40g tank! Switching from 10g!

[emerald76]

I was thinking rather than getting tall rocks, to suspend a flat surface 6" below the surface. Training the frogs sounds like a good idea as well

The frogs may not find the floating surface but most likely will find the raised substrate.Plus you can use the raised area as a focus point for your aquascape

 

[alia258]

The frogs may not find the floating surface but most likely will find the raised substrate.Plus you can use the raised area as a focus point for your aquascape

Well the issue with the substrate is that it takes up a large amount of space, so I'm a bit unsure about that. I read a bit more online, and it said that you can provide the frog with a floating plant as a replacement, I think that might be a nice substitute if it's true


On another point, sadly, the three tetras went belly up in the bag, and so I put the angelfish in the tank because I freaked out. The temp was pretty much the same in the bag and the tank, but I'm worried about the change in chemicals the fish might be going through. I thought he was dead too, but I had to put him in the tank and try to get him alive, (I tried with the others too, of course) and at first he just kinda twitched his fins, and right now he's occupying the corners at the top. Tonight or tomorrow, we'll see if he's just going through the usual stress or if he isn't doing too well. The only thing I can think of that killed the other three was oxygen suffocation or an overdose of water conditioner, because the guy added quite a bit of it into the bag. I've offered the angel small amounts of food when he sat around the corners of the tank, but I'm trying to leave him alone other than that so I'm not sure if he ate it or not. I really hope he makes it!!!

 

[smomus]

He looks like a mini me of my angel. Mine is just shy of 3 in with out the fins. I love watching him. He is so graceful!
I also have some aquatic frogs. 4 in a 10g with some betta. I have nothing that is considered raised for them to reach the surface. They swim up to the surface and its really cool to watch it. I also have a bubble wand in the back that they love to use to push them to the top. Feeding however is a chore. They don't have very good eye site, so training them is, IMO, the best option. But it takes time! Good luck!

 

[smomus]

Here is my angel. Forgot to add this

 

[alia258]

Here is my angel. Forgot to add this

If my angel darkens, he could be a mini of yours, but only if he makes it through the night. Mine is showing very slight dropsy, not swimming around much and not eating. Online it said that this could be pH shock and he should make a full recovery (if he makes it through the night, but I'm not getting my hopes up until I see him alive and kicking tomorrow)

In current news of his more interesting actions, he's hanging front and center of the tank near the surface. He won't accept food and shied away from the guppies when they came up for a bite. The timidness is definitely new tank stress, but he seems very anti-social and hasn't gone down to meet his tank mates, and although I'd put that into new tank stress as well, I expected him to at least go near the bottom once or twice, because they were said to be middle-top swimmers. He appears to like floating in the current and has been hanging near the breeder box, and I can't find much of an explanation for that one.

If its of any interest to you guys, the temp currently says 77.3-77.4°F. I'm a bit lost on that fact, because the heater is an average no temp change tropical heater, and it's supposed to keep it at 78°F, so I don't see why it isn't keeping it up to heat. This morning it was only 72° and before my pwc, it was at only 75° (I use slightly warmer water in my pwcs, because I don't have water available that's exactly the temp I want) any ideas on why this might be, and any DIY on how to fix this?

 

[smomus]

At one point I put regular tin foil on the sides of my tank. That raised my temp 1 or 2 degrees. Keeping the lid closed will keep the heat in as well.
What is your ph? Mine is very high at 8-8.4

 

[alia258]

My pH is 7 (I only have paper strips to test it) and generally doesn't shift or change, but the stores pH is everywhere (I've tested the baggies before) and so I'm very unsure on wether the little guy will make it or not. I am SERIOUSLY HOPING that with just one new fish that there will be NO mini-cycle WHATSOEVER, because I there is, he's as good as dead with the state he's in

 

[Coursair]

Be careful buying on impulse.
Red Minors can be VERY nippy esp to slow fish with long fins....Angelfish for example.

Skirt Tetras same thing. Some are VERY nippy, some are ok.

Research before you buy. You need peaceful fish that won't pick on your Angel or your ADFs.

 

[Freakgecko91]

Be careful buying on impulse.
Red Minors can be VERY nippy esp to slow fish with long fins....Angelfish for example.

Skirt Tetras same thing. Some are VERY nippy, some are ok.

Research before you buy. You need peaceful fish that won't pick on your Angel or your ADFs.

