Kaetlin's Fish - Page 3

Kaetlinv · 09-27-12, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pareeeee

Just try to get the new replacement water as close to the same temp as the water in the tank. Sounds like you are doing that, just keep doing what you're doing.

Cool! ^.^ Glad to know I'm doing something right, haha.

Kaetlinv · 09-29-12, 05:45 PM

Chubs upgraded to a 2.5 gallon tank today, and Jazzy into Chubs' old tank (cleaned, of course

)

And Jazzy in his new tank!

Jazzy got a new decoration, a little rock hide that is supposed to glow in the dark. We will find out tonight whether it does or not. He seems to like the room available.

Chubs, I believe, is enjoying his new home. He's darting around everywhere and his little fins are perked all the way up. He's investigating his coral, the new rocks at the bottom of his tank, etc.

Both of them have bulbs at the bottom of their tanks, which will hopefully grow within a few weeks. I figured that the plants (which are salt / freshwater safe) would help with Chubs' water and also provide entertainment / hiding places for both of them. They're little Aponogeton bulbs. I've read to watch out for mold growing on them, and will keep a close eye on all the bulbs. I smelled nothing nasty when I opened the pack.

If the plants are a bad idea tell me now, and I'll take them out.

but I'd like to give them a go!

Wildside · 09-29-12, 07:49 PM

I used the plants once. They will be awesome if they sprout. If not get the bulbs out of there because when they rot they'll really foul your water. They grow real fast btw.

Kaetlinv · 09-29-12, 07:57 PM

I hope they sprout! i'll keep a close eye and check them several times a day to look for sprouts / fuzz.

(also, when I put them in their new tanks I kept all the 'old' water to mix with the new since I would be adding a decent amount of new water to both of their new environments.

)

**Pareeeee** · 10-01-12, 08:10 AM

Plants are awesome! My 33 gallon is fully planted with multiple species of underwater plants. Not sure what type of bulbs you've got, I'm assuming Aponogeton or Nymphaea sp. Both need medium lighting. Both plants go through 'dormant' phases every so often, the leaves all die off and they look as if they are dead or dying, then come back to life after a time. Also what Wildside said, watch out for rotting bulbs. When they rot they turn extremely foul.

Hopefully they will grow for you, but aquarium plants are needy things that require full spectrum fluorescent lights (lights that simulate sunlight, usually around 5500K-8000K, 1600K-2500K for low light plants) fertilization and co2. I have tried low-light plants in small tanks that had no lights, just light coming from the windows, the plants died. The only tank that the plants grow in properly is my 33 gallon, since I have a co2 machine, three fluorescent full-spectrum bulbs equaling about 80watts, and aquarium plant fertilizer.

**Aaron_S** · 10-01-12, 08:35 AM

I once did a small 5 gallon planted tank. I used some substrate that was supposed to be good for plants, I think it had fertilizer in it. I then just bought a light recommended to me by the LFS and it worked. I couldn't keep my plants trimmed. I had Edensa and one or two other types. I only kept guppies and endlers in the tank though and it was a pretty cool functioning ecosystem. I had a snail population go nuts for a bit but I bought assassin snails to deal with it. Worked out well.

Kaetlinv · 10-01-12, 12:07 PM

I've got little Aponogeton bulbs, Pareeeee.

And both of the tanks have lighting (not natural light, but they're on for the full duration of the day.) Some of the bulbs seem like they're rotating (I didn't just plop them in, I kind of angled them into the gravel at the bottom of the tank.) and I've noticed two of the medium size ones have begun reorienting and are turning their roots towards the gravel (I didn't notice I'd put them wrongside up until the tank was full and Chubs was already inside, oops!). Not sure if this is plant work or chubs nipping at the bulbs.

Also one in Jazzys tank is doing the same, I can see the roots and on occasion I see a bubble appear on them. I'm not seeing any fuzzies on any of them yet but i'm checking several times a day.

I hope they sprout! They'll make the tanks look more natural, and that's what I want for both of the fish, more natural environs. I can't make their world / lives perfect, but I can to the best to my abilities!

