The Forty Gallon Breeder Build

[George9]

Very nice tank! I like your plants.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Very nice tank! I like your plants.

Thanks! Appreciate the feedback

 

[bruinsbro1997]

only when you have confirmed your other fish don't have ick !
AND
only if you have space in the tank! (what is your current stock?)

My other fish don't have ick, just them. It could be I might have excessive nitrates since I haven't done a water change yet in about a week. Still need to check the levels.

No more until December, my tank is grossly overstocked and am going to be moving fish out into a 20H I am asking for Christmas, so no more new fish for me!

 

[Bubble_B0y]

My other fish don't have ick, just them. It could be I might have excessive nitrates since I haven't done a water change yet in about a week. Still need to check the levels.

No more until December, my tank is grossly overstocked and am going to be moving fish out into a 20H I am asking for Christmas, so no more new fish for me!

ok.
Just keep a close eye on your chocolate gouramis.
They are notoriously sensitive - Needless to say, they have been given the reputation as one of the hardest and most difficult fish to keep in a home aquaria.

Your tank looks like a great home for the gouramis - with lots of plants and hiding places.
If they are stressed its probably due to being overcrowded and/or the water quality.

Good luck

 

[bruinsbro1997]

ok.
Just keep a close eye on your chocolate gouramis.
They are notoriously sensitive - Needless to say, they have been given the reputation as one of the hardest and most difficult fish to keep in a home aquaria.

Your tank looks like a great home for the gouramis - with lots of plants and hiding places.
If they are stressed its probably due to being overcrowded and/or the water quality.

Good luck

Thanks

I am trying to undercrowd-I am doing a PWC either tonight or tomorrow.

I will check the water quality.

Is there anything else I can do for them? Should I add more plants for hiding places?

Also I've tried raising the temperature. It's at 80 degrees now.

I am aware they are highly sensitive. But they were at the store, had never seen them, only one shipment every four to six months, couldn't resist the temptation! It was an impulse buy

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Update!

Did a PWC today. These were the readings before the water change:

Ammonia-0 ppm
Nitrites-0 ppm
Nitrates-10 or 20 ppm
pH-7.4

Perhaps my pH is too high for them? I see nothing wrong with the water quality and if it was that I just changed it...

 

[redsea]

Oh and to those who wanted a full tank shot: here's a couple from yesterday

Nice tank and beautiful fish!

 

[Bubble_B0y]

Update!

Did a PWC today. These were the readings before the water change:

Ammonia-0 ppm
Nitrites-0 ppm
Nitrates-10 or 20 ppm
pH-7.4

Perhaps my pH is too high for them? I see nothing wrong with the water quality and if it was that I just changed it...

your readings are fine
the gouramis are just fussy!

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Nice tank and beautiful fish!

Thanks redsea

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Update!

your readings are fine
the gouramis are just fussy!

Gah they (the chocolate gouramis) still have ich!!! What do I do?

Also now that everyone is settling in the pairs are starting to pair up. I have a total of like four pairs, how do I not get overrun with fry???

Also after being inspired by the Feng Shui theme on Tanked last night, I have yet REVISED my stocking list. AGAIN. So:

X1 angel
X6 bronze cores
X2 chocolate gouramis
X7 praecox rainbows
X2 GBRs
X7 glowlight tetras

This was just an idea I had come up with. What do you think???

 

[absolutangel04]

Update!


Gah they (the chocolate gouramis) still have ich!!! What do I do?

Also now that everyone is settling in the pairs are starting to pair up. I have a total of like four pairs, how do I not get overrun with fry???

Also after being inspired by the Feng Shui theme on Tanked last night, I have yet REVISED my stocking list. AGAIN. So:

X1 angel
X6 bronze cores
X2 chocolate gouramis
X7 praecox rainbows
X2 GBRs
X7 glowlight tetras

This was just an idea I had come up with. What do you think???

