Cycle Journal Part 2
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CezzaXV
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Did a test at 7.30PM tonight for ammonia, the reading was 0ppm. I will test tomorrow morning and for a good few days just to be 100% sure everything is well.
I measured my tap water straight from the tap this morning and the pH was 7.9. When I tested it back along, after standing for 24 hours it was 6.4. I never tested it straight from the tap back then (which I know I should have done). As it happens it was a good thing as the water at the LFS was 7.8 so it wasn't a shock for my fish, but what do you guys make of that?
I measured my tap water straight from the tap this morning and the pH was 7.9. When I tested it back along, after standing for 24 hours it was 6.4. I never tested it straight from the tap back then (which I know I should have done). As it happens it was a good thing as the water at the LFS was 7.8 so it wasn't a shock for my fish, but what do you guys make of that?
BigbruiserAl
I ain't gettin on no plane fool
exact same as mine has been for years.
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CezzaXV
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What a morning! I woke up late this morning. I couldn't see my shrimp so I was digging around my plants, took me a good five minutes to find him. Did a quick ammonia test and got dressed while it was developing. It was probably zero but I'm paranoid and wasn't 100% convinced so I did a 10L water change (the size of one bucket - didn't have time for more) so I could not be worrying at work all day. This coupled with me waking up late meant that I didn't have time for breakfast. Not a great start to the day.
Should've done a nitrite test as well, which I'll do tonight.
Should've done a nitrite test as well, which I'll do tonight.
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CezzaXV
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Have you considered asking your LFS if they could get some in. Tbh, I actually preferred neons and went into the shop with the full intention of buying some, but the cardinals seemed much more brightly coloured.
I think I'll be happier when things have settled down a bit - the more I think about it, the more I'm sure the ammonia was up this morning. It's true I didn't do a full qualifying week but the ammonia had been zeroing in 12 hours for god knows how long. I'm wondering if it's my plants that are causing it or something, since when I had I put them in my tank before, it was the first time in ages I didn't get 0. I hope it's me being paranoid, as I just can't see why adding plants would make my bacteria stop working unless I'm missing something.
I think I'll be happier when things have settled down a bit - the more I think about it, the more I'm sure the ammonia was up this morning. It's true I didn't do a full qualifying week but the ammonia had been zeroing in 12 hours for god knows how long. I'm wondering if it's my plants that are causing it or something, since when I had I put them in my tank before, it was the first time in ages I didn't get 0. I hope it's me being paranoid, as I just can't see why adding plants would make my bacteria stop working unless I'm missing something.
Neons don't fare too well in a newly cycled tank. They normally prefer a tank with about 6 months of running under its belt. I'm not sure about the cardinals in that respect though.
Don't worry about your test for now. You followed all the procedures. Just be sure to clear away any dead or dying parts of live plants. They will do more harm than good.
Don't worry about your test for now. You followed all the procedures. Just be sure to clear away any dead or dying parts of live plants. They will do more harm than good.
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CezzaXV
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Just done a water test. Ammonia and nitrite were both definitely at zero, so this morning was either a blip or paranoia. My pH seems to be dropping though. It was 7.9 when I added my fish yesterday, and it's now around 7.4.
Just did a feeding. Added in some flake and catfish pellets. The cardinals had some flake but didn't have much of it. The cories seemed completely uninterested. Defrosted some brine shrimp and seemed to get a more positive response - the cardinals took some of those and one of the cories gobbled a few up. The rest of the cories act like they don't even realise they're there.
At the moment there's a lot of space at the back in between my plants, behind my wood. I'm hoping when the plants start growing this space will be reduced, but right now all of my fish love it in what I call the "back alley".
Just did a feeding. Added in some flake and catfish pellets. The cardinals had some flake but didn't have much of it. The cories seemed completely uninterested. Defrosted some brine shrimp and seemed to get a more positive response - the cardinals took some of those and one of the cories gobbled a few up. The rest of the cories act like they don't even realise they're there.
At the moment there's a lot of space at the back in between my plants, behind my wood. I'm hoping when the plants start growing this space will be reduced, but right now all of my fish love it in what I call the "back alley".
Cories are tricky. They generally eat more at night. Feed them just before you close up for the night. They will find the food. Keep an eye on them. Starvation is a possibility, but not all that common. They do prefer meaty foods. What are the ingredients of the pellets? If it is primarily algae, that won't help them much. I feed mine shrimp pellets. Mine love frozen bloodworm. They are a bit skittish, but if you hold still near the tank after adding the food, they will come out and find it. Just sit very quietly and still. You will find them working through the substrate (sand, correct?) and eating little bits. One of my favorite activities is watching the cories sift through the sand and blow the sand through their gills. The fish have to get used to the schedule, manner and variety of food you feed them. It is a learning process for you and the fish. Be consistent about time and place in the tank until they get used to it.
i have only seem my cories eat bloodworm...nothing else appeals to them...i broke up a wafer for them....they swam right part them...
on the other hand they are still alive...so they must be getting something?
