/aq/ Aquarium General - Red tailed shark edition

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Had to transport my tank last night. It was only an hour drive but I still can't get over the stress it brought me.

>>2422099
I put my Betta with 3 neon tetras and he killed 2 of them

He seems to have kept one alive as a companion. The last tetra should be fine right?

What would you stock 2,000 gallon aquarium with /aq/?

>>2417086
>>2418036
i now got my 8g set up for the two guppies. should i get them out of the bowl asap and attempt to cycle the new tank with fish? where would they be better off? i also got some plants and gravel from an established tank that maybe helps with the bacteria.

>>2422149
the big scary fish like bichirs or gars

>>2422149
I'd probably breed a few cherry shrimp

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>>2422149
a fly river turtle

>>2422149
couple bamboo sharks, various moray eels, some queen triggers, probably queen angels, golden trevally, puffers, threadfin lookdowns.

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Have a loach.

my plants are getting eaten. Not full blown eaten but more like spots and im not sure what it is doing it. Im suspecting its the bosemanis or otos. I also found 2 Malaysian trumpet snails (when i bought a plant from petco) and put them in my turtle tank. Ive checked the tank everyday for more but its been 2 months now and ive found none. The ones in the turtle tank are noticible. Whos the culprit?

>>2422163
I'd just move them to the tank, guppies are durable.

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I have some serious issues with water conditioner. If the point is to remove Cl, but Cl goes away after a day or so, then why use the conditioner?
If I'm topping off a 80 gallon system with one gallon, who cares if one gallon is slightly chlorinated for a day?

Pic unrelated- it's some anons setup that I liked

>>2422297
chlorine only takes about 30 minutes to dissipate with normal water movement. If all you're doing is one gallon in 80 it simply doesn't matter.

if you have chloramine though it's a different story. That doesn't dissipate and over time will build up in the tank. That you'd need to treat.

>>2422297
I don't use it, my fish are fine. I used your same logic in deciding not to use it. I think the quality of your water source plays an important role, but I don't live in the inner city or somewhere with a shit water source so it hasn't been a problem for me.

>>2422199
I love your loaches!

>>2422297
>>2422298
I have a bottle of conditioner for emergencies, i.e. when I need to do a water change instantly and can't wait for the chlorine to evaporate.

I have very high concentrations of chlorine in my water and I leave it standing for 2 days. Never registered a chlorine reading in any of my tanks for the last few years.

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Marine vs. Brackish water tank.

I'm very comfortable with Freshwater and want to start a new tank. Would it be wise test the waters with brackish or dive into saltwater?

Excuse the puns.

Picture unrelated.

>>2422312
brackish isn't actually easier than marine.

it's probably somewhat cheaper.

As far as difficulty goes, it's not a step between freshwater and marine. They are each their own thing, and doing one doesn't really prepare you for doing the other.

>>2422312
saltwater isn't terribly difficult, it's just expensive

>>2422312
Choose brackish so you can be a special snowflake and get a bunch of cutie bumblebee gobies.

>get my huge new tank
>looks great
>put in driftwood
>too big
>spend an hour sawing through wet log
>put it back in
>looks 10/10
>transfer some zebras from my other tank to help the cycle establish
>never seen them this happy before
I like when everything goes well.

>>2422334
>find bucket
>find ocean

A-HA salt water shills. What are you going to do, confiscate my 25% whale sperm solution?

So...are there ANY freshwater fish besides goldfish and white clouds that can survive winter? I can heat the water so it doesn't freeze over, but it will still be extremely cold.

>>2422394
Perch, pike, roach...

>>2422396
Don't those all get huge? And I don't think I could find them in a pet store...

>>2422424
Roach don't get huge, and perch only get as big as they can eat. No, you wouldn't find them in a pet store. You'll have to grab some worms and a fishing rod.

>>2422430
Well shit.

>>2422149
leeches
a lot of leeches

>>2422394
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coldwater_fish

>>2422434
Lampreys!

The PAR reading on my plant light is like 160 according to some youtuber with a PAR reader. As suggested, I got a dimmer and set it to 50%`

My gravel and plants now have a moderate cover of BBA. I'm don't have a CO2 system but I have been dosing with a CO2 booster that I understand is mostly just glutaraldehyde.

What should I dim my lights to? Should I be ODing the booster to compensate? What are good ferts for Dwarf Sag and a sword plant that's deadset on throwing off as many runners as possible?

>>2422190
My nigga. Either this or other pond turtles along with a fuck ton of feeder fish

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>>2422386
Got any pics?

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Just moved my 20g long aquarium to a new house and fucked up a ton of hardscape and plants. I don't really like how it looks right now so I'm thinking I'll change most of it up. Any suggestions? I'm also wanting to get into proper CO2. I have a 20oz paintball tank and a diffuser, so just need the other bits, regulator and all that.
I know these are not the recommended brands and I know people will advise me not to be cheap but I can't afford a recommended brand at the moment. Which one of these looks like the best bet? Or do you guys recommend another product of the same price range? Also which plants should I get once I haver CO2 set up? Current lighting is a 30" finnex pant we d 24/7+. Also doing osmacote plus root tabs.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/ls/ref=cm_sw_em_r_awwlg_J5uwzb2WSMDZ2_wf?ie=UTF8&lid=29O8EQO1AY2WT&ref_=cm_sw_em_r_awwlg_J5uwzb2WSMDZ2_wf&ty=wishlist

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>>2422303
Have another

>>2422276
hello?

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>>2422544
Guess I forgot to attach it last night. I was tired from all the sawing. The plants aren't final, I'll move them when I get home from work. I'll have the Dutch Cardinals in the front and centre, where the curve of the log makes a little "garden". Also move some of the gravel to the sides to make a level difference. The log is great though. Has a big "cave" in the front centre I think a pleco would love, and a bunch of covered spots shrimp and loaches and such should like. Ignore the exposed cables, they're just there until I move the small old tank away.

>>2422885
Dude, you're way overstocked. That zebra danio requires at least twice that much tank.

>>2422885
>70 gallon tank
>5 zebras
Well done. That isn't going to need water changes.

>>2422126
The only time I've seen a betta be aggressive towards a neon tetra is if it is an overstocked tank, and even then it is rare. How big is yours?

But to answer your question, if overstocking is the case, then he killed enough of them to probably be comfortable but there are no guarantees.

>>2422149
If freshwater and I had that much cash I'd be willing to part with for fish, probably similar to what Joey is doing. Arowana up top, only three rays at the bottom, some kind of schooling fish in the middle.

If saltwater, shit the possibilities are mindblowing.

>>2422506
If you're the guy who buy Green Element EVO LED lights like a couple of us did, I turned mine down to 25% power and I only run it for two four hour shifts with an hour break in the middle, and I dose excel. All this with no ferts. That curbed my BBA, hair algae, and pretty much all the algae except some normal green algae (which I want because I have a cleanup crew I don't want to have to feed wafers to).

How tall is your tank?

If you're going to OD a booster, then you should just get a CO2 system instead.

>>2422149
I actually love smaller fish, and would probably prefer to have 50x 40 breeders or some absurd shit that adds up to 2000 rather than one tank.

Probably 120x5 (600), 60x3 (180) 40x3(120) and then 20s or smaller for the remaining 100 gallons worth. Most with danios/tetras/barbs and gouramis and corys and otos and shrimp, the only things *requiring* the larger tanks would be stuff like cichlids, maybe an eel, larger catfish, maybe angelfish?

I thought you specified freshwater, if I had that much space I'd have at least one saltwater tank I think.

>>2422930
>25%
shit I guess this thing was overkill

height on my tank is 14.5 inches. Up on the light's brace, it's almost 16 inches. I'll just go back to regular doses of excel for now.