So, I do not know anything about that species of rainbow, but everything else sounds good. I hope it works out with the chocolate gouramis. I have never used anything to treat ich before except heat, but I also do not own any species as notoriously difficult as the chocolates.
Sorry, I don't remember, which fish are paired? Not many fry survive in a community tank usually.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

The chocolate and honey gouramis, the GBRs, and the platies. I really hope I am not overrun by fry, really don't need any more fish right now...

Also what do you think of this twenty gallon tank I'm getting to move out some of the fish in that tank?
x2 platies
x2 gold honey DGs
x4 cardinal tetras
x5 cherry barbs
x1 betta imbellis

I already have all these fish but wanted to move them out to thier own tank so I can "complete" my feng shui mission .

The tank temp is up to 80 degrees, should I crank it any higher?

 

[absolutangel04]

The chocolate and honey gouramis, the GBRs, and the platies. I really hope I am not overrun by fry, really don't need any more fish right now...

Also what do you think of this twenty gallon tank I'm getting to move out some of the fish in that tank?
x2 platies
x2 gold honey DGs
x4 cardinal tetras
x5 cherry barbs
x1 betta imbellis

I already have all these fish but wanted to move them out to thier own tank so I can "complete" my feng shui mission .

The tank temp is up to 80 degrees, should I crank it any higher?

No, I don't think you will be overrun with fry. Like I said, fry rarely survive in a community tank. I have platys in my 40 gallon community and I haven't actually seen a single fry in months and months even though I know the females are having them.
I think the 20 gallon stock sounds mostly fine. I am pretty sure you said before that you have the betta and the dg's together already and they do fine. So, assuming I am remembering the right thing, it sounds fine.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Yay! Yep they're doing fine together.

One more quick question: can you put sand over eco-complete without it getting just under the eco complete? i like sand but don't want to get rid of all my substrate because it's got eco-complete and i feel it would be a waste to get rid of all it and just get sand.

 

[Bubble_B0y]

Chances are, your gouramis may have gotten stressed because your tank is overcrowded

Now if your gouramis do in fact have ick, getting fry is the least of your worries.
I would be more concerned about the other fish in your tank.
Ick is contagious and most likely your other fish will get ick too !!!

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Chances are, your gouramis may have gotten stressed because your tank is overcrowded

Now if your gouramis do in fact have ick, getting fry is the least of your worries.
I would be more concerned about the other fish in your tank.
Ick is contagious and most likely your other fish will get ick too !!!

Ah no!!! What do I do! I don't get the tank until December!!!

How do I get rid of the ick???

 

[Bubble_B0y]

don't panic - Ick is treatable
And with the right treatment, little harm and impact can be made to your fish and biological filter.


First of all - Are you completely sure its ick?
How do your gouramis look - are they eating? or do they look stressed?
Also, how do your other fish look - do they look strong and healthy?

Also, please remind me again what fish you have stocked in the tank?


If you are indeed sure its ick, there are several treatment methods.
I personally would avoid the medication since that usually causes more harm than good, and will kill your good bacteria.

The other options are heat treatment (slowly raising the temperature to a high level) and salt treatment.
Since you have LIVE plants, I wouldn't recommend the salt treatment.
So, I would go with the heat treatment.


But before we start, just answer the questions above. Because treating ick can be a little tricky.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

don't panic - Ick is treatable
And with the right treatment, little harm and impact can be made to your fish and biological filter.


First of all - Are you completely sure its ick?
How do your gouramis look - are they eating? or do they look stressed?
Also, how do your other fish look - do they look strong and healthy?

Also, please remind me again what fish you have stocked in the tank?


If you are indeed sure its ick, there are several treatment methods.
I personally would avoid the medication since that usually causes more harm than good, and will kill your good bacteria.

The other options are heat treatment (slowly raising the temperature to a high level) and salt treatment.
Since you have LIVE plants, I wouldn't recommend the salt treatment.
So, I would go with the heat treatment.


But before we start, just answer the questions above. Because treating ick can be a little tricky.

