Jack's 20G Long Build Journal

[JackBinimbul]

Funny update;

My wife has started naming the shrimp.

She has named the blue/chocolate shrimp Black Betty (it's funnier if you know my wife is black). The wild-type has been named Consuela because she is a dutiful little cleaner. There is a yellow one she named Simba because it likes being at the tip of the drift wood, surveying the tank.

The others are, as of yet, unnamed.

 

[Delapool]

Very funny! Good to hear the shrimp are doing well.

 

[Fresh2o]

The naming process was funnier read out loud.
I bought 25 pygmy cories several months ago and had a 33% die off in the first 48 hours. That was in the QT. I bought them the same day they arrived at the LFS. I was refunded for those. The LFS owner said I should have waited a few days to allow for casualties shake out. There are at least 8-9 in the display tank; hard to tell since they are quite small and elusive and there is a ton of cover in that tank.

 

[JackBinimbul]

Cories are really popular for community tanks, so it seems that not a lot of care is taken in their breeding and housing at big stores. I'm glad I put them in QT. The others are still doing well and have actually grown quite a bit.

 

[Autumnsky]

I'd go with more of the Albino Cory as they will pop at the substrate.

The Endlers are great, love the fish!

Tank is looking really good!

 

[JackBinimbul]

Three of the shrimp have molted! They have all kind of gone MIA and I was getting worried, but it looks like they've been molting. I'm going to assume that's pretty positive news for their environment.

5 more days on the cory quarantine and then they can join the main tank! When they do, I'll go out in search of another two to put into QT so I can get the numbers back up to a full school.

 

[Autumnsky]

Often have MIA shrimp reports and actually they are molting - hiding to stay "safe" so happy you have found that has happened instead of dying off.

YAY!

Hoping the Cories stay well, watch for the new ones you are going to get to look bright eyed and active.

 

[JackBinimbul]

There has been a development with the cory who came from the same place as the deceased one. She has a lump on her stomach, on the sagittal midline just between her pectoral fins. It is localized, not diffused. It wasn't there this morning. None of the others have it.

It looks almost identical to this (not my pic).

I fasted them yesterday because the day before I overfed with sinking wafers. This morning I fed a conservative amount of semi-floating micro pellets, which they seem to prefer to the wafers.

For now, I'm assuming she's just a fat sassy lady and ate too much. She's always been slightly the largest. It seems too far forward for her to be gravid, and too localized for edema (dropsy). She's otherwise acting normal. I'll keep an eye on her.

 

[Autumnsky]

Try to check a few times to see if she's pooping.

 

[JackBinimbul]

I'm convinced that cories are shy poopers. I've never caught any of them defecating, despite spending a good amount of time staring at them. But they clearly are going as there is always waste to vacuum out.

 

[Autumnsky]

Lately I have been treating all fish with medicated fish food for parasites when i get them as a few groups of fish I had brought in declined and I found that was the reason.

Was thinking to just keep a look out for poo issues, lol too shy though...

 

[JackBinimbul]

She is back to normal this morning, so I'm gonna say she just gorged herself. Going to fast for a couple of days.

 

[Delapool]

Good idea, hopefully no issues.

 

[Autumnsky]

Good. Hopeful all is well.

 

[JackBinimbul]

The cories complete their two week QT tomorrow. Other than the initial death of the runt, there have been no issues at all. The remaining four are growing well, have always been active and, after regular siphoning, aren't at all nervous about me anymore.

They are fasting until their move and will be given a couple of deshelled peas for them and the shrimp when they move.

 

[Autumnsky]

That sounds very positive!!!

 

[Delapool]

Sounds good as well from here [emoji106]

 

[JackBinimbul]

So, I've discovered that endler's will eat anything. Tossed a couple of peas in for the shrimp and cories and the endler's immediately swarmed on them. So much for that.

Adding in the cories was a no-fuss process. Humorously, the second I started putting them in, the endler's all swarmed around them curiously. They really are a fearless fish. The cories went to work right away, sifting through the sand and the shrimp learned to follow behind them for scraps.

As an aside; years ago, I worked as a photography technician in a number of places, but had to sell my camera for hard times. Now, as a starving med student, I haven't had a camera for a loooong time. I finally was able to buy another simple little Nikon and am feeling it out with the fish tank. I've really missed being able to take nice shots.

I took some pics after the water change today and wanted to share!

This is the female cory sibling to the deceased male. Looking good and growing steadily.

One of the red shrimp. Their colors have come out beautifully.

A yellow shrimp cleaning up algae from the mopani.

The colors on the endler's are spectacular. Watching how nimbly they use their fins is very interesting.

All the plantlings on just one leaf of my mother java fern. I trim them off and tuck them in spots as they get big enough.

The whole tank. There was a lot of hiding going on due to the water change, but the endler's usually couldn't care less.

 

[Autumnsky]

Those are nice shots. Was thinking the Cory looks healthy.

Shrimp nice and colorful, and you are right the color of the Endlers is spectacular.

In the last couple years now, I have started appreciating Endlers so much (and also like Guppies quite a bit).

Didn't realize they like peas!

 

[Delapool]

Great shots! A lot of colour there.