Penumbra
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2012
- Messages
- 34
So about three weeks ago (counting cycling) of one week) I saved two freshwater northern crayfish from Palmer lake in Colorado. The lake has hardly any water and there was dead crayfish all along he edge of the 18 acre lake. I pulled them from certain death along with another small crayfish and brought them home. I pulled out my 10 gallon tank, filled it up and just treated it with start rights I rinsed off my crayfish an gave them a salt bath to kill the parasites I saw crawling on them (worked like a charm!) rinsed them in treated water and stuck them in! The filter needed to be replaced after 4 days with all the mud and crap I missed while "bathing" them. So I got a new filter and was satisfied. I fed them ham and lettuce and they three were happy bugs! So after a few days, these little white flat worms (harmless) popped back up. I went to pet smart and got general cure. Also when I went to pet smart after researching for hours I bought two gouramis to eat the worms and three neon tetras to giggle and watch. Only 5 as to not shock my tank. I brought them home, cleaned out the tank a bit with a net added the general cure and let them set in their bags for 15 mins then put them in! They were so happy and the gouramis started picking off the worms right off the bat. Then the water got cloudy... So I got some water clarifier and stuck it in. It got better! At this point I decided I had to get a bigger tank because the first day I got my crays they were going at it!! So I bought a 30 gallon tank and did a bit more research. (the guy I got my tank from gave me 3 pounds of rocks 3 filters two air pumps with 3 attachments 2 kings of food. A siphon filet a pack of bowl buddies and bubble rocks pH right AND like 5 buckets!!! Not to mention the decorations AND THE REAL WOOD STAND!! All for FIFTY BUCKS) I was so pleased. I took it all home, cleaned it all after checking for leaks, put the stand in my room, put the tank on top and put the clean rocks in. I put the bubblers under the rocks and added the "caves" and "tree root" and all the fake plants and began to fill. I replaced the filters in the big filter and sold the other two to my neighbor. After starting my tank I read about cycling! YAY IMPORTANT. I put the "stability" in my tank that very night. My mom was upset about me knocking out my screen to fill my tank with the hose but oh well. I started the cycle. I waited two days and added my neon tetras. No change to the nitro cycle. I waited a few more days then added my crays hoping my gouramis would breed. Two more days and I realized... The first tank was MUDDY! So I put my gouramis in one at a time and they are right at home. This morning I dumped out the 10 gal, washed ALL the rocks and decorations, rinsed out the filter and put it back together with water clarifier, start right, and stability along with some gravel from my now almost established tank... As of now (4:20) my tank is still muddy... But clearer than before. My fish are happily flirting and relaxing and are MUCH brighter after just a few days, and the gouramis after just a few hours! This post is really to track my own story and see where I go. I've only had Betas and gold fish before now and after catching these crayfish... IM A FISH PERSON! I've sat in here all day drawing my fish and studying for school. But I do have a question. Will a mini Pleco help get rid of the mud in my 10 tank? It's really unsightly and I know patience but I just worry that all that mud is going to settle and never come out. I rinsed that gravel for 30 minutes and it's still muddy. So... This is my first REAL serious fish tank and I am so proud of it. Pictures below!
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