We got our dwarf/pygmy catfish today :D

[SuomiBetta]

Awwwww. Ohhhh man. Poor otos! Oh man. hahahah. Silly fish. They all have a personality, whether really big or really small or somewhere in between.

I can't wait to see what my little vacuums are doing tonight.

I was feeding Bubble's in his floating log, but, now it won't stay flush to the front of the tank. It needs just the right amount of water. So his food has been floating away from the light current. So now I think I have to turn the filter off when I feed him which is annoying. He lost a freeze dried bloodworm yesterday and it is now on the prefilter in the intake and yeah. Poor little guy. I gave him some extra pellets because I am not sure what he dropped, so he is getting a little less today and tomorrow, then his fast day is Wednesday.

Do you have any idea if catfish can have a fast day once a week? That would be fantastic if they can because that way I don't have to worry about Bubble's eating on his fast day lol.

I should think any fish can (except for exclusive algae eaters. They need to eat every day and my other fish would stuff themselves with the algae ugh. Poor little otos barely got any after the guppies and platys were done with it) And once the catfish join Bubbles they'll clean up after him.

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[dragon14]

I read that goldfish must eat daily though, maybe I even read twice a day?

But yeah, I think that should probably be ok for the catfish. I just don't want to starve them, they're so tiny, they probably have a bit faster metabolism than a betta does.

Bubble's does not leave food though at least not normally :/ lol. He gets that food! Unless it floats to the bottom, he nips at it once or twice and then usually leave it alone if he doesn't get it. That normally only happens if the current floats it away. I'll probably have to unplug the filter at feeding time, esp once the catfish are in the tank. I don't want their food to get sucked up in the descent down to the sand.

 

[SuomiBetta]

I read that goldfish must eat daily though, maybe I even read twice a day?

But yeah, I think that should probably be ok for the catfish. I just don't want to starve them, they're so tiny, they probably have a bit faster metabolism than a betta does.

Bubble's does not leave food though at least not normally :/ lol. He gets that food! Unless it floats to the bottom, he nips at it once or twice and then usually leave it alone if he doesn't get it. That normally only happens if the current floats it away. I'll probably have to unplug the filter at feeding time, esp once the catfish are in the tank. I don't want their food to get sucked up in the descent down to the sand.

Haha one determined fish! It won't hurt to turn off the filter.

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[dragon14]

yep! I forgot to turn it on for 45 mins or so after though. And we unplugged the heater too during the change and it was found that it was unplugged and down to 73! We keep it at around 77-78 in the 10g... oops. Bubbles should be fine though. It's plugged back in now. Good thing it is not winter time yet

 

[SuomiBetta]

yep! I forgot to turn it on for 45 mins or so after though. And we unplugged the heater too during the change and it was found that it was unplugged and down to 73! We keep it at around 77-78 in the 10g... oops. Bubbles should be fine though. It's plugged back in now. Good thing it is not winter time yet

I lost power last winter and the tank got down to 69! Surtur nearly died but came back after my other half raced to rescue him.

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[dragon14]

Oh gosh!! I worry about that too with winter coming. It's usually not out more than a few hours, but if it's out more than that we'll have to figure something out!

What kind of a fish is he?

I'm so glad your honey saved him!!!

 

[SuomiBetta]

Oh gosh!! I worry about that too with winter coming. It's usually not out more than a few hours, but if it's out more than that we'll have to figure something out!

What kind of a fish is he?

I'm so glad your honey saved him!!!

Surtur was my last betta.

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[dragon14]

Ah. How long did you have him?

Do you think that it would be ok to add say 3 of the pygmy catfish then wait a week and add the other 4? I don't really want to do it in twos two times and then three the last, I just don't want them to get lonely

 

[SuomiBetta]

Ah. How long did you have him?

Do you think that it would be ok to add say 3 of the pygmy catfish then wait a week and add the other 4? I don't really want to do it in twos two times and then three the last, I just don't want them to get lonely

About a year. I think that should be okay. You have an ammonia test and Quick Start in case of spikes. Lonely fish are the worst! I remember when I lost two of my platys. The third was so lonely I thought he'd die of a broken heart!

