Driftwood Question...

[MissSmish]

Ok, I've read about how to prepare it and it's boiling at the moment. It seems it's already warterlogged as it sunk as soon as I put it in water (I bought it at the lfs) and it says it's been pre-prepared on the label that was on the bag.

My question is, is it safe to put DW into an established tank with babies in it? Bear in mind I have to move things around to get it in there and I'm going to be adding substrate next weekend. Should I wait until next weekend to add it and do it at the same time as the extra substrate? Or should I just go for it?

My gut is telling me to wait, but my patience (or lack thereof) is telling me to go for it... Please help!!!

 

[Paulcm10]

so you have your tank bare bottom? since your adding substrate next weekend.
i say you should go ahead and do it. just watch out for the babies in your tank =p

 

[MissSmish]

No, I already have substrate there, it's just I didn't buy enough (despite buying out the rest of what was in the store). =D

 

[Paulcm10]

what kind of substrate do you have?
and maybe try to take out the babies before you put the substrate so you won't have to worry about killing them.

 

[MissSmish]

It's a fine black diamond quartz gravel, when I add the extra I was planning on rescaping the whole tank, so my initial plan is to put all the adult fish (1 dwarf gourami, 3 adult platys, 2 juvenile platys, 4 kuhli loaches and 3 mystery snails) into one bucket, the babies and my shrimp in a second and my live plants in a third while I add the substrate and rescape the tank, adding the dw at the same time, then replant the tank, add the babies and give them 10 mins to hide etc, then add the adults....

Is that a good plan?

 

[Paulcm10]

It's a fine black diamond quartz gravel, when I add the extra I was planning on rescaping the whole tank, so my initial plan is to put all the adult fish (1 dwarf gourami, 3 adult platys, 2 juvenile platys, 4 kuhli loaches and 3 mystery snails) into one bucket, the babies and my shrimp in a second and my live plants in a third while I add the substrate and rescape the tank, adding the dw at the same time, then replant the tank, add the babies and give them 10 mins to hide etc, then add the adults....

Is that a good plan?

that could work. just make sure to do it when you're doing a water change. i suggest do a 50% water change so you can fill up more than one bucket and put all of your fish in there. what size tank do you have and what kind of babies?
i say you should get a net breeder so you don't have to worry about the babies you have.

 

[MissSmish]

It's a 26 us gal (100 au litre) tank and I think they're platy babies. I'm not 100% sure and probably wont be until they're older. But platy makes the most sense.

They are only in there till they get a bit bigger then my lfs wants them.

 

[MissSmish]

that could work. just make sure to do it when you're doing a water change. i suggest do a 50% water change so you can fill up more than one bucket and put all of your fish in there. what size tank do you have and what kind of babies?
i say you should get a net breeder so you don't have to worry about the babies you have.

Oh & I didn't really want to have a net breeder because there isn't really a way to have it on my tank, plus I would rather have survival of the fittest - that theory is working against me at the moment... I have 20 odd fry surviving and my fish are showing no interest in eating them!

 

[Paulcm10]

I see. That's how I want it with my shrimps. Ill have CPDs which may eat some baby shrimps. That way it can eat all the weak shrimps and leave me with the healthy ones (at least that's what I think will happen) haha

 

[Paulcm10]

Also let me know how everything goes. I'd like to hear it so I would know what to do if I was ever in that situation haha

 

[MissSmish]

That's my theory too, but so far I still have all babies I counted surviving and I'm finding more all the time.... It's kind of cool but annoying at the same time!

I definitely will! Thank you for the help too. I might even post pictures when I'm done!

 

[MissSmish]

Oh, CPD's? Are they celestial pearl danios?

 

[Paulcm10]

sounds good! and yes they are celestial pearl danios. i wish i could find them anywhere locally but sadly i have to order them online which can be a bit pricey haha.

 

[MissSmish]

It's normally the same here, anything other than rainbow or Bala sharks, guppies/mollies/platys, or Angels and you have to buy online. Even gouramis can be hard to find!

 

[Paulcm10]

It's normally the same here, anything other than rainbow or Bala sharks, guppies/mollies/platys, or Angels and you have to buy online. Even gouramis can be hard to find!

oh i see well the only thing i really wish they have is freshwater shrimps. besides ghost shrimps.
luckily i have access to some bamboo shrimps =p

 

[MissSmish]

Yay! Redid the tank today & added the driftwood! I love it! Still have to add a little water to the tank but for the moment here we go:

 

[Paulcm10]

Yay! Redid the tank today & added the driftwood! I love it! Still have to add a little water to the tank but for the moment here we go:

wow that looks great!
are those micro swords?

 

[MissSmish]

Which ones lol? I do have two swords in there just not sure what type of sword.

 

[Paulcm10]

Which ones lol? I do have two swords in there just not sure what type of sword.

the short grassy looking plants haha

 

[MissSmish]

Oh hahah! Umm the fine ones are microsword "Lilaeopsis brasiliensis", but the other was sold to me as "Dwarf Pongol Reed" but is actually just common mondo grass but it's doing really well submerged so until that changes I'm leaving it in there!

I have two large swords in the back of the tank too.