Add More Fish During Cycling?

[ab420]

So, my digital camera is GARBAGE!!! I just took a ton of pics, and none of them are clear enough to see anything (seriously, you can't even see fins in it, its that bad)

The best description I can give is that it literally looks like someone pulled him out of the tank, and rolled him in little shreds of cotton fuzz. He has long stringy whisps hanging off some of his fins and gills. The ick is almost gone now, so it's just this cotton junk I have to deal with.

 

[juicebox]

my digital camera is like that, too.

well, it's good the ick is almost gone. he's making progress, yay!

 

[Underwurlde]

Hmmm, for me too. Taking pictures of your tank is (for some reason) extremely tricky.

For the record (if you are interested) look here; helped me out immensly:
http/www.jjphoto.dk/akvariefoto/index_uk.htm

Bullet points of this site are:
Best done at night will all room lighting OFF – only tank lighting on.
Highest possible camera quality setting
ISO 400 (or lower the ISO to get less grainy images).
Macro Mode
No Flash
Zoom out (& Then trim on a PC).
Focus on a stationary object (1/2 click on shutter buttion) & then move camera (in / out) & track fish.
White Balance – Set to ‘Fluorescent’.

Give it a go & try again?
I find this thread facinating (as I am really hoping your fish pulls through - better than watching any poxy soap...) and would love to visually see him improve (As i'm really hope he does).

Andy

 

[ab420]

Hmmm, for me too. Taking pictures of your tank is (for some reason) extremely tricky.

For the record (if you are interested) look here; helped me out immensly:
http/www.jjphoto.dk/akvariefoto/index_uk.htm

Bullet points of this site are:
Best done at night will all room lighting OFF – only tank lighting on.
Highest possible camera quality setting
ISO 400 (or lower the ISO to get less grainy images).
Macro Mode
No Flash
Zoom out (& Then trim on a PC).
Focus on a stationary object (1/2 click on shutter buttion) & then move camera (in / out) & track fish.
White Balance – Set to ‘Fluorescent’.

Give it a go & try again?
I find this thread facinating (as I am really hoping your fish pulls through - better than watching any poxy soap...) and would love to visually see him improve (As i'm really hope he does).

Andy

Those are great tips... but it's really just the camera, it has NEVER taken a good picture... EVER! Fishtanks are hard to capture though, so when I do get a better camera, I will keep it in mind! The biggest problem with my camera, is that it literally takes about 6 seconds to take the picture, in that time, no matter what you are trying to photograph, WILL move, even if it's just a human posing, 6 seconds is a long time, so for fish, especially Barbs, it's impossible!

 

[Underwurlde]

6 ! ! ! S E C O N D S ! ! !

Are you sure it's not a box browny? Do you have to fill the flash up with magnesium?



Andy

 

[ab420]

6 ! ! ! S E C O N D S ! ! !

Are you sure it's not a box browny? Do you have to fill the flash up with magnesium?



Andy

You actually have to run on a treadmill to power it, so maybe if I could just run a little faster.... LOL!

 

[Underwurlde]

Yeah, but if you're running flat out, how're ya gunna hold the camera still (for 6 seconds let us not forget)??

Andy

 

[ab420]

Yeah, but if you're running flat out, how're ya gunna hold the camera still (for 6 seconds let us not forget)??

Andy

Crap. I think I need a new camera!

 

[ab420]

So, the little Tiger is still fighting! He seems to be swimming better still, so that's a good sign!

Also, my 29 gallon tank has a Whisper filter that drops the water from the top, breaking the surface to make oxygen, it works fine, but I bought a small 15ga. air pump and an airstone to make some more bubbles. I've heard airstones really help out by pushing ammonia to the top of the tanks and then out, on top of the obvious benefits of increased oxygen in the tank, plus it looks nice, and the barbs LOVE to play in the bubbles!

 

[Underwurlde]

So, the little Tiger is still fighting! good.gif He seems to be swimming better still, so that's a good sign!

