Fresh2o’s 29g Blackwater Tank

[Fresh2o]

I think you definitely got a batch way too stressed from shipping. It’s heartbreaking to watch this happen in your tank.

Are there specific leaves that will help darken the water for you more? I could send you some magnolia. They are thick and do not dissolve quickly.

Yes, it is frustrating. I’ve mentioned this before, I don’t buy fish very often. This is the sixth purchase in six years. I will contact the LFS to see if they can get more in next week and make arrangements for holding them. I may do another dose of PraziPro today.
Surprised you did not comment on the snails from the prior post. They are looking healthy for a change.

 

[TMaier]

Well I wouldn’t want to be consistent on my snail fixation. Lol

I wonder how they will handle the black water? As the tannins increase won’t the ph drop below 7?

 

[Fresh2o]

Well I wouldn’t want to be consistent on my snail fixation. Lol

I wonder how they will handle the black water? As the tannins increase won’t the ph drop below 7?

The pH drop did cross my mind. 3 weeks in and the pH is holding steady at 7.2. But the new growth is very healthy looking.
In a previous high tech tank I ran in the 90s I observed the same shell whitening with pond snails. I think biogenetic decalcification was taking place. I don’t understand the science of it but it has to do with plants consuming CO2 and bicarbonates and this was affecting the minerals needed for proper shell growth.

 

[Caliban07]

I think snails and co2 just don’t really mix well. When I wasn’t even injecting a lot my nerite would go missing, never graze and the odd time I would spot it it would be clammed up. It’s behaviour has improved 100% after switching off the gas, as too has the rest of my livestock. It really has been night and day for me.

As for the pest snails I also note what you say about white shells. Now I don’t see many and it’s because I have to look more closely. The white shell was a dead give away. Now they are brown and harder to spot.

 

[Fresh2o]

I stopped by the LFS to pickup some frozen foods (BBS, daphnia, and mysis shrimp) and to talk to the manager about getting more Pygmy Corydoras. He gave me some advice. He said when you get the call that whatever fish you were asking about (they have a signup sheet) to wait 3-4 days before picking them up. Yes, you run the risk of having the fish out of stock before you get there. But he explained that there is a percentage of fish that go downhill after shipping, typically in the first few days. Maybe he shouldn’t say that but I appreciated the insight. I put my name on the list for pygmies, Ember tetras, and kuhli loaches (not sure about those though).
The initial batch of pygmies have been in QT for 18 days and two rounds of PraziPro. I plan on doing the catch, drip, and intro tonight.

 

[Fresh2o]

9 Pygmy Corydoras were added to the DT last night. Within minutes they were grazing and roaming throughout the tank. The CPDs and embers were getting bit annoyed because the Pygmy corys were following them around like minions. The gold tetra (only non-nano fish) started chasing the catfish around. I hunted it down and moved it to the QT. It will be going to the LFS. Sad, though since I’ve had this one since 2011 (parents spawned).

 

[TMaier]

Sounds like you got some good ones!

 

[Autumnsky]

Envious of the shoal!

 

[Fresh2o]

The survivors are doing well. Occasionally I see a pair fluttering about, staying within close proximity. But no group swims like I saw on the QT. Perhaps when the numbers increase it will be more evident. I like that they hover and occupy the bottom 2/3 of the tank. Most of the time they are just hanging out

Water clarity has improved despite the abundant tannins present. Leaves break down at different rates; maples become veil like within a week or two; sycamore are almost like thin leather in contrast to that. More evening tank pics

 

[TMaier]

The leaf litter always feels a bit spooky. You never know what’s hiding in it.

 

[Autumnsky]

Looking mysterious - reminds me I need more variety of leaf litter.

 

[Fresh2o]

If I ever got kuhli loaches then this setup would be ideal. Plenty of hiding spaces to make them feel secure.
Question about kuhlis: do they bury their head in the sand while rummaging for food? I have trumpet snails in there to help keep the sand turned over but the idea of sand sifting is nice. I have not observed any digging action from the Pygmy Corydoras (yet). That might be different if they had something to go after such as blackworms.

 

[TMaier]

The stick their nose and whiskers in a bit. But never had one actually bury their head.

 

[coralbandit]

A couple of my kuhlis plow through the eco complete !
They really get their head in and push right along.
It is kind of funny but not all of them do this. Others hang in the plants and find their food in it .. I keep waiting to see the swarm of them all doing the same thing but they are unique...Still fun to watch.

 

[TMaier]

Certain foods trigger everyone showing up out front jockeying for a bite. They really love the Hikari Loach Wafers.

 

[Fresh2o]

Thanks for the feedback. I have a sheet of eggcrate under the sand (they would bonk their snouts).
Though kuhlis would be interesting, they would be considered behemoths in the tank as most of the fish in this tank are 1” or less.

 

[TMaier]

I love that word. Behemoths. Lol

 

[Fresh2o]

Went to the LFS to get one thing, came home with something else. Sure I’m not the only one who’s done this.
Brought in the lone Gold Tetra; rec’d a coupon. Got a call 3 days ago that Ember tetras came in. Today none were left. I did see some Blue Eyed Rasboras the last few times I’ve been there. I was thinking that they we not selling. Ended up getting all 9 of them plus a half portion of blackworms. Applied my 20% coupon plus other credit and walked out paying $2.18 USD.
Rasboras drip acclimated for an hour (while I ate dinner) and into the QT. Not sure if I will treat with PraziPro as a preventative.
Added some blackworms to the main tank. I did see a few fish react to them but most went to the bottom unnoticed. They buried themselves only leaving a bit of the tail exposed. If they reproduce then I will have a source of food for a while. Also found a couple of small leeches in the bag of blackworms; promptly separated them from the worms.
Poor pic of the new fish in the QT:

 

[Autumnsky]

Yucky leeches, I saw one in a batch I got {{{shudder}}}.

Interesting that you found something different at the lfs!!! Congrats on the new additions!

 

[TMaier]

What do the leeches look like? Are they fairly easy to spot in the bag of worms?