Well I'm not sure it's completely ick but they have these little salt-like grain specks on their fins and body.

One of the gouramis is currently stressed out and hiding in the plants, and the other is swimming around as normal.

All look strong and healthy. They're swimming around, cruising out in the open, hiding in the plants, all the usual.

x2 chocolate gouramis
x2 gold honey dgs
x2 gbrs
x1 female betta imbellis
x2 platies
x4 rainbows
x1 angel
x4 cardinal tetras
x6 bronze cories
x5 cherry barbs

its' heavily overstocked but in three months it won't be.

 

[Bubble_B0y]

is it possible to separate your chocolate gouramis?
Keep them in a separate hospital tank for both treatment, as well as permanent housing.

I find them too sensitive for community tanks - And in your case, they can jeopardize the health of your other fish.


If you cannot separate them, I completely understand.
Now to begin, is your tank completely cycled?
Treating ick in an uncycled tank is a losing battle, since you have an underlying problem that will cause further stress to the fish (if it hasn't already)


so to treating ick....
The Ich life cycle is temperature dependent. Higher temperatures within its livable range speed up every stage of the life cycle, while the lower temperatures will slow it down. At 18°C/64°F the cycle takes 10-12 days to complete.

It has been found that Ich does not infect new fish at 29.4°C/85°F (Johnson, 1976), stops reproducing at 30°C/86°F (Dr. Nick St. Erne, DVM, pers. comm.), and dies at 32°C/89.5°F (Meyer, 1984) - sorry I had to include the 'science' for some folks


Treatment

Now that we know a little more about Ich, we can develop a safe and effective natural treatment plan to eradicate it. A multi-pronged treatment plan offers the most assurance of complete eradication of Ich and TLC for the fishes in your aquarium. As with any treatment, carefully observe the reaction of your fish to any changes you make in their environment. If an adverse reaction occurs, discontinue and try another approach.

1. Increase temperature to 30°C/86°F. With tropical fish, an increase in temperature to 30°C/86°F is usually very well-tolerated. Since this temperature prevents reproduction of Ich, it can theoretically cure the problem by itself. So the first step would be to increase the temperature slowly, 1°C/2°F per hour until the correct temperature is reached. This temperature should be maintained for 10 days, and then slowly returned to normal. Some fish can tolerate higher temperatures. If your fish are more heat tolerant, try increasing the temperature to 32°C/89.5°F for the first 3-4 days to kill the Ich. Then reduce temperature slowly to 30°C/86°F, and hold it there for an additional 6-7 days, or until a total of 10 days have passed. Gauge the heat tolerance of your fish by observing their reaction.

2. Increase aeration. Increased temperature leads to increased metabolism, which enhances the fish’s immune response but also increases oxygen demand. Oxygen is lower in warmer water, so it is very important to increase surface agitation during the treatment to increase oxygenation. In planted tanks with CO2 injection, the CO2 should be turned off and extra aeration should be provided. Carefully observe your fish, watching for signs that they are not getting enough oxygen. If fish are gasping at the surface, you need to provide more aeration. Aeration can be increased by reducing the water level so the filter return makes more of a waterfall and splash, and/or use an airstone placed close to the surface of the water.

3. Do daily partial water changes. 25% daily partial water changes will provide several benefits: It will keep the water very clean, which will help fish cope with the stress of the disease. It will remove some of the trophonts and tomites. It will add oxygen. If the water changes seem to stress the fish, reduce the size and/or frequency of the water changes.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

No I can't separate them or have a spare tank for one unfortunately, unless I could move my betta from my five gallon into there and pit the chocolate gourami in there?

Tanks cycled, was a mini-cycle before chocolate gouramis were added in to the tank and only fish I lost in mini-cycle was the GBR.

I have raised the temp and am trying my best. I don't know if it's possible for me to do PWC every day though, I get four hours of homework every day including the weekends. I also don't wanna kill the plants so no salt.