White patch on ember red tetra

And Yes I totally agree that mommy and baby ember could totally just been coincidental. My other 2 embers seem fine. And my hornwort has grown times 10. Before the equilibrium it was dying. my Java fern still looks like potassium deficiency though I can’t tell for sure because the snails are eating the new leaves since I’ve not been feeding them to prevent breeding. I just recently started giving the lowest dose of potassium so it’s probably not enough.
My tests showed calcium at less than 20 and magnesium less than 12mg being that was the lowest the test could show. The water report agrees with this finding. all this drama for snails 🤦🏻‍♀️
Btw my soft water neons are doing great I’ve had them longer than the embers
Here’s a spawning pair. IMG_2230.jpegThey’ve had a go at it several times but the eggs never survive. Always get eaten and i heard they need darkness to hatch. The first time I saw the release of the tiny sparkly balls I thought she was losing her scales! Then I found out that she is scaleless! And that their genitals swell right before release of the eggsIMG_2253.jpeg
I think I might be sitting in front my tank too much lol
 
Well, mommy, you might be way ahead of me. In 40+ years of fish keeping I have never seen tetras spawn in so much detail, but I know they do...

If you look in the upper right corner there is an envelope icon. Click it & start a "conversation" with twotankamin. He'll help but I hope he posts here so we can all learn about water issues you east coast guys may have. Maybe different than mine now, but I may move in the future. It's good to let everybody know what helps & what doesn't.
 
My neons do seem exceptionally happy in my tank and just roll with the punches of whatever I throw in their water recently. I do get real nervous adding things though. I think most my problems are coming from having too many plants in a small tank with really soft water. Everything was fine until I added seachem flourish comprehensive. My slow growers started growing and depleted everything in the water causing deficiencies to show up. I tried stop the flourish but the hornwort and Java fern decided to start dying rapidly so I went back to adding the flourish. Always knew I had a calcium problem evidenced in the snail shells. Sometimes it feels like chasing a ghost
 
I'm not a good plant fertilizer, just root tabs sometimes. Rarely some water column ferts. So, while I understand there can be ferts issues, they're not my usual unless it's from lack of...

The only tiny hint of help I can offer is I add some crushed coral to my filter to boost GH & KH. Not any kind of exact measurement, a couple tablespoons in a piece of panty hose. I remember 2tank has to replace his regularly but mine lasts for many years...Not sure it's ever been "used up" where I've lived.
 
I added a bit of crushed coral in the beginning because my cycle stalled. Thought it might have to do with my kh was 0. The coral raised it to 3 and then my cycle completed. Don’t know if that was coincidence also. I do know that crushed coral only gives calcium only and not magnesium and without the magnesium the calcium is not absorbable. Since I have no magnesium twotank had told me to use equilibrium in addition to the crushed coral because it will raise both. My calcium levels are good now and my plants are very happy it seems. I did add .75tsp Epsom and no one died besides a few snails but that could be unrelated. I normally see a few that get damaged during the gravel vac. So I’d say it was probably that instead. This is the plants on june15 IMG_1943.jpeg
This is todayIMG_2255.jpeg
Only difference was adding equilibrium and Epsom
 
Mommy, do you have a dosage of Epsom salts/gallon or just "some" for your tank? How often? In your 55g? Or what size tank, I've forgotten. I will check my next municipal water report...I don't remember if mine said or what it was if it did.

I'm sorry if you think I'm going all off topic but I'd like to know in case I need to dose it too. I'm hoping I'm not the only 1 that needs more info. I can have "seasonal" water. (sigh) I think I need to test a bit more often.

BTW, I like your magnifying glass! I think it's mostly your hornwort that's grown a whole lot. Lots of new growth but in a nice way, not all out of control. Stems & moss will always need control attention; anubias & ferns not so much.

In your NYC area maybe you should scope out clubs near you. They can be very fun even if you only go a few times/year. They'll likely know your local water & you can trade/sell/buy plants & maybe fish/snails. Most are family friendly if you want to bring your kids sometimes...but (childless suggestion) maybe go solo your first meet or 2. Forums like AC are very nice, but in person meets are...much more...face to face...it's just different...check it out! Talk to people!...& that's my bossiness & questions for tonight...
 
I know of Greater City Aquarium Society and Brooklyn Aquarium Society in NYC

Not sure how much plant activity there is at either though, my memory says they are both pretty old school and more cichlids, catfish, live-bearers and breeding all the things .

I'm sure there are plant folk in the city, just not sure about any clubs related to that.

If you want plant specific there's the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club over the river, they meet most months and swap plants for free at meetings.
 
Hehe well boss lady in person I’m a bit of an introvert so I’m good just talking to ya all for now. The problem with Epsom salt and equilibrium for that matter is that they both increase gh. My fish like low gh and my snails like higher gh. Go figure. I very slowly added equilibrium each week in an increasing amount to slowly raise the calcium to an acceptable level because we all know swings can harm fish. Once I got the calcium up my magnesium was still very low. That’s when I adjusted with Epsom salt. I’ve only added the Epsom once so far. I’ve read that continuous use of Epsom is not good because of how it affects the specific gravity of the water and can accumulate to dangerous levels. In multiple articles it was stated that it should be used as a booster only and to not add more than a teaspoon once every 3 months. I have a 20 gallon tank. I added 3/4 teaspoon and used 1/2 tsp less equilibrium in order to keep the gh the same in the tank. Going forward I would think a tiny pinch a week would in the end of 3 months would equal that recommended tsp. Twotank also recommended that tiny pinch method too.
so right now i add 1.5 tsp equilibrium for a 4 gallon water change to match the gh in the tank. I haven’t added any more Epsom after the first and only dose of 3/4tsp.
the growth of the hornwort was before the Epsom. the added potassium did that.
now that stated please understand I really don’t know what I’m doing. I’m just listening and reading and learning. I could be totally off. My tank today is reading 0 magnesium again.I’ve decided I’m not going to chase it. I’ll add a tiny pinch of Epsom once in a while and increase the flourish to twice a week. And pray for the best. And deal with the next issue as it arises.
as a side note I’ve read much stronger short term Epsom salt baths can help cure lots of fish ailments.
 
TY mommy, I don't always have a grip on "other" water than I have ATM. In MA & CA I have/had fairly soft water but it doesn't mean I have the same water...I've also had very hard water in MI & DE, but again, not the same...

You might not expect it but I "was" a lot more introverted back in my shy youth. But I worked retail for a while before internet. I asked questions about fish & people food I didn't know. Now I'm "old" & don't care what anyone says about me, I just want to learn what effects me & my tanks (& dinners)...& hopefully help others to not do dumb crap I've done many years before...& I'm a much better cook ;)

A good opening line at fish/plant meets is to ask "do you keep this species (plant or fish)? How do you do that? Almost like we ask you all the time here on AC but with some eye contact, lol. Do you need to adjust for (a pick a parameter) & how do you do that? How often & how much? Really, it gets easier with practice...but you don't know these folks. They may be helpful or not; knowlegable or not...well, kinda like AC again...But meets are fun! & you might come home with good local info & maybe some fish or plants! Check it out!

Ive done epsom salts for swelling...for people too...
 
If you want to start conversations as fish meeting, have photos of fish, plants, tanks, etc. And just talk to folks about them :)


Lots of other folks at fish clubs are kind of introverted too, pictures break the ice well, especially in this day of smart phones.
 
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