I agree! A small group of 3 Serpae tetras will nip everything, a larger group will work on their pecking order rather than bullying other fish. I have 7 Serpae and 7 bleeding hearts, and they tend to only bother each other with the occasionally game of chase rather that picking on anything else

 

[okapizebra]

Your heater may not be strong enough to keep the temp up. You may want to consider adding another heater of similar wattage. It's always an added safety feature because if one dies your tank won't drop too dramatically. Having two heaters will keep the temp at the degree you want. You could also get a more powerful heater.

I don't know anything DIY that would raise it from 72 to 78. That's a big jump. Does it have an adjustable knob? You may have bumped it?

 

[alia258]

I knew black skirts could be nippy in small groups but had no idea that the red minors could be too! I was going to get 3 of the reds, 4 blacks and 3 whites, because I've seen the blacks school with the reds, and the whites school with blacks, so I figure that the whites will most likely school with the reds, therefore with 10 of them, avoiding any tail biting and adding color to the tank is this a good plan or is it totally crooked and incorrect?

On the angel, he has begun to explore the tank, but he's so week that he's getting pushed around by the current. I'm sure he'll adjust and become stronger as time goes on, but he still won't eat. The bottomfeeder has helpfully cleaned up what he won't eat, so no need to worry about water params (I know you would ask about it, just thought I'd clear that up for you guys ) ill be feeding my whole tank tonight, and I'm hoping he joins in to eat, because he won't get any more until morning. I'm thinking he is extremely weak, because his color was almost white when I got him and now his stripes are getting darker, which suggests that he was near the bottom of the pecking order at the store, and therefore beaten up and not getting as much food as needed. It's just a theory, but it's plausible. I'm sure there's also some confusion with the change in food, and new tank stress also plays a part...poor little guy! His acting as though he has dropsy has left, and he's swimming upright or at a slight, non alarming, slant which is coming from the current caused by the bubble curtain. Here's my tank, I thought you'd like to see it

P.S. I'll be doing a DIY black background once finals end

 

[alia258]

Your heater may not be strong enough to keep the temp up. You may want to consider adding another heater of similar wattage. It's always an added safety feature because if one dies your tank won't drop too dramatically. Having two heaters will keep the temp at the degree you want. You could also get a more powerful heater.

I don't know anything DIY that would raise it from 72 to 78. That's a big jump. Does it have an adjustable knob? You may have bumped it?

There is no adjustable knob on the heater, it came with a set, non changeable, temp of 78°F. I might grab a second heater, but I might try putting tinfoil near the lights and around the heater to increase the heat. I'll only put it around the heater if it's safe, but definitely around the light

 

[Freakgecko91]

Where did you buy the angelfish from? Because the wholesaler that the LFS or LPS gets there fish from can make all the difference. I just got an angel as my centerpiece and he was eating after a half hour out of the bag! If it is a locally owned and operated store, make sure to ask where the fish come from, bc my guess is tht the store gets their fish from a distributor called R.J. Ray's. They aren't the best and supply many fish stores.

Just to clarify, the LFS I got my angel from order from dozens of distributors and specialize in cichlids and plecos

 

[okapizebra]

Is that one of those little 50 watt heaters? In a 40 gal tank? Those are rated for a 5-20 gallon tank. You'd probably need at least a 100 watt heater. I'd definitely look into one. If the tank experiences large temp drops, like from 72-78, your fish are going to be under stress. There's no way that heater could manage to keep your whole tank heated. Plus if it's always running to try and keep the temp up, it could burn out and die a lot faster.

What the angel mostly needs is clean water and time. I wouldn't expect him to start eating for a few more days. It usually takes some time for new fish to get used to their surroundings. I hope your angel makes it through!

 

[alia258]

Where did you buy the angelfish from? Because the wholesaler that the LFS or LPS gets there fish from can make all the difference. I just got an angel as my centerpiece and he was eating after a half hour out of the bag! If it is a locally owned and operated store, make sure to ask where the fish come from, bc my guess is tht the store gets their fish from a distributor called R.J. Ray's. They aren't the best and supply many fish stores.

