Show me your aquarium

[105.4]

Bloody hell, these things are hard to photograph







Out of 17 photos I’ve just taken, believe it or not, these were the best ones

I was hoping to get a photo of the crabs and the African blue lobsters, but they’re all a little shy.

[anxious_ant]

Does anyone know what the white film is on the surface of my tropical aquarium please?
The clear patch is the output from the pump.
I have tested the water parameters and they look ok. 0 ammonia 0 nitirate and about 20ppm nitrate.
This is a well established aquarium, I had it for over a year. No recent addition on fish to the tank. I had some issues with water few months ago but it was all sorted.
The white film began to appear about 3 weeks ago. I tried soaking up using kitchen roll but they reaapear after few days.
I cleaned the filter early this month, and refreshed some of the media end of March.

My concern is that I've lost a neon tetra last week. It was swimming around with the head upwards and was struggling (looks like it was tyring to surface gasping for air) so I had to euthanise it.

Today I've noticed another neon tetra behaving the same way This one looks more active then the last one but I am concerned.
Is there a reason why neon tetra swims with head upwards? The neon tetra looks healthy, colour is normal and I don't seem to notice any inflamation.
Could it be swim bladder issue and if so, will this resolve itself after a few days?

edit: I feed once a day and might skip feeding one/two days a week. Yesterday I might've fed too much, would this cause this issue?

Edited by anxious_ant on Saturday 15th May 15:03

Edited by anxious_ant on Saturday 15th May 15:05

[Caddyshack]

It looks to me like an oil from food.

If ever fish seem a little off but basic water parameters seem fine I would do a 25% water change and consider a small dose of aquarium salt as it does help boost the immune system.

Also, if using dip strips to test then do not trust them, use an in date liquid or tablet…just to be sure.

[HustleRussell]

HustleRussell said:

FAO algae sufferers. This little quarantine tank has been set up for three full months now and I have not removed any algae whatsoever. I have two hill stream loaches and ramshorn snails in there. I also have two Amano shrimp but I don’t believe they can make much impact on algae on the glass.

I ran the light quite a lot at the beginning when I wanted to get algae for my algae-eating occupants. I then reduced the duration on the light to 6.5 hours per day with a four-hour siesta in the middle. I found that at 6.5 hours, the opacity of the glass due to algae was actually decreasing as the algae eaters were eating it faster than it was growing. I’ve upped it to seven hours today.



It’s not going to win any aquascaping awards but it has been an interesting little experiment from somebody who always used to struggle with algae due to too much light.

Interestingly, the front glass and the left hand panel have the most algae. These are the panels which get the most external light from the window. I expect if I had been running the light for 12 hours, I would have significant algae on all panels and the front would probably be pretty much opaque by now.

[Chester draws]

A few more additions at the weekend. 3 more Pearl Gourami, and some Corydoras. Funny little things they are, they don't seem to 'swim', it's more like they 'fly' in the water, and then land.


That puts us at 9 Platy, 6 Pearl Gourami, 5 Corydoras, and 4 Platy Fry.



On the lighting, I'm quite impressed with the Fluval light that came with the Roma. Has a Bluetooth connection to an app, you can program level to time profile, as well as the RGB colours.



Also been using that the day after adding the new fish, with a profile that raises lights from 0% to 70% gradually through the day, and then down at night.

Edited by Chester draws on Monday 17th May 19:26

[otolith]

Hill stream loaches are quite good munchers of glass algae.

[anxious_ant]

Caddyshack said:

It looks to me like an oil from food.

If ever fish seem a little off but basic water parameters seem fine I would do a 25% water change and consider a small dose of aquarium salt as it does help boost the immune system.

Also, if using dip strips to test then do not trust them, use an in date liquid or tablet…just to be sure.

Yes, could be. Perhaps I have been feeding too much past few days.
Found one tetra dead, and had to euthanise the other one as it was swimming in circles heads up.
I do have aquarium salt but I have live plants and nerrite snail in the tank so not too sure if it's safe to dose.

I use API Master Kit to test, Got it August last year so shouldn't expire yet, I hope.

[S11Steve]

Chester draws said:

A few more additions at the weekend. 3 more Pearl Gourami, and some Corydoras. Funny little things they are, they don't seem to 'swim', it's more like they 'fly' in the water, and then land.