Thanks for the answer. BBA is so shit to deal with

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Cheap-ass pico/nano freshwater shrimp tank advice?
Thought I'd try my hand at doing something small and cheap. What's the absolute minimum I can go for? I'm thinking of getting a vase or jar (0.5 to 1 gallon), one or two little shrimps (maybe a snail too?), some moss maybe and no filtration system. Could it work?

I want something like pic related.

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Taking suggestions for fun and active nano species.

Right now I have ember tetras, pygmy cories, celestial pearl danios, and albino glo-light tetras.

Thinking of adding some clown killifish as I've had them before and they're very fun, though I don't have any floating plant on top. I forgot what I had floating previously for them. Any suggestions?

Also considering endler's livebearers as they seem to have the personality of a regular guppy, which I love, and Norman's lampeye, since they look amazing in groups.

My LFS has a huge selection of nano species.

>>2423006
Heterandria formosa are cute, but kind of plain plain looking.

>>2423009
Aw, they are adorable. I would get them if I wasn't looking to add more color, my tank needs some. The pygmies have a similar silver body and black lateral stripe.

>>2422990
no retard use google shrimp need filtration for one for two a small jar would be terrible for them

>>2423072
Rude.
Well I did read through a few forums and people seem to be doing fine with no-tech shrimp jar "tanks."

>>2423075
>>2423072
Shrimp jars like that always have plants in them. The plant is the filter.

But you need a lot more plant than shrimp, and no, you can't replace the shrimp with bettas like in those torture vases.

>>2423082
Yup, I was planning on using plants, and no, I wouldn't dream of putting any fish in there.
Would covering the substrate with moss be enough, or should I get some anubias or something too?

Anybody here familiar with Triops? They look very interesting, but the kits they tend to appear with in retail settings seem inadequate to me. Any more "serious" keeping advice would be appreciated

Need some help. My 55fal tank was over fed last night at a party with about 8oz of turtle food. I removed 80% solid food, and sucked a lot out with a 15gal water change but it's still cloudy. 7inch plexo died with extended gut and prolapse from over eating. I am concerned about the 4"painted turtle, 4 cichlids, and two 5"balas(was an uniformed buyer)

>>2423311
>7inch plexo died from over eating.
is that a thing? I don't think that's a thing

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>>2423312
It may have been from the ammonia spike if all the food was left overnight, regardless, the biggest fish in the tank is dead and the turtle is bound to overeat as well. I could do a full evacuation and overhaul tonight if I have to.

>>2422967
>>2422967
It's still a great light even if you're turning it down that far. It gives you a lot of options with mounting. If you were to ever have a hanging ballast type mount, the extra height would kill PAR on most other fixtures.

Plus running it lower mean less heat and better longevity.

>>2423329
Separate inhabitants to a temporary holding tank (those plastic bins or even buckets will do). Put your filtration in the temp holding tank. Clean the shit out of your old tank.

Also that really sucks about your pleco. That's a pretty good size. Replacing at that size is not cheap.

Also 15G water change? Dude, don't be afraid to do big water changes.

So about 2 weeks back I got advice on a sick betta. I gave him a pea, I had him in an epsom salt bath, I tried this fin treatment stuff since ever since he started to get sick his fins are looking pretty ragged compared to how full and flush they were before, I added aquarium salt, I lowered his water to 50%, and did more frequent water cycling to help keep him comfortable.

Pretty much he's stayed in the same condition of darting, hiding for days underneath things, and barely coming out.

Today I did a clean and cycle, he seemed happier a few hours ago, came out to eat, about the third time since this started.

Any tips on diagnosing more or other things to try, or what I'm fucking up?

>tank is 2.5 gallon 360 tank from petco, cylindrical
>water tested multiple times at pet stores and by a family member came out fine, I treat and store waters for weekly 20%-30% cycles and he's been fine with it for months
>I've had him for about 3 months, and he's alone

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>>2422099
AAH. The memories! The pain!
>first fish was a Red tail shark.
>Guess I was too young to take care of it correctly.
>Never forgot to clean the tank or feed him though.
>Also maintained a nice temperature.
>But it was a really cheap equipment.
>After a year, a few medium sized white spots started to appear on the little fella.
>Tried wiping them off directly.
>Methylene blue.
>Nothing.
>One morning, aquarium clean and all, Dead.
>I cri.
Ichthyophthirius multifiliis.
What do you think I should have done?
What do you think caused it?

>>2423407
filter could be stressing him. Your water might be too hard

post pics or something or its all going to be stabs in the dark for us

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>>2423422
I turned off the filter for a few days, and I've been looking into getting something to dampen the flow. I was told that because of aquarium size, fish type, and the frequency of water change/cleanings I was doing the filter was optional, so I just turn it off when I feed or if he seems stressed.

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>>2423426
And here he is since in the first he was resting on the substrate between the edge and castle, easier to see him from above although you can see him a little in the first.

>>2423426
you either need to keep the filter on or turn it off completely. You could be creating mini cycles doing that or just irritating the fuck out of the fish. I'd just keep it off completely

How new are those decorations? They COULD be leaking chemicals into the water. I should also say that isnt much space. longer is always better than deeper for bettas

that said, I dont see anything obviously wrong. I COULD nitpick but nothing really looks wrong. The moss tubes have me suspicious since they look like the cheap ones that sell from China on ebay. It's just a hunch but i'd take the castle and tubes out and replace them with a coconut hide and a plant(real or silk)

>>2423426
every time you turn the filter off it dies, which doesn't matter except it's a living organism that weighs more than your fish.

so when you turn it off you have this rotting bacterial biomass that adds even more ammonia to your tank than if you didn't have a filter at all.

ditch the filter or run it full time. what you're doing is a terrible interpretation of good advice.

>>2423434
Thank you for the clarification, I guess it was less bad interpretation and more schizophrenic desperate trying of different advices to see what sticks.

I think I'll pack it with something to dampen the flow and leave it on. Do you mind going into detail with what you mean about it dying? I understand the cycle in a fundamental sense, but I figured as long as I kept the filters wet they'd do it good.

>>2423431
Alright, thanks. It's nice to have some definitive feel for what I should be doing with the filter.

The decorations I got with the tank, a week before I got the betta. Everything was set up with water running for a week, then we went and picked him out.

The decorations came from petco, and do feel free to nitpick. If I can do anything better, I'd like to.

>>2423436
I'm fine with decorations.

the stuff sold for aquariums is almost never harmful to fish. that would be a problem, and businesses don't like problems.

>>2423436
>Do you mind going into detail with what you mean about it dying?
Half of the bacteria in your filter require oxygen to live. They get that oxygen from water. If the water isn't moving they consume all the oxygen and then die.

this death takes somewhere between 30 minutes and a couple hours depending on size of the biomass and volume of the filter.

but anyways, when you shut it off the bacteria begin to die and in a couple hours are completely dead and rotting.

>>2423438
About plants, I am nervous about killing a live plant or it overcomplicating cleaning, and a silk plant I'm nervous might get too dirty and I'd have to toss it out if I couldn't clean it with the gentle methods I have been advised to use with aquatic items.

>>2423439
Holy fuck. Thank you man. Well I guess I'll just keep that shit on.

How do you deal with huge food waste? For like 2 months my betta would come to the top and I'd feed him but after he got sick I slowed down feedings quite a bit to match his activity (no reason to dump food in when he isn't coming to eat, it will just coat the bottom).

Also I want to give him these pellets but when he tries to eat them they sink, and 90% of the time they sink before he even notices them.

>>2423441
Plants whether live or fake aren't likely to have any effect on water quality in a tank that size.

I would say if you want one for looks then go for it, but otherwise it's almost meaningless. Likewise the detritus that will collect on a fake plant or in the substrate around a real plant is not likely to harm water quality in any measurable way at all.

as long as you're doing regular water changes neither the cleaning capacity of live plants nor the dirtying capacity of live or fake plants matters.

