What Did You do With Your Tank Today?

[TheresaM]

Where? I'm in the Baltimore/Harford/Cecil area. Sorry, I try not to be too specific online. My go to LFS is House of Tropicals, they are freakishly knowledgeable, and Tom's Tropicals is okay but smaller.

Yay MD! I'm in upper Montgomery County but used to frequent Aquarium Center years ago when it was still awesome. Always looking for new stores to check out much to the dismay of the spouse

 

[Ulmina]

Set up the 5 g & moved the shrimp - SO HAPPY!!

*Please at least see bottom - Question at end.
The shrimp I found at the 11th hour yesterday after the 4 hour rebuild did not survive the trauma he went through just before I saw it. I left its body in there because I heard shrimp will eat dead ones. This morning when I saw the body again, I thought I had lost another shrimp & freaked out for the second day in a row. Full Moon, perhaps??? I could only see one or two shrimp and got scared that something in the new dirt was killing them off, & I was just fed up. Action was needed.

PLUS I thought the nerite snail was dead! He was pulled further into his shell than I saw before and wouldn't 'stick' to anything. I just couldn't accept this, though, and put him in the holding tub with the shrimp, determined for it to live!

This all forced a premature set up of the 5 gal (my order from Alpha Pro Breeders just shipped today due to recent single digit temps), and so I went out to get another heater, a couple plants, and some CaribSea Flora Max Planted Aquarium substrate. I'm re-using the 3i because the Betta really doesn't need it. I got him an airstone, though.

Well, except for the water clearing the rest of the way, it is all done, and you SHOULD SEE the shrimp!!!!! They are swimming ALL OVER the place & we are all "bursting happy." AND the nerite snail is alive and well!!!
I could not be a more over-joyed Mom!!!

You know, I never EVER thought about keeping shrimp until last week, but the little buggers have just grown on me so bad. They are cute cute cute, and now I get to see how frisky, too.

Meanwhile, the dirt with composted wood & who knows what in the 2 gal bowl is still causing headaches with floating material. Now that the shrimp and snail are out, Al Fajr (Sunrise) may be in for ANOTHER bowl rebuild with the potting soil getting nixxed - and replaced with the Flora Max. (NOW what am I gonna do with the other substrate when it comes??? Hint: I think a 10 gal is in my future.)

The ONLY part I am nervous about is I am just back in fish keeping after 22 years, since Jan 23 (read: I am RUSTY), and my RCS & Orange Bee are in an UNCYCLED tank!! I put approximately 3 pints or maybe a quart of the previous tank water in there, plus the 3i with the media that's been in there since 1/23, and some Tetra Safe Start bacteria. My question is, do you guys think my shrimp will be okay in a new tank? Should I do a 25% WC every day, or what do you suggest that will keep my shrimp alive? I have fallen in love with this tiny creatures.
Appreciate any advice!!

 

[Mebbid]

The shrimp will probably be okay as long as you keep a close eye on ammonia and do water changes accordingly.

 

[Alan79]

*Please at least see bottom - Question at end.
The shrimp I found at the 11th hour yesterday after the 4 hour rebuild did not survive the trauma he went through just before I saw it. I left its body in there because I heard shrimp will eat dead ones. This morning when I saw the body again, I thought I had lost another shrimp & freaked out for the second day in a row. Full Moon, perhaps??? I could only see one or two shrimp and got scared that something in the new dirt was killing them off, & I was just fed up. Action was needed.

PLUS I thought the nerite snail was dead! He was pulled further into his shell than I saw before and wouldn't 'stick' to anything. I just couldn't accept this, though, and put him in the holding tub with the shrimp, determined for it to live!

This all forced a premature set up of the 5 gal (my order from Alpha Pro Breeders just shipped today due to recent single digit temps), and so I went out to get another heater, a couple plants, and some CaribSea Flora Max Planted Aquarium substrate. I'm re-using the 3i because the Betta really doesn't need it. I got him an airstone, though.

Well, except for the water clearing the rest of the way, it is all done, and you SHOULD SEE the shrimp!!!!! They are swimming ALL OVER the place & we are all "bursting happy." AND the nerite snail is alive and well!!!
I could not be a more over-joyed Mom!!!

You know, I never EVER thought about keeping shrimp until last week, but the little buggers have just grown on me so bad. They are cute cute cute, and now I get to see how frisky, too.

Meanwhile, the dirt with composted wood & who knows what in the 2 gal bowl is still causing headaches with floating material. Now that the shrimp and snail are out, Al Fajr (Sunrise) may be in for ANOTHER bowl rebuild with the potting soil getting nixxed - and replaced with the Flora Max. (NOW what am I gonna do with the other substrate when it comes??? Hint: I think a 10 gal is in my future.)

The ONLY part I am nervous about is I am just back in fish keeping after 22 years, since Jan 23 (read: I am RUSTY), and my RCS & Orange Bee are in an UNCYCLED tank!! I put approximately 3 pints or maybe a quart of the previous tank water in there, plus the 3i with the media that's been in there since 1/23, and some Tetra Safe Start bacteria. My question is, do you guys think my shrimp will be okay in a new tank? Should I do a 25% WC every day, or what do you suggest that will keep my shrimp alive? I have fallen in love with this tiny creatures.
Appreciate any advice!!

I don't count myself as a very good keeper of shrimp since all but 1 of my collection of red cherry shrimp died on me over time, but when you do water changes i'd try to make sure you get very close with temperature matching. I think that was where i went wrong with mine. Maybe my Kuhli loaches hunted them to near extinction in my tank but i generally only saw dead shrimp right after water changes. They were fine with the water changes in summer but when winter came i think getting cooler water dropped into the tank killed them. I think i have one left from the ten that i purchased and the many babies they had when i first introduced them to the tank but only see that one occasionally these days.