Edited by Chester draws on Monday 17th May 19:26

I had a group of those Sterbai Cory in my old tropical tank - they are great little characters. Try feeding them on algae discs - they will form a circle around it and munch it together.
They also prefer a finer substrate - we had some sharp gravel that caused some redness and swelling around their barbels, so we took most of it out and added a layer of fine sand on top.

[Chester draws]

S11Steve said:

Chester draws said:

A few more additions at the weekend. 3 more Pearl Gourami, and some Corydoras. Funny little things they are, they don't seem to 'swim', it's more like they 'fly' in the water, and then land.

I had a group of those Sterbai Cory in my old tropical tank - they are great little characters. Try feeding them on algae discs - they will form a circle around it and munch it together.
They also prefer a finer substrate - we had some sharp gravel that caused some redness and swelling around their barbels, so we took most of it out and added a layer of fine sand on top.

Yep, dropped in a quarter of one of those this morning. I had read about the gravel being not ideal, I'll keep an eye on them and can always change to sand at the left hand end of the tank easy enough. (In theory!!).

In other news, the babies are getting braver. I guess they think they're now big enough to be not eaten.



And I think a snail-eating snail may be next on the list to get. Seems like we've had fish for ages, only a month ago we lost the Cardinal Tetras, and only 2½ weeks ago we got the Platys!

How's your recovery / salvage mission going Steve?

[HustleRussell]

otolith said:

Hill stream loaches are quite good munchers of glass algae.

I’ve had all kinds of ‘algae eaters’ before and I have to say the hill streams seem to be exceptionally industrious.

In fact the combination of them, the Amanos and the snails are quite a cleanup crew.

I am not able to give the hill streams the fast flowing current they are said to require but I do wonder if requirements like these get a bit overstated. I adopted them from a normal community tank and they seem to be doing well.

[MG CHRIS]

HustleRussell said:

otolith said:

Hill stream loaches are quite good munchers of glass algae.

I’ve had all kinds of ‘algae eaters’ before and I have to say the hill streams seem to be exceptionally industrious.

In fact the combination of them, the Amanos and the snails are quite a cleanup crew.

I am not able to give the hill streams the fast flowing current they are said to require but I do wonder if requirements like these get a bit overstated. I adopted them from a normal community tank and they seem to be doing well.

I was watching a video from aqu co-op in the states he stats they do well in most tanks they prefer fast flowing water but can easily live in slower flowing. I got 2 in my 75gallon at first I never saw them but they out and about a lot more now. They also chase each other around. The bet bits is when both land on a same stone they tussle a bit then one decides to move to the next one.

Edited by MG CHRIS on Tuesday 18th May 16:06

[MG CHRIS]

S11Steve said:

Chester draws said:

A few more additions at the weekend. 3 more Pearl Gourami, and some Corydoras. Funny little things they are, they don't seem to 'swim', it's more like they 'fly' in the water, and then land.

Edited by Chester draws on Monday 17th May 19:26

I had a group of those Sterbai Cory in my old tropical tank - they are great little characters. Try feeding them on algae discs - they will form a circle around it and munch it together.
They also prefer a finer substrate - we had some sharp gravel that caused some redness and swelling around their barbels, so we took most of it out and added a layer of fine sand on top.

I got 3 pepper and 3 bronze the bronze will alwqys be together so cute. The pepper ones are growing big now. I also got the algae discs as soon as it lands they all merge on it as you said in a circle.

[Caddyshack]

MG CHRIS said:

S11Steve said:

Chester draws said:

A few more additions at the weekend. 3 more Pearl Gourami, and some Corydoras. Funny little things they are, they don't seem to 'swim', it's more like they 'fly' in the water, and then land.

Edited by Chester draws on Monday 17th May 19:26

I had a group of those Sterbai Cory in my old tropical tank - they are great little characters. Try feeding them on algae discs - they will form a circle around it and munch it together.
They also prefer a finer substrate - we had some sharp gravel that caused some redness and swelling around their barbels, so we took most of it out and added a layer of fine sand on top.

I got 3 pepper and 3 bronze the bronze will alwqys be together so cute. The pepper ones are growing big now. I also got the algae discs as soon as it lands they all merge on it as you said in a circle.

If they ever zoom to the surface it is an early indicator of water quality. Their barbels can become red if the gravel is allowed to become dirty.

[Turn7]

Caddyshack said:

MG CHRIS said:

S11Steve said:

Chester draws said:

A few more additions at the weekend. 3 more Pearl Gourami, and some Corydoras. Funny little things they are, they don't seem to 'swim', it's more like they 'fly' in the water, and then land.