>>2423442
I personally have a 60g tank with 10 small fish.
I feed them once or twice a week, only what they can eat in a minute. I've been doing this for 6 years without problem. My fish are fat.

People WAY overfeed their fish. If any is landing on the bottom you're feeding too much.

>>2423445
I got similar advice to this when I got the fish, but it is hard to tell how much he'll eat in a minute.

>>2423443
I guess I'll get a live plant then.

>>2423446
>it is hard to tell how much he'll eat in a minute.
I can't tell you what to do with your fish but if it was me I'd just start skipping a couple days between feedings.

He's not going to starve to death. If he does start to starve you'll know it because they get skinny. The other option is just feed floating foods and keep it to a couple flakes a day at most. Even that's probably too much.

fish are used to not eating for days at a time in the wild. It happens a lot. It won't kill them.

>>2423447
>It won't kill them.
the real problem isn't that we're afraid our fish will starve.

in reality one of the few ways we get to interact with our pets is by feeding them. So people feed a lot. This kills the fish.

need to understand that feeding the fish is rewarding to the fishkeeper but dangerous to the fish. You have to break the habit of enjoying your fish only at feeding time. Also of course fish beg for food. This is normal but needs to be ignored.

>>2423450
I'm the person with the sick betta, my kids the first few weeks liked being the one to feed him but they're too little to understand how little food he needs.

So we switched to letting them pick out what aquarium pieces I'd put in when I cleaned it next (swap one thing out for choice since we have like 3 extra).

Also before he got sick he would explore and interact with things outside the tank.

So sometimes the kids would show him stuff. Of course it's a fish, but they liked it a lot and it didn't harm him.

I do get why people feed fish to interact with them but it seems a little clumsy and stupid. I'm genuinely just not sure the amount a betta should have in what time span, although I know if he's having issues delaying feeding for a few days won't hurt him.

What food I do know a good portion for him, he doesn't eat because he does NOT look at the substrate so after an initial bite, assuming he gets one before it sinks, it is gone.

>>2423452
>I'm genuinely just not sure the amount a betta should have in what time span,
this honestly depends on water temperature, but if food is hitting the bottom you're probably feeding too much.

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>>2423454
I meant with the little....betta pellet things. pic related

I've tried putting like 2 in the water, and when he was active he'd nibble, and they'd sink.

Now if I put them in the water it's more likely it'll be hit by the filter and pushed down before its eaten or noticed.

>>2423455
Yep, that's on reason I like floating flakes.

You want your fish hungry enough to eat all the food you drop, whether it's pellets or anything else.

Do corys generally have a bit of an issue finding food?

I feel like sometimes my peppered corys will have food right in front of their faces and they'll miss it 80% of the time. But then again, they're also super hyper fish and are constantly grazing and swimming around.

>>2422149
500 pea puffers

I want to build an aquarium.
But I need to know hood sizes for when I need to by one to make sure my dimensions fit.
What are the common dimensions so I can get a hood when I need?

>>2422149
One cherry shrimp.

>>2422149
A school of silver dollars. I think they look so beautiful in schools.

Also a ghost knife maybe. Or some other large solitary fish.

>>2423630
Here's a guide http://www.anapsid.org/resources/tanksize.html

>>2423630
BUILD THE HOOD TOO

HELL, BUILD THE FILTER AS WELL

>>2423630
>>2423763
Yeah... Why would you not build the hood? For non-huge tanks, this tends to be a bigger cost than the tank itself.

>>2423770
I dunno, just gave him what he asked for. If he's building it chances are it's going to be on the larger side but either way he's probably better off building it.

>>2423757
>silver dollars
I'd do it with pacu.

>>2423787
More directed at him, not you. I totally agree with you. If you're building a tank, might as well build a hood and stand.

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My guppies keep attacking all the plants in the tank aside from the Sword and Anubias, the Java Fern and S Repens are still hanging on, and some of my rotundifolia have finally transitioned to immersed form, while all my helferi seem to have died in their attempt to adapt to the tank.

Mostly I am worried about the S Repens, since it shows the most obvious signs of nibbling. I want it to settle and start growing so I can propogate it as groundcover. :(

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>>2423929
The java fern picture is probably better for showing why I assume this is the fish and not just melt or rot or something else.

>>2422990
Can you even keep any kind of organism alive without a filter in a jar like that? That looks really cool

So who else has been keeping up with King of DIY?

He's so close to being done with his 2000 tank and I'm STOKED!

>>2423454
Well a good rule too is that their stomach is the size of their eye ball, and it should look softly rounded after they eat. So about three to four of those regular betta pellets, maybe twice a day, but I usually feed once a day.

However, I feed bloodworms and high quality flakes. About every three days because they are such pigs and try to eat everything else in the tank.

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>>2423929
>get plant-eating fish
>decorate tank with live soft plants

>>2423969
>guppies
>plant eating
cmon now, they're grazers at best

>>2423954
The plants themselves act as a kind of filter. Of course, you are gonna need a tiny tank and a lot of plants to pull that off. It's not optimal, but a filter-less tank can be achieved, though the kind of livestock you can keep in it is really limited.

>>2423969
My apparently flawed and superficial research told me they were mostly interested in food on the surface, preferably live foods. They are used for mosquito control, after all.

If anything I would have expected most species of danios to be as bad, if not worse, for my plants. I was originally intending on getting zebras.

>>2423977
guppies, platies and mollies are known planteaters. They'll all strip a plant clean if not fed on time

>>2423981
they're also used for algae control. they're fucking monsters; mollies in particular will decimate bba in large enough groups

>>2423982
>known planteaters
that can't be true at all, i have had those same livebearers listed and they have never touched anything green despite not being fed for a week

>>2423992
>anything green
as in?

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I BUILT A THING

IT'S STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS

Thinking about getting one of those heaters meant for a 55gallon tank and putting it in the lower sectionand setting it to 82. If it can keep the upper section warm as well, I might toss one of my bettas in during the summer and spring months.

>>2423442
Get some frozen blood worms. Betta love them. If you hold the frozen block with tweezers he will attack it. Fun for everyone. And you'll know he's eating and full. Very good for coloration as well.

>>2424061
Will do.
I ordered him a coconut hide, a little java fern, and a moss ball thing. They'll be here on Fri.

I also noted he's been swimming out, exploring, looking for food, then going to nap a bit today so I'm feeling much better about him.

Anybody know what kind of plants would be good for a betta fish? Don't know enough about plants to know what i should get for him.

>>2424082
I just got done talking to a bunch of people, doing research.

One of the single most common answers I got was Java Fern over and over.

>>2424082
they like anything they can rest on or hide under really. Mine used to rest sideways on my Anubia like it was a hammock

I've read that breeding Oscars will decimate plants, but nothing about loners. Does anyone here have a lone Oscar? How does he act around plants?

>>2424190
Typically keeping live plants with cichlids, especially large ones, is a no-no. Lots of uprooting and torn leafs.

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Do any of you ever consult a vet about your fish's health, or just forums/4chan?

I did a 90% waterchange yesterday and all of my fish are still losing their shit over it this morning

How do I calm these fucks down?

>>2424245
Read about the symptoms on various sites and make the best guess I can at what might be wrong. Things like digestion, parasites and fungus that are fairly easy to treat I do myself right away. More complex things I'll look what medicine might cost, and if it's too much I'll just bring out the clove oil. But then I keep mostly tetras and other small, cheap fish. There's really no point in paying a hundred dollars to a vet to treat a five dollar fish.

>>2424245
the only fish worth a vet are expensive kois and arowanas

>>2424245
>just forums/4chan?
I wouldn't trust 4chan to plug in my heater.

this is literally the worst place to get advice on fish. A kindergarten class would provide better answers.

