what to do with the rest.... My fish responded really well to this food.. and the last batch as well.. more active, less mess, more color, more spawning. My blue guppy has really deepened in colour. And a black and red spot have appeared on his body, as well As black lines running along his body and turquoise developing on his tail. He's turned into a real stunning guy.. All my fish have shown improved activity and coloration...
Ok so, here's the recipe... Tell me if you have any ideas to improve it..
1/3 lb Salmon
1/3 lb Beef Heart
1/3 lb Shrimp (d-veined and shelled)
1/3 lb Cod
2 Cloves of Garlic
1 1/2 Zucchini 
1 Small Summer Squash
1/2 Package Frozen Bloodworms
3/4 Cups Cold Water
1 Large Jar Organic Pea and Spinach Baby Food
1 3/4 Cups Water
1/2 Tbsp Spirulina
4 Packets Gelatin

I skinned and chopped all the fish and shrimp and blended them on low with the baby food. The baby food I got had 3 sizes. I opted for the largest one. I threw in the peeled garlic at this point and let it blend in there for a while.. After that I cut the fat and veins off the beef heart, chopped it up finely and set it aside. At this point I needed to add about 3/4 cups cold water just so my blender could blend it. I started out little by little but ended up using about that much. I put the spirulina in along with the beef heart and peeled zucchini and squash. I added the blood worms and blended. I put 1 3/4 cups water on the stove, brought it to a boil, and added the gelatin packets. Stirred it in real well and added it to the fish and veggie puree. I mixed that well and poured it in ice cube trays and put it in the fridge to set. After that I cut it up what I would use by the end of the week and put it in a jar the the fridge.. The rest I put in my freezer. Next time I would probably use gloves as the horrible smell it produces is really hard to get off. So far I really like this though... I;m going to see how long it lasts in the freezer to adjust my proportions accordingly...


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

Well... I havent updated this in a long time.
Mainly because my growth is SLOWWWW!!!! But its ok. I want it that way. I would like to be able to enjoy my aquascape for long intervals. I ' have only had to trim the rotala once.
I did some shifting and planting. Nothing is really different. But stuff has grown in. theres now some crypt parva in front. Not alot. It just got acclimated to the tank and finally started to spread a little. I might buy a couple more pots of it just to fill it out more. The rock is still there.. But mainly to act as a buffer to my filter flow. I really like the flow if this filter, It makes the flow in my tank pretty great, but directly underneath it gets pretty buffeted with current.
I also got rid of the duckweed. Now that there's a decent plant mass I felt the need for it was gone. Originally it was there to help soak up nutrients and to shade the sand from the harsh light.
I also upgraded the light. Originally it had the bright blueish T8 bulb. I tried upgrading the bulb, but it was super super super yellow. I bought the Aqueon 2 bulb T5NO fixture. One 6,700k and one colourmax. $60 for the whole thing. 
Not the best fixture, but on a tank this shallow it still produces pretty high lighting. After adding it my growth got much faster. Well Much faster than it was. My rotala has turned a lovely pink at the tips, My parrots feather shot up an inch or two, and my red ludwigia is taking on a nice reddish hue. The scape is almost done. I would like to get one more midground plant and replace the rock. But I have no idea what to get.
After that though its literally just going to be me trimming it into shape and waiting. I'm kinda liking it. The afternoon sun is hitting my room right now so I'll try and take a picture after it goes away.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

Picture taken. Still with a really bad camera phone. Sorry about the picture quality. As you can see the plants still need to grow in. And the front of the wisteria needs to be trimmed back down in front. The red lidwigia is finally starting to bush out after a hardcore trim. I think next month all the plants will be pretty near what I want.
Any suggestions for what to replace that rock with would be appreciated.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

Changes since my last update are..
The parrots feather and red ludwigia was just melting all its leaves. So I trimmed them both down to nubs because i was tired of leaves dropping. the parrots feather is finally in all submerged growth, and is actually a very pretty plant. the rotala is all submerged growth as well.
I don't think its rotala indica, which is what it was labeled as. 
The baby guppy turned into a sort of mutt like lyre tail. Not pretty, but I have had him since he was a baby!! I'm emotionally attached. And the actual lyretail died after he jumped out the tank one day. I'm planning on getting another guppy as soon as they get them in. I really like 3 of them. 
One of my cories died, but he never acted right from the beginning. From day one his top fin was always clamped down. A month or two in and he just died. I got another one and all is healthy.
I also go tthe oto two friends. Who he just ignores. He doesnt like being anywhere near them. And just forages right in front. It worked out really. Because they like being together, but hate being visible. So they clean all the parts that I can't see. And he hates being out of the light. and only cleans the parts that are visible.
Thats it really.
Adding some more crypts in and maybe some stones to creat some sort of border where the plants end and the sand begins.


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## ghotifish (Feb 16, 2009)

Nice little tank! Ive been considering a little tank for my office, never seen this size before. Never heard of homemade fish food before either, is it little chunks that you feed? Are you still using it?

Carl


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

ghotifish said:


> Nice little tank! Ive been considering a little tank for my office, never seen this size before. Never heard of homemade fish food before either, is it little chunks that you feed? Are you still using it?
> 
> Carl


Its a super awesome tank. I love the size of it. I've also seen it de-rimmed and it looks great. Actually the back rim on top just comes off. No work required. The filter that came with it would have been awesome to stuff with media if it hadnt been so loud.

Yes. I keep all of the cubes in a ziplock bag in a Tupperware container in the freezer. I take one cube out wrap it in paper towel and put it in the fridge to defost. Takes a couple hours. I take it out and cut some slices off of it and cut those into cubes. However much I use in about a week. Which is usually two slices cut into 1/4 inch cubes.
I put the cubes in a baggy in the fridge and cut more weekly.

I feed about 4 -5 of them a day. They keep the fish full for much longer than flake foods and pellets.
Its my only food now besides the occasional bloodworm and some blanched cucumber. 

I drop in cucumber every few days or so for the oto's. But my guppies and corries like to nibble on it while its there. and they get bloodworms once a week for some variety.

I love this food. Everyone is more active and colourful. In better condition. It fattened up the fish that were underweight. And got rid of one of my guppies fatty liver. Which made him look pregnant. I could gush for hours about it. It takes a month or two for the full effects to kick in. And keeps the water much cleaner than flakes.
I really recommend trying it out!!


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

Just went through and trimmed the rotala. I also cut back the front of the wisteria as it was encroaching too far forward for my tastes. The parrots feather is going to be needing a trim in a week or so. 
I think that this scape will be almost done in about a month. I'm excited.
Went to the only fish store around that carries some more exciting species. Had lots of cool fish.
My friend was sad about my other guppy dying so she bought me a new one. And he has ot be the most stunning guppy I have ever seen. His tail is covered in perfectly spaced even dots in black. His front is bright lime green. His back is super royal blue. His top fin pure white. And the colours on his tail. They fade from purple to blue to yellow to red to green. He looks like a rainbow. I'm super excited.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

Well...My friend stopped by and her smartphone camera is 9mp compared ot my 3mp... So these are better pictures. Hope they look ok.

You can't really see my new guppy in the pictures. But there is one guppy picture that blurry.. But you can see the colours almost perfectly.

And another note.. Can I point out what a lovely lovely lovely plant parrots feather is. Its so fluffy and thin and delicate and lovely. But it's also hardy and tough. I wasn't too sure about it when i first bought it. But now I'm really glad I did.

I'm also looking for a plant to put in place of the rock still. If you have any suggestions...


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

Everything went crazy and got about 5 inches bigger in a 2 week span of time. Which is very fast for my tank. I did a huge trim And cut everything way down. It doesnt look as pretty but it was needed.
In other news. I have cory eggs. I turned on my light to discover my two female cories being pursued by the 3 males. They have been laying eggs all over the plants for hours. It's pretty neat to watch. I have no desire for baby cories so I;m not going to remove the eggs. If some survive to adulthood then I'm ok with them. But no special treatment.


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## matty26 (Feb 25, 2011)

i think you should keep the rock there, it looks awesome there. Good contrast of colors


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

matty26 said:


> i think you should keep the rock there, it looks awesome there. Good contrast of colors


Lol... I totally wish I had seen this before I took it out and smashed it to bits. 
I replaced the rock with creeping jenny.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

Everything just went through a giant trim. Now that all my plants are in I wanna start training them into shape. So now there are all very short.
Now that I have all the plant in place I;m starting to realise what I need and want.
Now that the rock is gone theres a huge problem. theres too much green.. Too much plant... I need a hardscape. I'm thinking of incorporating driftwood and rocks somehow. Still working it out. 

I have a problem with my tank. It has fine white caribsea sand. And fine silica sand and aquaclear do not like one another. It continuously gets sand stuck in the impeller and makes a horrible noise. I invested in a intake sponge but they do not make one fine enough to keep out the sand. It did help though.
I think part of the problem is that the intake is right next to the substrate. I might mod it so it is higher sometime soon. 

Other than that everythig is going great with this tank. 
Oh
except for my evil guppy. 
Petsmart gave me a tiny little baby guppy by accident with my ghost shrimp. During that time my 3 male guppies lived in harmony. As he grew he got aggressive. He harasses my poor male guppy all day and I'm just about done with him. I want him out and have no where to rehome him to.
He has ripped him to shred though... I'm considering just putting him in jar till I locate a new home..


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## .Mko. (Sep 23, 2010)

any updated pictures? I liked the rock in the beginning but i'd love to see what you've done with the creeping jenny. what would've been nice is if you kept that rock and then added rocks decreasing in size beside the main rock creating a triangular composition. Then for depth you could add driftwood of the same pattern, big getting smaller and smaller to a focal point at about 2/3rds of the tank branching out from behind the rocks. This alongside the great green you have would make a pretty good looking scape IMO


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

.Mko. said:


> any updated pictures? I liked the rock in the beginning but i'd love to see what you've done with the creeping jenny. what would've been nice is if you kept that rock and then added rocks decreasing in size beside the main rock creating a triangular composition. Then for depth you could add driftwood of the same pattern, big getting smaller and smaller to a focal point at about 2/3rds of the tank branching out from behind the rocks. This alongside the great green you have would make a pretty good looking scape IMO


That rock was alot more cumbersome and off putting in real life. But i realise its purpose now. It broke up my scape. Now that I have replaced it with creeping jenny I realise the need for a hardscape.
The tank doesnt look that great right now lol.. The creeping jenny is getting established and everything else looks strange cause of my trim. All short and flat. 
Perhaps in a couple weeks I'll take another picture... Once everything looks pretty again lol... I really am trying hard to make this tank look alot bigger than 6 gallons.. but I don't think its going well... lol
I'm gonna collect driftwood and rocks soon to see If I cant save this thing.


I have a question for you. I noticed in your rasbora's edge you had alot of nano fish. 
I really want a school (it doesnt have to be tight) of nano fish for my 5.5 gallon. I was looking at the ones you just added into your tank, I have been debating them for a while now. Would you recommend them?


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

I did a large waterchange last week. Everything went downhill form there. I noticed my fish were a little lethargic afterwards. No one was acting funny and there were no signs of anything wrong. But something just felt off the whole week.
but everythign went wrong in the past day.
Last night I fed everyone.. watched them for a while.. Turned off the light and went to bed... 
I woke up and went about my day. I've been busy for the past couple days.. I came home and turned on the lights. I run my lights at night. If I run them during the day my fish would cook in the summer. 
Anyway... I turned on my lights and saw my new beautiful baby guppy with a horrid case of fin rot that had not been there the day before. I spend alot of time watching his tail before I go to bed and would have noticed. 
He was sadly dragging himself across the sand. I was horrified. I looked over and saw my nerite upside down in the sand with itself tightly clamped close. I glance up and saw that my other two guppies were covered in ich. It was then I saw all my cories with red gills sat in the corner gasping and all their top fins clamped down.
My last test kit ran dry and honestly. A proper heater and filter for my other tank came before buying a new one. I also do not have a spare tank lying around. 
I quickly called my friend. She drove over with a spare 2.5 gallon a heater and a test kit.
We set it up and quickly started the guppies on salt and heat in the 2.5. I added some medicine in for the one with fin rot and planted it with spare trimming I had lying around. 
I put one of my tetra filters on and put some spare media in it.
Unfortunately my baby guppy died soon after. He has his own flower now.
The other two are doing well so far. The blue one (Hades) has his fins clamped and is swimming a little upwards. But otherwise appears fine.
I turned up the heat on my main tank. This tank stays at about 80 as it is.
I know cories are supposed to be intolerant of high temps but these cories lived in 86+ for at least 5 months. Thats just how hot my room gets. And they had a blast all summer. In fact they seem to do better in higher temps than lower. The tank is at 86 now.
Now... My cories had no sign of rot or stress or ich. The only thing was the clamped fin and red gills. So I'm hoping the high temp for a few weeks is enough to stave off the ich till It dies.
I tested the water. Now.. my tap water pH is 8.2. Once my tanks have been running for a while the water stays at about 7.5. For some reason the water in that tank was 6.0.. Possibly below.
I tested my water with her kit right before and after my waterchange last week. And everything was normal. I fed my fish the first two day. I noticed that my main guppy was quite fat (my cories are slow eaters and he gets to their food so fast). So I decided a break was in order. I did not feed them at all since them. In fact lastnight is the first night they have been fed. So I was surprised at the readings. The ammonia ws 8.0, the nitrites were at 2.0, and the nitrates were at 80. That combined with the super low pH worried me deeply.
I did a large water change and my cores are acting much better. Their gills are normal and everyone is acting fine. The fins stayed down for a while but are now all up like sails except one. The levels are much better. Still off of normal but much better. 

