Intro and new fake saltwater tank and soon to be Oscar tank

[TMRC Exotics]

Well bad news guys. I've lost one of the albino scarlet peacocks and the juvie acei that I got last weekend. They came from Petco and even though I scanned them meticulously at the store they showed ich a day or two after getting them home. Thankfully I generally assume everything that comes from Petco could have problems so they were in quarantine. still a bummer. I removed the carbon as soon as I saw it and have been treating with meds by their recommended dosing. I'm hoping the last one pulls through. This is a very annoying consistency with that Petco... I may have to suck it up and pay the ridiculous prices of my other LFS. (16.99 for a 2.5 inch peacock...)


I've got a buddy that wants my other acei, he keeps mbuna. Thinking I'm going to let him have mine and not get anymore. I'm trying to talk him into the zebra too but has heard horror stories about them. I really don't think it will be worse than his kenyis, can anyone second that?

One last question, would anyone consider keeping a passive bumblebee with peacocks? I know its ill advised but he is around 4 inches and still pretty docile. My wife is pretty attached to it and of course the convict (crap) so its catching me a lot of guilting that I want to part with those two.

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[OsciTheOscar]

Did you try raising the temp to help with the ich?

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[TMRC Exotics]

Unfortunately its a preset 78 heater. I have aquarium salt, it was my next plan if the meds don't work. I can go get a manual heater.

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[OsciTheOscar]

Raise temp. Should help a lot!

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[mikem691]

at or just above 86 for 2 weeks should do it. It may get worse before it gets better. Just did this with the new planted tank and neon's from petsmart and petco.

 

[TMRC Exotics]

Alright thanks guys, I'll go tomorrow and grab some heaters I can adjust.

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[TMRC Exotics]

Geez, just went back through my own whole 9 page thread and feel pretty silly. I saw so many mistakes I made and general lack of understanding while thinking I knew it all. Very poor attitude on my part as well guys, sorry about that. I've been pretty active with the forum a little bit now and have learned so much, also gotten the vibe on how to discuss things properly here. My fault everyone, its amazing what a few years can change about your perspective.

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[TMRC Exotics]

And now, my last planned update for this thread. It was originally started for a few cichlids in a 20 gal. Having come a long way and now changed tanks when I'm finished with the new tank I will give it its own thread. As of now the 60 gallon is showing 0/0/<10 at the end of a 7 day WC schedule. Its not a very heavy bio load. Cycling was greatly sped with 4 different seeded sponges and 2 oz seeded biomax. With 50% pwcs twice weekly I never experienced any significant spikes. The albino peacock in quarantine has been ich free for 2 weeks, sometime this week he will join the main tank. Still some stocking changes to address in the near future. The flowerhorn will be kept and getting a new home soon.

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[TMRC Exotics]

One last update, I moved the albino peacock back into the main tank last night. He has been pretty timid initially. Mainly hiding out in plants. I've seen this before when a fish gets acclimated to being alone in a smaller tank then ends up in a large populated tank. Still in the evaluation phase for now, hopefully he does well. Still no real problems with aggression. Occasionally the big blue peacock will run something out of his cave but everyone is still getting along for now. I'm still evaluating final stock.

 

[TMRC Exotics]

Just a quick update, I was able to move the flowerhorn into a 29 gallon tank alone. Her colors perked up some so I think all the other cichlids were stressing her. I'm going to try to get everything to set her up in a 55 within a month.

I returned the albino peacock, something just seemed off with his behavior and I wasn't risking my other fish. Lost the 6$ I paid for him but no biggie.

I moved my red zebra to the 20 tall quarantine just as a precaution. He was getting into chasing the others. I'm going to seperate the mbuna and peacocks so that was the logical next step. (Its one 3 inch fish in a 20 BTW, short term housing)

Got my new filter on the 60, will have an updated write up when I get finished starting over, then I can start thinking about stocking.

 

[TMRC Exotics]

Another update on things here, I'm still planning to close this thread and start a new log for the new tanks when things are ironed out but with racing season in high gear I don't have much free time right now and with a 7 day beach trip coming up in early may I'm kind of holding off on any big swings in stocking and new tanks at the moment.

Currently the flowerhorn is in the 29 but regrettably she is going to the LFS for adoption. She is gorgeous and I would love to keep her but I'm just wanting to be able to focus on the few tanks I'm currently working on and an extra 75 for her just doesn't seem to feasibly fit in my house. I've wrestled with it but its the right decision.

The Red zebra is still alone in the 20 gallon. His future remains uncertain, as I plan how to disperse the cichlids I already have. Twice weekly 50% changes (only 10 gallons) are keeping the water good.

The 60 gallon main tanks current entire stock is
1 4" peacock male
1 3" peacock female
1 4 inch bumblebee
1 2.5" female convict
1 3" acei
1 2.5" yellow lab
1 4.5" rainbow shark

Its still a complete mismatch but the good news is were down from about 13 completely incompatible cichlids to about 5. Aggression is still pretty low in the tank. The large peacock is still the dominant fish. Everyone says the crabro should be really aggressive but isn't. The shark is an excellent fit with the cichlids. He is a very active cleaner and looks cool cruising the tank. I'm still trying to figure out the best way to separate them.

I'm working on plans for a 29 gallon planted tank in the near future. I'm just gathering equipment and working it out in my spare time.

 

[TMRC Exotics]

On Sunday I went to Petco to get a bag to transport the flowerhorn to them in, upon arrival I saw they had a massive ich outbreak. Literally a couple hundred dead fish laying in tanks while what was still alive was covered in spots. I'm not taking her to a death trap. Its looking more and more like I'll be keeping the flowerhorn.

 

[TMRC Exotics]

The flowerhorn has really colored up.

 

[TMRC Exotics]

Got a few decent shots of Poseidon. Another of him photo bombing a shot I was trying to get of my rainbow shark.

 

[mikem691]

The flowerhorn has really colored up.

He is going to be a hand full LOL Love the red eyes! Do you know what type he is?

 

[TMRC Exotics]

I actually don't. I bought it at a "breeder show" my local Petco hosted. I'm actually hoping for a smaller nuchal hump and less of the super red despite those being considered desirable. I love the striped pattern it has now. None of the pics do this fish justice.

 

[mikem691]

I would post pics at mfk in the hybrid section. Those guys are flower horn crazy over there

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[Freakgecko91]

Probably just a low grade kamfka although I am definitely no good at flowerhorns


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[TMRC Exotics]

Probably just a low grade kamfka although I am definitely no good at flowerhorns


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Thanks for the guess. I'll try to see if I can find out, Petco has the breeders info, they told me they could help me contact him if needed. The Petco bought his last six and only has one left, I've been watching that one (no intent to buy obviously but its from the same batch so I've been watching, mine has outgrown it severely despite being identically sized two months ago.) I've got in good with their aquatics manager. Truthfully the flowerhorns exact type matters little to me. I just enjoy the fish. I would be more of a purist if there was ever an intention of breeding it but I have none, just enjoying this great little fish. I understand the hate towards hybrids but this little fish who wags and gets excited every time I walk by has no idea she(I think female, just a guess) is a mixed breed not found in the wild. Wet pets are truly awesome, being a solo fish it shows us a ton of affection.

 

[TMRC Exotics]

Here is a current FTS of the 60 gallon. They have aquascaped a lot! Also included a shot of the red zebras tank.