>>2422168
>bichir
>scary
>gar
>scary
Found the cuck

>>2422297
Water changes 30% or more will kill off some of your beneficial bacteria. Chlorines will evaporate yes but chloramines won't. Prime doesn't use much and does more than remove choline and chloramines. It's peace of mind to me no matter what water change I do.

>>2423982
This is false. They're more known as algae eaters. Wild species eat algaes. So do the tank bred ones. Java fern also is not a soft plant. Kind of rough which is why cichlids keepers do them and anubias.

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I memed xD

>>2424303
Keep the lights off until they calm down.

What should I pay for a used 40 gallon breeder? What about a 40 gallon long? I'm between those two and there are a few on Craigslist but I'm not sure what price is reasonable

>>2424448
No more than $40 for the regular 40 breeder.

For a 40 long? That's a little more rare of a size, so probably $60. That's assuming each tank is in great shape, because a brand new 40 breeder will run you $40 at Petco's dollar-per-gallon sales.

Regardless of price, I'd buy the 40 long simply because those longer, shallower tanks are easier to aquascape and look great with the right scape.

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>>2424326
>he's never seen an alligator gar eat a duck 10' away while floating the Trinity River
>he's never had to unhook a 50" longnose gar in the dark

Fear is healthy, son.

>>2424245
Internet for small advice. My local aquarium shop for important stuff.
They know me, my aquarium and my fish. And they know what they are doing.

>>2422321
>>2422334
Thanks for the input, I'll go marine.

>>2422381
At some point, I will. Actually, when I do, it'll be a huge tank. I want Monos in it.

>>2424453
I fish in Florida. There's nothing I fear in the waters.

>>2424518
What about some fellow Floridans swimming around?

>>2422758

None of them sound like they are the culprit to my knowledge:
Malaysian trumpet snails eat dead or decaying plants.

Bosemanis are not interested in plants as food,

and otos eat algae (and algawafers if you get them eat those)

Can you make pics of your plants?

>>2423421
Ichthyophthirius multifiliis happens if their immune system is weakened.

Stress can be a cause for a weakened immune system, there are however many reasons that could stress out your fish:

Tankmates? Not enough space for itself? Lack of an hiding place? It is known that they get more aggressive the older they get.

Size of the tank? How often did you clean its tank? What is the temperature and its water parameters?

There is a lot that could have happened that lead to Ichthyophthirius multifiliis.

>>2423982
>mollies in particular will decimate bba in large enough groups
You know, lots of people all over the internet say this but my mollies didn't do shit (I have a whole bunch as they reproduce like crazy, from sailfin to lyretail, black, gold, white, all the stuff inbetween). But they waaaaay prefer the New Life Spectrum flake or pellet food to the point that they get uncomfortably skinny instead of eating the BBA. I think they just got spoiled.

I also tried florida/amerifat flag fish, which actually did go after the BBA when I first got them, but then after they saw the mollies go after the NLS flakes/pellets, they started eating it too and never looked back.

I eventually gave up and starting dosing excel flourish, which worked pretty quick. Considering going full on CO2.

>>2424659
I should clarify that I dosed Excel Flourish to stop BBA growth (and hair algae growth), however I manually removed what was already there via pruning and ye olde Hydrogen Peroxide.

>>2424329
>Water changes 30% or more will kill off some of your beneficial bacteria.

Technically anything would kill off some beneficial bacteria, including exposure to light, shaking the media around, and time. However most things people are afraid of, including everything I listed, simply don't kill off enough to make any significant difference or even a detectable one with any home test kit available (via micro spikes in ammonia/nitrite). If you are having spikes, then your tank wasn't stable and mature to begin with.

However I really want to know why you think greater than 30% water changes specifically kill off beneficial bacteria.

>>2424659
maybe they are spoiled? I don't know but mine eat fucking everything. There's never algae in my tank anymore, I havent scraped my glass in months. They nipped my Anubias so much that they outright died. I have to distract them when I toss in algae wafers are spirulina tablets for my pleco because they swarm it and none of my bottomdwellers can hope to touch it

maybe I just have monsters in my tank

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Is it a bad idea to feed sand crab eggs to fish? I brought a few berried ones from my fishing trip and fed the eggs to my mollies and they went crazy for it.

>>2424677
>my dogs liked their food
>is this good to feed them?

No, you're alright.

>>2424666
>I really want to know why you think greater than 30% water changes specifically kill off beneficial bacteria.
He was referring to the use of chlorinated water. Presumably under the assumption that municipal chlorine levels are sufficient to kill bacteria even at 1/3 their normal concentration.

this is probably close enough to accurate for most areas.

>>2424523
I'm afraid of the people in Floridia more than the alligators

>>2424666
Depending on how much chlorine is used. My water test for 1.1ppm of chlorine when I tested a local swimming pool it was at 1.5ppm. I notice problems after that point so now I use a double dose of prime. I'll be using safe when this runs out.

>>2423566
That would be amazing.

>>2423541
I have had this issues. I see they pick at food then leave it alone. I just tried a few different foods until I found a few types they liked. Now they eat like crazy whenever its feeding time.

>>2424680
My grandmother's dog loved chocolate. People smoke cigarettes all the time. People don't know what's good for them, why would animals?

i have a 30g and i want to keep a single male betta in it. as tank mates some c. panda and a couple of shrimps. will the betta feel good and prosper in such a big tank?

>>2424806
you might have oxygenation issues. Either for the shrimp or the cories. Bettas get stressed if they arent kept in still water and stress makes them sick and kills them quickly

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>Tfw go to bed with 10 ghost shrimp and wake up with 4
Thanks petsmart

>found random assortment of dried tree barks
>broke off a couple of sticks
>cleaned them, peeled them off, sanded them
>left them in a bucket of water for a couple of days
>gonna boil them for a few minutes

Anything else I gotta do?

tfw my aquariums are the only thing keeping me from killing myself. I can't abandon them

>>2424955
>tfw I went full walstad
My tanks don't need me anymore. If I had automatic top-off they'd run indefinitely.
>tfw a float valve is all that's separating me from being useless

>>2424938
Petco has way higher quality.
Mom and pop stores are hazardous as fuck.
Breeders are best but quite literally impossible to find.

>>2424938
So you lost what, 30 cents in livestock? Doesn't sound all that bad to me.

>>2424806
Provided with lots of cover, i'm sure he'd be fine. Open areas can stress bettas out a bit. I'd also recommend getting a variety of bettafish that doesn't have obnoxiously long fins, though. Bettas with fins like rosetails and feathertails tend to have a lot of trouble getting around, especially compared to varieties like the plakat betta. By the way, you could also get a sorority of females.
I have a male veil tail who's about 5 years old now and he's doing great in my planted 40 breeder. I'm running an aquaclear 50 & a sponge filter and he has no problems getting around and i've had no oxygenation issues. When he's not doing stuff, he has no problems floating at the top of the tank or sitting on the bottom. Anyways, just don't overdo the flow in your aquarium and you should be good.

>get tank
>put sand and plants in
>add some cool fish
>go to bed
>wake up
>all my plants are floating at the surface
I don't suppose it would be possible to weight the plants down? I'd rather not add a bunch of stones or such, but would it be aquarium safe to use a bit of lead? I have a lot of fishing sinkers I could thread onto a steel wire and strap around the plant roots.

>>2425104
>should I throw a high toxic heavy metal into my aquarium
Yeah dude, go right ahead! Did you buy bacteria so you could cycle the tank, btw?
>>2422099
Anyone ever buy anything from aquatic arts?

>>2425115
Okay, no lead, got it. I thought it might be alright since they're intended for fishing. Maybe I can find some ceramic rings or something. Terracotta should be okay, right? I see pots in tanks all the time.