My problem is I have no idea what could have caused this. And I need to know so that It wont happen again. It is deeply disturbing to me.
As I write this I realise a horrible mistake I made...
I immediately transferred my nerite and ramshorn to my 5.5. They recovered and are crawling around the tank now. But I did not even dip them in cup of water before throwing them in my tank. I hope I did not just transfer Ich to my new tank.


Oddly my otto's are the only ones that seem to be completely unaffected by any of this.


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## PinoyBoy (Mar 14, 2008)

Good to hear that everything was sorted out.

Any updates to the tank?


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

Gosh...
All the guppies and an oto died...
The cories have been spawning like crazy for the past few months...
Oh.. and I ruined the scape..
Ugh..
This tank has gone pretty far downhill... I'm not too happy with it...
The scape looks terrible now...
The water is stained with tannins. Which normally would be fine.. If thats what I wanted... But its not... So its bothering me...
The caribsea white sand was so fine that even a prefilter sponge meant for shrimp and fish fry wasnt enough to keep it out of the filter. The impeller makes noise now and I can't get it to stop...
The flow is terrible.. Theres just a lot of things wrong with it right now..
I'm not sure what to do...
I'm currently trying to find the right rocks and wood to rescape it with...
I think I'm going for something completely different looking. 
Who knows...
I think I want to do a dwarf water lily on the surface.. With a lowlight setup beneath.
I'm thinking helvola lily...
Still working on it..


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## Robotponys (Sep 7, 2011)

*Don't give up!*

Keep on pushing! I think a nano fish school would look great. This tank could be really cool with some (more) work.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

Robotponys said:


> Keep on pushing! I think a nano fish school would look great. This tank could be really cool with some (more) work.


Will do!!


This tank is in for some BIG changes!!
Since the light is so bright I want to raise it up a bit. 
I want a cieling of floaters. I'm hoping to be able to squeeze a helvola lily into the scape. It has quarter sized leaves and flowers.
Under that I want a lowlight jungle of sorts. Lots of crypts with driftwood, lots of anubias and java fern.
I started today and picked up 4 unkown kinds of crypts and a java fern... windelov I believe.
I hope to get ID's on the crypts soon...
Looking for the right wood and hope to get Anubias soon....
Was astonished by celestial pearl danios today... first time I've seen them in person... considering getting them...


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## Robotponys (Sep 7, 2011)

Eldachleich said:


> Will do!!
> 
> 
> This tank is in for some BIG changes!!
> ...


Sounds good!
Yes, they are so beautiful aren't they!
Yes, CPD's are just too cool! They school in the mid levels and need tiny sinking food, just FYI. But they are expensive! $9 for my 2, and they are tiny! But I did get a M/F pair...


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

My LFS don't have anything 

I'd like a pair of CPDs as the centerpiece of the 20g. I did go on a spending spree today to finish stocking a few tanks, feeling happy but guilty


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

Robotponys said:


> Sounds good!
> Yes, they are so beautiful aren't they!
> Yes, CPD's are just too cool! They school in the mid levels and need tiny sinking food, just FYI. But they are expensive! $9 for my 2, and they are tiny! But I did get a M/F pair...


$9!!! Thats insane!!!
They are $3 right now at the LFS...
They have tons, but alas I am poor.
I did get two though!!
Planning on getting more in the future....


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> My LFS don't have anything
> 
> I'd like a pair of CPDs as the centerpiece of the 20g. I did go on a spending spree today to finish stocking a few tanks, feeling happy but guilty


Lol!! My spending spree was yesterday on all my crypts.

Acclimating the two new CPD right now...


Also got my frogbit and salvinia from dragonsong93 today!!
Thank you!!
I feel terrible.. Were doing a trade and I havent had anytime to get to the post office..
My work has been insane.... 3 flame throwers and two cannons went out. Everything was breakign and it doesnt help that everything is under construction right now.
Matterhorn is kicking my A$$ right now!! 
And I never got to the post office to send out my plants..
I'm a terrible person!
I did go get the box today and am sending out in the morning so hopefully she wont be too mad...


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

Today...I ordered: (1) 50 opae ula; (2) 4 horned nerites; (3) 6 corydora pygmaeus; (4) 8 corydora habrosus; (5) 4 otocinclus (for total of 6 in 20g); and (6) more fish food. Nothing's going to get here until late next week. I got a good deal on everything... but, don't ask me how much I spent  I should be paying off student loans, not buying fish. Now to go hunt down a pair of CPDs...

What do you do for work? That involve FLAME THROWERS and CANNONS? Did you run away to the circus?


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> Today...I ordered: (1) 50 opae ula; (2) 4 horned nerites; (3) 6 corydora pygmaeus; (4) 8 corydora habrosus; (5) 4 otocinclus (for total of 6 in 20g); and (6) more fish food. Nothing's going to get here until late next week. I got a good deal on everything... but, don't ask me how much I spent  I should be paying off student loans, not buying fish. Now to go hunt down a pair of CPDs...
> 
> What do you do for work? That involve FLAME THROWERS and CANNONS? Did you run away to the circus?


Theres lots of CPD near me... 
I could send you some...
Though honestly their not in great shape.


I just looked in the tank and saw a single big Ich spot on the tail of one of the two I bought. Just one...
And I got the two healthiest ones in there.
Normally their fish are quite healthy... But with all those fish coming in some disease is inevitable..
I took both of them and put them in a super concentrated salt bath. They recovered nicely from the salt bath.
The big spot of Ich is gone and they are swimming around normally..
I have been observing them and I think I see 3 or 4 tiny tiny spot on each. Not sure if it is Ich yet.. I turned up the temp to 86. 
I hope the crypts survive....

If they do turn into cysts they are in for another salt bath.

lol... I work at Disneyland..
I guess you could call me a general tech of sorts.
Fireworks, flame throwers, lighting, water jets... Many different things and they all like to break down...


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

That's a cool job! I'm going to hold off on fish since I have 14+ coming. Don't want to pull what I did last time and get another nitrite spike. Hmm I don't have heaters in any of my tanks, wouldn't know what to do in case of an infection. I do have aquarium salt, melafix, and stress coat. 

Pics of the crypts? All I have is a Petco crypt, and a few from an RAOK.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> That's a cool job! I'm going to hold off on fish since I have 14+ coming. Don't want to pull what I did last time and get another nitrite spike. Hmm I don't have heaters in any of my tanks, wouldn't know what to do in case of an infection. I do have aquarium salt, melafix, and stress coat.
> 
> Pics of the crypts? All I have is a Petco crypt, and a few from an RAOK.


It is cool... lots of fun.
Frustrating sometimes but fun. Weve been having lots of problems with our fireworks display.
Thats a good idea. I'm guilty of stocking to quickly.
Or stocking incorrectly.
I love my cories in this tank. But I regret buying them.
I want to upgrade tank size and provide them a bigger home. 
I also want a school of pygmy cories.
Hoping to get a 25+ gallon cube for the cories and tetra's, as well as some german blue rams. And replace them in the six gallon with either pygmaeus or hastatus if I can find them.

I bought my third CPD... which is labeled as galaxy rasbora at my LFS... 
It looks like its in great shape.
I'm not sure how many I want in my final stocking.
I think I might want at least 2 more.
We will see.
He just went through a salt dip.
He didnt have any sign of disease, but the tank he came from had an ich outbreak. Better safe than sorry.

Buy a heater just in case? They are good to have for a disease outbreak.
Get a cheap one on sale. But make sure you can dial up the temp. Aqueon is a good one for that. So does fluval.
It wouldnt hurt to have one in case of emergency..
I try to avoid medicines if possible. I've seen them kill as many fish as they have saved.

My crypts are from petco!!
And a few other sources.
I'm running out of space to post pictures...
Wait till I rescape it!! I'm buying the sand tomorrow, and am on the hunt for the right driftwood.
I'll post a pic then!


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

Found a new LFS today, had $1.5 otos and $1.6 neon tetras. Neons wouldn't fit in with any of my tanks. They're just too colorful / shiny to look natural, maybe in a tank with densely planted red & green plants. I think a pair of CPD is enough, you should stock slow, wait a week or two, then see. Didn't find any CPDs, but almost got a pair of lyretail guppies today to be my centerpiece, they were beautiful.

How much fauna do you have in each of your tanks? I think I may have ordered too much fish.

If I put everything in my 20g I'll have: 6 pygmy, 8 habrosus, 6 otos, 3 adult platies + 16 fry, ~14 RCS with babies on the way, too many snails. That's overstocked right? 

I could move the 6 otos to the 9g, and the 6 pygmies to the 5g, but I don't know... I read a 5g was small but they're doing fine in yours (even laying eggs)?


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> Found a new LFS today, had $1.5 otos and $1.6 neon tetras. Neons wouldn't fit in with any of my tanks. They're just too colorful / shiny to look natural, maybe in a tank with densely planted red & green plants. I think a pair of CPD is enough, you should stock slow, wait a week or two, then see. Didn't find any CPDs, but almost got a pair of lyretail guppies today to be my centerpiece, they were beautiful.
> 
> How much fauna do you have in each of your tanks? I think I may have ordered too much fish.
> 
> ...


I had guppies... It didnt end well..
Fish stores are expensive near you...
Neons and oto's are both 99 cents near me.
I'm not sure CPD make great centerpieces for such a large tank. They are the size of a neon at best... What about a pair of german blue rams?
I would be living vicariously through your tank. I've always wanted a pair.
No eggs right now, but I have a waterchange coming up... Well...
Most of the aquarium world doesnt like nano's.
Alot of people are of the mind that anything under 10 gallons is unfit for fish.
Honestly.. would they like more space?
Yes.. All fish would...
But seriously.. They are fine in a 5 gallon. I dare say perfect for a 5 gallon. If you look on my Hate Tank you can see them sometimes.
They often appear as little stripes. 
There is two in the right corner, and one in the back right against the wall in this picture. http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=41223&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1328075974
Thats them full grown.
Not only are they spawning but I dare say they are thriving.
Just my personal opinion though.

My LFS has some nice fish in right now.
And I finally found an employee that is willing to work with me and knows what hes talking about. 
I was looking at the Threadfin Rainbows he has. They are stunning.
He had some really dark cherries as well. Almost a deep wine colour.
Not solid like the high grades, but a nice colour.
I was considering getting some for this tank as part of a clean up crew. A nice pop of colour.

Well... I lean towards the overstocked side.
My water test perfect, and everyone is healthy and active and happy.
So I don't really consider my tanks overstocked.
Theres ample room to roam and wander. 
Alot of people would consider my tank stocked with just my two sparkling gourami's. So having the cories in there as well. And adding other fish, would be way overstocked to them.
Overstocked is pretty relative.

In my tanks I have,
5.5
2 red lip nerites
1 ramshorn 
9 Habrosus
2 Sparkling gourami's

4 gallon
1 zebra nerite
1 ramshorn
1 Betta
8 Adult Blue Pearl Shrimp
Unknown number of Shrimp babies.
3 Ghost shrimp

6.6 gallon
1 ramshorn
1 zebra nerite
1 oto cat 
3 celestial danios
5 leopard cories
5 pygmaeus cories.

1 gallon
2 baby horned nerites
8 yellow shrimp

45 gallon tub pond
1 oranda goldfish
1 ryukin goldfish


I want to get the leopard cories out and either move the pygmaeus with them (only if I find hastatus), or bump their school numbers up (more likely).
The leopard cories were a newbie stocking mistake.
This thing has a GIANT footprint.
Its the same footprint as my friends 20 gallon.
Its just really shallow.
With substrate in, its probably 6 - 7 inches from the sand to the surface of the water.
Great for cories.
The final stocking of this tank is still a mystery to me,
Eventually I would like 5 CPD and 11 - 13 pygmy cories. After that I might be satisfied I might want more. Who knows. 
Entertaining the idea of a few cherry shrimp as well...
Well to me the tank you plan isnt overstocked at all.
As long as you don't keep the fry in there to adulthood.

My main concern would be if the oto's have enough to eat.
But you could always supplement their diet.
I know they like groups of six or more. But I always get weird oto's. They hate being near one another. And if I try and introduce more they become pale and skinny and hide all the time. 
If I remove them or they die.
The oto is dark and active and happy and fat. Its strange, but happens with every single one I buy. So I normally keep them singularly or in small numbers.


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

Thx that makes me feel more confident, I know I'll have to take some platies out, they're huge and poop so much. I moved 4 fry to the 9g already, but I don't think it can sustain them and shrimp, the filter is very weak. The 5g has better filtration and the same footprint (just 1/2 as tall). 

