40g tank! Switching from 10g!

[Gish]

all due respect to your mom.

However, she needs to know that a good testing kit may help avoid a disaster. That is, fish dying off because the water parameters are not correct. This $30, or less investment can potentially save you money and heartache in the long run. The kits, like the API freshwater master, can last a couple years.

 

[alia258]

all due respect to your mom.

However, she needs to know that a good testing kit may help avoid a disaster. That is, fish dying off because the water parameters are not correct. This $30, or less investment can potentially save you money and heartache in the long run. The kits, like the API freshwater master, can last a couple years.

Part of it is that all we have available (petsmart or petco) are paper strips, and I do use paper pH strips, but that's because the pH generally doesn't change, and it's not something that can harm a fish in an extreme way (as long as its 7, if you change the pH it gets hard to deal with) so we have to order online and we havent found anything in our price range. I'm hoping to maybe find one on Craig's list, Whig will be much cheaper (although slightly used, still able to last a long time)

 

[Gish]

by the time ammonia, nitrates/nitrites alter your pH, the levels are already creeping too high.

This has been highly recommended on this forum.

Amazon.com: API FRESHWATER MASTER TEST KIT: Pet Supplies $19.21

I used to think that I could get by without a test kit, then I lost a couple of fish and had black beard algae problems. with a few tests and water changes everything is stable. now I feel confident and only need to test the water once a month (at most) unless other issues arise.

taking the water to the megamart stores is too inefficient and most of the time they just use strips which can be inaccurate.

 

[alia258]

I'll have to tell my mom about that, it's cheaper than the others

 

[alia258]

The neon died poor guy I'm gonna miss him D

As for the tank, I'll be getting some frozen blood worms tomorrow and I'll be adding three white skirt tetras and either a dwarf gourami or another angel, and because we have no errands to run I'm sure that there will be no issues

The red minor tetras have adjusted nicely to the tank and have not bothered the other fish, which is quite nice

My guppy had babies yesterday and they are to be turtle food as soon as they're two weeks old. I tried feeding them to my frogs, but they wouldn't eat them :/

 

[alia258]

Here's an update on the 40g:
I got two more Cory cats (and plant to get two more so eventually I'll have 5) and a beautiful dwarf gourami. It's very docile and has more of a personality I've got a few questions though, are they supposed to swim slow and sorta hang in the current? It's not like swim bladder, but it's like, pacing like a caged lion almost (I think it's almost kinda cute, but I wanna make sure that this is normal) and another issue, when the gourami eats food that's floating on the surface, bubbles go in its mouth and out its gills, what's up with that??? Here's a nice picture of the guy. Any idea on how to sex gouramis? I'm not planning on breeding or anything, but it'd be nice to know

 

[Coursair]

Here's an update on the 40g:
I got two more Cory cats (and plant to get two more so eventually I'll have 5) and a beautiful dwarf gourami. It's very docile and has more of a personality I've got a few questions though, are they supposed to swim slow and sorta hang in the current? It's not like swim bladder, but it's like, pacing like a caged lion almost (I think it's almost kinda cute, but I wanna make sure that this is normal) and another issue, when the gourami eats food that's floating on the surface, bubbles go in its mouth and out its gills, what's up with that??? Here's a nice picture of the guy. Any idea on how to sex gouramis? I'm not planning on breeding or anything, but it'd be nice to know

He's a male. Females are silver.

 

[alia258]

He's a male. Females are silver.

Okay cool, now I know it's a boy one question down and two to go =^w^=

 

[maxwellag]

You are correct on that slightly, according to the google search, they only have produced a neon green strain that glows under a black light and is passed on through genes. Apparently there are also light pink and blue versions, but the colors are very pale and nearly white. Any neon blue, pink, orange, purple, or multi-colored white skirt tetra (as in dyed like a tattoo and obliviously unnatural) shouldn't be bought. Thank you for clarifying emerald, or else I'd have never known

I think the ones you are talking about are called mixed fruit tetras

 

[sharkiegirl94]

Mixed Fruit Tetras are color-injected, or so I've heard...which is very painful for the fish...they're actually some kind of white tetra to begin with...all's i know is Wal-Mart sells 'em and I wouldn't buy 'em. *shrugs*

 

[sharkiegirl94]

Wow...-_- Please ignore my comment. I can't read sometimes...

 

[Gish]

That's definitely a male. note the pointy dorsal fin and the bright coloration. it's a beautiful fish.

my gourami's cruise around at their own pace, often stopping to float effortlessly in the current. the only time i've seen them accelerate is during feeding time and even that is somewhat leisurely, esp compared to my platys and cories.

i think the bubble blowing is normal. they are Anabantoids, after all and can breathe some air.

 

[alia258]

Alright that's nice to know

 

[alia258]

The gouramis fins have really grown! When I got him they were slightly chewed up, and his fins are growing back nicely. As are the red minor tetras I plan on getting a group of five red minors (in all), five peppered Cory cats (in all), an angel fish, and then I might add a glo fish or three, to top things off

In the end I'll have 5 guppies (which will endlessly reproduce, creating protein snacks for my fish), 5 long finned red minor tetras, 5 Cory cats, 4 long finned striped danios, 5 neon tetras, 3 glo fish, 1 gourami, and 1 angel fish