Yeah, it's cycled. I used the bacteria booster two days ago and had the water tested in the shop yesterday before I got the fish.

>>2425104
How deep is your sand and what fish do you have in your tank? I just use large gravel around the base of my plants and it works fine for me. Looks more natural, too.

>>2425117
good
&& what other anon just said, tie it to a rock with wire or bury in heavier rocks

>>2425121
About four inches. The fish are scalare angelfish, an ancistrus and cardinal tetras.

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>>2425124
Four inches of sand and your plants are still floating up? Weird. I've probably only got two inches of sand, less in some areas, and my plants never come up unless I fuck up while vacuuming. (...which happens pretty often, so that's why I anchor some of my plants down with rocks. Pic related.)

>>2425096
Not him, but it is $1.29 Canadian pucks for them in our Petsmart. Even the feeders are 0.99 cents each.

>>2425128
I fucked up my conversion. It's 2.35 inches. I don't think the sand is the problem though. I saw the fish (particularly the ancistrus) poking around in it a lot.

>>2425129
>0.99 cents
So they are $0.009?
That's pretty damn cheap.

>>2425136
This is a thread dedicated for salt. I feel like some of us salt guys are afraid to show our true power levels in the /aq/. Please no bully.

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Guys, one of my amanos is turning red. It started happening three days ago. He doesn't walk around and eat like he used to, he just sits on the wood and cleans his swimming legs. Water test came out pristine. Google tells me that turning red means they're dying, but he's only around a year old. Pic is the red shrimp next to a normal shrimp.

>>2425142
Isn't a year pretty old for a shrimp? My ghost shrimp usually don't last more than that. They change color and die slowly eventually.

>>2425132
99 cents

>>2425154
Ghost Shrimp have low life span compared to other shrimp, like Amano's. One year would be old for a Ghost shrimp.

>>2425154
Amanos should get to three or four years old. I got him when he (and his friends) was still very small, so he can't be much more than a year old.

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Size : 50gal 1.5'x4'

Inhabitants: Neon Tetra, Ghost/Glass Shrimp, Auger Snails, Venezuelan blood corys, Emerald Corys

Organic miracle grow soil covered with black sand lines the bottom. I soaked the soil for 3 weeks before starting the tank.

Been going for over a year. I don't check the parameters and only add water as it evaporates. No water changes.

>>2422149
>>2422168
>>2422190
All these choices are boring. Fly River Turtles are shit, Gar are skittish as fuck and a deep tank with fast moving fish prevents Polypterus from eating.

t. A guy whose job has a display tank featuring all three..plus a Giant Gourami and Prochildus.

>>2424832
>>2425103
Just use sponge filters like this guy. Completely solves both the oxygenation issues and the water flow issues.

I would also suggest tall decor, whether they be planted stuff or hardscape (probably a combo of both: like driftwood with plants on it) so the betta can rest closer to the surface of the water if he wants.

Lots of hiding places like suggested is also a great idea as they tend not to like intense light (ironic that they are sold in clear cups with light blasting in their faces up to 16 hours a day).

>>2425115
>Anyone ever buy anything from aquatic arts?
Yes. I've had good experiences with them. When buying plants or shrimp they tend to send more than you paid for, I assume to cover for potential loss.

E.g. bought three bonsai balls, got four, all of them pretty good size (which I regret because they're kind of dumb and they've gotten pretty fucking big). Or I order 10 shrimp and get 11-12.

Protip though, don't order some shitty amount from them like five shrimp or you're just wasting money on shipping.

>>2425064
After successfully keeping a brood of baby ghosts alive, i've kind of wanted to breed them. But it is kind of impractical to breed them for money even if maintaining them is fairly easy

cherrys are easier to breed, quicker to mature and profit is much much larger. A shame really since ghosts are more interesting to watch

My Jack Dempsey is getting pretty big, and sometimes jumps a bit. My lights are under the tank cover (German engineering at its finest), and I'm worried he'll jump into them and break them. Do footlong fish get enough momentum to smash a fluorescent tube?

I'm thinking about doing a shallow tank with a largish area for a betta. Is there a minimum amount of water a betta needs to be happy? Google hasn't been much help besides one site that says 6in

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picked up these pretty scarlet endler's at my LFS. what would happen if i bred them with females that were also hybridized, and had yellowish "cobra"/"tiger" coloring? the LFS had some females that were almost as colorful as males, i didn't get a good look at their fins to be able to tell if they really were female but i got curious.

>>2425193
this seems extremely understocked. you should really add some fish in there, don't listen to /aq/ sperging over how many fish per gallon or whatever. a tank that heavily-planted can support a LOT of fish.

>>2425193
It has 15 corys in there and 18 tetras. Somewhere around 25 shrimps at any given time. Everything just likes to stay hidden. Only the tetras come out in front of the plants.

>>2425287
>>2425289
whoops

>>2422149
A gold fish, but you fags will still complain that it's too small and that I should get a 3,000 gallon tank

>>2425249
6 sounds about right but you could probably do less depending on how long you plan on going

>>2422149
would 5 koi be considered overstocked?

>>2425334
No, I think it would be just about right actually. One koi I think is about equivalent to one asian arowana or one ray.

>>2425287
>don't listen to /aq/ sperging over how many fish per gallon or whatever.
Anyone who refers to fish per gallon is likely misinformed.

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>>2422632
Got a canister filter and removed internal filters. Attached the spray bar at the top and put some apothos in the surface skimmer attachment. Plants are looking better. Added some osmacote plus root tabs and CO2. Thinking of getting some floating plants and keeping them behind the spray bar.

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>>2425366

>>2425366
Very nice decor.

Petco $1/gal sale starts tomorrow.

Just remember the tank itself is only a small portion of the cost of a full aquarium so don't come back here complaining everyone is making you buy a super expensive water test kit at an astounding $25.

>>2425394
>tfw lfs do water tests for free

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just started my first tank today. Got a 12 gallon long full of water substrate and hardscape because i forgot my filter media is still in the mail

any recs on stock? im planning to get some CPDs but i want some fish that hang out on the bottom

>>2425423
Pygmy cory's would be a good bottom fish. Not until you cycle that tank though.

>>2425366
Aren't your fish afraid of the chickens? Image you where a fish in there. It would be like having four tyrannosaurs outside your house at all times, watching you. All day and night long. Spooky.

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My tanks no longer bring me joy

>>2425418
Are you that guy that kept trying to convince everyone that him driving to the petstore every time he wanted to do a water test saved money then resorted to name calling even though it was proven with really simple math that he not only was not saving money, but also wasting time?

Anyway, yeah, doesn't matter if LFS do free water tests. Still a good idea to get your own.

Again, if you're trying to """""save""""" a mere $25 on a really good tool, then you shouldn't even be in this hobby.

>>2425423
That danio is cool as fuck.

>>2425550
They're like two hundred metres from where I work though.

>>2425549
Get about a half dozen of Periophthalmus novemradiatus.
Or an active species of shrimp.
Or some type of fairy shrimp.

Goofy, active, whimsical-looking critters tend to bring me joy.

>>2425549
Cover your dick in peanut butter and stick it in your most populated tank.

Does a cuttlefish bone raise kH, gH or both?

who /frugal/ here?
>walk 15 miles to my LFS to get a free water check
>cut and dice leftover corn from my neighbor's garbage and feed it to my fish
>sometimes feed killed flies and cockroaches to my betta
>use the dirt outside my """house""" as substrate
>toss plants from a nearby river during my walk to the LFS into my DIY tank
>occasionally i get parasites and accidentally net someone's dunce but it's free fertilizer for my plants

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How do you guys even choose how much light you should use on your aquarium/how intense it should be? I know the 1lts:1w rule, but how do I know if the light is too intense for certain plants? Are plants that have low light requirements hurt by intense light?
Also, how do you guys know how much co2 you should dose?

