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Sea of Ferns - Tank Closed

Trip flower
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sadly they stopped eating, found out the store had not acclimated them properly prior to sale or had them feeding. so they wasted away.

This is a shame, when you say they stopped feeding, did you ever see them feed? Not trying to string you up here, but if these fish are feeding they're normally very hardy (with good housekeeping). You had 10 too; so for 10 fish to stop feeding seems crazy to me. Could they have been intimidated by the tank mates? as they are timid and slow eaters, even slower than my badis.

For future freshwater pipefish keepers these fish should have been in a species tank and shouldn't have bought them without seeming them eat.
 
This is a shame, when you say they stopped feeding, did you ever see them feed? Not trying to string you up here, but if these fish are feeding they're normally very hardy (with good housekeeping). You had 10 too; so for 10 fish to stop feeding seems crazy to me. Could they have been intimidated by the tank mates? as they are timid and slow eaters, even slower than my badis.

For future freshwater pipefish keepers these fish should have been in a species tank and shouldn't have bought them without seeming them eat.

I purchased them online, thru who i thought were a reputable company. It was only after they started to waste away and doing some digging. That I found that this company were sending them out within a day or so of receiving them from the Importer.
So for you to make presumptions is a little well.............
I normally buy them in person after watching them for a while in the Store. Once I know they have been eating and what they have been fed on.
This company assured that they were feeding well etc. And at the time, after alot of searching, They were the only ones to have these in. And as they were quite far away from me here, it was cheaper to purchase via online, factoring in travel costs.
They had started to feed and would be observes actively searching for food and stalking shrimp etc. They were not timid at all, and were very active.
I have kept many species of freshwater pipefish in the past,a s well as the Indostomus Crocodilus/paradoxus. So am fully aware of there feeding needs etc.
 
If you had them feeding; the tank was filled about 10 days before their introduction so it couldn't have been established enough. If you had them feeding there is no way they would all just die.

Did you get the Microphis deocata?
 
So yesterday I decided to replant the tank.
Had ordered a Budget box of plants to see how they fair in the tank. Quality on arrival was very good, and the quantity aloowed me to double up the plants. Planted the tank ok, and rearranged all the caves, pleco tubes and hides etc. Did remove most of the wood from the tank, but left enough for the plecs to munch on.
Also Decided to clean the External and the Pipework, This is where things went very wrong.
Cleaning was fine, Got 3 buckets of Fish Waste Slurry to feed the plants in the garden. Got a few funny looks from the neighbours mixing slurry in buckets. :lol: And sitting there with a Torch to find shrimplets was interesting in amongst the slurry. Did find a fair few though, and added them to cascade pond.
It was when I went to put it all back together, that it did not go to Plan. Decided to fit my Poppy Glass Inlet/Outlet with the Acrylic Supports - This was ok using a hose connector.
But would the filter turn back on, nope.All sealed ok, would not start the siphon to refill the Canister. The motor made a horrendous noise. So ripped it all out.
Thankfully I always keeps spare filters, So fitted a Large Internal with spraybar. And Used the Internal from the Shower/Trickle overhead filter.

Dontknow whether to get another External, or Go for a Large HOB, as liked how versatile they are.

Is frustrating as it meant i had to change the layout of the plants and caves etc. And now it is not pleasing to me.
Going to the LFS to find some Inspiration to coax some scpaing ideas.
 
After a lot of procrastination.
This is what I have come upwith so far.
I have a few more plants to add to the foreground to add more depth, And then I think I will be happy.

Still undecided on filtration going forward.

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Wanted to try a new in vitro plant seller.
These are from plantaklab in Wales.
And have to say very impressed. Plants have been prewashed, and plants sealed with labels. And care sheets also printed with order.
Just makes it easier for me to plant with them. Without having to stand at the sink and wash them.

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So this is ticking along nicely.
Have taken out the external filters and internal filters. And replaced with an XL Sponge, and Bio Canister Sponge.
Plant wise rescaped it.
Substrate is now a mix of black sands.
Planting is now
Twisted Val, the Huge Bolbitis, Java Moss, A few Echindorous types, Crypts.

