Played God in the shelldweller tank! While the fish were still asleep in their shells, I rearranged everything so I could fit in my sponge filter and also to try and give a chance to one poor little guy who got exiled to the top corner.
All of their hard work to create their territories and shell fortresses, and in one fell swoop I undid all of it and set them back to square one! And I'll do it again and again until they learn to play nice and everyone gets a space
Decided to do a water change a found a terrible surprise. There were two roaches in the filter compartment. Worst day of my life.
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In the last few weeks since I posted, my fish had ich (and three died), dropsy, and mysterious deaths. A bunch of fry died. We found blackworms in the substrate and realized they were the cause for the dirt going above the gravel, not the MTS which we 'rented' three clown loaches to help control. The driftwood also started rotting (it was stinky and mushy does anyone know why that would happen?). We decided to redo the tank.
We took everything out and threw out the substrate (which was stinky and gross not to mention the disgusting worms) and replaced it with natural gravel. We took new terra cotta pots and put dirt and capped it with gravel to put the plants back in the tank. Basically we went (mostly) fake.
Then a fish got really bloated, I think it had a swim bladder infection because it floated at the top all day and had a hard time getting to the bottom. Another fish died too of some tail disease I think it ended up looking like finrot. His tail disappeared in parts, but before that his tail got bumpy and puffy. We had some fry born but I couldn't catch them and now I don't see them anymore.
How do you guys deal with extreme losses and mess-ups? I'm honestly thinking of getting rid of the tank because it's become a lot of work and stress.
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In the last few weeks since I posted, my fish had ich (and three died), dropsy, and mysterious deaths. A bunch of fry died. We found blackworms in the substrate and realized they were the cause for the dirt going above the gravel, not the MTS which we 'rented' three clown loaches to help control. The driftwood also started rotting (it was stinky and mushy does anyone know why that would happen?). We decided to redo the tank.
We took everything out and threw out the substrate (which was stinky and gross not to mention the disgusting worms) and replaced it with natural gravel. We took new terra cotta pots and put dirt and capped it with gravel to put the plants back in the tank. Basically we went (mostly) fake.
Then a fish got really bloated, I think it had a swim bladder infection because it floated at the top all day and had a hard time getting to the bottom. Another fish died too of some tail disease I think it ended up looking like finrot. His tail disappeared in parts, but before that his tail got bumpy and puffy. We had some fry born but I couldn't catch them and now I don't see them anymore.
How do you guys deal with extreme losses and mess-ups? I'm honestly thinking of getting rid of the tank because it's become a lot of work and stress.
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Added a piece of DW and moved the wisteria around it. Fist planted tank, and I love it!!
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Sorry to hear of so many problems for you Kitty.
I think you just have to consider all the things you are doing with the tank. How much joy it has or could bring to your life and how much time or stress it is using/creating. After you get the hang of it and get the right stride going for the tank. They can pretty much run themselves, lol (with you doing the feeding and water changes, etc.) and be a huge joy.
They are a fair amount of time and effort. Research and learning. I think worth it. Though I am still trying to downsize my projects/tanks to simplify. Then I started the SW Maybe I still need to learn about what the word simplify means!!!
For you, consider what had worked and what hasn't and what you should change so that it would work better. Maybe take things more slowly, build the tank around the fish you enjoy most.
My friends Dumbo Betta passed away a few days ago, I had given it to her about a year ago. It was already full grown, so I am not too sure what happened to it but that was kinda sad. She now still has the 2 dwarf frogs and a couple snails.
My daughter who was bringing over my SW and RODI water could't make it because one of her foster kittens got sick.
I am starting pwc on the smaller tanks today, shrimp tanks first then the others. Moving my fish from the QT over to the 72G. 2 Cories, 2 Albino BN Plecos and a lone Diamond Tetra. (its tank mates died in the pH crash and I haven't found them again yet)
I am hoping to be able to catch the 2 Albino BN Plecos in my 12G Edge tank at some point and get them moved to the 72G as well, then the shrimp might end up with a higher population, with them not slurping up misc. babies. Boy do I regret putting those little babies in the shrimp tanks.
The little shrimp babies have a few more babies to keep them company in the 6.6G Edge. I am hoping to get that full tank clean out done soon but the newer babies are still too darn small to sort through everything/worth the extra time it would take. I was given a nice bag of fish supplies from my mom who didn't keep her tank. A new bottle of Prime, Flourish Filter pad/bags, some Shrimp food, Hikari foods, and filter, heaters. Nice bonus.
That brings me to the topic of money saved from the above to the probable expenditure for a new light for the 72G. We will likely be going for a nice computer controlled one, LED. My present bulb, and last planted tank one is old and causing a bit too much algae, I had thought there was one more but after plugging it in, it is dead. SO... new light fixture. The money it would take to get a new bulb will go towards a new light fixture YAY!!! Only been waiting 2 years!
Going to put a dozen Neon Tetras into the QT tank when my daughter buys them, they will be for her tank.
Whewww! I think that's it! Now to get busy.
Lighting upgrades are always exciting. I have nothing better than dual T5's on one tank at this stage. I got the tank they are running on established about 2 weeks ago and the plants are enjoying the light. .
I'm sorry your old betta died at your friends. I get the feeling that they sometimes just give up when they become sick.
Anyway, just completed a WC on my 35g. Will do a change on my snail growout tank soon too. I've earned $65 from my LFS selling them. It's handy having the tank full of snails nearby as a cleanup crew if Algea rears it's head and they're a nice source of freebies from the LFS.
Got some news from my dad this week. I gave him a 20g a few months back and he was quick to get a stand built and fish in there. He tells me i am now an uncle to his scaled childrens first fry. I am not even sure what he has in there apart from platies and a BN pleco. I'm glad to hear his scaled family are thriving though. I am tempted to send him a pack of plant trimmings. I know he has Anubias in there but not sure if he's added anything else. He retired about 2 years ago so i'm sure he will enjoy tinkering with them.
I'm thinking about tearing down my 20 planted and changing everything or just redoing it. I'm tired of needing to replant every few days.
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I'm thinking about tearing down my 20 planted and changing everything or just redoing it. I'm tired of needing to replant every few days.
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Who's tearing up the place?
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I made up a new bottle of PPS Pro Macro mix. Such fun. Watched the fish for about five minutes (while feeding and dosing the plants). 14 hour work day did not help.
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