55 Gallon Journal

[outofwater14 3]

They're gone.
No ill will, they're animals... just sad about my two dojos and the one black skirt. I thought I did my homework, should've read more and asked here first.

 

[outofwater14 3]

Can you get red phantom tetras (Hyphessobrycon sweglesi)? They are similar to serpaes but without the reputation.

Megalamphodus sweglesi (Red Phantom Tetra)

The red phantom tetra, Megalamphodus sweglesi, is a small characid endemic to the upper and middle Río Orinoco watershed in Colombia and Venezuela. It apparently favours minor tributaries, oxbows and flooded forests, and in Venezuela is often found in morichals. Bred commercially in several...

www.seriouslyfish.com

I'll look for them around the stores. I have both chains and local stores around me, but they all seem to stock more or less the same fish.

I just found out that there is some sort of hobby club that meets monthly in the local aquarium, I'm going to join that.

I've been thinking for a while of moving the 12 neon tetras and 6 cory I keep in the 29g tank to the 55g. Effectively decommissioning that tank.. I'd move the plants and deco too. Maybe later on.

 

[outofwater14 3]

Can you get red phantom tetras (Hyphessobrycon sweglesi)? They are similar to serpaes but without the reputation.

Megalamphodus sweglesi (Red Phantom Tetra)

The red phantom tetra, Megalamphodus sweglesi, is a small characid endemic to the upper and middle Río Orinoco watershed in Colombia and Venezuela. It apparently favours minor tributaries, oxbows and flooded forests, and in Venezuela is often found in morichals. Bred commercially in several...

www.seriouslyfish.com

Image-searched for these... the bottom right is a serpae, isn't it?

 

[Innesfan42 4]

Image-searched for these... the bottom right is a serpae, isn't it?

Yes.

 

[Essjay43 158]

Searches often give pictures of the wrong fish. I've noticed that if a fish name is between two photos searches often attach the name to the wrong photo.

The best site for research is Seriously Fish. While written details are sometimes out of date, the photos on there are for the right fish.

 

[GaryE4 2]

I just found out that there is some sort of hobby club that meets monthly in the local aquarium, I'm going to join that.

Long ago and far away, I spoke at the Boston Aquarium Club, at the New England Aquarium. They were really nice people, very welcoming, and the club was first rate. Go. You won't regret anything but trying to get parked.

 

[outofwater14 3]

hi everyone, I'm wanting to post a couple of updates to this tank/thread. ADMIN team, is it possible to rename a thread/post? at this point it's not about identifying fish anymore, but the journey of this tank.

thank you in advance!!

 

[Essjay43 158]

I can change it for you if you tell me what you want it to say

 

[anewbie]

Fyi: I have both serpae and red phantom and in one aquarium both of them and in truth they both pretty much behave the same and in the aquarium with both they school together. I've kept serpae with angelfishes for years and despite seeing many claims of nipping long fins i've never seen it though occasionally they will chase each other.

 

[outofwater14 3]

I can change it for you if you tell me what you want it to say

hi Essjay,

please change it to

55 gallon journal

thank you.

 

[outofwater14 3]

Fyi: I have both serpae and red phantom and in one aquarium both of them and in truth they both pretty much behave the same and in the aquarium with both they school together. I've kept serpae with angelfishes for years and despite seeing many claims of nipping long fins i've never seen it though occasionally they will chase each other.

thank you for the note. the serpae were returned as soon as my second loach was killed. I have yet to replace them, I've noticed that stocks at both chains and local stores are very meager these days, and every place I visited does not have the dojo/weather loaches. heck, even petco online doesn't show them anymore, and it's been a good couple of months since they last had them.

 

[outofwater14 3]

I finally went to the local aquarium club meeting last month, and last week they had one of their big semi annual auctions. I missed on some nice cories and kuhli loaches, although those probably would uproot all the plants every day... and I got a few good bunches of plants for the big tank. added more sand to it, and planted them all there.

i gave up on the timed light I had on it and switched back to the "original" one that came with the covers, and kept the lights off for a few days. that disgusting greenish film has finally stopped, and now I'm putting these lights on for a couple of hours a day, so far so good. I know these plants need more hours of light, I'm taking small steps, because that green film was a plant killer and a pita to clean.

i've been tracking a couple of sellers on ebay and amazon that posted loaches, and still undecided as to what other fish to put there: rummy nose, cherry barbs, red phantoms... and more plants.

 

[outofwater14 3]

That's how it looks now.

 

[Essjay43 158]

hi Essjay,

please change it to

55 gallon journal

thank you.

Done

 

[outofwater14 3]

Been a while... out of the 10 or so harlequin I bought last time, only one survives, I don't know what killed the others, but one by one they died, sometimes spaced out by days or weeks. Sp,he's alne there, for now.
The fight against cyano has been dragging on for months. I finally seem yo have found the correct light timespan, and after adding a pump for more water agitation, it's been a whole week and not a trace of it.
Added a few more plants, both planted as well as floating one, and for thr first time in a long time, they're also staying well, not withering and dying off.
After much reading about the cyano, decided to add a second filter to help the water movement.
It seemed to make a dent, but did not eliminate it, as it happened after the pump was installed.
Next week I'll remove the second filter and keep an eye for the cyano....
If the tank holds, I've made up my mind: I'll move the plants and deco from the 29g tank, and of course those fish (3 remaining OG neon tetras, they're at least 5 years old now) 5 cory, 2 guppy, 3 ottos and 12 harlequin. Bought those 12 small, they have been there for 2 weeks now, look great and growing, and will be much needed company for the other guy in the bigger tank.