FIsh Wise
My Rams all developed tumors and had to euthanise 99% of them, they were all from 2 batches from the LFS. So I am left with 1female gold and 1 female standard ram.
Cardinals are lovely and chunky.
Guppies, all the orignal fish have died off. And I have 1 male to 6 females. Male is showing Magenta, and Leopard with a short tail.
I added some platties - Bumblebee. And they are nice, and the offspring as showing 1/2 yellow/red.
Cories, Still have my Elegans, and Pygmy, and have added some Julli.
BN Plecs, The Super Reds are coming long nicely.

And Finally the LFS had some Teeny Discus in, that I could try out and see if I like them. So got 2 Malborough Reds.
 
Sorry to hear about the Rams Gill, I had a couple a pair few years back they were quite long lived,one or two reporting issues with Rams lately wonder if its a source issue?
 
Hi
Rams are my nemesis too.Love them and hate them so much.On the bright side my longest lived one came from P@h store with an year and 7 months in my high tech tank wich is an achievement for me.
Regards Konsa
 
A lot has changed again, you know me. Can't help but rescape and replant.

I added an APS hob, but silently loath the thing. As it has a UV built in, on which the outlet let is so loud and baffles only dampen it ever so slightly. So last night before closing. I decided to get a Hydra 50.
As the reviews are good and we have one on the fancy Goldie 300litre display. And it works very well.
Tough to take apart with my gammy arthritis hands. So had to employ a flat head screwdriver. To prize the catches open.

Will disconnect the hob at some point during the day.

Don't know how long this tank will be running for now. As itching to upgrade to bigger tank. And with work discount is very tempting to get the EA 1200, the new range with matching hoods and lighting.

Also added a fluval sky last night. And very impressed with the app controls. But sadly not the wattage 16w value. It is less than half of what my chihiros puts out. But like that I can really customize the lighting and colours and have a lightning and clouds mode.


I did try the chihiros commander controller II. But it only works via Bluetooth. So have to be sitting in front of it to make the settings work. Or the lights get stuck all day on the very lowest settings. So Will returning those modules.

I have also been rescueing fish from work. So have a group of gold short body plecs.

And also will prob bring home the blind fancy goldies to put with my platinum vieltails outside in their tub.

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I have so many plants crammed in here it is not funny.
Got 12 pots of plants to plant today aswell.
I am loving the Echindorous purperea, its a lovely little thin leaved sword.
And all my crypts are doing well and making lots of umbrella shaped clusters.
I dont hinknibhave much substrate left that does not have a plant of some sort in it.


And have decided finally on a 900 as that has been designed specifically for discus, which i like more and more everyday. Just waiting on pricing and payday.
So big rescpae coming. And will try and use every peice of wood i have.
Will be mixing alot of sands. As have been experimenting with then at work. And have found a mix i like alot. Wit sime unusual choices thrown. That should not work but do to me.

And yes fish density is high, but i always overfilter and keep up with water changes. And i hate any empty tank. Always like them full of life and plants to the max.

Oh and i will be able to give all the juvi rams space finally in the 900, aling with the panduro.
And get the plecs breeding. As they are looking lush with huge huge finnage. And finally no more calico in them.


Oh and the dominant discus now likes to spit water at me. When it wants feeding. The silly thing.
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Pro tip for dealing with rockwool.
Childrens forks from the £1 shop.
Perfect for teasing out the smallest peices from amongst the roots
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Tank is Housing a pair of Honduran Red Points with a brood for now. Nothing special. Just some rocks and loads of Hygrophilia Corymbosa.
Will be rescaping this once the brood fry are a little bigger.

It has also been moved out into the Conservatory, and during this hotspell the water has been ok. Just been topping up evaporation. South Facing, and algae has not been that bad TBH. just wipe down the glass once a week with a JBL BlanKi. and its fine. And removed all lighting from it, as plants have been exploding with just natural lighting,
 
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