Just to clarify, the LFS I got my angel from order from dozens of distributors and specialize in cichlids and plecos

I went to petsmart, their fish stock is generally healthy, and all of them are usually young with the exception of goldfish. They have a horrible live plant line up though. The petland has a great live plant stock, but has older fish that are pften diseased, if not dying...aquarium supplies are hard to find in AZ! There's also a petland, but I've been told not to go there

About the black and white skirted tetras, the whites are albino blacks, and they have lineups of neon colored white skirts! Do not buy these because it's not natural and they were either injected with dye like they do a tattoo, or placed in a cat if concentrated dye for extended amounts of time. Both of these methods shorten their lifespan (glofish, similarly colored neon fish, are genetically enhanced and the coloring is in their DNA which is carried on into offspring, and are not in any way dyed) the only safe and natural way to color a white skirt tetra is to feed it colored food or dyed food. They generally turn a paler color of the food you feed them, and they have safe dyed foods for tho purpose, but non-dyed foods can also color them. I feed my fish red granules, therefore they will turn a pale pink color within a few days of eating it. I felt a serious need to explain this to you guys because it's a serious lie that lfs' will tell you.

On the current position of the angel, he is sitting dead center, a few inches from the surface, floating in the current. The other fish have pressed down and are preparing to rest for the night, waiting for dinnertime, and so he has most of the tank space to himself

 

[emerald76]

I went to petsmart, their fish stock is generally healthy, and all of them are usually young with the exception of goldfish. They have a horrible live plant line up though. The petland has a great live plant stock, but has older fish that are pften diseased, if not dying...aquarium supplies are hard to find in AZ! There's also a petland, but I've been told not to go there

About the black and white skirted tetras, the whites are albino blacks, and they have lineups of neon colored white skirts! Do not buy these because it's not natural and they were either injected with dye like they do a tattoo, or placed in a cat if concentrated dye for extended amounts of time. Both of these methods shorten their lifespan (glofish, similarly colored neon fish, are genetically enhanced and the coloring is in their DNA which is carried on into offspring, and are not in any way dyed) the only safe and natural way to color a white skirt tetra is to feed it colored food or dyed food. They generally turn a paler color of the food you feed them, and they have safe dyed foods for tho purpose, but non-dyed foods can also color them. I feed my fish red granules, therefore they will turn a pale pink color within a few days of eating it. I felt a serious need to explain this to you guys because it's a serious lie that lfs' will tell you.

On the current position of the angel, he is sitting dead center, a few inches from the surface, floating in the current. The other fish have pressed down and are preparing to rest for the night, waiting for dinnertime, and so he has most of the tank space to himself

The glo in the dark white skirts are glofish in skirt tetras- NOT dye injected or dipped

 

[alia258]

Is that one of those little 50 watt heaters? In a 40 gal tank? Those are rated for a 5-20 gallon tank. You'd probably need at least a 100 watt heater. I'd definitely look into one. If the tank experiences large temp drops, like from 72-78, your fish are going to be under stress. There's no way that heater could manage to keep your whole tank heated. Plus if it's always running to try and keep the temp up, it could burn out and die a lot faster.

What the angel mostly needs is clean water and time. I wouldn't expect him to start eating for a few more days. It usually takes some time for new fish to get used to their surroundings. I hope your angel makes it through!

I never thought about that. I'm not sure of the wattage, but you sound correct. When I drop by the lfs to trade out the belly-up red skirts, I'll be sure to check out the heater at the store that I have and see if it needs replacing ^^

Nobody ever answered my question about mixing the skirt tetra species with one another and wether that was a good idea or not. I was gonna get 3 red, 3 white, and 4 black, making 10 in all. I put up my theory on how they school with one another on the post where the question was originally posted. I'd like to know, because I don't want my guppies or angel to be losing fins! Plus my female is preggo again and I don't want her dying from stress. (I've lost pretty much all sympathy for the babies and they're already condemned to be my friends turtle food. After 3 batches of 15-40 babies, you should understand...they're a great protein snack for the older fish too )

 

[Freakgecko91]

And goldfish danios are a marvel of what biogenetic engineering is capable of! It's a zebra danio whose DNA is spliced with jellyfish DNA, a protein that codes for their bioluminescence so cool, but still unnatural haha

 

[Freakgecko91]

Serpae or red minors tetras are not skirt tetras, so the may not school. Fish tend to school with similar colored fish from what I've come to notice. and by school, I mean school as most tetras are not true schooling fish

 

[alia258]

The glo in the dark white skirts are glofish in skirt tetras- NOT dye injected or dipped

You are correct on that slightly, according to the google search, they only have produced a neon green strain that glows under a black light and is passed on through genes. Apparently there are also light pink and blue versions, but the colors are very pale and nearly white. Any neon blue, pink, orange, purple, or multi-colored white skirt tetra (as in dyed like a tattoo and obliviously unnatural) shouldn't be bought. Thank you for clarifying emerald, or else I'd have never known