55 gallon update

[beglely]

Well after observing the fish for most of the night, I think two of my rams might have paired off already. They have gotten along very well all week until tonight when my large female started chasing off the other female and one of the males. The other male has been following her around as she digs out her pit and rubs herself across a rock in the back of the tank. Any intrusions by the other rams are very unwelcome at the moment, except for the one male. Im concerned too as my younger female is being harrased when she gets close and I dont want any unneccesary stress added to her as she is new like the others and I dont want to lose any. Unfortunately she isnt being smart by finding a hang-out in the other 90% of the aquarium. If aggression continues I might have to remove a pair or so. We will see when the lights come on tomorrow. Probably going to pick up a 20 long for this if this actually is spawning and I get fry by some off chance

 

[beglely]

More pics from the tank after todays cleaning. The rams either didnt breed or all the eggs were eaten, as the next morning there were no eggs. Either the parents or my catfish did it. Either way im glad because I was not ready to start dealing with fry right yet. All other fish are doing great, as well as plants. I have also had no new additions. Didnt get a 20 long like I mentioned in my last post either, because I have the sudden urge to find a new 55 on craigslist again. Anyway, here are the pics

 

[beglely]

My rams, or at least 2 of them.

 

[FishEggs]

nice job.

 

[beglely]

This weeks update: Just finished a serious pruning and rearrangement of the tank. I had watersprite growing out the whazoo so I cleaned out all the small plants, trimmed some of the older stalks, and took the best clumps and replanted them around the main one. The amazon sword and my crypts also got some poor leaves cut from them. I moved my green cryptocoryne wendtii to the right corner of the tank. The sword was blocking out a lot of light for them (bad placement in the first place on my part). I also moved my chain swords, as each of the 3 clusters has sent out a runner or two, and they needed moved for the anticipated spread. My anubias frazeri is also sprouting new white roots. And I also paid lowes a visit today to pick up a new ballast and some bulb holders for the new hood im starting work on wednesday for. Should look pretty nice when finished. Ill post pics later this week of the progress. All fish (esp. the rams) are still kickin!

 

[taylorodw]

Hey, in the last pic your tank looked great! Can you post a new one please?

 

[beglely]

Ask and ye shall recieve. Just added some ludwigia repens and hygrophila difformis to fill in some of the space I opened up in the move yesterday. Im amazed at how much space I was wasting with the previous arrangement. Work on the hood begins tomorrow probably.

 

[beglely]

and some more

 

[beglely]

and some more. Im looking to get some cabomba again and fill in the right side with the foxtail.

 

[kaiofcanada]

lookin good....there should be a plant harvest coming soon. Keep your eyes open for the classifieds. People will be giving away plant cutting for cost of shipping. I might even have some extra cabomba by then, or some asian ambulia.

 

[beglely]

I usually keep my eyes on the classifieds if any good deals show up. In a month or two I might have a plant harvest myself. I probably could have sold a small bag with what I got rid of yesterday.

 

[beglely]

9/17/09

Alrighty well 2 weeks later and work on my hood got delayed (family reunion, road trip, classes, etc.) but that should change in the next couple days. The tank is doing amazingly well...in fact too well. I left home to visit friends across the state for a week and upon my return lo and behold my plants have exploded. I have so much water-sprite now floating on top that I am going to rescape my 20 long and make it into a planted shrimp tank. I started with 3 pygmy/chain swords...I now have about 12. And I now have duckweed! I dont know where it came from or how I got it but I have a nice patch of it now in my tank....so its coming out in about 2 hours when I clean out the tank. Fish are all fine except I did lose one of my male rams about a week and a half ago. The others are great.

 

[mfdrookie516]

wow, that is beautiful

 

[beglely]

Beautiful, but a complete mess and its choking some of my lower plant with a lack of light. Ive only cleaned out maybe half of it after working on it all night (bigger project was rearranging the 20 long). Ill post the new pictures tomorrow of the trimming.

 

[jackdaniel]

VERY nice! Clean, neat.

 

[mcgrady7761]

nice looking tank

 

[sub ceroh]

Looks very nice!!