>>2425623
Plants aren't going to be hurt by excessive light, but you will get more algae.

what the fuck the petrified wood i put in my tank raised my kh to astronomical levels

>>2425711
It was probably some cheap imitation and not real fossilized wood.

>>2424045
So I got a table umbrella to help keep this thing in the shade because I found that the water in the two glass pieces was heating up to a hot-to-the-touch temp, and the water isn't getting moved around at all with the rest of it.

Now that it's been in the shade, it feels about the same temp as the rest of it.

I haven't treated the water at all yet because I'm just kind of watching things and seeing what the temperature differences is throughout the day. I have another pothos plant to break up and add in the bottom and top for more coverage, and I also have a local store that has some actual water plants like seaweed types and lilies. I'm going to ask them about what might do good in here.

But at this point, I'm wondering-will the fish swimming up into those glass pieces be enough to move the water around so that it mixes? Or should I try to put the small pump under the piece/in the piece to get it moving? I have another pump as well that I could put in the top section, but then I'm starting to run out of plug-in space on the extension cord because I have another tank on that cord as well+plus phone chargers and laptops.

I also really, REALLY want one of those black, bug-eyed goldfish, but I know that probably won't work out in the small space. If I were to only get two of the fancies, that don't get huge, could I compensate with a bunch of plants for filtration? Otherwise I'll probably just stick with a good handful of white clouds, or maybe some guppies and a heater.

Also also, still working on the aesthetics.

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My friend's fish has these white blotches. I thought it was ich when she described it, but it looks more like scarring. She says he was colored way down earlier. I doubt it's scarring because he's the only fish in there. Any ideas?

>>2425767
You mean the lighter grey "stripes" on the darker grey? That's just his pattern. Tiger Oscars have three colours, light grey, dark grey and orange. Fish change how prominent their colours are based on lots of things. He might be reacting to a new diet (has she changed to new pellets, or added plants he might be eating), a change in water conditions (recent water change, or the temperature may have changed if the tank is near a window or the power's been out recently), or he's just having a mood swing.

>>2425770
He usually only has the black and orange, but yes that's what I'm talking about. I've never really fucked with Oscars. So it's probably just stress? She doesn't take proper care of him and has him in way too small of a tank.

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>>2425773
Yeah, it's probably just stress. Most Oscars have light grey stripes, but they don't always show them very well. You could try to convince her to get him a bigger tank, but that hardly ever works. Just make sure she gives him frequent water changes, Oscars are shit machines. As with goldfish, twice a week is probably for the best.

>>2425776
I've been barking up both of those trees for over a year since she bought him. Now I'm just trying to get her to give him away.

>>2425610
>Does a cuttlefish bone raise kH, gH or both?
you can't raise kH without also raising gH because kH is part of gH.

cuttlefish bone raise kH and thus also gH.

this depends on pH though. You need acidic water to dissolve cuttlefish bone. And as it dissolves, it raises pH making it dissolve more slowly and eventually stop dissolving completely. Either way it's not a particularly fast or effective method of raising pH, kH, or gH.

In saltwater we use what's called kalkwasser to raise kH. German for "chalk water." If buffering is the main goal we just use baking soda.

>>2425776
Also, thanks.

>>2425623
Watts per gallon isn't really relevant anymore. We used to use that back when T12s were the standard lighting option, as par was fixed per watt. Now days we have T8s, T5s, HO options, they all have a different par availability per watt as well as fluctuation between manufacturers. While it's still used a lot as a general rule, you are better looking at par and lumen ratings for the fixture/bulbs you will be installing.

Aim for 50+ par at the substrate for high lighting. Need heavy amounts of CO2 for that kind of light, and injection rate is dependent on the volume for sustained results.

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>>2425781
You're welcome. I hope you can get her to care more for her fish, but I don't have high hopes. Women are invariably shit fishkeepers.

>>2425785
>Women are invariably shit fishkeepers.
in online polls of reefing communities about 16% of respondents are female.

those women are invariably better fishkeepers than you.

>>2425785
Most people are shit fishkeepers. Most women are shit people. The math is there.

>>2425792
Found the woman.

>>2425797
I'm not a woman.
I'm just not an angry virgin or repressed homosexual.
sorry. your kind are over there >>>/pol/

>>2425798
Found the liberal.

>>2425799
this board is over half women and way over half liberals. So you shouldn't have any trouble finding either one.

you're the sort that couldn't find his dick with two hands and a flashlight though.

tell us more about how the two women you ever worked up the courage to speak to ignored your advice on what size tank their betta needs.

How much koi can go in a pond about 8' x 5' x 3'? 900 gallons.

>>2425805
I'm actually one of those women, I just don't choose to get offended like you do. It's text on an anonymous imageboard, and you choose to get offended.

>>2425807
Somewhere about 300 gallons per koi is the rule, so three. But with ponds it depends more on your filtration than on your volume.

>>2425808
>you choose to get offended.
I'm not offended.

the anon simply lied. There are millions of female fishkeepers out there that are far better at it than he is (you are). This is a fact and shouldn't be seriously doubted.

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is 3W/gal lighting without co2 going to turn my tank into an algea bucket? If I plant high light plants and dose ferts will that reduce algae?

i wish there was more easily digestable literature about this shit, combing through forum posts is tedious as shit

>>2425813
Why do you assume I'm better at keeping fish than he is? He gave the same Oscar advice I would have if I'd bothered, so that willingness to put in the effort to help an anon would actually make him better than me, wouldn't it? And for some reason, whenever I go to the fish shop, it's full of excited-looking men and bored-looking women. Just accept that not a lot of us like fish, and take your white knighting back to tumblr.

>>2425816
>Why do you assume I'm better at keeping fish than he is?
I didn't. Just because there are millions of better fishkeepers than him doesn't necessarily mean you're one of them.

I already said there are more men than women in the hobby. Try to keep up.

>>2425819
Jesus. I didn't mean to start all this. Let's just all agree that my friend shouldn't be keeping this Oscar.

>>2425819
>I didn't.
>There are millions of female fishkeepers out there that are far better at it than he is (you are).

>>2425822
>Let's just all agree that my friend shouldn't be keeping this Oscar.
It sounds like the thing is alive and well despite your best hopes that it'll die. She's probably doing fine.

reminds me of that dude on /aq/ a few years back that made a huge deal about rescuing his sister's betta. He killed it the same day he "rescued" it. Your opinion means shit compared to her keeping the fish alive.

>>2425823
sorry, I wasn't clear.
I didn't know if you were him.

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>>2425757
And new pic

>>2425825
Oscars are pretty tolerant of poor water, so yeah, the fish is probably doing alright. If the fish can't stand the tank, he'll leave it. Oscars are strong jumpers.

>>2425825
This woman has done one water change since she bought the damned thing eighteen months ago and it was only because I kept harping on her about it. It's living in a 29g tank. She has one HOB filter and doesn't even own a test kit. She texted me asking why her fish was sick. Just because it's alive doesn't mean it is healthy.

>>2425836
I'm impressed that the fish is still alive and visible. Algae should be running rampant in that tank after such a long time with such a big, filthy fish in so little water.

>>2425836
Yea...you'll probably have to end up putting it down for her if it gets too sick.

I had to put my partners oscar down because it was laying on the bottom of it's tank having a fucking seizure.

They are just not a good beginner fish, and I wish petstore wouldbe more careful about selling them.

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Rate?

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>>2425844
There's also this adorable little thing that's a gallon and a half.

What's some coollooking snails I could show to my partner?

>>2425843
They shouldn't carry them smaller than 4".