I too love watching them sift the sand through their gills Eagle...its so cute. Mine are only about inch long Max...how big will they grow?
on the other hand they are still alive...so they must be getting something?
I too love watching them sift the sand through their gills Eagle...its so cute. Mine are only about inch long Max...how big will they grow?
Pandas won't grow much bigger than an inch and a half - maybe two inches.
Depending on what the wafers are, they may not ever eat it. Some fish can be picky. But, cories prefer meaty foods. If you can get some food that is primarily meat based - shrimp would be good - your cories will more than likely start to feed on that as well. Mine took a little time to get acclimated to the food I was feeding. One thing you can do is go to the LF when you bought them and ask them what they fed their cories. If you feed them similar foods, they will probably take right to it. But, I've found that frozen bloodworms will get all my fish swimming around like crazy searching for more! Usually my fish will gulp one down and snag another, carrying it around until it is ready to devour it as well. They get rather piggish with bloodworms, so I have to be very careful when feeding them these that the cories are ready for food and looking for them. If not the others will come down to snag the ones that drifted down and start eating them from the bottom. The cories are pretty good now about getting to them quickly.
Depending on what the wafers are, they may not ever eat it. Some fish can be picky. But, cories prefer meaty foods. If you can get some food that is primarily meat based - shrimp would be good - your cories will more than likely start to feed on that as well. Mine took a little time to get acclimated to the food I was feeding. One thing you can do is go to the LF when you bought them and ask them what they fed their cories. If you feed them similar foods, they will probably take right to it. But, I've found that frozen bloodworms will get all my fish swimming around like crazy searching for more! Usually my fish will gulp one down and snag another, carrying it around until it is ready to devour it as well. They get rather piggish with bloodworms, so I have to be very careful when feeding them these that the cories are ready for food and looking for them. If not the others will come down to snag the ones that drifted down and start eating them from the bottom. The cories are pretty good now about getting to them quickly.
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CezzaXV
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Seems I've got a problem with one of my cories. If anyone who knows anything at all would care to take a look at my thread in the emergency section, I'd greatly appreciate it.
http
/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/378163-is-my-cory-dying/
http
/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/378163-is-my-cory-dying/
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CezzaXV
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The poor little guy died this morning 
Asked in the emergency forum and the conclusion seems to be that he already had an injury he sustained at the LFS but it took a while to catch on. This makes sense in hindsight, there were signs but I didn't add them up. I hope this was the case anyway so it's not contagious. Such a shame, the rest of my cories have really settled in and are very sociable and spend a lot of time "out" now (before, they tended to hang around at the back behind my plants not doing much). Tbh, I think it's spooking my cardinals!
I've started feeding the fish later now, around 9.30PM, which is shortly after the main light turns off and the moonlight comes on. Hopefully my fish will soon begin to associate the moonlight with feeding time. They definitely seemed much more receptive to the food tonight than they have been before. I know the general rule is to remove any food which is uneaten in 2-5 minutes, but the cories don't seem to want to eat it when I put it there. What I'm doing now is feeding at 9.30PM, then leaving the food overnight and clearing up anything that's left in the morning - there isn't usually much.
Hoping to experiment with some live foods soon, maybe even hatch my own brine shrimp.
Asked in the emergency forum and the conclusion seems to be that he already had an injury he sustained at the LFS but it took a while to catch on. This makes sense in hindsight, there were signs but I didn't add them up. I hope this was the case anyway so it's not contagious. Such a shame, the rest of my cories have really settled in and are very sociable and spend a lot of time "out" now (before, they tended to hang around at the back behind my plants not doing much). Tbh, I think it's spooking my cardinals!
I've started feeding the fish later now, around 9.30PM, which is shortly after the main light turns off and the moonlight comes on. Hopefully my fish will soon begin to associate the moonlight with feeding time. They definitely seemed much more receptive to the food tonight than they have been before. I know the general rule is to remove any food which is uneaten in 2-5 minutes, but the cories don't seem to want to eat it when I put it there. What I'm doing now is feeding at 9.30PM, then leaving the food overnight and clearing up anything that's left in the morning - there isn't usually much.
Hoping to experiment with some live foods soon, maybe even hatch my own brine shrimp.
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