10g sparkling gourami log from a nervous fishkeeper
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absolutangel04
Daphnia are People Too.
I still hope they all pull through!
I agree with siva about those live foods. Too bad they were not interested in the microworms or the blood worms.
Are you going to try to get more sparklers with your credit eventually?
I agree with siva about those live foods. Too bad they were not interested in the microworms or the blood worms.
Are you going to try to get more sparklers with your credit eventually?
I thought about it, and with the way things are going now I don't think it's worth the trouble of getting more! The LFS is a long bus ride from campus, and with the cold weather setting in I'm less willing to make the trip
Considering these guys arrived in poor condition I'm assuming each shipment will contain weakened fish.
There is another similar species, the croaking gourami, that is said to be hardier and gets about twice as large. Severum mama has one for sale, and I've never seen them on aquabid and my LFS doesn't get them. If they weren't so hard to get I would consider them instead.
I've only seen one gourami this evening, so no update if the fish are still flashing. The cyst gourami still has the cyst this morning but no flashing observed before I left for class.
And I am disappointed the fish are not eating! I have several varieties of pellet and flake foods from Aquabid auctions, so the prospect of having to buy frozen food is a bummer. Not even my yummy microworms entice them!
absolutangel04
Daphnia are People Too.
I understand if you are done with them after this, but just so you know, just because one shipment was bad does not mean that every other one will be. You could try to get more from a different source if you wanted to though.
Yeah, the croaking gourami is pretty cute. I would be all over it if I currently had space.
You could try to get more from a different source if you wanted to though. Yeah, the croaking gourami is pretty cute. I would be all over it if I currently had space.
absolutangel04 said:I understand if you are done with them after this, but just so you know, just because one shipment was bad does not mean that every other one will be.
Yeah, the croaking gourami is pretty cute. I would be all over it if I currently had space.
Around here, the only place is the shoddy LFS! This is not the first time I've had bad batches of fish come in that die either in the store tanks before I can purchase them or they pass within 24hrs. I consider this place worse than a chain store, but it's what i have. Although they do have nice parrots and mammals!
I could get deliveries done, there is a fish store an hour away. But their fish taxi service has very high rates
As a student with a schedule, I'll pass on another order of sparklers through my LFS until March or April when I can buy online again. I can't get guarantees or refunds now because the shippers don't expect their fish to make it through the cold weather here!
Bob's Tropical Plants looks like a common place for aquarists to get their sparklers and I almost bought 6 from him, but then it started snowing! I hope he will still have some in the spring for me to try again.
Oh!!! Oh!!!! I'm going to Boston in a couple weeks. I should see if there are LFSs there that might stock them!!!
adadkins1
Aquarium Advice Addict
Definitely see about some stores in Boston. I am sure you could inquire on the regional farm for a good LFS in the area. I would definitely stick with another LFS if at all possible, it sounds like your current one isn't very reliable. However, sometimes you just gotta go with what you got. Hope the fish start doing better.
Oh, by the way, you might could see if Severum Mama and HN1 have any gouramis. They are great people to order from.
Oh, by the way, you might could see if Severum Mama and HN1 have any gouramis. They are great people to order from.
absolutangel04
Daphnia are People Too.
I grew up in MN, so I know about crumby winters. It sounds like that store is no good, so I would stay away from them too if I was you. I don't have a car either, so I know how that goes. I have 2 fishstores near me, and another crumby one an hour away, so I try to order fish now if my lfs doesn't carry them. The other store in town is a petco, and about half the fish I have ever bought the from there dropped dead within the first month, so I quit even trying to buy from them.
It sounds like waiting for warmer months is a good idea for you if you don't find anything in Boston. Try googling fish stores in Boston, then you can see if there are any store reviews or anything like that.
It sounds like waiting for warmer months is a good idea for you if you don't find anything in Boston. Try googling fish stores in Boston, then you can see if there are any store reviews or anything like that.
What a lovely morning. Yesterday i only saw 1 gourami, the small pale one. This morning I found one old corpse. I just now found one very fresh body! It's either the large bold one or the smaller pale one. Ic couldnt tell if it had a cyst thing or not. I didnt see the last remaining gourami.
So, Ill head back to the LFS to pick up more store credit this evening. They also called me and asked if I wanted anything from today's shipment of fish while they are still in shipment bags, so we'll see.
Im assuming the last gourami wont survive, so this tank will be empty again!
I've never had such a poor fish experience. Crazy!
So, Ill head back to the LFS to pick up more store credit this evening. They also called me and asked if I wanted anything from today's shipment of fish while they are still in shipment bags, so we'll see.
Im assuming the last gourami wont survive, so this tank will be empty again!