Lol, those were the cheapest otos and neons I've seen. Regular are $2.59 and $3. 

Read some conflicting things about CPDs, some say they should be kept in 5+, others say the males spar with each other and you should only have 1 male and while they're good to keep in a group they're not a true schooling species. I would really keep it at 3 now and see.

The 6.6g is 24" long, so I think you have more leeway with dwarf cories. Leopards go up to 2" though, but pygmaeus are perfect. You're overfiltering it?

Your pond is understocked no? Can you move your leopards in there? Guess you would never see them though. Is the pond planted? You should do a journal for it


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> Thx that makes me feel more confident, I know I'll have to take some platies out, they're huge and poop so much. I moved 4 fry to the 9g already, but I don't think it can sustain them and shrimp, the filter is very weak. The 5g has better filtration and the same footprint (just 1/2 as tall).
> 
> Lol, those were the cheapest otos and neons I've seen. Regular are $2.59 and $3.
> 
> ...


Are you going to try and sell them? you could simply use it as a grow out tank.
My LFS takes in fish for store credit.

Theres always conflicting info in the internet. Makes it hard to research.
From what I've seen. They aren't schooling.. But they do like company.
I see them. They are sort of like my sparkling gourami's. They play chase for a couple seconds, then circle one another for a few more second. Then they do a sort of sparing thing. But they don't actually hurt one another.
Its more... This is where I am.. Know that..
I dont know..
They do not actually nip or tear at anything though.
Sort of looks more like playing than fighting.

I can also tell that they like company.
I don't think keeping them in small groups or singularly would be detrimental. But I can still they they do enjoy the company of one another. 
They swim together and eat together and hang out in a little group all over my tank. 
I don't know... Two more doesnt sound too bad.
I'm gonna wait at least a week though. Give my filter time to catch up.
See how they behave once they have been in for a little while.

Besides I'm treating one of them right now for finrot and I only like to treat one fish at a time. Or I start to get overwhelmed. I will treat all of them at once if I have to.
But I do try and buy fish one at a time and treat them individually.
I felt ok with the cories from Msjninkzd and gourami BobsTropical because they quarantine before they sell...
Hes the one that had the ich spot.
After the spot fell off in the salt treatment it became evident that he had the beginning stages of finrot.
All over his back fin and a little on his right pectoral.
The salt treatment helped alot but I'm still working on it.
His pectoral is all better but his tail fin is basically gone. He has the lower 1/3 of it left.
The fin rot itself looks to be just about gone. Now for the actual healing to start on it. Hoping it regrows. The lack of one doesnt seem to affect him at all. But still... Not having a fin is pretty sad.

I have alot of leeway with the dwarf cories and other smaller species.
The leopard cories are in too small of a tank though.
I really want them out.
But I love them so and arent willing to sell them.
I'm looking for a cube, or a deep tank.
Like really deep.
Hopefully cheap as well.
I want it to be at least 20 gallons. To house a pair of german blue rams, and the leopard cories. Possible some other species as well..
Not sure..
But I can't seem to find anything.

My 5.5 and 6.6 have Aquaclear 20's on them. Which is more than enough filter to keep up with my stocking levels.
And they both have a prefilter sponge over the intake.
Which IMO add a huge layer of mechanical and biological filtration in my tanks.

Actually my pond is overstocked.
30 gallons per fancy goldfish. Honestly more like 50 if you want them to reach full potential.
And the one I have is only 45 gallons.

However they are just babies. Maybe the size of... my palm.
They don't fill my hand, but do fill my palm, excluding fins.
It is planted, but I'm waiting for it to start filling in before posting pics. I have a water lilly growing in there and am waiting for it to reach the surface and start flowering.
I did start a journal though.
Captain Harlocks Chest of Eden.
Havent linked it because theres no photos or anything.
Plus I thought it was a 30 gallon tub, but it was a 21 gallon tub. And I could tell it was too small for the lily. And I was going to upgrade it.
I just re did it and upgraded to a 45 gallon tub.

I'm actually going to start construction on a 700 gallon pond sometime this spring or summer. And am going to eventually transfer over these two to that pond. And eventually add in 10 more to the 700 gallon.


My oranda is Captain Harlock. As he only has one eye.
I did consider putting the cories in there though. Since the goldfish are so small it really wouldnt hurt the waterfall filter I have set up.
But even with the heater in there its just enough to stave off the cold.
Since the goldies were so small when I got them I put in a heater to keep them a little warmer while they built up fat reserves.
Since upgrading, on high, its enough to just barely keep the temp in the 60's.
Pretty soon though the water should warm up nicely and stay warm. I could keep them in there once that happens. Bump my pygmaeus school up. And work on getting them a bigger tank before Fall...


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

Hope they recover, I put my male & female betta together to spawn (newbie inclination), he tore her fins and she soon had fin rot (when I forgot to change the water in her medicine-vase for 1 day!). Salt + melafix + stress coat worked and it grew back. You just have to keep the water pristine unless there's a filter in your qt. Or just take them out for dips. 

Those cories don't need something deep? Get a 20 long from Petco when it's on sale ($20), that's where I got mine during the $1/gal sale.

Really about the pond? How big are those goldfish!? Lol about the 1-eye and the name.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> Hope they recover, I put my male & female betta together to spawn (newbie inclination), he tore her fins and she soon had fin rot (when I forgot to change the water in her medicine-vase for 1 day!). Salt + melafix + stress coat worked and it grew back. You just have to keep the water pristine unless there's a filter in your qt. Or just take them out for dips.
> 
> Those cories don't need something deep? Get a 20 long from Petco when it's on sale ($20), that's where I got mine during the $1/gal sale.
> 
> Really about the pond? How big are those goldfish!? Lol about the 1-eye and the name.


By deep I mean from back to front. Not from bottom to top.
Like cubes are deep.
I love all that depth in those tanks. Like the marineland 27 gallon cube, or the marineland 56 gallon column.
I love newbie breeding mistakes. Live and learn I say....

I hope it grows back....


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

Why wide tanks, if they swim towards the back you can't see them as well lol. I guess it would add more dimension though, deep and wide = probably better for sloping scapes. All my tanks are flat 

Don't really have any close LFS besides Petsmart/Co. I don't think even any of the custom-owned ones purchase, I'd be happy giving them away, but no one wants plain/weird looking platies (aren't all pandas, had mutts). They're still 0.2-0.5" so I have a month or two to figure it out.

I keep purchasing plants, I think I have every type of nano floater available now? (frogbits+salvinia minima+duckweed+rrf+dwarf lettuce), and got regular water lettuce. Just waiting for some leafy reds and dwarf crypts to get here then I'm stopping, lol. I can probably put together a sandwich bag of frogbits now if you still want them (others are more slow-growing)

I just need more shrimp, no baby shrimps anywhere (blue rili-berried missing again for days--this time I think I really did squish it while moving my moss tree). One platy fry got stuck behind the moss wall but I found it in time.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> Why wide tanks, if they swim towards the back you can't see them as well lol. I guess it would add more dimension though, deep and wide = probably better for sloping scapes. All my tanks are flat
> 
> Don't really have any close LFS besides Petsmart/Co. I don't think even any of the custom-owned ones purchase, I'd be happy giving them away, but no one wants plain/weird looking platies (aren't all pandas, had mutts). They're still 0.2-0.5" so I have a month or two to figure it out.
> 
> ...


I don't know, I love the depth. I just do...
I slope all my tanks.. Which is interesting with a soil substrate.
And cubes and tanks with lots of depth are so appealing... Looking for a cheaper one.
This is one of two stores besides PetSmart and Petco that sells freshwater. And the other one specializes in Aggressive fish and mainly saltwater. This one didn't start getting anything interesting in till around 3 months ago. They installed a whole new row of tanks, and a huge tank in the back dedicated to plants.
But it was always something I couldnt own.
Like zebra plecos. or hillstream loaches, and leaf fish.
They were all cool but I didn't have room for any of them.
Their plants were always anubias, hornwort, red ludwigia. All things I had and got from petsmart.
Sometime very recently they set up a whole new row of tank dedicated to invertebrates, plants, and nano fish.
Really gettign happy with it now.
They sell questionable things though.
Like Gars, and lynx kittens...

I just got some frogbit and salvinia, But the Dwarf water lettuce would be wonderful when you get more.

If your looking for a specific plant or fish at any point let me know.
I can check round here for you... Whats dwarf crypt? 
Do you see shrimplettes?
OR is she just missing.
Some of my shrimp go missing for days...


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

It's a smaller crypt, http://www.aquahobby.com/garden/e_cwillisii.php (C. Willisi)

Don't see shrimplets  she has nowhere to hide though, unless she overturned a giant rock. I want to start a bucket outside just to breed shrimp, throw in some soil, hornwort, etc... never have enough. Please post a pic of your container pond, I may just buy a tupperware thing, but can they hold water?


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> It's a smaller crypt, http://www.aquahobby.com/garden/e_cwillisii.php (C. Willisi)
> 
> Don't see shrimplets  she has nowhere to hide though, unless she overturned a giant rock. I want to start a bucket outside just to breed shrimp, throw in some soil, hornwort, etc... never have enough. Please post a pic of your container pond, I may just buy a tupperware thing, but can they hold water?


I think I just bought that. It was an unnamed crypt from petco...

They sure can. Depending on the plastic you might have to support it.
With this one I took two wooden boards and attached them together on either side for extra support.
On top of that I surrounded it with a layer of clay, to both insulate and support the container.
Not to mention that I can plant the outside with pretty stones and flowers and herbs...
I'll post a pic once the sun is up.


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

It's a slow growing crypt but after a year it can look like










I can't do rocks and things given that it's on a balcony, and I have no power tools, so it would just have to be the container supporting the weight, maybe some textured foam pieces to look good. Lol I could use my huge water cooler, but the better half would not let me use something we put food in for camping for shrimp.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> It's a slow growing crypt but after a year it can look like
> 
> 
> I can't do rocks and things given that it's on a balcony, and I have no power tools, so it would just have to be the container supporting the weight, maybe some textured foam pieces to look good. Lol I could use my huge water cooler, but the better half would not let me use something we put food in for camping for shrimp.


Awesome!!
Thats totally what I have!!!
Awesome!!
Now If only I could find the identities of my two other crypts.

Well honestly I went with a much flimsier container than I planned. I went for one with more gallons/space. 
At Homedepot the have one with rigid rigid plastic that I'm sure could hold water with no support...
Ahaha... My better half would just be sitting there.. Stuttering.
"what about the beer?"


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

An update

It seems that despite my many many many disease free experiences with this fish store, that this will not be one.
With my goal being 5 I decided to go out and purchase two more. Knowing full well that they would most likely come in with something or the other.
Oddly I am not worried about my cories. They have survived extreme temps, fluctuations, water parameters going crazy, newbie mistakes, and seem oddly disease resistant despite several outbreaks.

I got home, I have made it procedure with these fish to give them a salt dip before introduction.
I know I really should quarantine them. But I sort of have a only the strong will survive attitude with my tanks. My quarantine tank is more for individual cases or outbreak in my tank.
Not for adding them in.
I dipped them and added them into my tank. Everyone was doing well.
I had three that were concerning me.
The one with fin rot.
One with a small split in the tail.
And one with a discoloured patch on his back.
I captured them and prepared a salt dip, and a maracyn bath.
I placed them in the bath for 30 minutes to which they responded well..
And a salt dip, to which they responded well.
I added them back into the tank and did a 25% water change. Trying to keep it sparkly clean and all, what with all the healing going on.

I then took a nap with my cats.
I awoke to find that someone, I suspect Toki, had unplugged my heater. The water had gone from 86 to 64.
I turned it back on and checked on my fish.
My cories were unaffected as usual.
My oto was in the back, pale, but unharmed, and my CPD's seemed to be doing fine.

I inspected further and could only count 3.
The one with fin rot didn't take the sudden temp drop well. He was already dead.
And one more was on its side gasping. The one with a split in its tail
That one died a few minutes later. It's entire side and stomach had turned white.

The remaining three seem to be doing well. 
One does have a discoloured patch on its back.
Since they are fairly new, and went through handling and stress from the bath and dip I have yet to figure out what the patch it.
So far it looks to be columnaris, but I am hoping he is just discoloured from all the stress of todays events. If it is gone tomorrow I have no more plans to treat any of them.
But only if the patch is gone by tomorrow morning. If it is still there I will try and get a definite diagnosis and treat accordingly. 
Seeing as the other two are showing no signs of sickness I plan to just run high temp with a little salt as a preventative course of action.
I also plan on getting two more.
I have no money right now so I am not sure how I plan on doing that.
But I do plan on it.
Hopefully the next two will be disease free and happy.
Or have something simple to cure.. Like ich.
I am really really hoping that that one CPD is only pale from stress, and not infected with columnaris. Really Really hoping.

To be terrible honest fish diseases really really really really really really freak me out.
Dropsy being the worst. And I generally don't do much beyond basic care.
If the disease is to advanced, or freaks me out too much, or the fish is really replacable, I will just euthanize and replace it.
Still mulling over what I will do if it is in fact something other than discolouration.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

The saddle on one is gone. But another is displaying torn fins and discolouration...
Getting a little discouraged.


