parker0313
Aquarium Advice Newbie
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2011
- Messages
- 4
Recently I was given the aquarium bug and embraced it fully. I have a 36 gal Bowfront tank, Aqueon filter that came with the tank, Aqua-glo T-8 20W 18,000K light (I know thats not cutting it and am addressing that soon).
Right now I have a bubble wall airstone thing that I turn on for a about 4 hours a day (the sound of the pump annoys me and I think my water gets enough oxygen in the 4 hours... if I'm wrong tell me). Heater that came with the tank works great, never changes from 80 degF.
I found Dustinsfishtanks and fishtanktv.com and with other resources I decided to go dirt. I mixed organic dirt and some clay about 1+" deep and capped with about the same small natural gravel. I planted Cranium, Sag, stargrass, and some small unidentified red leaf plant. I have anubias and java fern tied to driftwood and it looks awesome.
I got an entire bacteria covered sponge thing that had been in a friends tank for about 2 years. The cycle happened quickly and I have been doing 30-40% water changes weekly. I know that's more than most do but with the dirt it's hard to really pick up stuff on the gravel and it keeps my water nice.
The fish always seem happy and show no signs of stress I can see. I had 1 dragon goby and a Raphael striped cat and some mollies. I gave the mollies away b/c I just didn't like them. I got a larger dragon, Looks a lot dif than my other dragon so I am questioning what the two fish really are.
I also got a Baby Whale fish that was cool as ****. Everything seemed great fish interacted for 2 days all seemed well.... Friday night I had a really good time lots of beer pong and I came hope decided to cover my tank with some towels so they could get a long dark night as my fish are mostly nocturnal especially the cat, he rarely moves during the day. I turned on the airstone and passed out.
I wake up with a slight hangover sat afternoon remove the towels and turned on the light. I instantly noticed I couldn't see crap, the water was cloudy as **** and there was a fine layer of black stuff all over the tank. The new dragon had dug a cavern under a large flat rock and sent the dirt out the back... right into the bubble wall which evenly distributed the dirt everywhere. I got my bucket and started getting my siphon ready.
My new whale fish decided to swim near a peep-hole the dragon had created on the front side of the rock. Out of the abyss Mr. Dragon came out mouth open and he possibly screamed "DIE!" he grabbed the whale by the head and shook him like a baby seal on shark week. It was brutal, lasted maybe 3 seconds and the deed was done.
The dragon never even got his entire body out of his custom bomb shelter. The whale twitched once and his new wound covered body drifted off. My smaller dragon was acting normal laying around on leaves and poking for food. The cat has set up shop in the basement with the self proclaimed "alpha fish". Those two rarely venture off without the other which is cool. At night I catch glimpses of them swimming side by side. It's strange like an odd couple thing going on.. Long skinny A-hole with teeth and a short fat guy with spikes all over him.
I have vacuumed over and over constantly changing water but he keeps digging. The fish store will be open tomorrow so hopefully I can return and get something that is more compatible with a planted tank. Does anyone have any experience with a dragon killing fish or digging? I though maybe he was a birchir but comparing him to pictures I am positive he's a goby. Any advice on my situation would be appreciated, thanks for reading my book...
Right now I have a bubble wall airstone thing that I turn on for a about 4 hours a day (the sound of the pump annoys me and I think my water gets enough oxygen in the 4 hours... if I'm wrong tell me). Heater that came with the tank works great, never changes from 80 degF.
I found Dustinsfishtanks and fishtanktv.com and with other resources I decided to go dirt. I mixed organic dirt and some clay about 1+" deep and capped with about the same small natural gravel. I planted Cranium, Sag, stargrass, and some small unidentified red leaf plant. I have anubias and java fern tied to driftwood and it looks awesome.
I got an entire bacteria covered sponge thing that had been in a friends tank for about 2 years. The cycle happened quickly and I have been doing 30-40% water changes weekly. I know that's more than most do but with the dirt it's hard to really pick up stuff on the gravel and it keeps my water nice.
The fish always seem happy and show no signs of stress I can see. I had 1 dragon goby and a Raphael striped cat and some mollies. I gave the mollies away b/c I just didn't like them. I got a larger dragon, Looks a lot dif than my other dragon so I am questioning what the two fish really are.
I also got a Baby Whale fish that was cool as ****. Everything seemed great fish interacted for 2 days all seemed well.... Friday night I had a really good time lots of beer pong and I came hope decided to cover my tank with some towels so they could get a long dark night as my fish are mostly nocturnal especially the cat, he rarely moves during the day. I turned on the airstone and passed out.
I wake up with a slight hangover sat afternoon remove the towels and turned on the light. I instantly noticed I couldn't see crap, the water was cloudy as **** and there was a fine layer of black stuff all over the tank. The new dragon had dug a cavern under a large flat rock and sent the dirt out the back... right into the bubble wall which evenly distributed the dirt everywhere. I got my bucket and started getting my siphon ready.
My new whale fish decided to swim near a peep-hole the dragon had created on the front side of the rock. Out of the abyss Mr. Dragon came out mouth open and he possibly screamed "DIE!" he grabbed the whale by the head and shook him like a baby seal on shark week. It was brutal, lasted maybe 3 seconds and the deed was done.
The dragon never even got his entire body out of his custom bomb shelter. The whale twitched once and his new wound covered body drifted off. My smaller dragon was acting normal laying around on leaves and poking for food. The cat has set up shop in the basement with the self proclaimed "alpha fish". Those two rarely venture off without the other which is cool. At night I catch glimpses of them swimming side by side. It's strange like an odd couple thing going on.. Long skinny A-hole with teeth and a short fat guy with spikes all over him.
I have vacuumed over and over constantly changing water but he keeps digging. The fish store will be open tomorrow so hopefully I can return and get something that is more compatible with a planted tank. Does anyone have any experience with a dragon killing fish or digging? I though maybe he was a birchir but comparing him to pictures I am positive he's a goby. Any advice on my situation would be appreciated, thanks for reading my book...
