Altums

[TwoTankAmin]

Well its that time of year and the Altums are coming in. Last year went 0/19 on the Atabapos and was very upset. They are available again and I can't help myself. This time I can drive 2.5 hours to pick them up and avoid shipping. I have an empty 55 gal and almond leaves/alder cones- still have the UV unit, more bags of sand, wood, etc. The worst part is the seller has altums from several different river systems:

[quote]Well folks we have another order due to arrive from Colombia this Friday the 20th of July, 2012. This order will include the following; (200) pcs of Rio Orinoco P. Altums, (500) pcs Large Rio Inirida P. Altums, (600) pcs Cano Bocon P. Altums Small, and (1) Box of Rio Atabapo P. Altums (200) pcs small. That's 1500 assorted P. Altums... Another 1400+ pcs of Cardinal Tetras Large 140 pcs of Ram Cichlids Large[/quote]

I must be sick- I can't see any way I am not going out there and get some. I need to get a sterile Q tank up and cycled and working at under a pH of 7 ASAP. I will use DrTims One and Only again I guess. The edge this year is its early in the season and these will be small which increases the odds some make it.

Oh yes, did I mention I must be crazy.........................................

 

[crazyforcordoras]

Wow, Altum angels! Lucky ou!

 

[Peter C]

pcs meaning individual fish? if so thats a hell of a lot of fish lol

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Spoke to Pete at Villa's City of Angelfish today. They should land tomorrow or may be delayed til Sat. I will drive out and pick up the fish when they are out of Q. And yes its 1500 fish.

I am debating using an uncycled tank to Q them with a pH in the 5-5.5 range. Will use maybe 75% ro/di. Importer says he brings them into 4-4.5 pH water at his facility. I would use muriatic acid to get the pH down that low. Need to hunt down a really low range pH test kit I guess.

 

[minnnt]

Good luck with them TTA. You deserve it after last time.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Incoming were delayed a few days I expect to hear they arrived any time now. The price on the altums was a bunch more than I anticipated and they are medium size not small. So I will for sure buy fewer of them and then make sure I get a group of the smaller size as well. I have at least gathered all the catchable rummy nose into the 40B. Watching them herd back and forth is neat, but I bet it will be even nicer in a 6 foot tank.

I just finished ordering a pH meter and 3 bottles of calibration solution plus the storage solution. I am being dragged kicking into the digital age- I can now measure pH, C[sup]o[/sup] and TDS with a meter. All I really ever wanted was a nice community tank to watch with some nice pretty easy to keep fish and some realistic looking fake plants. And somehow this is where I ended up. Don't you just love this hobby.

 

[crazyforcordoras]

Thats the fun part about it! Good luck with the Altums, ive always wanted them.