Edited by Chester draws on Monday 17th May 19:26

I had a group of those Sterbai Cory in my old tropical tank - they are great little characters. Try feeding them on algae discs - they will form a circle around it and munch it together.
They also prefer a finer substrate - we had some sharp gravel that caused some redness and swelling around their barbels, so we took most of it out and added a layer of fine sand on top.

I got 3 pepper and 3 bronze the bronze will alwqys be together so cute. The pepper ones are growing big now. I also got the algae discs as soon as it lands they all merge on it as you said in a circle.

If they ever zoom to the surface it is an early indicator of water quality. Their barbels can become red if the gravel is allowed to become dirty.

Also,Corys do better in bigger groups of the same species .
I know it’s tempting to mix and match the varieties
Bit it really ain’t best for the fish..

[MG CHRIS]

Turn7 said:

Caddyshack said:

MG CHRIS said:

S11Steve said:

Chester draws said:

A few more additions at the weekend. 3 more Pearl Gourami, and some Corydoras. Funny little things they are, they don't seem to 'swim', it's more like they 'fly' in the water, and then land.

Edited by Chester draws on Monday 17th May 19:26

I had a group of those Sterbai Cory in my old tropical tank - they are great little characters. Try feeding them on algae discs - they will form a circle around it and munch it together.
They also prefer a finer substrate - we had some sharp gravel that caused some redness and swelling around their barbels, so we took most of it out and added a layer of fine sand on top.

I got 3 pepper and 3 bronze the bronze will alwqys be together so cute. The pepper ones are growing big now. I also got the algae discs as soon as it lands they all merge on it as you said in a circle.

If they ever zoom to the surface it is an early indicator of water quality. Their barbels can become red if the gravel is allowed to become dirty.

Also,Corys do better in bigger groups of the same species .
I know it’s tempting to mix and match the varieties
Bit it really ain’t best for the fish..

I be adding 2 more of each type in due course along with another 2 hill stream loaches. I do want to get either a trio of pearl gouramis or 4 rainbow fish then that be it for the 75 gallon.

[shedweller]

There are some amazing setups on this thread!

My son wanted some fish so we got him/us a small tank (19l) which developed into the one below in a few months - after the initial purchase of fish I realised that we had (to a certain degree) been mis sold some of the fish - specifically 2 Cory's (julii)

It was well planted and housed 2 Cory's 5 neons, 2 amano and a snail with no bother


I used the 2 Cory's as justification for a bigger tank.......... And after a while I got one from eBay locally for cheap - an oak style with a capacity of 92L

The pictures are rubbish as other posters have mentioned - tricky to shoot!
But here are some before and current shots........

March 3rd


Earlier this evening


The solitary guppie is a rescue and leaving soon...... Current stock is 6 julii corydoras, 8 neons, 5 khuli loach, 4 red robin gouramis, Big bad Barry the bamboo shrimp and 2 snails and some amano..... And quite a few plants


My water supply is private and quite high in nitrates and hard. I have been buying 20l of RO a week for water changes but it is a faff and the price had just risen from £1.50 up to £4.00!!!!!

Pozzani filters? Anybody have any experience of these nitrate removal and water softening filters??

[lufbramatt]

Morning at home alone so did a 30% water change on my tank, cleaned out one of the filters and cleaned all the cover glasses, nice to get all that done with no kids in the way. Few snaps, excuse the bubbles on the glass.

Red rainbows and Madagascan rainbows. Just got a lovely group of Parkinson’s rainbows which are already starting to show some beautiful blue and yellow tones but are very difficult to photos as they are so active!

[lufbramatt]

Oh and this guy lives in there too

[Caddyshack]

shedweller said:

There are some amazing setups on this thread!




Pozzani filters? Anybody have any experience of these nitrate removal and water softening filters??

I use Ion exchange resin filter in the water supply to my tank, it will give pretty much zero nitrate and then refresh with salt...bit of a faff but it will do the job, I then filter in to HMA (heavy metal axe) pod filters to take out Chlorine and Chloramine as I feed constant drip in to the tank then overflow to waste.

[MG CHRIS]

My swordtail have given birth watched the one yesterday didn't get chance to remove it so thought best let nature take course found the tetras I got in there did a good job of hunting them down. got a few left I think but very hard to actually see them.

However had some time of and bought a 20 gallon tank local pretty cheap still undersides on stocking options but it's still doing the cycle ATM so got a few more weeks to decide.