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

I wouldn't risk any more CPDs, unless you have a quarantine tank. There's a good chance that whatever they have will move to your oto and cories, and you can't dip cories in salt bathes (scaleless, sensitive, don't know how much they can tolerate)


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> I wouldn't risk any more CPDs, unless you have a quarantine tank. There's a good chance that whatever they have will move to your oto and cories, and you can't dip cories in salt bathes (scaleless, sensitive, don't know how much they can tolerate)


I've totally preformed salt dips for my cores in the past.
They dont handle high levels of salt well for extended periods but low levels or quick dips they take in stride.
Well I have two survivors of the original 5 CPD. 
One seems to be not doing so well...
Keeping an eye out. They still have around 5 left. If they are there in a week or so I might start buying more. Who knows lol..
In other news. I poisoned my fish.

My husband left his cigs above my tank. And I awoke to one floating in the tank. I woke up at 4am to my cat meowing at the door. I opened it and let him in and noticed it.
I took it out. I have no idea how long it was in there. 
It had some interesting effects on my fish. 
I had no available water conditioner. I had just run out the night before, and was going to get some the next day.
So no water conditioner and 5 hours till the nearest fish store opened. 

I just had to hope. 
I didnt want to put them in a different tank, due to the recent disease outbreaks... 

I was up all night watching anxiously. My snails went un affected...
The oto was the first to show any symptoms. He suddenly went all white, and stuck himself upside down, on the driftwood. He didnt attach himself via his mouth like normal. He clamped tight unto the wood with his front fins. 
After that he didnt move at all.
The CPD suddenly started darting back and forth at supersonic speed. They continued doing that for the rest of the night.
The cories displayed the most interesting behavior.
Both the pygmaeus and leopard had the same reactions. Despite their size difference.
At first they slowly stopped moving. And their gills began moving rapidly. I put in an airstone, but they never stopped. Even after the addition of an airstone.
Then they started to swim back and forth in a giant group. One huge school of cories.
After that they all paired up and a mass spawning took place. They all began breeding. But didn't seem know what to do with the eggs. Instead of putting them all over the leaves like normal they put them on the heater and the wood and the sand. Mainly the sand.
After that they all begin swimming in circled. Like a dog chasing its tail.
It never stopped. They swam and swam in circled. Some large circles, some small. But for the rest of the night they swam in circles.
I've been slowly changing all the water throughout the day. 
I'm pretty sure that the water has been completely changed out by now. But I'm gonna do a few more to make me feel better.
No one has died. In fact it doesnt really seem to be affecting anyone really negatively. 
It really seems more like giving a 5 year old a coffee. Spun. They seem so spun out right now.
So... Yup... theres that.
I have no idea... I'll update tomorrow on how everything goes.


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

Nicotine poisoning? I don't get it, the cigarette was left on top of the tank, how did the smoke get in? Or it fell in the tank? Smoking is bad, mkay?

In other news I got my c. habrosus and c. pygmaeus , opae ulas too! I don't think the fish have eaten anything though, don't know what to feed them... tried flakes, veg sticks, algae wafers, soilent green. I still haven't made food yet.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> Nicotine poisoning? I don't get it, the cigarette was left on top of the tank, how did the smoke get in? Or it fell in the tank? Smoking is bad, mkay?
> 
> In other news I got my c. habrosus and c. pygmaeus , opae ulas too! I don't think the fish have eaten anything though, don't know what to feed them... tried flakes, veg sticks, algae wafers, soilent green. I still haven't made food yet.


I don't smoke. My husband does lol..
What happened is he left his pack above the fishtank, and somehow while I was sleeping, one of them got out of the pack and fell in through the little feeding hole in the front. 
No smoke got in. I had unit cigarette soaking into the tank though.
I'm not sure how long it soaked into there though.
Everyone is doing better right now. They are still doing odd things every so often but for the most part its back to normal.

I would stop trying to feed them. New fish never eat for me. So I usually don't get concerned or even tried to feed them for a couple days. If they don;t eat by the end fo 4 or 5 days I start to get worried.
My habrosus didn't eat for a while in my hate tank. Around a week.
Now they are all fat and happy!!
I'm so happy they came in!! Arent they just adorable?!?!?
What are the opae ulas like?


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

Glad the fish are ok. The cig wasn't in there for long. 

Shrimp are tiny!


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> Glad the fish are ok. The cig wasn't in there for long.
> 
> Shrimp are tiny!


After a complete 100%water change everyone is doing great.
Need to go get at least 1 more CPD... Theres only two now. And one is a big bully. I noticed aggression was waaaaaay down with at least 3...


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

My two remaining CPD are healing up quickly and doing really well.
I went back for more, but they were all out.
The guy said he would try and order but to check back Thursday.
I found out that the new plant, invertebrate, and nano fish section. As well as the recent inflow or interesting fish is the work of the two employees. And that the manager is the one that orders the sick boring fish. And that he doesnt care about the fish section and only lets them order things on occasion. 
Which is why they dont often get the things in I request.
But he said that if he does let him buy the fish they would be in on Thursday.
They got some L333 pleco's in.. Not sure what that name is or means, but they are just AMAZING!!! They also got umm... L190?? Possibly.. lol.. Looked similar to the L333.
Too bad I don't have room... 
I went out and got some new plants. I got some type of pennywort. Which was tangled in with some unknown sort of plant. He didnt realise (the manager) that they were separate plants and just bagged them. No idea what it is. Real fragile. I'm hoping to get an ID sometime soon.
It that came two tiny flakes of what I believe is subwassertang. Not sure... Gonna look into an ID on that too.
What makes me interested is that there wasnt any sort of plant like that anywhere in the tank.
I also went out and got two pieces of Mopani wood.
Hoping to go with this crypt low light jungle theme.. Sort of.. we will see.
They are boiling away right now.
Thanks Xenxes for the tip about the wood in the reptile section.

I picked up 4 unnamed crypts from petco. I think one or two might be ones I already owned. But they were ones I wanted more of.... So its ok...
I have some Java fern and Windelov java fern prepared. Have been looking into types of anubias and really really need to order some more petite. Like tons of petite. 
The salvinia and frogbit are starting to take off.. 
And... yup.. thats about it.
Changes well on the way... Just hope it looks good in the end. At least it will look better than it does now...
I should take a picture.. Show how bad it looks right now.. The fish love it though.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

HOLY BAT NIPPLES BATMAN!!!!
This mopani wood is never gonna boil clear I had it in lukewarm water for a few minutes while I turned on the stove and fed my cats. I turned around and the water was red. So red I couldnt even see the wood in the bottom of the pot.
Heres a very bad cell pic of the tank.. See why I hate it?
Aweful.
Right now it is serving as a plant holding tank till I get everything together for the day of the rescape.
Yoy can see my two CPD...
I have almost no clue about any of the crypts.. And no idea what the fluffy stems in left and right corners are...


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

So.. Ever since the Cig fell into the tank. Despite a 100% water change. My cories, both kinds, have not stopped spawning.. At all... 
Every time I look at the tank there is a new pairing happening. I have only fed them twice in the whole week because everyone is constantly chowing down on eggs..
Its insane...
How is it even possible for them to produce this many eggs this fast?

So the wood is still boiling.. and still boiling.. And still boiling..
Because they wont go clear!!
Ok one of the pieces only turns the water a lighter pale tea colour now. 
But the other one turns the water a dark red colour within minutes every single time!
It's insane. This thing turns a bucket of coldwater red in an hour. Theres no way carbon or Purigen could even keep up with this.
Whats worse is I'm not sure I even like this piece.
My plan is to have two opposing slopes of sorts, with a giant piece of driftwood on either end. I mean a pretty dominating piece of driftwood. Floaters, and to hills of crypts and anubias and java fern on either slope around the driftwood.
Maintaining such a slope with sand and MGOPS is difficult enough. And my cories make it almost impossible. The pygmies do no damage but my leopards can decimate slopes. Which is why I might be waiting a while before scaping it.
I think I really want to move them to a larger tank, or at least the tub pond. In the summer it will be warm enough for them. Not right now though. I'm waiting on the weather.
Eventually I want to get them their own larger tank though. With some GBR... And some tetra's. Possibly some other weird odd fish I decide to stick in.
And then stock this tank with CPD and pgymy cories. I want 11 - 13 pygmy cories and 5 CPD... I think thats all....
Anyway. So until that day I might just wait. Let my floaters fill in so I can remove the wisteria from up top. I have the wisteria floating to prepare my plants for the lighting they will have with a layer of frogbit and salvinia. Let the crypts grow and hopefully get good picture to get proper ID on them. So I can figure out where the heck I'm gonna place them... 
Oh god.. I started rambling and completely got away from the whole driftwood story. 
Anyhow I really dig this one piece of driftwood. Sort of rotted hallow stump with large roots type thing... That might be a bad description.
Thats the one thats barely leaching tannins now. I really like it.
however despite going to 8 different store I only found two pieces I.. Kinda liked. Sort of.
I grabbed the better of the two. Thats the ones that is leaching tannins like crazy. And some sort of white goop. And scum...
And I'm not even sure if I want to use it or replace it. I have to see it in the tank..
Ah well...


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

Which cories are spawning? The pygmaeus? I never get to see mine, they always hide (even with 11 in the tank). The habrosus in the 20g are much more active and swim towards my hand during feeding time. The wood tannins aren't harmful, my pH in the 5g is 6.8 (20g is 7 without), a lot of fish prefer a black water environment. 

Pygmaeus corydoras are from black water rivers, tolerate pH 6.4 to 7.4. CPDs tolerate 6.5 to 7.5, but are from more alkaline waters (recorded 7.3 in natural environment). I'm sure the wood is fine, you don't have to rid of all the tannins.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> Which cories are spawning? The pygmaeus? I never get to see mine, they always hide (even with 11 in the tank). The habrosus in the 20g are much more active and swim towards my hand during feeding time. The wood tannins aren't harmful, my pH in the 5g is 6.8 (20g is 7 without), a lot of fish prefer a black water environment.
> 
> Pygmaeus corydoras are from black water rivers, tolerate pH 6.4 to 7.4. CPDs tolerate 6.5 to 7.5, but are from more alkaline waters (recorded 7.3 in natural environment). I'm sure the wood is fine, you don't have to rid of all the tannins.


Both are spawning... constantly...
Habrosus are much more social and laid back than pygmaeus.... My pygmaeus only come out because of the ridiculous amount of plant cover everywhere...

I know the tannins arent harmful.. I just don't want them for this tank.
One day I will do a black water Biotope... But I want clear water for this one.
I think my water is smack dab in the middle.. From the tap its 8.2 but if you let it sit for a day it goes down to 7.2, in tank its around 6.9...
So... I dunno... everyone is doing real well.
I'm still soaking the driftwood till its the day of the rescape lol..


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

Well the driftwood has slowed down it's tannin release significantly. It is off my stove and into a tub out back to soak till the day of the rescape...
Instead of the normal deep red colour it has reduced to light gold. Something that I know carbon can totally handle.
I went to the fish store and purchased 3 CPD to replace the ones that died. This batch looks aloooooot healthier and their fish seemed up to par.
I gave them a mild salt and maracyn dip just to get off any nasties that might have been floating around.
I just got home (found an awesome chinese place to eat at) so I havent seen how they have taken to the tank. When I left them they were doing really well... 
The breeding frenzy has died down and now I'm getting the normal 1 - 2 pairings a week.
The crypts... None of them melted. At all. I was expecting the infamous crypt melt. But they not only didn't melt. But have started exploding into growth.
My search for a local helvola lily is becoming harder. I want a bulb to grow out rather than an already started plant. I've noticed taking a plant grown in full sun and putting it in a fish tank doesn't go over so well. I also do not want the giant root base that will come with and established bulb.
The floaters are starting to explode into growth. The coverage is getting larger by the day and I can finally start removing the floating water wisteria. 
Everything is doing really well in the lower light levels and I've noticed my fish seem to adore it.
Now I have two questions for all of you... 
1 - What type for dwarf shrimp should I put in here?
2 - How can a build a shelf to support this tank?
I want a shrimp that stands out but not too much. I would like it as a cleanup crew and a side source of beauty and money.
And I want to move this tank to a shelf that is high up on my wall. Almost like a floating shelf. 
Thats all the updates for now.. Lots of different fish things going on but thats it for this tank..


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

Well... 
I've redone the tank. It is by no means complete, there are many more plants I need/want to put in. And I need to restock. 
But It looks better than before. It has the base of what I want.
All it needs is some more plant additions and some plant shuffling.
I did not have nearly enough plants to get this thing nice and bushy.
Also needs some rocks, and possibly some white sand in that dip.
I'm going to be adding in an amano shrimp as well as some future dwarf shrimp..
Ignore how sparse it is.. And cloudy. I took this pic around 10 minutes after I had filled it and turned the filters on...


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

I LOVE that tree stump on the right, looks like a scary movie mask, but way more twisted.

