The Amazing Aquarium Thread- Why is Fishy Sleeping Upside Down? - General

Hi, wanted to finally post in here because I just got my new Axolotl! She was in a tiny 10 gallon tank with about 5 other juveniles at the store, so her limbs are still a bit mangled, I assume from being bitten. https://files.facepunch.com/forum/upload/225195/d556036b-1320-4ac6-980f-401ef4dd2e88/37680024_10212267885400639_6094951256114069504_o.jpg https://files.facepunch.com/forum/upload/225195/33ee88b4-3369-48a4-966c-0d4c67e5df7c/37663484_10212267881240535_8488345760612483072_o.jpg https://files.facepunch.com/forum/upload/225195/29d49455-5a7f-4640-8911-3b1f1f36f019/37663823_10212267884560618_7240488771341254656_o.jpg

I love axolotl's, I really wanted one but the weather here does not permit that, and water chillers hella expense But damn she cute

I'd love to have some snails or a pleco in there, but she would just eat them unfortunately.

In the before shot? Yeah they were real plants but because I had nothing really anchoring them they got dug up super quickly. With this new layout I have places to actually anchor plants so I'm going to try again.

pest snails would work, ramshorns or bladder snails. Ugly but they would populate quicker than your axe can eat them, and be nutritious snack

Should I get my 120 gallon out of storage

Yes and then give it to me

I wanted to do a proper planted tank with discuss and stuff in it. Started it out in a 55 with plans to transfer it to the 120, but I made some poor choices in substrate since I've never done planted before so it was basically DOA. I used aragonite and sand which ment my pH was basically impossible to get right for discus. So I think it's time to transfer to the 120 without the mistakes this time. What's an ideal substrate for planted tanks?

If I did anything different when I did my puffer tank I would have put a mesh into the sand to hold the roots in place. But really anything that'll hold roots. My tropical tank is a sand made out of basalt and the only reason the plants are still there is that I left rocks under the sand for the roots to grab on to.

Pool filter sand all the freakin way if you want inert. Looks great depending on what you get and cheap as hell. I will send pics later today but holy fuck a moly my crypts and swords are HUGE now, after 2 months in my PFS with a root tab. I dont use plant anchors, I use long aquarium tweezers to plant and none of my plants ever get ripped out, current is very strong too (I usually plant the plant base then thread the roots down as far as they will go). That being said I also have a bristlenose that likes to dig, but he steers clear of plants when digging. My PFS grain size is just big enough to be heavy enough to weigh down roots, and after a week theyre dug in.

Went to the store and left with a little Colombian? zebra pleco. https://files.facepunch.com/forum/upload/1861/4a66813e-9d2c-4829-ac66-51189f32bfc3/IMG_20180725_164851.jpg As well as some more photo bombing tetras.

Looks gorgeous.

So after two rounds of Triple sulfa I think I can rule out columnaris as no other fatalities have occured, but the neons are still symptomatic. I think other illnesses were not related, but all other fish have improved from the Prazipro round. Now I'm sure my neons have Neon Tetra Disease, their white cysts are growing bigger on some and others are losing colour, getting more of a gold look on top. At least its only the neons I guess, maybe I'll get cardinals next time since theyre immune to NTD.

I'm super paranoid about the health of this batch of neons after what happened last time... My parameters are all zero but I feel like they're acting strange. One of them has a red Gill (on one side) and a bunch look like they got a swim bladder issue since they're looking down. Also one of my glowlights looks like they're on dealths door and idk if they were like that before I got the neons. UGHH.

You'd think so but you'd be pretty wrong. I got neons from Petsmart and they died in transit. 3 times.

I was actually surprised the two cory's I got from petbarn have had zero issues, hell one is clearly a runt but hes still going strong despite being way smaller than all the others. I hear most chain stores keep their tanks jacked up on chems the whole time so once those fish come to an actual tank its immune system is so messed up from all the anti biotics they are really vulnerable to disease.

Have I just been unlucky or is this just pretty common in neons? Its a pretty sad end for them Some died after not being able to eat due to cysts. Going to have to put them down

Neons are often inbred as fuck so a little bit of both.

Pulled the 120 out of storage and it looks like it needs some TLC. I'll need to reglue the top frame and the middle glass brace.

I wonder what it would take to get some Garra Rufa. They look so cool https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Garra_Rufa.JPG/2560px-Garra_Rufa.JPG

Done some big water changes through medicating, all finished up. Now green spot algae is forming, tough fuckers to get off the glass. Im thinking probably phosphate is required, since im only half stocked.

So, I've been on the fence about it for a while but after a few conversations with different hobbyists im genuinely considering selling/giving away my cory's for their own well-being. Tanks 24 inches long and 12 wide which when they were small was fine but now that most of the are fully grown im starting to feel like it just isn't enough space for them, I don't remember if I originally intended on getting pygmy's or not but these ones are now roughly 3 inches long each. Theres no health issues with them I can visibly see and given the amount of eggs they constantly lay im inclined to believe they are in pretty good health but I'd feel super terrible knowing that they were in a cramped environment.

I have recently been informed that my 'lotl is a lady. Here she is, coming out of her log to shame mankind https://files.facepunch.com/forum/upload/225195/c487d7d3-e9ee-4523-b88c-5371c3ac51f7/20180723_193859.jpg

I love Axolotls

https://i.imgur.com/AeM671I.jpg Rest in piece you magnificent bastard. https://i.imgur.com/YSWVgRt.jpg

Found a nice, 60 gallon tank for my axolotl, and I've been busy building a stand for it https://files.facepunch.com/forum/upload/225195/af04be9f-bcc9-4e72-bb74-409761bbe10f/20180806_162948.jpg https://files.facepunch.com/forum/upload/225195/42e50fc1-73ad-49ad-9c81-2124d69592e4/20180806_163009.jpg

One of my Otos decided he's a insectivore now. https://i.imgur.com/Y3gOeL9.jpg

For some reason I never see my otos eating. I drop algae wafers in, nope. Cucumber? Nope. All they do is suck on plants. Surely they need more food than just that.. Or maybe my tank grows enough algae.

Nevermind lol! Got back from work to find this little guy. https://files.facepunch.com/forum/upload/244344/f6e7ecf3-86e5-48e7-8671-426bf595c34c/IMAG1376.jpg A couple seconds later Oh hi there! https://files.facepunch.com/forum/upload/244344/3563716a-3ad0-42c6-a71b-5bcd72062fd3/IMAG1379.jpg https://files.facepunch.com/forum/upload/244344/a6ff6e00-abe7-4fc8-b6b8-3c51a093510a/IMAG1382.jpg And the rest just chillin under leaves https://files.facepunch.com/forum/upload/244344/4ec038f6-0fc5-492e-8d7d-8dec4c807a74/IMAG1378.jpg

Another has joined in. It's a plague. https://i.imgur.com/FNUx7D1.jpg