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[dragon14]

Aww.

Yes I am going to test the 5g tomorrow and check on the ammonia. So is that stuff supposed to eat ammonia? If so, will ammonia still show or?

I hope I don't have to do a water change because like you said the medicine needs to build up, but, I don't want my little cutefaces to have ammonia in with them either! Tomorrow will be the fourth day since I started the meds, and we did a 50% water chance before doing the medicine since it had been 48 hrs since we'd done a water change.

If I have to do a water change, do you think I should dose an extra day or two with meds or no? I am pretty sure I'd have to add more quick start and stress zyme too if I changed the water.

 

[SuomiBetta]

Aww.

Yes I am going to test the 5g tomorrow and check on the ammonia. So is that stuff supposed to eat ammonia? If so, will ammonia still show or?

I hope I don't have to do a water change because like you said the medicine needs to build up, but, I don't want my little cutefaces to have ammonia in with them either! Tomorrow will be the fourth day since I started the meds, and we did a 50% water chance before doing the medicine since it had been 48 hrs since we'd done a water change.

If I have to do a water change, do you think I should dose an extra day or two with meds or no? I am pretty sure I'd have to add more quick start and stress zyme too if I changed the water.

Yep those are chemiautotrophs that get their energy from nitrogen (the quick start bacteria ). The Stress Zyme will eat the nitrite and nitrate. I would only do an extra dose if it looks like they need it. Speaking of which, how are they today?

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[dragon14]

Yep those are chemiautotrophs that get their energy from nitrogen (the quick start bacteria ). The Stress Zyme will eat the nitrite and nitrate. I would only do an extra dose if it looks like they need it. Speaking of which, how are they today?

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Oh ok.

They seem ok! They foraged all of their food I gave them last night by morning, and I gave them a decent pinch They seem peppy still. I didn't observe them tooo much today yet, and am at work now, but, they seem good Only 2 fish with a bit of a wilted fin.

Hopefully I don't get an ammonia reading but I am going to check every day now until the week is up.

 

[SuomiBetta]

Oh ok.

They seem ok! They foraged all of their food I gave them last night by morning, and I gave them a decent pinch They seem peppy still. I didn't observe them tooo much today yet, and am at work now, but, they seem good Only 2 fish with a bit of a wilted fin.

Hopefully I don't get an ammonia reading but I am going to check every day now until the week is up.

Yay! Maybe a bit of salt would help with the fins. I checked my container of salt and it said to add 1/2 teaspoon per gallon if you don't want to use the full dosage of 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons.

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[dragon14]

Maybe I'll do that after they're done with the medicine?

I dunno for how long though.

 

[SuomiBetta]

Maybe I'll do that after they're done with the medicine?

I dunno for how long though.

Best time for salt is after a water change. I would only add 1/2 teaspoon. I have yet to see any contraindications for Corys and salt but they're little and it's easy for little fish to overdose.

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[dragon14]

1/2 tsp per gallon? a few days? A week? I want to get them into the 10g hehe. I don't know if I have the patience to wait the recommended 4 weeks. I don't want Bubbles to get anything, though.

 

[SuomiBetta]

Only once! Salt isn't filtered out and the fish use it very slowly, hence why it's recommended to only add the full dosage once a month and only replace the amount of salt equal to the amount of water changed....ie if you change 3g add only 3g worth of salt (1 1/2 teaspoon)

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[dragon14]

Ahh gotcha. I don't want to use it for a long period on them.

Wait, what do you mean by only once? I am a little confused

 

[SuomiBetta]

Ahh gotcha. I don't want to use it for a long period on them.

Wait, what do you mean by only once? I am a little confused

Add the salt once per water change. Sorry, I'm half asleep with one foot in bed lol. It's been a long day.

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[dragon14]

Oh ok! I already knew that, thank you though

It's ok! Get some sleeeepppp And tell Ragnar I said hello!