Agree a small white sand beach in the dip would look great. Awesome (re)start!


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## dasob85 (Feb 4, 2012)

agreed. love the wood on the right


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> I LOVE that tree stump on the right, looks like a scary movie mask, but way more twisted.
> 
> Agree a small white sand beach in the dip would look great. Awesome (re)start!


Its an amazing piece. the hallow stump on the left is pretty wicked as well...
I need to get a good in detail shot of the tank... It seems much more open now. And my CPD is so much more colourful and out there. I see him all the time now.
Eventually I think I want 5 of these guys.. But for now I think 2 or 3 is enough.
I only have one but I think I want to go get 2 more I think.
Once this thing truly fills in like a jungle I may go up to 5...
May...
Who knows... Even I cannot predict the stocking of my tanks... I'm such an impulsive buyer.
I also really want some from this shipment. This batch is super healthy..

I'm rambling...
I cant wait to get everything planted and done and filled out. I think its gonna look alot better than my last one.
Giving up in the water lily idea. I'm thinking it may ruin my scape.


What sand should I use?
I can use my pool filter sand or some of my white caribbsea sand.
Fine or large grain lol? 
Or maybe a mix of both.
Not sure... I dig the idea of lighter rocks in this scape so I think I might go with light grey lace rock.

Lol.. still rambling.. I'm excited over this tank now.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

dasob85 said:


> agreed. love the wood on the right


All thanks to Xenxes..
He totally gave me the tip of the mopani wood in reptile section.
Check out petsmart!!


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## CrazyCatPeekin (Aug 15, 2011)

I think it is looking great! Can't wait to see it filled in!


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

CrazyCatPeekin said:


> I think it is looking great! Can't wait to see it filled in!


Thank you!
I can't wait either!!
Too bad crypts are so slow..






Heres a slightly better pic for yall...


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## dasob85 (Feb 4, 2012)

I like the floating roots. makes the tank look mystical  matches perfectly with the wood too


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

Eldachleich said:


> Its an amazing piece. the hallow stump on the left is pretty wicked as well...
> I need to get a good in detail shot of the tank... It seems much more open now. And my CPD is so much more colourful and out there. I see him all the time now.
> Eventually I think I want 5 of these guys.. But for now I think 2 or 3 is enough.
> I only have one but I think I want to go get 2 more I think.
> ...


Agree water lily will ruin your scape, they grow too fast and too big and obscures every other plant. I had to pull 2 huge plants out of my 20g, and upset maybe 70% of the substrate since they root so deep. 

Just use play sand / filter sand, sand is sand. I have been using Home Depot playsand $5/50lbs, I only buy black carribean sand for looks, but here you actually want white. 

I disagree with lighter rocks though (unless you're putting some on the beach?), but I don't know what they look like yet. I think the small light sand area for the beach is a good focal point / negative space. More lighter color things would detract from it. I've come to realize low rock scapes are pretty useless in heavily planted tanks, soon the plants take over and obscure it all. Good hardscape placement is only good if you're doing an iwagumi section/scape.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> Agree water lily will ruin your scape, they grow too fast and too big and obscures every other plant. I had to pull 2 huge plants out of my 20g, and upset maybe 70% of the substrate since they root so deep.
> 
> Just use play sand / filter sand, sand is sand. I have been using Home Depot playsand $5/50lbs, I only buy black carribean sand for looks, but here you actually want white.
> 
> I disagree with lighter rocks though (unless you're putting some on the beach?), but I don't know what they look like yet. I think the small light sand area for the beach is a good focal point / negative space. More lighter color things would detract from it. I've come to realize low rock scapes are pretty useless in heavily planted tanks, soon the plants take over and obscure it all. Good hardscape placement is only good if you're doing an iwagumi section/scape.


Gosh do they root deep. It was a nice idea though..
Well I have both sands at my house.. I am just planning on using whichever one looks best. I'll have to drop some in and play around a little.. I'm thinking a mix of larger and smaller grains might be nice.

The rocks would be the same kind as in my shrimp cubus. The rocks arent an important factor to the scape honestly. I will be using them mainly to outline the area between the two substrates. Creating a barrier of sorts between the white and black sand. Hope it works out.
I would also have a few rocks actually going into the beach..
We will see!! What ever happens I already like this tank more than my last two scapes.
This hobby is getting fun again!


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

dasob85 said:


> I like the floating roots. makes the tank look mystical  matches perfectly with the wood too


I like them too!!
The whole time they were growing in my other scape I wasn't too sure If I would like them.
But I do!
I do need to trim some of them though as their roots are getting too long.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

I have no where to put this rant... so its going here.
In case you guys don't know. I live at my grandfathers house. Partly to keep up the house, and partly because my mother and I cannot live with each other.
I would move out but I'm currently in a 2 year internship for my future dream job.
Best part about it is that I don't get paid very much.
I'm 22 and still living with family. Isn't it great?
Anyhow..... 
We don't get along too well when we live each other. We get along great with visits and family meals and all that. Just not when we live with one another.

In her house she has several fish tanks. A 5 gallons, a 10 gallon, three 2 gallons, and several betta bowls.

Despite my pleading and advice she way overstocks these tanks.
the 5 gallon contains 4 ghost catfish, 3 x ray tetra's, 4 corydoras catfish, and around 7 guppies.
Lets not forget the scores of ghost shrimp.
In the 10 gallon theres 7 harlequin rasbora's, 8 corydoras catfish, 4 platties, 3 mollies, 4 oto's, and more ghost shrimp.
Over the course of time I've slowly been trying to make their lives the best I could in these tanks. Since she flat out refuses to stock differently.
I've stuffed the tanks with plants, added hardscape, and stocked the filter with actual biomedia.
I gave her a simple list of instructions, as she doesnt like putting in work for the fish. Do a 25% waterchange twice a week, gently squeeze the sponges in the filter in a bowl of old tank water once a month, and do not overfeed.
So of course she doesnt follow them. The entire care for the tanks has fallen on me.
She wont even remove the fish of shrimp if they die.

The one thing she didn't do was ever ever mess with the filter.
Which in the end I became ok with.

Rants almost over I promise.... 
I came over today for a family dinner. While there she informed me that she "did things to the tanks".
I found out that there were several dead shrimp in all the tanks, that had been there "for a few days". She added in at least 14 baby guppies to all the tanks. Took out half my plants "which kicked up alot weird debris". And she "rinsed the spongy thingies in the sink".
And then she asked why all the fish were at the surface gasping.

Anyhow.. that lead to an argument.
But it infuriated me. How can someone with a fish tank not even bother to look up and preform basic fish care.
I dunno.. little enraged right now.
I suppose its a bit hippie dippy of me. But a life is a life is a life.
The life of a fish cat bird or insect is just and important to me as the life of a human or anything else.
So taking those lives out of negligence is just a little much for me to handle.

Its worse that I told her specifically to never ever do the things she did.

Ok... Rants over.
Now...
Tank updates.. 
I now have two more CPD in the tank. I don't want anymore till this tank in completely filled in.
3 is more than enough right now..
My two remaining leopard cories do not like the black sand at all. Makes me giggle.
They like the white caribsea better.
The new CPD are healthy and active. Eating right away too.
I want to order some more pygmy cories. But I'm waiting till there is more plant cover. There are shy little guys. this much open space would just freak them out I think..

And... thats it...
Oh.. and I scratched the front in two places.. Bothers me a little but I can get past it.


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

I like reading your rants, you should just let her do her thing, she'll eventually get tired of restocking fish and retire from the hobby. If she won't listen I think you're just prolonging the inevitable. The Middle East is still in crisis and parts of Africa are still starving. You can only do so much. Let her make her mistakes and deal with the consequences, sometimes it's the only way to learn.

Are the leopard cories light colored? They're probably just trying to camouflage. Go with habrosus imo, you can never see pygmy cories in a planted tank :/


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> I like reading your rants, you should just let her do her thing, she'll eventually get tired of restocking fish and retire from the hobby. If she won't listen I think you're just prolonging the inevitable. The Middle East is still in crisis and parts of Africa are still starving. You can only do so much. Let her make her mistakes and deal with the consequences, sometimes it's the only way to learn.
> 
> Are the leopard cories light colored? They're probably just trying to camouflage. Go with habrosus imo, you can never see pygmy cories in a planted tank :/


Well im happy someone enjoys them lol..
I know there isnt much I can do. But I feel bad just seeing them die like that.
They are light coloured.
Look like this. http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/fish-pictures/leopard-cory-1271955184-800.jpg
They have just discovered that the wood has hindey holes and tunnels and are going nuts swimming through all of them.
I do like habrosus more. But they sadden me at the moment as they all died on me. 
I might get more though.
I was thinking of at least making a semi decent school of pygmy cories. at least 5. There isnt enough and its really affecting them. 
And after that when the tank fills in adding in around 6 - 8 habrosus.

Not sure...
I added in the pool filter sand. No rock separation wall yet as I have to go out and purchase the rocks. All the rocks in my yard have rust on them.
And I'm also out of money. Just spent it all on my garden.
So rocks have to wait for a little while..
I'm not sure how I feel about it. I'm gonna post a pic. You guys let me know what you think. Keep it or get rod of it? Or perhaps shape it differently.


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

3 CPDs, 5 pygmies, 6 habrosus total? That's not bad.

Post pics of your garden


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> 3 CPDs, 5 pygmies, 6 habrosus total? That's not bad.
> 
> Post pics of your garden


I though the stocking wasn't too bad either.
With the giant footprint this thing has I think that stocking would be ok.

I'm running out of picture posting room lol..
I need to go back and get rid of some.
Or figure out something.

Not much of a garden right now. Our actual garden area is being completely redone so I went with a container garden this summer.
Lots of ugly pots stuck next to more ugly pots lol..
I'll try and capture some tomorrow along with my tub pond that I keep forgetting to take pictures of..
Btw.. And plant suggestions for the tub pond?
Yours looks so awesome.

And while im at it. Heres my tank with a rough outline of where the sand going to be. I'm thinking it needs to be a little thinner. Especially around the middle and back.
Or should I scrap the idea all together?


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

So, for the tub pond, all the edible plants I bought online pretty much died out (water cress, water mint, water celery, pennywort). Apparently they need more light than indirect. I ended up just using aquarium clippings, the cabomba and rotalas are showing insane growth, going from 2-3" to water surface in a week, the lilies too, sprouting a new leaf every day.

The white sand is a little wide on the front, but I like the road/river look. I would thin it down a little bit to accomodate for some more plants on the side.

Look at BlueJack's tank for some inspiration:


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> So, for the tub pond, all the edible plants I bought online pretty much died out (water cress, water mint, water celery, pennywort). Apparently they need more light than indirect. I ended up just using aquarium clippings, the cabomba and rotalas are showing insane growth, going from 2-3" to water surface in a week, the lilies too, sprouting a new leaf every day.
> 
> The white sand is a little wide on the front, but I like the road/river look. I would thin it down a little bit to accommodate for some more plants on the side.
> 
> Look at BlueJack's tank for some inspiration:


I didn't know pennywort was edible lol..
I'll have to go to my local nursery and see what they have..
which.. btw...
I have a problem when I shop there.
Alot of the plants we use in the trade they sell as marginals.
Its $5 for a giant one gallon pot of these plants. And I always have tons of leftovers. If you ever see anything you want just let me know and I'll ship them to you.
Of if you ever want me to see if I have anything locally I can do that too...
Just thought I would throw that out there.

That goes for anyone... All it will cost you is shipping. Or the price of the plant/fish if its something you want for your tank and happens to be near me.

All plants from the nursery are grown out of the water..

Anywho...
Have you tried parrots feather?
I know it says full sun but that plant is resilient. It grows in any lighting for me.
Its even still clinging to life in my friends LED 5 gallon.
I have nothing against LED. I in fact love LED and wish it was adopted the world over as our main light source.
This might due to the fact that I spent the better part of a year wiring LED light to a lake...
But her LED lights are weeeeeeeeeaaaaaaak!
These things can barely light her tank up let alone grow plants (hasnt stopped her from trying lol).
Her anubias and java fern are struggling. Alive but not doing great. Yellow leaves in some places. Very slow scrawny growth. But growing. 
Her water wisteria just died. It turned white and died.
The fissidens wont grow. Its weird. Its green and alive. But it literally wont grow. Its the same pieces in the same places as when we glued it in 3 months ago. 
Its a weak light. 
But the parrots feather clung to life, made its way to the surface, and its showing some promising growth.
That last sentence was the whole point of all of that. I talk too much.

Ironically, the mini pellia that died in my tank is thriving in hers.

I'll just have to stick stuff in and see what works. Its hard though because my goldfish eat EVERYTHING!!!!

How funny.. I have that picture saved on my favs just cause I love the jungle of plants on top so much. I was thinking about planting my filters.
I moved the sand around a littleand made it a little thinner. I like it more now.
I'm getting rocks real soon and I'm gonna arrange them and clearly define the line between the sands.
After that its waiting for growth and the slow trickle of new crypts or other interesting plants. 
Speaking of which.. What other kinds of plants should I put in here. I dig the crypts but now its looking almost liek a field of crypts lol. I want a few different things to create some more visual interest.
I know anubias is going to be on the wood. And perhps some java fern in the back behind the wood on the right.
But what else should go in there?


