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HustleRussell said:
Wow, yeah that’ll do it!
I recommend some kind of timer on the socket or a smart plug type thing. Mine currently comes on in the morning for a few hours, goes off for several hours in the middle of the day, and then comes on for a few more hours into the afternoon. Here’s the rationale;
Any live plants will deplete the available CO2 within hours of the light being switched on. Algae starts to win the battle over plants when the CO2 concentration is low. A dark period in the middle of the day allows CO2 levels to recover again.
Thats useful info, thanks. Might have a play with the lights timer on my tank.I recommend some kind of timer on the socket or a smart plug type thing. Mine currently comes on in the morning for a few hours, goes off for several hours in the middle of the day, and then comes on for a few more hours into the afternoon. Here’s the rationale;
Any live plants will deplete the available CO2 within hours of the light being switched on. Algae starts to win the battle over plants when the CO2 concentration is low. A dark period in the middle of the day allows CO2 levels to recover again.
Edited by HustleRussell on Wednesday 12th May 17:29
Can anyone tell me about Discus?
Beautiful fish, but at around £50 a pop I’d hate for them to die on me.
Are they particularly fragile?
At the moment we’ve got a couple of crabs, some shrimp, neon tetras, four angelfish, four mollys, three cory, four platys, and three electric blue chiclids, (450ltr tank).
Beautiful fish, but at around £50 a pop I’d hate for them to die on me.
Are they particularly fragile?
At the moment we’ve got a couple of crabs, some shrimp, neon tetras, four angelfish, four mollys, three cory, four platys, and three electric blue chiclids, (450ltr tank).
105.4 said:
Can anyone tell me about Discus?
Beautiful fish, but at around £50 a pop I’d hate for them to die on me.
Are they particularly fragile?
At the moment we’ve got a couple of crabs, some shrimp, neon tetras, four angelfish, four mollys, three cory, four platys, and three electric blue chiclids, (450ltr tank).
Best in a species tank...Beautiful fish, but at around £50 a pop I’d hate for them to die on me.
Are they particularly fragile?
At the moment we’ve got a couple of crabs, some shrimp, neon tetras, four angelfish, four mollys, three cory, four platys, and three electric blue chiclids, (450ltr tank).
Traditionally, they only thrived/survived properly in a true 'Blackwater' tank, with ridiculously soft and acidic water that matched their natural environment in the Amazon.
In more recent times, Stendker have successfully and consciously developed 'breeds' that not only are happy in 'typical' harder water, but will actively breed in such conditions.
However, they do best in a shoal in a fairly heavily planted aquarium, and are very sedate 'gentle' feeders. Almost all other fish will outcompete them for food, and they don't do well with the sort of flow (power and type) in your average tank.
One day, I'll have a shoal. They're one of my very favourite freshwater fish and once they get to a decent size are incredibly impressive as a visual treat.
105.4 said:
Can anyone tell me about Discus?
Beautiful fish, but at around £50 a pop I’d hate for them to die on me.
Are they particularly fragile?
At the moment we’ve got a couple of crabs, some shrimp, neon tetras, four angelfish, four mollys, three cory, four platys, and three electric blue chiclids, (450ltr tank).
Others have it covered really but on the practical side, Discus need soft and slightly acidic water which likely means water from your tap isn’t up to scratch. Also they’re pretty much on the opposite end of the scale from Platies and Mollies which like our hard water.Beautiful fish, but at around £50 a pop I’d hate for them to die on me.
Are they particularly fragile?
At the moment we’ve got a couple of crabs, some shrimp, neon tetras, four angelfish, four mollys, three cory, four platys, and three electric blue chiclids, (450ltr tank).
105.4 said:
@Sway
@HustleRussell
Thank you both. Beautiful, (and expensive) fish that I think are best left alone sadly.
You can go there in future if you choose to. You have done well to choose a tank which is big enough. You would need to re-home your mollies, platies and cichlids before you started altering your water chemistry though. @HustleRussell
Thank you both. Beautiful, (and expensive) fish that I think are best left alone sadly.
105.4 said:
Can anyone tell me about Discus?
Beautiful fish, but at around £50 a pop I’d hate for them to die on me.
Are they particularly fragile?
At the moment we’ve got a couple of crabs, some shrimp, neon tetras, four angelfish, four mollys, three cory, four platys, and three electric blue chiclids, (450ltr tank).
My Stingrays were over £1200 each and the female ate a catfish that I paid £380 for.Beautiful fish, but at around £50 a pop I’d hate for them to die on me.
Are they particularly fragile?
At the moment we’ve got a couple of crabs, some shrimp, neon tetras, four angelfish, four mollys, three cory, four platys, and three electric blue chiclids, (450ltr tank).
otolith said:
Caddyshack said:
My Stingrays were over £1200 each and the female ate a catfish that I paid £380 for.
So by the Law of Conkers, the female is now worth £1580!
Nowhere near Caddyshack's level - but I've had a Pedersen anemone shrimp I spent three months tracking down eaten, as well as some soft and stony corals in my tank.
Both results of adding new additions for wider pest control, with unfortunate (known possible) outcomes. Was amazed the little wrasse managed to eat the shrimp though - I've always worked on the basis it's 'safe' if it's bigger than the predator's mouth...
Seems not, when the predator is quite willing to rip the poor prey to shreds!
essayer said:
Chester draws said:
Spotted a couple of baby Platy last night. Teeny tiny things, smaller than the gravel! There were well camouflaged and seem to be good at hiding.
They’re very good at hiding.You get one or two then one day I had
We just have males now
I did have a surprise picked up 4 platys from my LFS when I got home started acculmating them and saw a tiny platy within them must have sunk in when the others got picked 5 fish for the price of 4.
Caddyshack said:
105.4 said:
Can anyone tell me about Discus?
Beautiful fish, but at around £50 a pop I’d hate for them to die on me.
Are they particularly fragile?
At the moment we’ve got a couple of crabs, some shrimp, neon tetras, four angelfish, four mollys, three cory, four platys, and three electric blue chiclids, (450ltr tank).
My Stingrays were over £1200 each and the female ate a catfish that I paid £380 for.Beautiful fish, but at around £50 a pop I’d hate for them to die on me.
Are they particularly fragile?
At the moment we’ve got a couple of crabs, some shrimp, neon tetras, four angelfish, four mollys, three cory, four platys, and three electric blue chiclids, (450ltr tank).
And they thrived....
Pretty fish but not active enough for me.
Edited by Turn7 on Thursday 13th May 18:22
HustleRussell said:
Yep livebearers are so rampant that nurturing the young has to make way for population control sooner or later.
It's hopefully going to be an interesting aspect, and while a few free fish is appealling... I'm not considering a breeding trap at the moment, but I think there are enough hiding spaces that I've done my bit to give them a 'sporting chance', and will let nature run it's course. Hopefully a couple of clever / strong / lucky ones make it!
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