 

[Ulmina]

Nice to meet you!

The shrimp will probably be okay as long as you keep a close eye on ammonia and do water changes accordingly.

Ahh, the DIY plant tab man! Pleased to make your acquaintance.

Yes, I was def thinking of that, for sure - just wondering if there was anything in addition. With just a handful of those animals in the tank with some plants, will the cycling be really slow -- like maybe a month before it is ready for some fish?

Thanks for the reply!

 

[Ulmina]

Thanks for that tip. I've been trying to do that, especially because of the Betta, and I did read that temp fluctuations can make fish sick (paraphrased, sort of ;p). Could be pretty shocking in winter, for real.

Have fun! Thanks for reply.

 

[Autumnsky]

Thanks for that tip. I've been trying to do that, especially because of the Betta, and I did read that temp fluctuations can make fish sick (paraphrased, sort of ;p). Could be pretty shocking in winter, for real.

Have fun! Thanks for reply.

Shrimp are awesome.

Just saw we are neighbors! Hi and welcome to the fun!

 

[Ulmina]

Gosh, yes. That's awesome. I have too much cyber and not enough real world.

 

[Autumnsky]

Gosh, yes. That's awesome. I have too much cyber and not enough real world.

Well maybe the Colorado Aquarium Society meeting would be a good real world event for you. And it might be a good "What did you do with your tank?" post!

 

[Ulmina]

I am putting it on my calendar! Since I haven't had any work last week or so far this week, I won't have being tired as an excuse.

 

[emerald76]

Yay MD! I'm in upper Montgomery County but used to frequent Aquarium Center years ago when it was still awesome. Always looking for new stores to check out much to the dismay of the spouse

Whoo! There was a ridiculously HUGE LFS five minutes from my house. It closed down before I got into fish though.


Delivered via owl
Ministry of Magic

 

[TheresaM]

The ONLY part I am nervous about is I am just back in fish keeping after 22 years, since Jan 23 (read: I am RUSTY), and my RCS & Orange Bee are in an UNCYCLED tank!! I put approximately 3 pints or maybe a quart of the previous tank water in there, plus the 3i with the media that's been in there since 1/23, and some Tetra Safe Start bacteria. My question is, do you guys think my shrimp will be okay in a new tank? Should I do a 25% WC every day, or what do you suggest that will keep my shrimp alive? I have fallen in love with this tiny creatures.
Appreciate any advice!!

Definitely be careful with the temperature of the water you're replacing.

They certainly are addictive. I started out with RCS...still have them as well as blue rili, red rili, pumpkins, and yellows

 

[TheresaM]

Whoo! There was a ridiculously HUGE LFS five minutes from my house. It closed down before I got into fish though.

That would be my kind of luck. I order a lot online but if I need something right away or just want to browse I go to Congressional in Rockville. Checked out House of Tropicals website though, definitely want to go visit

 

[Ulmina]

Definitely be careful with the temperature of the water you're replacing.

They certainly are addictive. I started out with RCS...still have them as well as blue rili, red rili, pumpkins, and yellows

My local selection is not great. Alpha Pro Breeders has great-looking shrimp but they are pretty expensive and sold 5 - 10 at a time. Those black tigers are cool looking & would go in my tank. Posted an album of the shrimp I've gotten good pics of here, yesterday. I love the Blue Pearl shrimp but they won't go with RCS. Check out these beauties! Buy Freshwater Aquarium Shrimp For Sale - Alpha Pro Breeders
Have fun!

 

[TheresaM]

My local selection is not great. Alpha Pro Breeders has great-looking shrimp but they are pretty expensive and sold 5 - 10 at a time. Those black tigers are cool looking & would go in my tank. Posted an album of the shrimp I've gotten good pics of here, yesterday. I love the Blue Pearl shrimp but they won't go with RCS. Check out these beauties! Buy Freshwater Aquarium Shrimp For Sale - Alpha Pro Breeders
Have fun!

No no no, I will not Three Priority mail boxes were just delivered so I think I'll be busy for a while today

I've gotten shrimp from Bob's, CFL Aquatics, Aquatic Arts, and Shrimp USA. Alpha Pro has decent shipping rates, packages all fish individually, and everything I've gotten from him has been excellent quality.

 

[stooker]

Just ordered a 3x5 mat of java fern off of eBay. First time ordering anything living on the internet! I'm planning a pretty significant rescaping of my tank... never really been satisfied with it.

Now to find some staurogyne repens...

 

[fish wrangler]

Just ordered a 3x5 mat of java fern off of eBay. First time ordering anything living on the internet! I'm planning a pretty significant rescaping of my tank... never really been satisfied with it.

Now to find some staurogyne repens...

Check Petsmart. Their gel pack plants have been good for me. Just give them time to grow in.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[stooker]

Check Petsmart. Their gel pack plants have been good for me. Just give them time to grow in.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

I went to an LFS, Petsmart and two Petcos and all did not have it. I have some other places to check, but at this point I've wasted a good deal of time driving around to different places.

 

[ianocappuccino]

I did a 25% water change, cleaned filter media and glass! Also got my water in check!
Currently seeping 2 large roots in a barrel of water should be ready in a week or so!


Sent from my iPhone

 

[Ricky 1]

What size is your tank Ian it looks massive, is that a trickle filter in the hood I see........