Aquaria Central - Freshwater Newbie Forum http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/ This forum is for those who are just starting out with their new fresh water aquarium. Remember, the only bad questions are the ones not asked. en Tue, 21 May 2013 13:35:05 GMT vBulletin 10 http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/images/misc/rss.png Aquaria Central - Freshwater Newbie Forum http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/ Pictures of my 3 tanks: Feel free to comment/give tips :) http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?272338-Pictures-of-my-3-tanks-Feel-free-to-comment-give-tips-)&goto=newpost Sat, 11 May 2013 22:40:46 GMT Okay so I am putting my three tanks out there so that the wise may come forward and tell me the mistakes I'm making or some tips to have better functioning tanks and happier livestock.

Thanks in advance & I know these aren't super exciting, but one day I hope they will be!

Click image for larger version.  Name: photo(1).JPG  Views: 30  Size: 2.11 MB  ID: 206807 This is my male and female fiddler's brackish tank - 5 gal
Click image for larger version.  Name: photo(2).JPG  Views: 17  Size: 2.86 MB  ID: 206808male fiddler in his burrow to the left, female in her favorite hiding spot under the rocks I got at Garden of the Gods in Colorado last year :)
Click image for larger version.  Name: photo(3).JPG  Views: 31  Size: 2.02 MB  ID: 206809 The water part of their tank has 3 small fish and a ghost shrimp. That blob of food is a shrimp pellet that no one has claimed yet.
Click image for larger version.  Name: photo(6).JPG  Views: 20  Size: 2.20 MB  ID: 206812This is the female fiddler in hiding like she does every time I approach the tank for any reason whatsoever. I think I'll call her Heidi. Get it?
Click image for larger version.  Name: photo(4).JPG  Views: 44  Size: 1.97 MB  ID: 206810This is my freshwater community tank that I have recently learned is overstocked. It has two rainbow shark (I know I was told to get rid of one somehow), 5 guppies, 4 zebra danios, 3 ghost shrimp, a bottom feeder suction thing, and TEMPORARILY a Red Claw Crab that is too mean to keep in the crab tank. It's kind of a lame tank at the moment. Boo.
Click image for larger version.  Name: photo(5).JPG  Views: 51  Size: 2.05 MB  ID: 206811The bottom feeder suction dude is in there, as well as the RCC, and you can see a rainbow shark hanging out right there too. For some reason, the rainbow likes to rub down the crab's legs.
Click image for larger version.  Name: photo(7).JPG  Views: 16  Size: 2.08 MB  ID: 206813And lastly, my little betta male. This fish is a superhero. He has survived car trips, my cat pawing him out of the tank and leaving him for certain death in the sink, my toddlers throwing cars in his tank, and other adventures such as the above mentioned. He will not quit :)

SO - go for it. Comment, critique, say whatever you will. Just remember - I'm new at all this so no meanies. ;)
I have nothing else going on tonight and I would enjoy feedback!
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]]> Freshwater Newbie Forum aquaristashley http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?272338-Pictures-of-my-3-tanks-Feel-free-to-comment-give-tips-) Honey Gourami is acting odd. Help! :( http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?272296-Honey-Gourami-is-acting-odd-Help!-(&goto=newpost Wed, 08 May 2013 21:28:57 GMT I'm not completely new to aquarium stuff, but the only other fish I used to keep were blackskirt tetras.

Anyway, I recently (about 2 weeks ago) purchased a bunch of other fish (and got rid of my blackskirts) to start fresh with an aquarium. This include

X2 bumblebee platy
X3 guppy
X1 honey sunset gourami (or some fancy name like that)

Just today my gourami has begun swimming all over the tank, going up and down the sides, he will occasionally go to the surface and gulp air. He usually just hides behind my plants or the filter.

All levels in my tank are normal (ammonia is at 0 etc) and I have been changing the water about 30% a week.

All other fish are acting as they normally do.

I took a good look at him, and he doesn't appear to have any signs of disease, his scales are still their bright yellow, and his top fin isn't pinched back or anything.

The only change I have made recently is I threw in some baby brine shrimp for them to eat. Could it be he's just finally gotten used to the tank? He doesn't even swim away when I approach the tank like he used to.