I've never had such a poor fish experience. Crazy!
toddnbecka
Aquarium Advice Addict
That's one reason I don't buy fish from the lfs that have just arrived. I don't buy much there any more (usually online or from folks at the CCA meetings) but when I do it's fish that have been there for some time already. If the fish can survive at least week or two in their tanks they have a much better chance in mine. The weak or sick ones have either died off or are at least visibly not in good condition by then.
toddnbecka said:
I know! Very good insight.
I dont usually buy fish that have been in their tanks at all. For example, im on my way right now to get a BNP only because it arrived an hour ago and is still in the shipment bag. I've made them call me each wednesday to tell me what their 2pm shipments contain. It took some convincing but it worked.
This time they put the gouramis in the tanks because they didnt think they were sparkling gouramis, and i told them i would not want them otherwise
Poop
what a bad start. Partly my fault for snatching the fish up without having them sit in the LFS for a while after they had already been dumped in. My excitement and frustration got the better of me. I should have studied for my econ exam instead! We'll see if boston has any that are proven to be eating well and healthy in the tanks for more than at least a week in the store!
I've had frightening test results from bag water from fish stores, so if I've ordered fish that for some reason I couldn't get to before they took them out of their bags, I tend to still try to grab them up ASAP. Maybe my instinct on that is wrong..but I just want to get them to clean water right away. It's like what's worse: Letting them sit in dirty water or stressing them with transport? It's a crummy scenario.
It's a crummy scenario.Gourami- natural way of lowering ph
Hi,
I'm new to the hobby. I have very alkaline water too, so I've started with Mollies and may add an orange Chromide or two and maybe a couple of glassfish to the mix, don't know yet.
I love sparkling gourami's too though. Having the driftwood should help lower ph. The bigger the better. Avoid limestone of course. I have also read that you can put a small bag of peat moss into the filter... Now that will darken the water a little I think, but it is a non chemical way to combat high ph.
Have you heard of bumblebee gobies?
They sell the freshwater version where I live so they don't have to be kept in Brackish. Freshwater have clearly defined bands, while brackish bands are a little broken up- these fish look like little bumblebees without wings.
These are super cute and interesting little fish for a species only tank that like hard water with a little salt added to it similarly to the mollies (I've been advised to do 1tbsp per 5 gallons).
Good luck, I hope you find a healthier batch of gourami's
Hi,
I'm new to the hobby. I have very alkaline water too, so I've started with Mollies and may add an orange Chromide or two and maybe a couple of glassfish to the mix, don't know yet.
I love sparkling gourami's too though. Having the driftwood should help lower ph. The bigger the better. Avoid limestone of course. I have also read that you can put a small bag of peat moss into the filter... Now that will darken the water a little I think, but it is a non chemical way to combat high ph.
Have you heard of bumblebee gobies?
They sell the freshwater version where I live so they don't have to be kept in Brackish. Freshwater have clearly defined bands, while brackish bands are a little broken up- these fish look like little bumblebees without wings.
These are super cute and interesting little fish for a species only tank that like hard water with a little salt added to it similarly to the mollies (I've been advised to do 1tbsp per 5 gallons).
Good luck, I hope you find a healthier batch of gourami's
Oh, one more comment on sparkling gourami's!
You should probably cycle your new tank with a Betta fish first, or find out how to do a fishless cycle. Gourami's might be too sensitive to the cycle.
The fish geeks at the store told me that is what I needed to do if I wanted Rainbows, which I was originally considering, so I was to purchase 3 Mollies to use for the cycling....but then I fell for the Mollies and decided on them instead of Rainbows. They sort of remind me of Bettas I guess, in that they seem to notice you.
They said the only way to cycle is with fish. There's lots of good articles online about the process. It's faster if you use gravel and some water from an established tank. Some sites I read said you can buy aquarium ammonia and do a fishless cycle though... If you needed too.
I'm new, I'm just sharing what I've heard and read, i'm learning as I go.
You'd need to remove the Betta to a new tank when adding gourami's as they're ofen not compatible, but one thing I think you can never have too many of: Bettas with java moss.
You should probably cycle your new tank with a Betta fish first, or find out how to do a fishless cycle. Gourami's might be too sensitive to the cycle.
The fish geeks at the store told me that is what I needed to do if I wanted Rainbows, which I was originally considering, so I was to purchase 3 Mollies to use for the cycling....but then I fell for the Mollies and decided on them instead of Rainbows. They sort of remind me of Bettas I guess, in that they seem to notice you.
They said the only way to cycle is with fish. There's lots of good articles online about the process. It's faster if you use gravel and some water from an established tank. Some sites I read said you can buy aquarium ammonia and do a fishless cycle though... If you needed too.
I'm new, I'm just sharing what I've heard and read, i'm learning as I go.
You'd need to remove the Betta to a new tank when adding gourami's as they're ofen not compatible, but one thing I think you can never have too many of: Bettas with java moss.