Yay!

I've heard airstones really help out by pushing ammonia to the top of the tanks and then out,

...Sorry, '..and then out...' ...of where?

Does not sound right to me, but what do I know, so please someone correct me and tell me how this works so that I / we can learn of another technique of ridding our tanks of dreadded ammonia.

Andy

 

[ab420]

So, the little Tiger is still fighting! good.gif He seems to be swimming better still, so that's a good sign!

Yay!

I've heard airstones really help out by pushing ammonia to the top of the tanks and then out,

...Sorry, '..and then out...' ...of where?

Does not sound right to me, but what do I know, so please someone correct me and tell me how this works so that I / we can learn of another technique of ridding our tanks of dreadded ammonia.

Andy

Well, at my LFS, I noticed that they have more than adequate aeration from the filter system they use, but every tank also has an airstone in it as well. I thought this was odd so I asked him why, and he told me, that the air bubbles are released pushing towards the surface, this causes a general upward motion, that helps push the ammonia towards the surface where it is released into the air. The only references I could find to that online were from companies who sell air pumps, so I'm not sure how biased they may be.

Also... I have heard that they aren't so great in planted tanks, as they release co2 into the air as well, thus choking the plants, but I have fake plants (taking the easy route for now...)

 

[ab420]

The 5 gallon tank that I have the Tiger in is not that great, it was a Hex starter kit bought at Walmart (I know... I know... this was before I ever owned a fish...)

Anyways, the filter/aeration system is really weak, to get enough air into the water, you have to drop the water level a bit, but if you do that, the pump barely pulls the water up the tube...

So...
I went out and bought a 5 gallon tank air pump and a 4" airstone and set it up, then raised the water level so the filter works much better now. The tiger seems VERY excited by the bubbles!

I think this may be one of the hardiest Tiger barbs in history...

This poor guy (besides being in a tank that was being cycled), got ick, got picked on HORRIBLY by the other barbs, to the point where he almost doesn't even have a left fin anymore! Then he got a fungus all over his gills and his wounded fins.... BUT HE WILL NOT GIVE UP!!! I love this little guy, such a trooper!

 

[juicebox]

yes, air stones can drive off co2 that plants need. you wouldn't really want them anyway, because if you have a healthy ecosystem in your tank then the plants will give off oxygen that your fish use and they, in turn, give off co2 the plants use, and so the cycle goes.

your tiger barb really is a trooper! how is he? has the ick cleared completely by now?

 

[ab420]

yes, air stones can drive off co2 that plants need. you wouldn't really want them anyway, because if you have a healthy ecosystem in your tank then the plants will give off oxygen that your fish use and they, in turn, give off co2 the plants use, and so the cycle goes.

your tiger barb really is a trooper! how is he? has the ick cleared completely by now?

There's still a little ick on him, but not too bad, the fungus is mostly gone now too, but he has a LOT of fin damage, once of them is almost completely gone. I'm not sure if that will grow back or not?

 

[ab420]

First off, I realized yesterday when talking with the LFS, that I do NOT have Rosy Barbs, I have Male Neon Rosy Barb's, which are apparently different, and don't get quite as big as the Rosy's. Anyone have experience with them? Please tell me they are NOT painted.... I really hope they are not, I do NOT want to support that practice in ANY way!

So... the Neon Rosy's are at it again! They are mean little devils! I have 2 that are almost all red, and one that is more silver, and they won't leave him alone. They mutilated the first silverish Rosy to the point where I had to Euthanize it I really hope they leave this guy alone.

Everywhere I read says they should be in larger groups, of 6 or more, do you think adding more would make them be less aggressive? I am still cycling unfortunately, but my levels are good, Ammonia is less than 0.5, Nitrite is below 2 (a while after feeding, then drops a little).

The Tiger barbs don't bother anyone, they just happily swim around together, but the Rosy's are always attacking....

What should I do? Add more Neon Rosy's? Just hope for the best?