>>2425848
My LFS makes a point of keeping a foot-long Oscar in the display tank right next to the babies for sale. They also point out that the big fish is what the tiny babies will grow into, and that you need a monster tank to keep them. I've seen parents come in with their kids and ask to buy a school of mollies and a pair of Oscars, so it's a good thing they do it.

>>2425857
God I wish they would do that.
>>2425848
I get the feeling that people would still buy it.

"IT WILL ONLY GROW TO THE SIZE OF THE TANK HURDUR"

I've seen people come in and get three kois for their 'aquarium' even though the labels underneath the fish all state the size they will grow to, the temps they need, and the size of pond/tank they need.

>>2425862
Actually, I should take a picture of that display tank. The Oscar is beautiful, very dark black with sort of a ripple-pattern of orange extending back from the gills, and he always swims up to the glass when you approach him. Tank isn't too scruffy either, bow-front with a very cool huge root. It forms a cave large enough for even the Oscar to hide in. Every time I go there I sort of want to buy a tank like that to keep my own Oscar.

>>2425868
That sounds sick, please do.

>>2425847
Hermit crab in a glass shell.

>>2425857
My LFS does something like this, with a giant display tank in the center of the store with 3 full grown oscars and a giant gourami nearby the young ones for sale.

>>2425549
u just need more anon

>>2425816
>my experience with my own lfs is universal

And who the fuck is Rachel O'Leary lol hurrbdurp I don't like women cuz they don't go on dates with meeee

>/aq/ - Aquarium General turned into /aq/ - Autism General
can summerfags kindly tie a knot and hang themselves with it thanks

>>2425908
Aquatism.

>>2425908
It was always autism general

>>2425815
>is 3W/gal lighting without co2 going to turn my tank into an algea bucket

yes. You will have more black brush algae than you'll know how to comprehend. You'd have to completely groundcover with high light plants to attempt to beat out algae and even then you'll want the lights dimmed until you have adequate growth

just do yourself a favor and get a CO2 system

Fighting a losing battle with green algae on the glass and my beautiful rose granite in my African tank. Will more Java and anubius help? Can't move the tank and won't shorten the light cycle any more than I already have.

>>2425932
anubia and java are incredibly slow growers, I dout that'd help. Is daily scraping just too much work?

>>2425934
Kind of.
Anubius and Java are pretty much the only African proof plants, though.

>>2425937
I mean, the glass is no problem. I can't get the rock clean enough to look good without removing it and washing it.

>>2425939
can you not get a light dimmer?

>>2425939
Get an algae eater. I personally know people who have had good experiences with BN plecos in african tanks

>>2424806
Make sure the tank has different 'zones' or at least break up the space with lots of live plants etc, your betta will love you for that. In my experience I've found that ember tetra do really well with betta, so that's something you may want to consider if you want more stock but want to keep the spacious look (5 or more ember tetra is a good number).

>>2425885
lol

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Yo faggots, I got a 10 gal aquarium with internal filter, lights and planning to get a heater tomorrow, what's some good freshwater fish that could live in a 10 gal? Thanks.

>>2425836
>This woman has done one water change since she bought the damned thing eighteen months ago
water changes aren't necessary as evidenced by her fish's continued survival
>and it was only because I kept harping on her about it.
you forcing people to do unnecessary shit because you think it's necessary doesn't make you some saint.
>It's living in a 29g tank.
It's living. How's your oscar doing?
>She has one HOB filter and doesn't even own a test kit.
Clearly her care is sufficient despite your problems with it.
>She texted me asking why her fish was sick.
it's not dead yet, and you can't cure it.
>Just because it's alive doesn't mean it is healthy.
again, how is your oscar doing?
jk, you don't have any.

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>>2422389
>find ocean
Too bad I live in the middle of Illinois, no ocean just a lake.

>>2426056
is ok, the water isn't actually the expensive part.

>>2426051
a betta

>>2426055
>water changes aren't necessary as evidenced by her fish's continued survival
lol

>>2426070
are you saying the lack of water changes killed her fish?

I think we can all agree that's not true. So no water change was necessary in that time span to keep her fish alive.

this isn't surprising- water changes aren't often needed in understocked tanks.

>>2425815
First off, wattage per gallon is about as antiquated as inches of fish per gallon.

3W incandescent? 3W LED? 3W fluorescent?

And then you get into color temperatures, and, in the case of LEDs, wattage per LED and how many LEDs in the system. Even lumens is not a great way to compare lighting solutions as there is no standard on how it is measured and very rarely will anyone bother to tell you how they measured it (what wavelengths, for instance).

The single best measurement for aquarium plants is PAR, because it is literally the measurement of photosynthetic active radiation, e.g. what plants use, so it ends up not mattering what color temp or power, etc. PAR 60 at 12" will always beat out PAR 30 at 12" regardless of any other factors (e.g. an LED kit advertises x number of reds and y number of blues for some perfect ratio for plant growth, but can still be shit compared to a white LED that simply has more PAR). However it is expensive to buy the equipment to measure on your own, so you will have to hunt down this info. Aquarium Co-op on youtube does a lot of measurements on popular lighting kits.

But in general, >>2425922 is right. Even an incandescent system would produce enough PAR at 3W/gal to be a problem without CO2 and likely ferts as well.

>>2425905
>And who the fuck is Rachel O'Leary lol hurrbdurp I don't like women cuz they don't go on dates with meeee
Completely off-topic but I really wish she would get a better mic setup. Having her shout over her loud ass fish room in all her videos is not great.

Met her at the Big Fish Deal this year. She's shorter than I expected. Super nice though. Brought her kids with her. They're as punk rock as she is.

>>2425908
>>2425910
>>2425911
This entire website is autism general. Why does this surprise anyone ever on any board? Also it's a myth that summer magically brings out more shit: it's shit year 'round.

>>2426051
A Nile crocodile.

>>2426081
There's no such thing as a white LED. The number of colours the LEDs are labelled with has more to do with how well they replicate a natural tone. A cheap LED setup will often have a strong blue tone, which while great for marine tanks, looks really off for tropical ones. If you want a cheap and good looking system, fluorescent is likely your best bet, but LED offers better longevity, more durability, and a smaller electrical bill.

>>2426075
>oscar in 29g
>understocked tank

confirmed troll

>>2426051
Least killifish and pygmy sunfish.

So I had a sick betta, came here 3 times, got advice, education, and am very grateful, here's my last post.
>>2423407

Following the advice I got, I switched to a coconut hide, got a java fern and on a whim a couple little moss balls

He has been out nonstop, happily swimming, looking for food, and curious. No longer is he scared, hiding etc.

Guys, thank you so much for your help.

Now if I can lend from your wisdom a little longer, I'd greatly appreciate it. He's gone back to being active but his fins seem to have degraded GREATLY in this time period. Can anyone give me tips on helping him heal that? I am seeing tons of conflicting advice, just as before when he was sick and I tried tons of it then, but probably only made things worse.

So I'd like to try more educated methods that you guys might have first.

>>2425922
Would DIY co2 be enough?

>>2426081
I have a planted + 24/7 but the tank is only like 9 inches deep. I guess i could put it up on some risers

>>2426144
>Would DIY co2 be enough?
for a 12g tank i mean

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>>2425515
I added some watersprite along the back behind the spray bar to break the chicken's line of sight. The fish seem much less on edge now. Hopefully they can get some rest now that the hateful gaze of the chickens is obscured.

>>2426152
Hilarious man, mind if I get a picture of the chickens themselves?

side note, your aquarium is gorgeous

>>2426128
depends on size of the filter, water temperature, size of the fish, and feeding schedule.

lots of people have successfully raised oscars in tanks that size, including the one we're discussing now. Hell, not only did she succeed at it, but she did it without water changes.

just because you suck at keeping fish doesn't mean everyone else does.