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

Um, I would get rid of your gold fish, otherwise it's just a salad bar... that or use large emergent plants that root in water, anthuriums have worked best for me, peace lilies work also (easily found @ nursery / home depot or walmart).

If you wait I can send you clippings from my tank with the shrimp.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> Um, I would get rid of your gold fish, otherwise it's just a salad bar... that or use large emergent plants that root in water, anthuriums have worked best for me, peace lilies work also (easily found @ nursery / home depot or walmart).
> 
> If you wait I can send you clippings from my tank with the shrimp.


I might have exaggerated a little. They don't eat everything lol.
So far they mainly seem interested in floaters roots. I have all my stem plants from this tank in there. As well as any clippings I've ever taken from other tanks. They leave them alone mainly. 
Duckweed is devoured instantly.
Salvinia not so much... Pretty much left alone.
Water hyacinth lasts maybe a month before they suddenly go to town on it. 
And so on and so forth. Who knows...
I'm rambling again.
For the most part plants survive with them though.
I do have a veggie clipped on to the side at all times though. 

Speaking of them. Restarted their own thread. http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/ponds/173821-captain-harlocks-chest-eden-2-0-a.html
Too lazy to put it in my sig right now...
I have yet to try a peace lily... Cant they handle direct light?


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

New additions to my tank!
I impulse bought again.. I know I know... shame on me...
This time its bumble bee gobies...
I took a gamble. I knew that there were lots of species labeled as "bumble bee goby", and only a few of them are actually freshwater. Most are brackish.
I knew this and got them anyways..
Trying to get an ID but so far no luck...
They came from a freshwater tank and are swimming and eating normally. We will see...
They were on sale for $1 each.
Cute little buggers. I always wanted some...
Also...
Got two sparkling gourami's for my 5.5. And thats it. 
My original intention was to purchase 2 more CPD as the floaters and crypts have filled in some. But the CPD from this batch scared me. They all had super caved in stomachs. And clamped fins. So I purchased those instead.

Thats about my only update... I moved some plants around. Havent added in rocks yet.
I need some plant suggestions. I'm not sure what to fill the rest of it with.
Some anubias nana petite will eventually be making its way in this tank... But thats for the wood and rocks..
What should I do lol?


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## Overgrowth (Feb 19, 2012)

E. parvula? Definitely on my top 3 favorite plant list.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

Overgrowth said:


> E. parvula? Definitely on my top 3 favorite plant list.


Its a bit grassy. I want this one to have a definite jungle feel to it.
Adding grassy plants would just throw me off lol...
I was thinking maybe some form of hygro?
Or perhaps just some crypt parva in the empty spaces. I keep forgetting that plants need time to fill in.












In other news. Update on my new additions.
Two of the gobies died. They did.. within the first day. It was sad but sort of expected. When I took them home one was waaay darker and more active than the other two. Guess which one is still around?
He's super cute. Spends all day walking up and down the tank and swimming through all the leaves.
The piece of driftwood on the right is now his domain. The many many twists and tunnels and caves and hidey holes are much to his liking. And he spends a good portion of the day cleaning it out, and guarding it.

I also added two oto's. My other one died. He was near 3 years old so I suppose it was his time.
These two are skinny and small... Very skinny and small.
But! My leaves are spotless.... Been slowly fattening them up.
And thats it.. I believe..


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

So much death! 










X(

When did you even get gobies?


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> So much death!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I know!! I feel like a fish murderer... I tested the levels and everything. All is well.
Everything that is in or comes in contact with the tank is fish safe.

I'm trying to find a cause for the recent string of deaths...
Heres what my brain made up. 
The habrosus had some sort of internal parasite. The one from my LFS is the only one left and its doing great. 
With the CPD and Gobies I assume I got some bad ones in my batch because they all died within a couple days of purchase.
And finally, my city treated the water with something for a few days and my more sensitive fish died along with my most of my snails and shrimp.
I still havent found a reason for my sparkling gourami's and my leopard cories mysteriously disappearing. 
My friend thinks either my cats got them or the ramshorns did.

Either that or I'm doing something horribly horribly wrong. And don;t know what it is.
But... In other news... Ever since that massive die off not much has died. Just an old oto, and two brand new gobies.
the gobies seriously died off within the first 6 hours of being in my tank. I even drip acclimated them to be nice. But the one thats still doing well is doing REALLY well..
He's the kind of his territory.
Its funny... He completely ignores the oto's. And only bothers my cories if they get within an inch of him. But he wont let my 3 CPD's within 5 inches of him. No attacking or anything. He just swim out real fast and scares them.
Did I mention he looks grumpy?
I think grumpy things are adorable. 
It started with a cat we adopted. She was around 4, a maine ****, and de-clawed. The de-clawing left her with a permanent hobble and a very angry grumpy disposition. I ended up bonding with her and she turned out to be an amazing cat. Still very grumpy but amazing all the same. 
With a great appreciation for the outdoors. 
She would go out every day and sniff each individual flower from left to right. Eventually falling asleep under the tree.
After that it was solidified by another rescue. A 3 year old flame point Himalayan. Which, since it has a squished in face, looks very grumpy.
And he was grumpy.
I'm totally not ok with a squished in face. Most of those cats have such a hard time breathing. It's just sad.
He's not a particularly well bred cat so his face isnt too squished.
He's since won my heart as well. And is perhaps one of the most composed graceful wonderful cats I've owned. He just has this air of quiet power and dignity about him. And his so patient and nice.
Hes great with kids and kittens. I love him.
Angry cats are the ones I love most at shelters. Ever since Epiphany (My Grandma named her, suited her in the end). I instantly gravitate towards them. And since I will just sit there and pet them no matter how much they fight, scratch, and bite it usually ends up being a good match. 
A virtue I learned from Epiphany. Who would instantly attack anyone who came near. Now I can just withstand that barrage of attacks, they dont even hurt actually. Cat scratches and bites sting more than anything. Eventually they calm down and just enjoy being loved.
And now I have a grumpy angry fish! It seems this love is developing all across the board. He' winning me over.
I wonder what other grumpy fish I can get?

I rambled again!
I am so bad with this...

I got the gobies around 3 days ago?
I posted it in this journal.
I also got two sparkling gourami's.
For the 5.5.
I saw them and remembered why I loved them. And they were cheap. 
For the price of 2 CPD I got 7 fish.
3 bumble bee gobies, 2 oto's, and 2 sparkling gourami's.
Seemed like a good deal.
I'll try and get a good pic of him tonight.


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

It's okay I killed my entire colony of opaes. Surprisingly I haven't lost any fish at all. I didn't even acclimate my recent batch of CPDs, just tossed them in and they're thriving. I've been planting more and more and more and feeding live food, to simulate a nature environment, I think it helps. But all my fish species are pretty hardy, corydoras, CPDs, platies. Well the otos aren't, but they're still kicking.

You should start shopping at a LFS with a 7-day back guarantee (Petsmart has 14 days). 

Lol I love how you went off on a tangent and started talking about cats! I'm stopping at 1 cat, and even that's too much, thought multiple times about declawing him, but it would be cruel if he ever "escaped into the wild." He doesn't attack me, anymore, when he did I bit back.  *coughs out a furball*


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> It's okay I killed my entire colony of opaes. Surprisingly I haven't lost any fish at all. I didn't even acclimate my recent batch of CPDs, just tossed them in and they're thriving. I've been planting more and more and more and feeding live food, to simulate a nature environment, I think it helps. But all my fish species are pretty hardy, corydoras, CPDs, platies. Well the otos aren't, but they're still kicking.
> 
> You should start shopping at a LFS with a 7-day back guarantee (Petsmart has 14 days).
> 
> Lol I love how you went off on a tangent and started talking about cats! I'm stopping at 1 cat, and even that's too much, thought multiple times about declawing him, but it would be cruel if he ever "escaped into the wild." He doesn't attack me, anymore, when he did I bit back.  *coughs out a furball*


Lol... I rarely ever acclimate. Normally Its super lazy. I put half tank water and half store water in a bowl. After it sits for about 10 minutes I take them out and plop them in my tank.
This is the first time I drip acclimated. I regret it.
I try and feed a good diet. I don't have any live food cultures... Though now that its warm I'm gonna harvest some mosquito larvae.
I do mainly feed those frozen live foods... Like brine shrimp and bloodworms and whiteworms and what have you.
Other than that its my homemade food or veggies.
I'm trying to stuff my tanks with plants.. But its hard.. I'm poor and not much is locally available. But I'm still trying. I'm trying to get my 6.6 all planted and ready for the rili's.
I have a things for cats.
Grew up with them...
Good.. Bite him back!!! They need it lol... I dont understand people who don't discipline their cats. Don't beat the crap out of it but if it bit you bite it back. They learn real quick lol..
They understand what they did. Thats also how mom and their litter mates teach them to play nice. Or if you dont like giving them a tap on the nose squeal... Thats how they learn from their brothers and sisters that they are biting or clawing too hard...

I'm not too keen on de-clawing. The cats I've had always came that way from the shelter.
I've just watched it ravage so many cats now that I just don't approve..
I'll even opt for those ridiculous nail covers rather than de - clawing..
I would get them in glow in the dark. Glowing kitty ninja in the dark.
LOL! Dio would always lose hide n seek now!! Awesome.
It's ok. I wont have to do that. They don't attack me and only scratch the things they are allowed to.
Plus my cats go outside so.. It helps.. With all that.
My LFS does have a return policy. But I hate doing that. I just can't bring myself to return them. Plus my snails get to the bodies before I notice. Normally I see it in time to find the tail or something


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

Oh!! I looked back throuhg my journals and realised that my last cory died of that mysterious disease 2 months ago.
A whole two months ago!! That means the lone habrosus has been fine and in the clear for two months...
So In this tank he went!! 
He seems much more comfortable with the pygmy cories, but he still doesnt school with them like he would habrosus.
I'll ask my LFS if they can get them in for me.


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## dasob85 (Feb 4, 2012)

xenxes said:


> He doesn't attack me, anymore, when he did I bit back.


lol.


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

You need stem plants! All you need is one fast growing stem and you can propagate a tank full of them in a month.

Spend money on plants first, fish later  Get someone's sampler cutting pack for ~$10 shipped on the S&S.

Those glow in the dark ninja kitty nails don't work, they fall right off in a day. Especially on a good diet, his claws grow way too fast.


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## dasob85 (Feb 4, 2012)

I might have missed something, but what was wrong with the tank that you need all the stems? I thought you had lots of floaters as a nutrient sink?


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

dasob85 said:


> I might have missed something, but what was wrong with the tank that you need all the stems? I thought you had lots of floaters as a nutrient sink?


It's good and healthy enough, just thought more plants would buffer any problems with the water, don't know what his water company puts in the tap. Certain plants can remove formaldehyde, tce, benzene, toulene, etc.


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## dasob85 (Feb 4, 2012)

Oh okay. I just thought the tank looked really good from the last fts. I would think the floaters would block off too much light for the stems to grow?


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> You need stem plants! All you need is one fast growing stem and you can propagate a tank full of them in a month.
> 
> Spend money on plants first, fish later  Get someone's sampler cutting pack for ~$10 shipped on the S&S.
> 
> Those glow in the dark ninja kitty nails don't work, they fall right off in a day. Especially on a good diet, his claws grow way too fast.


Lol... I have stem plants.. Tons of them!
I have pennywort, creeping jenny, rotala, water wisteria, parrots feather, red ludwigia, guppy grass, some unknown type of stem plant, Bacopa, cabomba, ambulia, Hornwort, water sprite, elodea, and some sort of hygro...
I just don't want any of them anywhere near this tank.
I'm avoiding them for this tank. Though they would be useful.
honestly I'm switching to RO soon...
My LFS has RO water for $1 a gallon.
and since I only have nano tanks, I figured it would be a relatively cheap easy way to avoid strange tap problems.

The ones that fit over the entire nail are pretty useless.
But they sell ones that glue on just the tips. They last around a month in my experience.
I have to do it on my friends cat so her mom wont de-claw it.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

dasob85 said:


> Oh okay. I just thought the tank looked really good from the last fts. I would think the floaters would block off too much light for the stems to grow?


Thanks! 
I'm diggin the tank now too...
My bumblebee goby is fantastic!

Actually.. even with the floaters I'm still in the medium to high light range.
I have a dual T5 fixture over a 9 inch tank
Pretty much 90% of the reason the floaters are even there is to block out light. I have no problems growing stems in this thing. Trust me. lol..
If you look back a bit to when my tank was a mess you can see that my stems are still growing strong, if a bit neglected, under a thick screen of water wisteria trimmings and frogbit. Which blocked out waaaay more light than the thin layer of frogbit.


Speaking of which... My frogbit makes the tank yellow..
Anyone know how to counter act that?


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## goodeye--sniper (Apr 2, 2012)

I love your tank! I love how the wood frames it.


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

You have DUAL T5's over this thing!? Wow.

