Setup for Corydoras Eques (species only)

[NoodleCats]

They're so active, I thought there were more of both Your tank doesn't look like you had to tear it down much to catch the tetras, good show!

I'm must be the worst fertilizer ever. I never see more than 5ppm nitrate in my "heavily fed" tank. Too many plants, light fish feeding. I do better with root tabs...& not much testing, lol

It's the water lettuce lol it grows so fast its hogging nutrients from the other plants lol
But I also pay attention to signs of deficiencies and check if it's a nitrate thing and boost my dosing as needed. Some tanks I have I don't need as much dosing, some I avoid dosing often if they have 10-20 nitrates already. But I got a couple tanks with 0-5 nitrates that need frequent dosing to keep some of the slower growing plants happier to compete with some of my other plants. It's been working for me, just watch certain plants like my pennywort in this tank. Good indicator plant if things need a boost. If nitrate deficient, it gets yellowed leaves.

The stock is surprisingly light, despite the numbers. The cories are large, but low bioload. And the boraras and tetras all super tiny.

Even with 2x daily feedings on this tank, nitrates stay super low, if any at all.

I run a DIY sump filter and an internal filter, both of which are cycled, but the plants just take care of everything anyways. So excessive filtration just to keep the water clear of debris and add flow to the tank haha

Just crazy how impressive some plants can be with nutrients.

Highest nitrates I've gotten on this tank, even with ferts

 

[jake72]

Yea - this nitrate thing is very confusing - i have a 5 gallon tank (attached) where the nitrate is bright yellow (been setup about 5 months) but has a moderately high load (4 ember, 6 neon, 20ish mystery snail, rabbit snail, 20ish shrimp). I do a tiny water change about once every 3 or 4 weeks and put in a few drop of plant fertilizer when i change the water (it has shrimp and i don't want to upset them). I do have a more sensitive nitrate test kit but what's the point. The biggest problem si the floaters generate roots as long as 2+ feet - i had just thrown a lot of them away before i took that picture - they sort of impeed the fish swimming.

 

[NoodleCats]

Yea - this nitrate thing is very confusing - i have a 5 gallon tank (attached) where the nitrate is bright yellow (been setup about 5 months) but has a moderately high load (4 ember, 6 neon, 20ish mystery snail, rabbit snail, 20ish shrimp). I do a tiny water change about once every 3 or 4 weeks and put in a few drop of plant fertilizer when i change the water (it has shrimp and i don't want to upset them). I do have a more sensitive nitrate test kit but what's the point. The biggest problem si the floaters generate roots as long as 2+ feet - i had just thrown a lot of them away before i took that picture - they sort of impeed the fish swimming.

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It's your frogbit and water lettuce and I see some guppy grass too. All of those are nutrient hogs lol all the fish are still relatively low bioload, though the tank is a bit cramped for the neons.

 

[jake72]

You're not the first person to say that about neon and space but i'm a bit lost here - both my neon and cardinals (in a 120) have never been very active for fast swimming fishes. I never see the need for them having large tanks - now kuhli love to swim and i would never put them in something smaller than 20 long but the larger the better.

It's your frogbit and water lettuce and I see some guppy grass too. All of those are nutrient hogs lol all the fish are still relatively low bioload, though the tank is a bit cramped for the neons.

 

[NoodleCats]

You're not the first person to say that about neon and space but i'm a bit lost here - both my neon and cardinals (in a 120) have never been very active for fast swimming fishes. I never see the need for them having large tanks - now kuhli love to swim and i would never put them in something smaller than 20 long but the larger the better.

Id move them to even a 10g better than a 5g, but 20g is best minimum still for neon and cardinals. That's the recommendation I'd give, but your tanks your fish I can't stop anyone lol

 

[jake72]

Well i dont' want them to suffer - just that my history with neon is they mostly sit still all day long so not sure why they require a larger tank. The embers are more active. The cardinals i would never put anything less than a 20 - they can actually get to a decent size - my older ones (3 1/2 years) are fairly large. I think i would be more reluctant keeping a betta in a 5 than a few neon - but perhaps i am missing something.

Id move them to even a 10g better than a 5g, but 20g is best minimum still for neon and cardinals. That's the recommendation I'd give, but your tanks your fish I can't stop anyone lol

 

[NoodleCats]

They become more active in larger groups, 6 is often the bare minimum, but 10+ is often the better recommendation.

That said, I've got little love for neons personally. I had a shoal of them and they shredded the heck out of each other and my other fish too

 

[jake72]

Yea even in the 5 they chased each other a little but havne't for several months - in the 120 where i have 25 cardinals they just sit around - never seen them chase each other (cardinals are not neon); actually neon have a reputation for being little devils. The ember are a lot more active but i've never seen them chase each other they just like to move a bit - ok - i'll stop the off topic interjection but thanks for the comments/feedback.

 

[NoodleCats]

Baby emperors have moved on, tankmates now are ember tetras and boraras urophthalmoides

 

[Lalo J.]

Nice video and beautiful rasboras.