>>2426157
Are you saying she's a great fishkeeper because she's figured out the secret to keeping fish alive in a severely overstocked tank without any water changes?

>>2426160
it's only overstocked if you're terrible at keeping fish.

most of /aq/ is terrible at keeping fish, so I doubt any of you could do it.

It's one fucking fish in 30 gallons of water, if you can't manage that you're lost.

>>2426162
You're right. I'm a good fish keeper, so I'll put a great white in my 20 gallon.

>>2426164
One of the stores I used to shop at in Denver had a full grown RBP in a 5g, they raised it in there. He survived longer than the store did and I shopped there for at least 10 years.

"overstocked" is subjective. The chick has one fish that's medium-sized at best in 30 gallons of water. This isn't a crime and it's not a problem. She's just better at keeping fish alive than you are. Might be luck or it might be good instincts, but over that much time luck usually runs out. So she's probably just good.

>>2426154
Sure, I'll post them on the morning. And thanks man, been trying to get the plants healthy again. A lot of melt during the move and the hardscape got messed up. Figuring it out, nice chance to get new plants and mix things up.

I just read that activated carbon causes hole in the head. Wtf? Why do we still use it? It doesn't seem to have any other effects than removing fertiliser from the water, since the best way to clear water is just to keep good water conditions in the first place.

>government makes a law to protect fish in the hobby
>5cm of fish per litre of water (8 inches per gallon)
>goldfish bowls are only banned for goldfish specifically
So I can keep an oscar in a 6 litre bowl (one and a half gallons) and it wouldn't be considered animal cruelty, but if I put a tiny feeder goldfish in the same bowl I'd face up to ten years in jail.

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>>2426055
These animals also survive in terrible conditions.

Tell me, if you were to get a chicken as a pet would you keep it like this?

Keeping the animal alive is the absolute most basic thing you can do, it is in no way indicative of its wellbeing or your success as a hobbyist.

>>2426307
Those chickens are livestock, not pets. It's just a farm trying to make some profit.

>>2426317
To be fair, not many people even think of their fish as a pet either.

>>2426317
Exactly. That's why you don't treat your fish like lifestock. You get them because you appreciate them, not for profit. That's why you should strife to give them more space and better conditions than the bare minimum.

Hence "but it survives in a 20G" is not an argument.

If you think just keeping a fish alive makes you a good hobbyist you should consider doing aquaculture instead and actually make some money.

>oscar started hiding whenever I go near the tank
Feels bad. He hasn't eaten in three days now.

>>2426055
I don't have any because I choose to keep mbuna. If I did have an Oscar, it would be in a lot better shape than hers.

>>2426341
>nigger cichlids
Literally nothing good ever came out of Africa. Even their cichlids are shit, so aggressive they can't be kept with other fish, kind of like the niggers themselves.

>>2426167
>throws an Oscar in a 29g community tank on a whim
>literally does nothing except feed it for a year and a half
>fish is showing signs of stress
>she's probably just good

Are we going to count the 0% survival rate of the tank mates he ate when judging how good she is at shaking a few pellets in the tank every other day?

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>>2426344
>so aggressive they can't be kept with other fish, kind of like the niggers themselves

Kek.

>>2426349
Why can't I post gifs from my iPhone anymore?

>>2426152
I love your aquarium, dude, got one of your pics as my wallpaper

>>2426152
Kek, nice.
Your tank looks lovely.

>>2426320

Strive and strife are two very different things.

>>2426411
>>2426360
Aw thanks!

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>>2426154
The terrors

>>2426465
image being upside down somehow makes it more horrifying.

When I introduced my convict cichlid pair into the angelfish tank the male immediately set to work nomming angelfish and oscar fins. Is there something I can do to mellow him down, or should I return them? The female is doing fine with the other cichlids, but the male is currently back in the quarantine tank.

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>>2426344

>>2426465
>predator statues in aquarium

I'd sure be comfy with the statue of a sexual predator in my living room staring down at me menacingly with claws extended. Maybe up the game and go for grizzly bear statues though.

>>2426162
>proper stocking = fish aren't completely dead
>water changes aren't necessary
>if you can't keep a fish alive without water changes in an overstocked tank you're a shitty fishkeeper
>an oscar in a 30 gallon isn't overstocked
Kek. This is why I don't think anyone should actually take advice from /aq/. Just go sign up for fishlore's forum, christ.

when i find a male cherry shrimp all of these females are going to get FUCKED

Just added 5 Ghost Shrimp to my 5g Betta tank. Hopefully they aren't massacred.

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>>2426606
Whelp, looks like the plants didn't keep them away.

I just got a leftover tank from my brother, sponge filter, heater, no lid but I have a light.

It's 10 gallons in size, and I had a few questions.

1. Is a lid needed? If so, are fish tanks pretty universal in size if I need to buy one?

2. How many fish can I keep in the tank? my brother said 1 per gallon but it depends on the size of the fish.

3. Any recommendations for fish I should get? Right now my idea is some small Cory catfish, and maybe some snails.

>>2426687
One square inch of fish per gallon is a good rule of thumb for community tanks.

>>2426690
So 10 inches of fish? Is that taking in to account how big the fish can get?

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What would be a good filter rated for 100+ gallons at a low price point, without lower quality? It's for a 55g turtle tank, but I'll inevitably need two of them once my other turtle grows more to be put into it's own 55g.

I keep seeing this model show up on shopping results, but I can't find a brand or anything and I'd like to do a little background checking before making a purchase.

>>2426696
That looks like a sun sun canister filter. A lot of people say it's good but I can't say for sure because I haven't tried it personally

>>2426603
I'm telling Buzzfeed

>>2426345
>Are we going to count the 0% survival rate of the tank mates he ate when judging how good she is at shaking a few pellets in the tank every other day?
no, oscars normally eat other fish.

the reason she's good is because she shakes a few pellets in the tank every other day.

you faggots love your fish to death. Or at least you feed them to death. The one thing you think is her sin is in reality why she's better than you- she doesn't care as much.

>>2426696
Looks like the sun sun is have. Runs quiet and filters like a beast. Heartily recommend.

new thread
>>2426733

>>2425142
Perhaps he's getting ready for a shed, or just had one?

Mine sometimes go red, but generally go back to normal again in a few days

>>2426758
I'm pretty sure he's died. The morning after the post I couldn't see him anywhere, and I haven't seen him since. I know all their hiding spots, his buddy just wanders around alone now. RIP sweet prince.

>add a golf ball sized mystery snail to my 5g betta tank
>betta proceeds to bully it for one night straight
>add three ghost shrimp
>betta ignores them
i have never thought of the idea that fish are racist

>>2426687
1. Really depends on a few things, but generally speaking a lid is good to have. That way you don't need to worry about fish jumping out of the tank, or snails escaping.

2. Forget about the inch per gallon rule. Use websites like AQ Advisor to figure out stocking. There are more things to take into account. I suggest you look up 10 gallon stocking ideas on sites like Fish Lore. And Read up on the Nitrogen Cycle.

3. You could do a Betta in that tank as a centerpiece fish. With that you could do a school of Pygmy Cory's, or A nice colony of Shrimp (Amano's, Ghost, etc). You could also look unto nano species, like Endler's Live Bearers.

>>2426800
snails have tempting fleshy eye stalks

ghost shrimp are fierce little assholes that slap the shit out of betta eyes with their antannae

>>2425115
Ordered 5 nerite snails some large Japanese snail thing, like a super sized trumpet snail, and one apple snail.

He said he had issues with the nerites as did all suppliers. So after a few days he finally got some and shipped, but what he didn't say was he was shipping newborn baby snails, when I had ordered adults. And the apple/jap snail both lasted 2 days only. Nerites doing fine tho.

4/10.

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Added a fan.

>>2422149
One Oscar.