(Also, Jazzy is acting more normal today after I made sure he had absolutely NO line of sight with Chubs. Chubs could probably care less, but Jazzy I think was getting stressed out and was messing with his fins. He's now swimming around again and puffing up at me whenever I stay near his tank for too long.)

Curious question - I saw his gills, or what appeared to be his gills, flare out when he wasn't paying attention to me. They were a rich dark purple in color, and pretty uniform in said color. He was near the top of the water but not gulping for air. When I got close and put my finger into his view he returned to normal and starting puffing at me a bit. I've never seen him do this before, is this something of concern?

Kaetlinv · 10-01-12, 12:19 PM

It looked a bit like this; I just did a little bit of research and read that it's just like them flaring their fins, trying to make themselves look bigger, perhaps?

He did it while I was across the room, and when I got his attention he stopped. Does that have any significance?

Kaetlinv · 10-01-12, 01:12 PM

Also as a side note, i'm happy to announce that five of the six bulbs have started to root! I checked on them, shined a flashlight at them and only one had fuzzy stuff growing, coincidentally the largest one. I sniffed it and nearly dropped it, it REEKED. I threw it away. The fuzz was minimal, and none of the others are showing any discoloration, they've all begun to sprout tiny little roots.

In order to investigate the bulbs I had to turn them around, so I had to use a butter knife (I've sacrificed this one for stirring the dechlorinator into the fish water, it's never been used for humans.) to muss them around a bit. Both chubs and Jazzy were very curious as to what was invading their homes. Chubs more so, I had to be careful moving it around cause he was so close and watching it, haha.

Jazzy has definitely already become less stressed, I found a decent sized bubble nest when I was looking at the bulbs. It wasn't there yesterday morning when he could see chubs. Now he can't, and I found a nest!

very pleased with that result.

Kaetlinv · 10-01-12, 10:52 PM

Yup. He's trying to intimidate me, haha. He never did this in his old tank, I'm thinking he likes having more room, and now is eager to 'defend' it from me. It's rather entertaining, haha.

Just a note, the flashing light is just reflection from Chubs' tank, After the video I turned chubs' light off. I was not blinding my fish with flash

Raan · 10-01-12, 10:58 PM

there is a chance that he can see his own reflection in the glass and thats whats causeing him to do that, which if you see him not doing it all the time thats fine,but if its constant you might want to change the tank again or find a way to stop the reflection because he eventually will become exhausted and could die

Kaetlinv · 10-02-12, 08:35 AM

I'll keep an eye on it. he definitely only does it when there is active light. When I get back from my morning college class I'll take the lid off and see if I can spot a reflection from the inside.

Kaetlinv · 10-02-12, 10:21 AM

Watched Jazzy for about ten minutes and only saw him flare once (right after I had stepped back from being close to the tank). I looked and it seems that there is a reflection, but he is active around the entire tank, including facing away from the walls of the tank and exploring all levels of the water. He's using the full space, but isn't flaring (even just fins). If I notice it happening too often I'll make sure to relocate him, but at the moment he seems fine. Thanks for pointing that out, I forgot that he might see his own reflection.

Kaetlinv · 10-03-12, 01:44 PM

I don't even know if anyone is reading these... But Chubs now has a tankmate so he won't get lonely.

New comet doesn't have a name yet (open to suggestions!! I'm referring to it as a boy, so male names would be awesome, but if a feminine name is unique enough I'll use that

) but he/she is gorgeous! Poor little thing is following chubs around like a lost puppy. He's a little shy, but is active, has perky fins and no obvious discoloration.

Since he is shy and moving around a little fast I figured a video would be easier to show him off.

**Pareeeee** · 10-03-12, 03:31 PM

You've got the fish bug, lol. Soon you'll have even more! :P

Our betta does that all the time. All you have to do is walk up to his tank sometimes and he flares his gills. He thinks he's so big and dangerous, lol. Sometimes he does it at his food too. Thinks he's scaring it