Your frogbit shouldn't make the tank yellow, must be from the wood. Or, it could be some light green water growth because of all that light.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> You have DUAL T5's over this thing!? Wow.
> 
> Your frogbit shouldn't make the tank yellow, must be from the wood. Or, it could be some light green water growth because of all that light.


Not HO... Regular T5's...
But its still a crap ton of light..
Its the light I've had since like.. well around a month or two in after I started this tank..
Lighting this is hard. Its so long and shallow.

So I went with a cheap crappy dual T5 fixture lol.. With no reflectors..

The wood is making the water a little yellow.
But its the floaters.
The light passes through them and gets a little green. If I take them out my tank is a normal colour, if I put them back in it goes slightly yellow again...
Its not too bad though.. just looks like my wood leaching a little more tannins than it is.
Might stick a 10,000 K bulb in there. To get some more blue.. Not sure if that will work lol..


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11248153&lmdn=Brand
this light...


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

goodeye--sniper said:


> I love your tank! I love how the wood frames it.


Thank you!
I'm digging this tank too. One step closer to being able to decently aquascape with this new setup...
Once my Fiance... Husband.. Boyfriend...
I always switch what I call him lol.
Technically my Fiance..
Once he comes back I can use his new fangled smartphone to take some semi ok pics of my fish.
My phone suuuuucks!!!


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

Fangled - New made; hence, gaudy; showy; vainly decorated. 

I learned a new word today, lol 

And even regular T5 is probably very high light for this tank, it's very shallow - 9.25" high! Have you tried any red high-light varieties? I think they'll grow and stay red, or at least yellow-reddish.


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## dasob85 (Feb 4, 2012)

lol you have crazy light! I removed all of my floaters since I have a small LED light and the stems weren't looking so great lol. hrm, maybe I should upgrade my lighting and put the floaters back in


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> Fangled - New made; hence, gaudy; showy; vainly decorated.
> 
> I learned a new word today, lol
> 
> And even regular T5 is probably very high light for this tank, it's very shallow - 9.25" high! Have you tried any red high-light varieties? I think they'll grow and stay red, or at least yellow-reddish.


Vocab word for the week! lol..

Super high light. And I havent even raised it up.
Mainly cause I cant stand seeing my lights. 
I want strictly the tank to be lit up. 

So its just sat right on top of the tank lol...

Its 9.25" high. Plus my substrate is around 3 - 4 " high in most places. 
Which gives me even more light.

Um... not really... I've had some red plants in here but nothing too difficult. I had red ludwigia. Not sure what kind. The tops of the leaves always stayed green. The bottoms were a super intense bright almost metallic red.
I had some red stemmed parrots feather in here.. Which.. is just awesome looking.
My rotala turned bright pink at the tips and faded down to blush and finally orange for a couple inches before going green..
Thats about it...
I have a reddish crypt.. lol..
If I did try a red plant it would probably be rotala butterfly or red cabomba... Just to be annoying..


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

dasob85 said:


> lol you have crazy light! I removed all of my floaters since I have a small LED light and the stems weren't looking so great lol. hrm, maybe I should upgrade my lighting and put the floaters back in


Go for it!
My tanks is seriously not lacking in the light department. lol...
Or put them in and go for lowlight..
Either way...
I love floaters..









Oh!
And I'm going to go buy a dwarf puffer today!!!!
It's not for me. The tank I bought and help set-up for my friend birthday has proven itself ready for fish.
So today we go to get the fish lol..
I'm still excited to buy one. And now I get to see it alot when I'm over. So.. win win..
I'll also get a picture. We made it out of leftover crypts from my tanks, and one of those pieces of driftwood in the tanks with the anubias on them at petsmart.
Cause... well.. Thats what she wanted.. She likes crypts.
But! It's missing something and its been bothering us both. Maybe you guys can help me figure out what.

Fun fact.. This piece of wood came with a decent sized anubias minima on it (now in her goldfish tank). Its a fair sized chunk of mopani wood. Not too shabby looking and super cheap. $7!!!
But to plant the anubias on it. You know.. The plant that just attaches it self to wood and rock willy nilly.
To plant it they drilled a hole the size of a little aquatic plant pot, and stuffed the anubias in some rock wool and shoved it in the hole.
We put an anubias nana petite in for now. Which for some reason is unusually small.
All of her tanks make plants smaller. Not sure why...


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

Seems I have two gobies left. Not one.
I bought three, and have only seen one since that day.
But one of them just appeared out of that driftwood on the right.
So now I have a confirmed two in my tank...
Kewl..


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

A quick update...... 
Today some rescaping and planting got done. I moved some plants.. and planted some red tiger lotus and anubias.
Today I also dug up the sand river/beach and arranged it with stones. Its now its final scape I tjimk. I just need to add in a few more plants.
I'm thinking some more anubias, some crypt parva, some pennywort and.. I'm at a loss after that.
Here is a bad photo for everyone. Tell me what you think.


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## Complexity (Jan 30, 2008)

I'm loving this thread! Thanks for all the scaping pictures! I have 7 of these tanks, 6 of which are still in boxes with 1 being used just as a holding tank at the moment. I've been trying to figure out where to put them (running out of places to put tanks in my house! LOL!), but once I get them going, I think your scapes have given me some great inspiration. :smile:


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

Eldachleich said:


> A quick update......
> Today some rescaping and planting got done. I moved some plants.. and planted some red tiger lotus and anubias.
> Today I also dug up the sand river/beach and arranged it with stones. Its now its final scape I tjimk. I just need to add in a few more plants.
> I'm thinking some more anubias, some crypt parva, some pennywort and.. I'm at a loss after that.
> Here is a bad photo for everyone. Tell me what you think.


Cool, love the new position, gives the back a sense of depth, like the road is leading into the unknown


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> Cool, love the new position, gives the back a sense of depth, like the road is leading into the unknown


 I need to tinker a little with the front. Notice now how it has almost zero curve.
I need to fix that.
It needs to curve around a little.
Need some new plants.
I dunno.
I have sort of tragic tale to tell with this tank. I don't really.. well.. I'm not ready to tell it.
But one day I have to..
And I will...


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

Hrm, think it looks good as is, where are you going to curve the bend? the front would look weird, maybe the middle? But you'd need to reduce to width to pull that off..

I have tons of plants, but they're mostly stem if you want me to send you some


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> Hrm, think it looks good as is, where are you going to curve the bend? the front would look weird, maybe the middle? But you'd need to reduce to width to pull that off..
> 
> I have tons of plants, but they're mostly stem if you want me to send you some


I would love some plants. Even if they don't go in this tank I have a million other uses for them.
I'm going to push the rock in very front to the sides about an inch.
And add in some more sand in front and back. I think that should give it the illusion of more curve.


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

Let me know if you still want some  just sent diwu his package and surprisingly nothing died (!). Have more plant growth and some extra shrimp. Also more platy fry if you want them, they're hardy and tough to kill lol.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> Let me know if you still want some  just sent diwu his package and surprisingly nothing died (!). Have more plant growth and some extra shrimp. Also more platy fry if you want them, they're hardy and tough to kill lol.


The plants would be very much appreciated....
I'm not sure I have room for the platy fry though lol... When my mom gets around to buying the materials for her own tub pond I might be calling on you though! They are fantastic mosquito hunters.

The shrimp..... I'm not sure... In theory everything in this tank is fine.. But... It's not going so well.

The levels are all perfect. But for a few months now whatever goes in the tank vanishes in a few weeks. The filters are covered the levels are perfect. The temp doesnt get too high anymore.. I've fixed everything, but they still vanish. I even put a lid on and they go.

I would hate to sentence them to death...


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

PM'd you, let's see how many weeds and roaches *ahem* plants and shrimp I can cram into another flat rate box.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> PM'd you, let's see how many weeds and roaches *ahem* plants and shrimp I can cram into another flat rate box.


Teehee. I hope they live!! It would be so cool if they could.
In a last ditch effort I switched to RO water. Literally every other possibility has been tried, tested, and eliminated.
Well almost all of them. Two theories are in my head.
1 - Rapid pH swings.
- My tap comes out at 8.2. My tank is at 7.5. With my most recent batches of hopefuls I noticed that the survival rate would be lower if a water change was preformed that day they were added. Some testing revealed that my water rapidly loses gasses causing the pH to drop rather quickly. So I switched to RO water as its cheap, and I won't have to worry about a massive tank die off if my local water district treats for something like last time.
2 - Too strong of flow. 
- This tank is very shallow. The filter on the right seems to be designed to create more surface movement than tank flow. However the aquaclear on the left blasts the poor little tank with tons of flow. It would make craters, and careen any fish (besides the gobies) that dared go near around the tank. Eventually every fish that came in avoided the entire left side of the tank. I never really noticed as most of the fish I bought are bottom dwellers or like to hide. But a recent purchase (all of which went missing except one) showed me that my fish were actually constantly fighting the current. I've since baffled the flow creating nice gentle movement throughout the whole tank.

Since my last purchase (5 threadfin rainbow babies, I wanted to test the tank again and I plan on getting a 33 gallon long in the future) I made these two changes. Since implementing them I have two surviving fish. A threadfin rainbow who seems lonely but much more comfortable now. And a scarlet badis who is exploring more often now.

Lets hope these new changes help. I wish there was a basic recipe for adding minerals back into RO water as I don't have a gh or kh test kit yet.

Also.. recently added another crypt (hopefully it stays small, I keep buying them smallish and watching them explode in growth as soon as they are added) and some marsilea. I took some cuttings of my clover one and basically put it in the dark for a month. I finally have some single lobed small ones and I just added them in. I hope it stays small.

Actually I just planted it in jar with soil and sand and left it in my closet for a month with some top offs.


Thats it... Working on getting a few more fish and hopefully this time they will live.


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

I thought you said only things in this tank were dying mysteriously, so it can't be the water if your other containers are doing fine?


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> I thought you said only things in this tank were dying mysteriously, so it can't be the water if your other containers are doing fine?


I know.. but I'm desperate at this point.
Anything to figure out what going on.


My friend has a theory that the snails are getting to the bodies before I can find them.
But for that to happen they still need to die. And there is no reason for them all to be dying.


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

Maybe they're hiding in the wood? I "lost" a few fish, and miraculously found them again + some babies in my 20g lol.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> Maybe they're hiding in the wood? I "lost" a few fish, and miraculously found them again + some babies in my 20g lol.


That might be possible. But theres no way all my fish are in the wood.
I might have two scarlet badis instead of one. They love hiding in the wood for days at a time.
And its possible a goby is still alive. I think I see one late at night alot but I'm never to sure.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

Looking back through my journal I realised a few things. Mainly alot of personal things. Getting back into touch with why I fell in love with this hobby.. Yadda Yadda. Nothing you guys really need or care to know.
Just know that I felt alot of joy in my simple tank of guppies and cories. And I haven't been feeling that lately.

Good news is I have 3 surviving fish. 1 scarlet badis, 1 threadfin rainbow, and 1 bumblebee goby. I'm happy they are alive.

More importantly though I realised I haven't updated any of the technical info on my tank. For some reason or another I found that really important in threads when I was first starting in this hobby. So I decided to repost it. From now on This will be the post that will contain the latest (and best) photo and tank stats. If you ever want a quick over pop back to this post to see a shot of it and what I'm using and whatnot.

Here it goes. 
*Tank *- Petco 6.6 Gallon Bookshelf Aquarium (24"Lx8.13"Wx9.25"H)
*Substrate* - MGOPS (1.5") capped with CaribSea Tahitian Moonlight Sand (1" - 4"), PFS (0.5" - 1")
*Lighting* - Aqueon Dual T5NO strip, 6700k.
*Filter* - Aquaclear 20, Marina Slim S20 (both baffled)
*Heating* - Aqueon Pro 50 watt
*CO2* - None
*Fertz* - MGOPS
*Hardscape* - Local rocks, Mopani wood.
*Flora* - Anubias Nana, Anubias Nana Petite, Red Lotus, Marsilea Quadrifolia, Cryptocoryne Undulata, Aponogeton (sp?), Cryptocoryne (sp?), Frogbit
*Fauna* - 1 Threadfin Rainbow, 1 Scarlet Badis, 1 Bumblebee Goby, 1 Red Lips Nerite, 1 Yellow Horned Nerite

*Temp* - 78F
*PH* - 7.5
*Photoperiod* - 8 - 10 hours

Sad I know, Working on why they all keep dying.

Also as you may have noticed I have no idea what types of crypts and aponogeton are in my tank! Most of them came from Petco and were labeled as "Assorted Crypts". So any sort of ID is a great help. Maybe a better photo would help.

I will upload a photo tomorrow.


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## alohamonte (Jul 25, 2006)

I had a 6.6 bookshelf tank setup for about 2 years. hard to balance the tank wound up with dwarf pencilfish in the end but here it is after about 3 months home to a grumpy dwarf gourami that i removed cause he didnt play nice with ... anything. had a nice carpet of dwarf baby tears in that tank with no C02. 









By alohamonte at 2007-10-15









By alohamonte at 2007-10-15


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

A dwarf gourami...
I like that Idea.. Alot...