Please help me, Courage (that's his name) means quite a lot to me. :(

Thanks,

Amanda ]]> Freshwater Newbie Forum madviolinist http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?272296-Honey-Gourami-is-acting-odd-Help!-( Sudden fish die off...need help please. http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?272294-Sudden-fish-die-off-need-help-please&goto=newpost Wed, 08 May 2013 20:39:09 GMT So, suddenly we're getting a rash of dead/dying fish. We lost two ENF, all of the Platies (Three), two of four Orange Mollies, and one Black Mollie and the Yellow/Orange Mollie are on their way out. So here's what I'm looking at: all of the tests say everything is normal, but I'm getting random Nitrite and pH spikes out of nowhere. Everything will be fine for a few days, waters will be changed every day, everything is going along well, then out of nowhere, I'm getting pH above 7.8, Nitrate stays normal, but the Nitrite spikes. Now, describing the fish: all the fish, a few days up to a week before they die, look like their scales are falling off. I've done Ick treatments, but several people who know fish much better than I do say it's not Ick, but they don't know what it is. None of the fish act sick; everyone is eating and moving normally, but their scales seem to just be losing all color or falling off. It's only affecting the Mollies and Platies, though. The remaining fish all look healthy and normal; the ENF is doing fine, the Catfish and Plecco are doing fine, and the Chichlids (sp?) are growing like weeds and doing great, but the Mollies and Platies are just dying off. Hopefully someone can help. ]]> Freshwater Newbie Forum PghFishGirl http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?272294-Sudden-fish-die-off-need-help-please 20 gal high stock http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?272285-20-gal-high-stock&goto=newpost Tue, 07 May 2013 16:37:37 GMT Good afternoon! I wanted to run my stocking idea by the group and get any feedback you may have to offer.

My original idea was to do an south american tank, but then when I got the tank (which was given to me by a friend who didn't want to spend money on it any more after the filter died) I found that it had 3 harlequin rasboras and an angel fish that was getting too big. I was able to bring the angel to the LFS and get store credit. Left with the rasboras I started to think about what would go well with them. I'm thinking I'll get more rasboras to make them a school.

20 gal Stock Idea:

12 Harlequin Rasboras
12-20 Bee shrimp
Badis


I've never kept Badis before, but from what I've read, they can do well in well planted tanks. I've kept shrimp before but not usually in tanks with fish unless they were larger species of shrimp. I am planing on planting the tank once I get my hands on some eco-complete and finish building my lighting setup. Do you think I can do scarlet badis, or do I need to stick with badis badis? Should I cut that Rasbora school down and add something else? ]]> Freshwater Newbie Forum 0live http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?272285-20-gal-high-stock My Goldfish are Gasping for air or what ? http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?272237-My-Goldfish-are-Gasping-for-air-or-what&goto=newpost Fri, 03 May 2013 15:59:34 GMT Inside the aquarium there's got an Air tube that will make many bubble but my goldfish still go to surface and seem like gasping for air.. i really don't know what to do next.. because i change the water and put lack of bubbler.. what are they doing actually ? is it normal ? :help: ]]> Freshwater Newbie Forum Boq http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?272237-My-Goldfish-are-Gasping-for-air-or-what Help with ideas for stocking daughters 10 gallon http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?272173-Help-with-ideas-for-stocking-daughters-10-gallon&goto=newpost Sat, 27 Apr 2013 17:13:16 GMT I picked up my 1 year old daughter from daycare on Wednesday and her teacher asked if I had an aquarium at home. I told her no, why. She said "because she was mesmerized by the the one they had here" - They had a 120 gallon. No idea what is in it because I cannot go into the actual daycare center.
Since I don't have my 56 gallon setup yet, actually when I do set it up, it won't be setup where she will have access anyway, I revived my old 10 gallon tank, added an LED lid and put an AC20 on it.

I am ready to start a fishless cycle.

