Finally Started Up My Office 10G!

[The Canaller]

Well, first off - I want to thank you all. I've been here, in the corners, reading the advice and getting myself ready for the best part of the last year, and finally have gotten my planted freshwater 10G started up at the office. I want to thank you for the great advice and wonderful community I've found here.

I currently have normal incandescent bulbs which I'm eagerly awaiting to replace with flourescents. I set down a blue/white gravel substrate base, put down a couple pieces of nice driftwood I found in Chinatown (it seems I didn't quite boil the driftwood entirely enough, but all is good). I did do one shortcut - I took a chance and went with Dr. Tim's One and Only from Dr. Foster and Smith. Went great - the cycle was prepped over the weekend. I know many may disagree, but for me, my levels were great all the way through the process.

I started up with plants and juvy RCS (from msjinked), and got one Honey Gourami. As the levels stayed stable that week, I added in three Cory hastatus and six Endler's, as well as two Amano (basically adults) to work on the very large amount of red string algea I had.

One week went by, and all was great! The Endlers were a little aggressive towards the gourami, but there was no fin-nipping. (I also got some java moss for shadow production and to calm him down.) The cories would sometimes school with the Endlers, sometimes go on their own. The RCS were starting to make appearances, and started to show some red. The Amano's LOVED the algae.

Then, I came in last monday - and the Endlers were all gone. Gone! No signs of struggle - no fin remnants, no dead partial corpses, nothing. Levels were consistent (and GTG). There was not enough opening for one to get through, much less all six. Did someone get enamored over the weekend and abscond with them? No idea. The Cories, the Gourami, and both shrimp type looked pleased enough.

I've got some natural tannics in there, which are slowly disbursing as I do my water changes (about 20%/week).

Any thoughts on potential nano-schooling replacements for the Endlers? Are they just too aggressive for the others? Any possible ideas on what happened? I like the idea of small schoolers that the cories can occasionally join up with...

So here are some current photos of the current layout. A) I'm a sucky photographer, and B) I have no experience with digital cameras, so apologies are in order:

Thanks, all!

 

[jpappy789]

I would check out franksaquarium.com for some nano-fish ideas, I personally like ember tetras. But I would first be worried about what happened to the endlers...I highly doubt the stock was the problem and if the other fish are fine I would rule any disease out. What are your EXACT parameters (0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, <40 nitrates)?

It's possible that someone could have taken them, though there is really no way to tell.

 

[msjinkzd]

I also really love ember tetras and celestial pearl danios both of which are nice and small. Its possible the fish died and were eaten over the weekend, but I would expect you to see a nasty spike in parameters and possibly some remnants if this was the case. Sounds very mysterious

 

[The Canaller]

Well, the parameters are really excellent, as far as I can tell. The highest the nitrates have been since fish introduction was around 40ish (I'm using a drip-strip, but I'm trying to be very accurate with my reads). That was about 24 hours after introduction of the Endler's/cories (it went up about 10-15, from my estimation), and went back down towards 20-25 over the next several days. Post-disappearance, nitrates have been at a consistently very low amount (<20). Since 48 hours after intro of Dr. Tim's, the nitrites and ammonia have been untraceable. (I've got to see what the levels were at work for prior dates during set-up.)

The cories are curious but stay out of sight about half the time - they're really funny. The gourami's getting bolder, but he's really nervous still (he is the only chain pet-store fish I have). Any personality recommendations, schooler-wise? The Endlers, btw, are really beautiful little fish. I hadn't considered tetras at all... I'm going to look into them, and check out Frank's again.

 

[Cory Keeper]

not to be mean or anything, but gee whiz, can you do something about that light? Rest assured no live plants will grow if the light is truly THAT red.

EDIT: Strips are not accurate at all, get some drip kits, API's master FW liquid kit rules.

 

[DAVIDFBT]

That's tannins, CK not red light. I do agree that strip tests are not accurate, best to get API's FW master test kit. They are only 15 dollars if you price match them from Dr F&S.

 

[jpappy789]

The red is not from the light but tannins as david said.

As for the test strips, don't trust them. You definitely should invest in the API kit.

 

[Riiz]

Check out Franks aquarium for nano fish: http://www.franksaquarium.com/nanofish.htm

If you dont like the tannins or want to remove them faster, you could hang a bag of carbon in the filter output on just anywhere in the tank. Looks like your fish are swimming in Tea, lol.

 

[The Canaller]

That API kit looks good - and I am definitely looking forward to flourescent lighting.

A co-worker who installs saltwater tanks in his free time has recommended All Gone for the tannins. Any thoughts/opinions on that advice?

The celestial pearls look beautiful, and seem to have very good natures. I'll go to the good three LFS I've found in Manhattan, and see what the options are.

BTW, the Amanos and RCS are really a trip. The amanos (that are the biggest non-plant organism in the tank) are definitely acrobats - jumping around, doing flips, going right up to everything else. The RCS are just now maturing, and are fast as can be. They're just starting to not be absolutely fearful, and shoot across the tank like darts sometimes. I also am loving the cories - I hope to take another shot at photos in a bit.

 

[jpappy789]

I would never resort to adding chemicals to remove something that can easily be removed with carbon. Chemicals can end up doing more harm than good. I also believe that the product "Algone" is a big waste of money...