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

It will eat all the shrimp, and as it gets larger all your other nano fish.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

True.. But it would be fine in a tank all by itself. I've always wanted one..
Maybe... Maybe if I relocate them to another tank. Or worse.. Buy a new one!
Something even larger... That allows for giant school of cories. Dwarf cories.


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

i'm trading my cories off since I'm getting CRS/CBS  not taking chances... i never see shrimplets in the 20g, something is probably eating them.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> i'm trading my cories off since I'm getting CRS/CBS  not taking chances... i never see shrimplets in the 20g, something is probably eating them.


What a shame!
They are so cute! I love dwarf cories. I only have one habrosus and 5 pygmaeus left. They are in another tank as I didn't wanna chance them on this one.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

Well I got a dwarf gourami. I've always wanted one.
So I caved.
I have back up plans for just about every scenario though.
First impressions... He was pretty small in the store.
Second impression. He's freaking huge. I forget sometimes that not all fish are mini.
3rd impression. He's beautiful.
Discovered something today. Almost the ENTIRE left side of my tank had exposed MGOPS!! Could this be what was causing it?
It has since been capped.


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

LOL! You and impulse buys, worse than me.

Exposed MGOPS should not kill fish, you said your water parameters were fine. Worst case it leeches some ammonia into the water. I mess around in my tank and get dirt everywhere all the time. My unfiltered dirt bucket outside has only dirt.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> LOL! You and impulse buys, worse than me.
> 
> Exposed MGOPS should not kill fish, you said your water parameters were fine. Worst case it leeches some ammonia into the water. I mess around in my tank and get dirt everywhere all the time. My unfiltered dirt bucket outside has only dirt.


I'm a terrible impulse buyer. My brain always makes split second in the moment decisions. I'm good in a crisis though! Just not with money.

I know it wont directly kill them. But maybe it's causing large ammonia spikes which get handled by the filter later before I can get to it.
Which is good. That would mean my filters working well. But the constant spike of ammonia might be what killing them. That could be why they all lasted for a few weeks.

Then again... I'm probably grasping at straws.

You package came this morning! All in great health!

Is that one plant a big pennywort? It looks like one. 
I've been wanting pennywort for a while now.

I did not expect you to pack to much into this box!!! And I got subwassertang! Awesome!
Now I need to find a tank it can live in lol...
All the ones in my room are pretty warm. 

I'm giving the gourami a week in the tank before I decide.
I really like him. Hes beautiful and wonderful and yadda yadda..
But hes so big!
Like huge. And this tank is loooooooooong... Which means he looks this big in bigger tanks. I sorta feel maybe he had been a poor choice for this tank.


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

Nah, your tank is planted densely enough that they suck up the ammonia as they're released. A lot of aquatic species suck up ammonia directly before nitrates.

Really? The 3 fry all survived? Shrimp too? No leaks? I was in a hurry 

Yeah I tried to jam-cram stuff in that tiny box lol. That big runner is a Hydrocotyle Leucocephyala, yeah Brazilian pennywort.

I bought erios parkeri, hope they survive, also got a variety package I'm going to start testing with, might have different stuff to send you later.

Can you return the gourami? They need a lot of space. It's a dwarf variety right? Even those recommend about 20g.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> Nah, your tank is planted densely enough that they suck up the ammonia as they're released. A lot of aquatic species suck up ammonia directly before nitrates.
> 
> Really? The 3 fry all survived? Shrimp too? No leaks? I was in a hurry
> 
> ...


All three survived!
One of them got stolen from me though.
One went home with my friend. She thought it was so adorable.
Its going to a good home in a heavily planted 35 gallon community.

Everything else is currently being held in my Hate tank.
All the shrimp came in wonderfully!!!
Actually a few came in and had molted in the bag. And 2 of them are saddled! They look really good! I can't believe these are the culls. I can't wait to see how your stock turns out.

I'm also super stoked about the subwassertang. As well as the mosses. 
What kind of mosses are there?
I'm super super stooooooked!
And super stoked about the pennywort. I've been wanting some in my 6.6 gallon for a while.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

Most people recommend at least 10 gallons.
But my tank is already as long as a 20 gallon.. I can't imagine he would look smaller in one.
I have a plan! He will be the fish going in my 25 gallon tub pond after the lily gets delivered.
But I'm giving him a week... To see if I get used to it...


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

I have tons of fry still, wasn't sure if I wanted to risk packing in more and was short on time. It's awesome 3 fish + like 30+ shrimp survived in that small bag with almost no water lol!

I don't have much of a stock and never really culled/bred those, I'm just cleaning most of it out preparing for CRS. Some will be deep blue w/ black bars, got like 5-6 mutations in the tank at least, so I think you can try to breed for it.

I think I gave you some starter fissidens, pellias, and might be java/xmas mixed in.

I noticed my 20g water temperature is much less stable than my 9g. Depth is good for keeping temp stable. The 6.6 is very shallow. Where did you put the shrimp and fry btw?


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> I have tons of fry still, wasn't sure if I wanted to risk packing in more and was short on time. It's awesome 3 fish + like 30+ shrimp survived in that small bag with almost no water lol!
> 
> I don't have much of a stock and never really culled/bred those, I'm just cleaning most of it out preparing for CRS. Some will be deep blue w/ black bars, got like 5-6 mutations in the tank at least, so I think you can try to breed for it.
> 
> ...


Did you get rid of them entirely?
Or just keep like the best 10?
I want some CRS and CBS as well as some RBOEBT.
But being me I want pureline shrimp. The colours on them are so much better lol..
I was thinking of setting of an evolve 8 for them way into the future.

There was a small leak in bag #1, but bag #2 stopped it and all was well.. They did great in there!
Your name is Tony?
It always interesting to me to see peoples names on packages lol..
Lets hope that I can keep these puppies alive. So far they are doing very well.
Right now the two platy fry and the shrimp are in my 5.5 gallon hate tank. They are in there with my dwarf cories and sparkling gourami's. 
Its the other tank in my room that nothing is dying in.

All my tanks stay a stable temp...
76 - 80. 76 in winter. 78 - 80 in summer. A tad warm but its as cool as its ever gonna get in my room. After I switch rooms everything will be much cooler. I might even be able to keep CRS!

I've never had a problem maintaining stable parameters in a small tank. Being in cali probably helps temp wise.
For some reason things keep dying in this one. My goby and scarlet badis are thriving. And my threadfin rainbow and gourami are doing great. If everyone is still doing great by the time he goes in the lotus bowl I might chance some new small fish in there.
Now that the MGOPS is capped on that side my water gets yellow ALOOOOT slower...


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

OEBT are expppeeensive 

How much are your CRS/CBS locally? I got some low grade ones to test out, I like the 3 band striping better anyway.

You could move the platies and some shrimp to this tank, if they die it's no big deal. But I doubt the platies will die unless you put them in an alcohol tank. It's the lighting that fluctuates my lower-depth tanks :/ really heats it up on the non-LED ones if I have the bulb too close.

I just buy a set amount of fish, or introduce new ones for a tank, and see what works. I don't buy the non-hardy fish or whatever doesn't work again. The pygmaeus did not do so well in the 20g, they were way too shy and outcompeted for food, not trying that again. If anything I'll stick with more habrosus in the future (non-crystal tanks) 

I might move the platies out of my 20g now too and only have CPDs in there, I see them hunting scuds actively, have not seen them eat a baby shrimp yet, probably too fast.

Lastly.. MGOPS should not turn water yellow? Mine doesn't anyway... only the other soil mixes with too much peat moss.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> OEBT are expppeeensive
> 
> How much are your CRS/CBS locally? I got some low grade ones to test out, I like the 3 band striping better anyway.
> 
> ...


Yes they are!
But beautiful no?
No CRS locally lol...
I would have to online order.

I really like The EBi ten line form Benibachi.. I hope I got all that right.
The lower grade ones. I like the solid striping more than all white with headgear and whatnot.
It just the little bits of black on the shell, and the soooooolid colours of the purelines that sold me on them.
http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad314/skygb000/BandBestGrade.jpg

These ones. Pretty.
Expensive and pretty lol..
I told myself no CRS until I can have at least two thriving colonies of neos. Different Neos. Teh blue pearls in the beginning died due to a newbie mistake. I have a few left but breeding them in proving difficult due to several factors that need a change. Mainly I need to stop shuffling them around.
They yellows all jumped out and died for some reason.
My cherries are doing great and are breeding like mad. I trade them in to my LFS for credit.
I've been culling them and they are at or close to Sakuura grade now. Actually I think the guy at the store who brings the other ones in is breeding toward PFR.. I bought his extra's lol..
And the Rili are great so far. So here to hoping.
I also promised myself I wouldnt do more sensitive shrimp till I hd at least one thriving tank where I built up all the parameter from scratch using RO water.

I'll wait to add the shrimp in the the gourami is out. He's not interested in other fish but I can tell this guy would looooove shrimp.

Habrosus are the way to go!
CPD cool too.. Wish mine had lived.

Mine stains the water with tannins. Not alot. but a little over time.
When its exposed the water gets pretty yellow pretty quick. The mopani wood isnt helping.

I run my lights at night. If I run them during the day my temps skyrocket to 86+... at night and everything remains stable.


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

Does running the light only at night mess up the plants' cycle? Like do you see the leaves close during the day and open at night when lights come on?


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> Does running the light only at night mess up the plants' cycle? Like do you see the leaves close during the day and open at night when lights come on?


I suppose. I stick a cover on the front of the tanks so its pretty black in there during the day. All my fish sleep during the day as well.

They do in fact close during the daytime and open after I turn on the lights.


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

Hah that's cool, you tricked teh plants!


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> Hah that's cool, you tricked teh plants!


Lol... I'm just happy they were so obliging.
Really its in everyones best interest.
My gourami is getting pretty active now.
Not doing anything to the fish but.. I dunno... I feel like he need a bigger tank lol..
To the tub pond most likely.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

Well after some time to adjust My gourami is a great size for this tank.
In other news..
The threadfin jumped.. To where.. The top of the light were he got cooked.
I think the stress of being alone got to him. Or the gourami chased him a little.. Not sure.. he got pretty high strung after the others died. It would not have taken alot for him to jump.

The two platy fry are doing well. Growing up fast. One of them is getting slightly territorial over the other and chases him around alot.
The other day I saw him take a big bite out of the other fry's tail. Sad..
I'm still figuring out what the heck to do for their futures... 

My gourami is active and playful. Very inquisitive fish. Also very very hungry fish.
He plays very well with others. 
My scarlet badis is still grumpy but well.. I never see him eat.. It's weird.

So... those fish have survived well enough for me to think of chancing some more fish.
I went to my LFS today.

Great things are in place.
The owner sold to two young guys. The ones who have been making all the changes I liked.
They were in the middle of renovating when I went in...
Lets see.. The sickly puppy and kitten section was gone.. It was replaced by a smaller number of nicer kennels in which nice healthy resided.
The saltwater section was suddenly 3 displays tanks bigger.
The freshwater section was suddenly 4 rows of planted tanks bigger.

They were setting up aloooooot of planted tank related stock.
Alot.. 
I went to the top level to look at the tanks and guess what?!?!? Rows and rows of starfire glass rimless tanks..
Awesome!!!
Even some low grade CBS and CRS...
Apparently the owner sold it to them a few months ago, but finally left the place to them yesterday. So today was just day 1 of the changes.
I can't wait to see where this goes?
And some of you (like anyone read this) might remember that I had a conversation with a dumb blonde worker early on in my Hate Tank journal. Asking him to order me more dwarf cories. Which never came in.
Well...
I walked in. And the guy put down the boxes he was carrying and ran over to me immediately.
Running behind me he grabbed my by the shoulders and pushed me toward the back wall that I've determined is the "Nano Fish and Plant" section.
All without saying anything mind you.
Once there he stopped me in front of the very last tank on the right, pointed, and said "Look!! I've been trying to get those in ever since you asked me!"
Right there.. in the back... A giant school of Corydoras pygmaeus.
He let out this giant triumphant smile that seriously lit up the room. Just one of those people that have one of those intense smiles.
I didn't have the heart to point out that they were the wrong kind of dwarf cory.
When I originally asked it was for Habrosus.
But he was so happy that he finally got them in that I decided not to.
Anyhow.
I decided that maybe it was time to start stocking the 6.6 gallon again...
I bought 11 of them ($2 each which wasnt bad) and put them in this tank.
As well as an amano shrimp.
Very hopeful that these guys will survive.
So far everything is great.
Can I say.... These pygmaeus are waaaaay different that my other ones.
These ones are super active and outgoing.. Constantly swimming and exploring. Always active and never hiding.. Ever.. These things are way more outgoing than my habrosus.

And if one of the platy fry swim by them they all take off in a group (these guys havent left school formation once!) and swim with them and try and school with them mid level. That is until the platy gets annoyed and darts away.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

I lost more than a few coties. down top six. Bit the six that are left seen to be thriving. Also the dwarf gourami is doing very well. Here's an updated shot for y'all. Plus a few fish shots as well.


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