My question is or ideas to stock it with:
Colorful fish maybe?
Fish that are always on the go so she has something to watch?
Some type of cat to eat algae? ]]> Freshwater Newbie Forum tsj1974 http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?272173-Help-with-ideas-for-stocking-daughters-10-gallon Starting with plants, then fish? Help, please... http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?272149-Starting-with-plants-then-fish-Help-please&goto=newpost Fri, 26 Apr 2013 02:35:23 GMT Hey everyone, I have been out of the aquarium hobby for 10 years, but previously had success with fish-only tanks up to 150 gallons. This time, I am doing a couple of small tanks, 12 gallons and eight gallons, with fish and plants. I have set up the 12-gallon tank, a Marineland Eclipse,... Hey everyone,
I have been out of the aquarium hobby for 10 years, but previously had success with fish-only tanks up to 150 gallons.
This time, I am doing a couple of small tanks, 12 gallons and eight gallons, with fish and plants.
I have set up the 12-gallon tank, a Marineland Eclipse, with a Fluval C3 filter and a 50-watt heater.
There's about an inch of aquarium gravel substrate, maybe less, with a large piece of driftwood as the tank's centerpiece.
The aquarium light looks nice, but I think it's only 13 watts. The tank gets some indirect light from a window, so I hope that helps.
Everything has been set up for three days, and the water (75 degrees) is crystal clear.
Now, should I add the plants first, and get them established, before adding a few small fish?
I was told that Java Fern and Hornwort would be easy-to-grow plants that wouldn't need substrate and would do well with moderate light.
Are those good choices, or should I try something else?
Also, should I use aquarium plant food (like Seachem Excel or API plant food) for the plants -- especially until there's fish in the tank to provide some nutrients?
How many hours a day should I leave the light on?
Many thanks for your help! Any advice is sincerely appreciated.
Best Regards,
rbarrett328
Milwaukee ]]> Freshwater Newbie Forum rbarrett328 http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?272149-Starting-with-plants-then-fish-Help-please New guppy breeder http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?272124-New-guppy-breeder&goto=newpost Wed, 24 Apr 2013 15:35:58 GMT I just recently got into guppy breeding within the last couple months. I got a couple female guppies from the LFS (one died during birth and the other gave birth and died). Now I have about 20 unknown color/tail type unsexed guppies. They are about 2 months old, and only 2 of the have any start... I just recently got into guppy breeding within the last couple months. I got a couple female guppies from the LFS (one died during birth and the other gave birth and died). Now I have about 20 unknown color/tail type unsexed guppies. They are about 2 months old, and only 2 of the have any start of color to them (they have a little red right before the tail starts). Does anybody know when the coloration/pattern will start to show up? ]]> Freshwater Newbie Forum jamnigh http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?272124-New-guppy-breeder feeling unsure http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?272116-feeling-unsure&goto=newpost Wed, 24 Apr 2013 01:39:10 GMT This weekend I scrubbed my aquarium stuff with Dawn dish soap. I have not set the aquarium up again. I have tadpoles due to arrive on Thursday. I have since been told not to use detergent to clean an aquarium. I did alot of research online to see how to fix my mistake. I read alot about vinegar.... This weekend I scrubbed my aquarium stuff with Dawn dish soap. I have not set the aquarium up again. I have tadpoles due to arrive on Thursday. I have since been told not to use detergent to clean an aquarium. I did alot of research online to see how to fix my mistake. I read alot about vinegar. This evening I scrubbed the aquarium with hot vinegar water and did a long rinse. I also soaked my pump, rock dock, and plastic plants in hot vinegar water. I then scrubbed with a clean sponge and rinsed in hot water. Will this work for me or am I going to kill my tadpoles? ]]> Freshwater Newbie Forum thebackfour http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?272116-feeling-unsure Acrylic 5G Hex Tank Newb (Any Help Appreciated) http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?272100-Acrylic-5G-Hex-Tank-Newb-(Any-Help-Appreciated)&goto=newpost Mon, 22 Apr 2013 18:54:02 GMT I've just received an acrylic 5g hex tank from my dad's coworker. It's already been disinfected and included some gravel and plastic plants. It had an undergravel filter with an airline attached to it, but I broke that. Plus, I've heard that undergravel filters are not good anyway.

Anyway, the tank is nice but the problem I run across is that it only has one small opening at the top of the tank (maybe 5 in) and a small hole for airline tubing. The top doesn't come off. I've attached some photos so you can see my dilemma. I assume my dad's coworker got it as a kit so it had the specific filter and stuff for it. Now I'm wondering what filter I can use since I'm not sure an HOB will fit it. Any filter suggestions? Is there an easy way I can cut acrylic so I can have an open top?

Also, what fish can I place in this tank? It's 5g so I know I'm limited to smaller fishes. I was thinking of some White Cloud Mountain Minnows since I've seen they are pretty hardy for beginners, small, and peaceful. How many would I need for this small tank? Is there anyway I can have a micro community of some sort? I wasn't thinking of using live plants for this tank as I think it's small for lights. Plus it'd take up space I could have for fishes. If it's possible and people have suggestions, I'm open to them!

Any help would be greatly appreciated.I've just received an acrylic 5g hex tank from my dad's coworker. It's already been disinfected and included some gravel and plastic plants. It had an undergravel filter with an airline attached to it, but I broke that. Plus, I've heard that undergravel filters are not recommended anyway.

Anyway, the tank is nice but the problem I run across is that it only has one small opening at the top of the tank (maybe 5 in) and a small hole for airline tubing. The top doesn't come off. I've attached some photos so you can see my dilemma. I assume my dad's coworker got it as a kit so it had the specific filter and stuff for it. Now I'm wondering what filter I can use since I'm not sure an HOB will fit it. Any filter suggestions? Is there an easy way I can cut acrylic so I can have an open top?

Also, what fish can I place in this tank? It's 5g so I know I'm limited to smaller fishes. I was thinking of some White Cloud Mountain Minnows since I've seen they are pretty hardy for beginners, small, and peaceful. How many would I need? Is there anyway I can have a micro community of some sort? I wasn't thinking of using live plants for this tank as I think it's small for lights. Plus it'd take up space I could have for fishes. If it's possible and people have suggestions, I'm open to them!

Any help would be greatly appreciated. :thm:

Photos :

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]]> Freshwater Newbie Forum pandasgomoo http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?272100-Acrylic-5G-Hex-Tank-Newb-(Any-Help-Appreciated)