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  1. ArtistGardener

    Holes in Giant Hygrophila

    I can't seem to grow Hygrophila corymbosa to save my life. It is riddled with holes. I am dosing extra potassium besides using root tabs and Flourish. Every other plant in my tank looks great (swords, anubias, and crypts of several species, wisteria, and java fern), but this stuff is spindly and...
  2. ArtistGardener

    Oto Catfish

    They should be happy as clams! :)
  3. ArtistGardener

    Question: Aggressive WCMM

    Is your tank cycled or is this fish-in cycling? If you did a fishless cycle and your water parameters are good, you should be able to add a small school right away, assuming your do regular water changes. Even if a fish-in cycle, you could probably add four more and just do larger than normal...
  4. ArtistGardener

    Question: Aggressive WCMM

    White clouds tend to be happiest in groups of at least six fish, mixed males and females. The males will spend lots of time trying to impress each other and the ladies, reducing the harassment.
  5. ArtistGardener

    Fish dying!!!! Tank Won't cycle!!!

    You need to test for Nitrates in addition to ammonia and nitrites. How long have the fish been in there? How often are you doing a water change--and how much?
  6. ArtistGardener

    Oto Catfish

    How long has the tank been running? A well-established tank is a must. What else is in the tank? I keep three in a well-planted 20 gallon, but the other fish are nanos and a betta. I feed them algae wafers every other day, and a blanched zucchini slice about once a week. I've had them for over...
  7. ArtistGardener

    The tetra debate!

    They'll school together, but I personally prefer the look of a large school of the same color/species. I have a small school of white cloud mountain minnows and recently wanted to add to it but my LFS only had the "gold" whitish version. I passed for now. Just a preference. As an artist, I see...
  8. ArtistGardener

    Water problems

    Your nitrates are fine; just keep up with normal water changes to keep it around that level. Your ammonia does appear elevated, but not to .25. Do you have a dead fish hiding somewhere in there? Use Prime with your water changes and keep watching this.
  9. ArtistGardener

    Just a few questions... Professional Advice Preferred!

    I completely agree with the idea of getting a larger tank. A 20 gallon tank doesn't take up much more space but your choices will increase ten-fold and it will be easier to maintain. Frankly, a ten gallon is only good for the smallest of fishes, as a betta tank, or as a quarantine tank. Some of...
  10. ArtistGardener

    Just a few questions... Professional Advice Preferred!

    I completely agree with the idea of getting a larger tank. A 20 gallon tank doesn't take up much more space but your choices will increase ten-fold. Frankly, a ten gallon is only good for the smallest of fishes, as a betta tank, or as a quarantine tank. Some of the recommendations given are just...
  11. ArtistGardener

    Water problems

    Things aren't as bad as you think. You don't need your nitrAtes down to 0; readings of 10-20 are just fine and what you want if you have plants. NitrItes and ammonia should be 0 but you may be misreading your chart. Post a picture of your ammonia reading (with the tube and the chart) so we can...
  12. ArtistGardener

    Water problems

    The brown diatoms will go away eventually; in the meantime, get on a schedule of at least 25% water changes weekly--50% is often needed when things are out of whack. Your cold water should not be going through your softener and should be fine. You can either let it sit for a day or two to become...
  13. ArtistGardener

    Hardy fish for planted tank

    Plant decomposition can reduce pH but of course can also create ammonia. The living plants themselves probably don't do much in the way of lowering pH. In a heavily planted tank with proper light, the plants use up the ammonia formed by decomposition. In a sparsely planted tank too many dead...
  14. ArtistGardener

    non-fish tank advice.

    Assassin snails will take care of the problem. Even though others have said it isn't so, my experience is that they will also kill shrimps after they've finished off the snails, so keep that in mind. Another simple solution is to drop a piece of blanched zucchini in the tank. The snails will...
  15. ArtistGardener

    Hardy fish for planted tank

    I have hard water too from a city well (varies from 8.0 to 8.4). I keep all kinds of soft water fish in my planted tanks and they are fine: glowlight tetras, neon tetras, harlequin rasboras, ember tetras..... ) Live plants and driftwood both help soften the water, but you would be surprised at...
  16. ArtistGardener

    non-fish tank advice.

    Hi and welcome. Can you answer a few questions first to help us understand your situation? Is this a 15 long (24 x 12 x 12 approx) or a 15 high (20 x 10 x 18 approx)? What size and type of filter are you using? How long has the tank been up and running? Is it fully cycled? How many guppies are...
  17. ArtistGardener

    Help choosing stock for a nano/invert tank!

    I don't know about that; I've seen harlequins listed as pork chops, too! That's why asking for them by their scientific name is best.
  18. ArtistGardener

    Help choosing stock for a nano/invert tank!

    I wouldn't call harlequin rasboras nano fish. I have a school of six in my 75 gallon that are a good 1 3/4 inches long by now (I have six new tiny ones in quarantine). They have so much to recommend them: great color when happy, tight schooling, easy care, etc. but a 20 gallon seems a bit too...
  19. ArtistGardener

    Help choosing stock for a nano/invert tank!

    I've heard that the male CPDs can be pretty aggressive with each other, but I haven't noticed any damage to any of them. I just had my LFS net 8 at random; I have at least 3 males in my tank. They do "dance" around each other showing off in front of the ladies. I would say to get at least 8 so...
  20. ArtistGardener

    Help choosing stock for a nano/invert tank!

    Can't give you any advice on the pleco but I have a school of 8 CPDs in my 20 gallon (along with ember tetras, otos, RCS, amano shrimp, and a single male betta). Everyone gets along great. The celestial pearl danios have become less shy since I added the ember tetras. They do tend to hang out in...
  21. ArtistGardener

    Your thoughts on Fancy Goldfish?

    Yogosans14, I think it is incredibly smart and open-minded to bring up this topic as people do feel strongly about it. Kudos to you. I Completely agree with LayzorBeams. I understand the breeding for specific characteristics--dogs, cats, garden plants, horses, and aquarium fish are just a few...
  22. ArtistGardener

    Harlequin rasboras turning white

    How long have you had the rasboras?
  23. ArtistGardener

    Harlequin rasboras turning white

    I hope it isn't columnaris. Sometimes it manifests itself in "white saddle" or "saddle back" disease and can kill lots of fish in a very short time. Is the temperature higher in the new tank? Was there any disease in there before you put them in? Good luck; I hope I am wrong.
  24. ArtistGardener

    Fish and Shrimp Are MIA!

    One thought on the shrimp only.... a 110 filter on a 29 gallon tank is pretty heavy-duty. Ghost shrimp might have been sucked into the uptake tube--or gotten stuck there then eaten by the gourami. And yes, monthly water changes are not near often enough. Hope things settle down for your tank...
  25. ArtistGardener

    Help my betta

    Without seeing a close up photo of him, that is safer advice. I agree with brennae on trying to get a better photo so we can see what is wrong with him. Lying on the bottom is a symptom of lots of things--ammonia poisoning, chilling, wasting disease, etc. Try to get that better photo, but in the...
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